God's Purpose For Mankind - His Life in Us
In his message, Ernie emphasizes the importance of choosing between living dependently on God or independently through our own efforts. He references Jeremiah 2:13, where God laments that His people have forsaken Him, the fountain of living water, to create their own broken cisterns. This choice reflects humanity's tendency to rely on self rather than God, a theme that resonates throughout scripture. Ernie highlights that God desires a relationship with His creation, as seen in Revelation 21:3, where God dwells among His people. He warns against the dangers of spiritual pride and the tendency to prioritize outward appearances over genuine spiritual reality. Ernie urges believers to seek the abundant life offered through Jesus Christ, who is the source of true life (zoë). He stresses that this life is not merely about eternal existence but about experiencing the fullness of God's life now. The message concludes with a call to remain connected to Christ, allowing His life to manifest in us, and to forsake any systems we may have built that distract us from this relationship.
Outline of Main Points
- Choice between dependence on God and self-reliance
- God's desire for relationship with humanity
- Warning against spiritual pride and outward appearances
- Importance of experiencing the abundant life in Christ
- Call to remain connected to Christ and forsake distractions
13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
