Can We Really Find What We are Looking For?
I realize it may seem arrogant to make a proposal that claims to be the answer you are looking for; however, in spite of our cultural disdain for any single answer to a question, I would like to propose the following:
First, the basic questions – who am I and what is my purpose in life?
I would suggest to you that you will find the answer to these most basic questions when you fully embrace the following three things. First, you understand God as Trinity. This means that you embrace the reality that God has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This has huge implications in your life that I could write a whole book on. For now, let me say that we will not experience the fullness of who God is with knowing Him as Father (Ruler/Creator), Son (Redeemer/Savior), and Holy Spirit (Counselor/Empowerer).
Culturally, we do not want to be bothered by a very specific Deity. We prefer a vague kind of force, higher power, or pantheistic god. The only problem is a vague god is difficult to relate to and enter into a meaningful relationship with. I am convinced that a vague god made in our own image can never truly meet the deepest needs of our heart and life.
Second, we need to embrace the church as living community. The Trinitarian God we serve is by nature a God of relationship. In the Trinity there is perfect love and perfect unity. This is our invitation: to enter into relationship with the Triune God and to express that same love and unity in the divine community called the church. Religion will not satisfy our deepest longings and needs. Only by fully embracing the church and entering into relationships with others as we all seek to follow God will we understand the pain and joy of discovering who we are and what our purpose is in life.
The church is not a building nor is it like any other institution. The church is a divine community of people who are in many different places in their journey towards Christ and come from a variety of backgrounds. This community consists of broken and hurting people who, although they may be growing closer to Christ, may still hurt others. It is not a perfect community, but it is where God desires to perfect us in love, both for Him and for others. It is easy to “love” those who are loving, but I think we are perfected in love when we learn to love those who hurt us or are just difficult to love.
Finally, the goal of humanity is transformation. “And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (1 Corinthians 3:18). The purpose of God’s plan is not just that you will make it to heaven, but that you will become like Christ. “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son…” (Romans 8:29). If we could learn to embrace every trial and difficulty as an opportunity to grow, how different our lives would be. Instead of bitterness, anger, hurt, etc., we could truly learn the power of living in love, joy, peace and all the fruit of the Spirit. God wants to give us “a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:3, NIV) We just need to learn to allow God into those broken areas of our life and experience His transformation that leads to life.
Tod Bolsinger in his book, It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian says, “…the change we most yearn for is available to us only through the Triune God who transforms his people within the divine community, the church.”
May you truly find what you are looking for.
This is not an easy thing to grasp and loving all people can be very hard to do. I just read through Sundays sermon and I am looking forward with expectation to hearing what you have to say! Reading it is good but I may have interpreted in a different way than intended, hearing it, for me is better.