John K. Jenkins Sr - The Purpose Series - Part 1

I want to talk to you today. I’m starting a series today called «The Purpose Series.» Today is going to be part one. Somebody say, «The Purpose.» I want to talk to you about purpose. We have a lot of people who don’t know what their purpose is. A lot of people don’t realize and recognize they have a purpose; they have an assignment, a destiny, a call from God, and the devil wants you to remain confused, hidden, doubting, and questioning your destiny. But look at your neighbor and say, «You may not look like much, but you have a destiny.» I think y’all told them more than what I said. Tell them again! I want you to open your Bibles to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. This is a familiar passage of Scripture. Thank Reverend Robinson for reading it this morning, already, Dr. Robinson. But Romans 8, and I want to begin reading in verse 28. Verse 28 says, «And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.» I want to talk about purpose. This is a series on purpose because many people are searching for their purpose. Why are they here? Why were you created? What are you supposed to be doing? God did create you for a reason; you have a purpose on this planet. You are more than just the result of an encounter between your mama and your daddy. You have a purpose, you have an assignment, and ultimately, you need to know and walk in your purpose. It is the key to being fulfilled. Some of you are not fulfilled because you’re not walking in your purpose. You can be successful in life and still be unhappy because you’re not walking in your purpose. Miles Monroe defined purpose as follows: the original intent for the creation of a thing, the original reason for the existence of something, the cause for the creation of a thing. I tell people all the time in this building who I see sitting in their seat in a way that the seat was not designed to be sat in. Sometimes people sit on the arms of these chairs, and I go over and tell them the arm was not made for you. [Laughter] Sometimes the seat is flipped up, and I tell them if you push the seat down and sit in it like that, that’s the way it was designed to be sat in. He said if you use something in a way other than how it was designed, that’s abuse. Many of you are abusing yourselves and your lives because you’re living in a way other than how God has designed you to live. [Music] Some of you are treating other people abusively. So, I wanted to spend just a few moments talking to you about abuse. I know about purpose. The word «purpose» in Romans 8:28 says that those who are the called according to His purpose-everybody has a purpose. The word «purpose» finds its root in an Old Testament word called «showbread.» If you look in the Old Testament, you see the word «showbread.» What is showbread? It’s bread. Go ahead, Pastor; I’m deep-but it ain’t that deep. Showbread is bread to be shown. So, what does that have to do with anything? When they were going to the temple in the Old Testament, the priests would take 12 loaves of showbread and stack them on top of each other in rows of six. Every Sabbath, they would go in before the Sabbath and take the showbread out and put the fresh bread in. It represented something; it meant something. It was a significant thing: the showbread was designed to be in the Holy Place in the temple, close to where they believed God hung out, where God dwelled. It would lay in the sanctuary for seven days following the worship. The purpose of the showbread- here’s what it means: it means to be put on display. It is this word «showbread,» the bread that is put on display, that is a symbol of what the word «purpose» means. Now, Pastor, what are you saying? Here 's what I’m saying: God has given us a purpose. What does that mean? It means He has called you to be put on display. Y’all missed it; that went over your head. I know it escapes some of you. Some of you don’t get it; you don’t understand. But my job is to help you understand and comprehend that God wants to take your life, as jacked up as it might be, as messed up as it might be, and do something in your life that must be put on display. He wants to turn your situation around, turn your circumstances around, turn your life around, and make a change in your life so that when people look at you, they can’t believe what has happened in your life. They can’t believe where God has brought you from and where God has taken you to. They can’t believe the change that has taken place. In other words, God wants to put you on blast. My kids say that when they see something that’s really, really good, they say, «Oh, that’s lit!» God wants to put your life on lit. It doesn 't sound right .