What I want my grandkids to know - Part #1 of 5

There are certain life-principles, which if understood, can undergird, support, and enhance our journey during our mortal coil.

The "the meaning of life" far surpasses any zany Monty Python movie. The scriptures are resplendent in values, helping us understand God's purpose, particularly for those who care to dig a little deeper.

I first discovered this fourfold purpose when I was in my early twenties. 

This is therefore more of a family bible study, primarily targeted to my three adult sons and their wives. In time, a little bit of this sagely wisdom may even be conveyed to my darling grandchildren, with much love from their Papa.

It may even be an encouragement to anyone else that cares to read.

Due to the importance of this essential teaching, I intend writing five daily blogs, helping us pace applying each of the four principles, as we delve into the depths of God's word.

These will be no more than a five-minute read time (and I'll also probably include a podcast on each one), a time constraint always a challenge for a preacher. 

The headlines over the five days are going to be:

Day #1 is what we are doing now – namely an introductory session, specifically defining what "purpose" is, and the biblical imperative to restore purpose to our lives.

Day #2 will look at unpacking the first ‘R’ of purpose 

Day #3 will look at unpacking the second ‘R’ of purpose 

Day #4 will look at unpacking the third ‘R’ of purpose

Day #5 will look at unpacking the fourth ‘R’ of purpose

Therefore today, Day #1 of 5 - we’ll be looking at two major things 

1.Defining what purpose is 

2.The need to restore what was lost at creation.

1stly lets define what purpose is 

The word "purpose" is defined 

as "the reason for which something is done or created, or for which something exists."

For time immemorial man has been on this quest to find out why we exist and requiring knowing why we were created.

I believe this purpose or meaning of life is found in Genesis Chapters 1 through 3. It is concealed in the covenant given to Adam in the garden of Eden.

At this point it is important that we understand a basic principle of hermeneutics (the art and science of interpreting the scripture) which is known as "the natural/spiritual principle."

This becomes clear when we read 1 Corinthians 15:45-48, which says

So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being" the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.

Did you notice this principle tucked away in these verses saying "The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual."

Romans 1:20 puts it in similar terms, that is we understand the eternal by the temporal, understanding the invisible by the visible.

A great example for this natural/spiritual principle is found in the tabernacle and its furnishing in Exodus Chapters 25 through chapter 40. The tabernacle is a visible or natural picture book of how we can enter the presence of God and the invisible or spiritual realm.

Armed with this backdrop to our understanding let us proceed.

2ndly let us look at the need to restore what was lost at creation.

Joel the prophet prophesies about restoration (Joel 2:25).

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

Dr Luke picks up this thread of restoration - the restoration principle in Acts 3:19-21

¹⁹ Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, ²⁰ and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, ²¹ whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Notice…restoration…since the world began, or at creation.

Restoration defined is to put back that which has been, lost, misplaced, or stolen. It is the act of returning something to its former owner, place or condition.

My mother in law had what looked like an old beat-up mahogany lampstand which she sent to a furniture restorer. He sanded it and re-stained it and had it looking as good as its original condition.

The Christian journey is more than a get out of hell pass.

The Christian journey is to be abundant, as well as a secure eternally. Someone has aptly stated, “Christianity is not just pie in the sky when you die, but steak on your plate while you wait!”

The Christian journey is richer when we restore God's original purpose.

Jesus’ coming, as the Last Adam, was to take what the First Adam lost naturally in the Edenic covenant. Jesus came to restore to us spiritually what was originally intended for mankind. That’s why the book of Romans chapter 8 and verse 28 says,

“and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”

Tomorrow we will start to discover the first of four principles that will help us restore God's original purpose.

That’s enough for today.

Listen in tomorrow to discover and restore the first ‘R’ of God’s purpose.

God bless you

Extra reading,:

[A theological backdrop demonstrates Adam, the first human, was created perfect from

 dust of the ground. But Adam disobeyed and brought sin into the world. Jesus is the "last Adam" in the sense that He was the last man who did not have a sin nature. Although He was like Adam in that He did not have a sin nature, He was different from Adam in that Jesus was from heaven. Consequently Jesus was able to be the sinless sacrifice for the sins of the world.]