Purpose in Relationship

City Harbor Church – Hampden, Baltimore, MD

God’s Purpose for Humanity includes Relationship, Character, Function, & Reproduction – Genesis 1:26-31

We can all find fulfillment as we discover and respond to God’s purpose for humanity in relationship, character, function, and reproduction.

We may find ourselves asking: What am I doing here? Why do we exist?
First, we should understand that God has purpose.

“We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

Purpose – the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists, one’s intention or objective

God always has a purpose. Careful forethought and planning go into everything God does. God can fulfill any purpose He chooses. Isaiah 14:24, 27 “as I have purposed, so it will happen,” God has a purpose for the whole earth, Isaiah 14:26.

God’s Purpose for Humanity includes Relationship, Character, Function, & Reproduction – Genesis 1:26-31

1. Purpose in Relationship – Genesis 1:26-31 3:9

Questions being answered by Genesis: Who are we hearing about? Who is God? What is God doing? Who are the first humans? What is God’s purpose for humanity?

“In the beginning God,” – Genesis 1:1

God is holy set-apart, unique, unrivaled, powerful, giving life and love therefore relational.

Words that describe God’s character/attributes are relational: Loving, Compassionate, Forgiving, Merciful, Gracious, Long-suffering, Righteous, Just, Jealous,

YHWH (written) “I AM WHO I AM” Ehyeh – “I am” Yahweh – “He is” Adonai – “Lord”

Jehovah is the vowels of Adonai put into YHWY = YAHOWAH

“What you call someone says a lot about your relationship with them.” – John Mark Comer

Notice that the other names for God, listed in the Bible, are relational in nature.

“Daddy God, who is in Heaven, I praise your name,” Luke 11:1

• The name of the Lord is a strong tower. I will run into it and be safe. Proverbs 18:10
• El Elyon the Most High God – Genesis 14:17-20
• El Olam Everlasting God – Isaiah 40:28-31
• El Roi The One who sees – Genesis 16:13
• El Shaddai God Almighty – Genesis 17:1
• Elohim Mighty Big God – Genesis 1:1
• Jehovah Jireh Lord will provide – Genesis 22:13-14
• Jehovah Maccaddeshem Lord my sanctifier – Exodus 31:13
• Jehovah Nissi Lord our banner – Exodus 17:15
• Jehovah Rapha Lord our healer – Exodus 15:26
• Jehovah Rohi Lord our shepherd – Psalms 23:1
• Jehovah Shalom Lord our peace – Judges 6:24
• Jehovah Shammah Lord who is present – Ezekiel 48:35
• Jehovah Tsidkenu Lord our righteousness – Jeremiah 23:6

God’s Purpose for Humanity (seen in Genesis 1) Includes:

1. Relationship

“Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image and likeness. And let them rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the tame animals, over all the earth, and over all the small crawling animals on the earth.’ So God created human beings in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female. God blessed them and said, ‘Have many children and grow in number. Fill the earth and be its master. Rule over the fish in the sea and over the birds in the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” – Genesis 1:26-28 NCV

“Then the Lord God took dust from the ground and formed a man from it. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nose, and the man became a living person.” – Genesis 2:7 NCV

“The Lord God put the man in the garden of Eden to care for it and work it. 16 The Lord God commanded him, “You may eat the fruit from any tree in the garden, 17 but you must not eat the fruit from the tree which gives the knowledge of good and evil. If you ever eat fruit from that tree, you will die!’” – Genesis 2:15-17 NCV

God came looking for Adam and Eve, Genesis 3:8-9.

6 The woman saw that the tree was beautiful, that its fruit was good to eat, and that it would make her wise. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of the fruit to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.

7 Then, it was as if their eyes were opened. They realized they were naked, so they sewed fig leaves together and made something to cover themselves.

8 Then they heard the Lord God walking in the garden during the cool part of the day, and the man and his wife hid from the Lord God among the trees in the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said, “Where are you?”

10 The man answered, “I heard you walking in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”

11 God asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat fruit from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?’” – Genesis 3:6-11 NCV

What do we learn about God’s passionate purpose for humanity, seen in Genesis 1-3?

“Essential Ingredients of God’s Purpose”

A. God is a father that wanted to have a family of kids to relate to.

God gave Adam and Eve life and made relationship with Him possible. God’s response to their mistaken disobedience was to seek them out for the sake of reconciling the relationship. – Genesis 1:26-28 3:6-11

Jesus referred to God mostly as, “Father”, Matthew 6:9 Luke 11:2. If God is a father, then it follows that His purpose would be to have a family. Understanding God’s reasons for creating us gives us meaning and purpose in life. The more we live life consistent with His purpose for creating us, the more fulfillment we will experience. (world view = belief glasses) We need to understand what this meant to them. Original audience’s view of father: Provider, Protector, Authority, Life-giving

Important Notes:

1. Jesus described Father God as loving, unique, unrivaled, powerful, life-giving, and relational.

2. Jesus did not sexualize the understanding of God’s gender.

3. Jesus described Father God’s identity with relational descriptions.

B. God is motivated by love to create us with the ability to choose to respond to His love.

God’s purpose flows from His character. All of God’s purposes proceed from His person. Everything God does is consistent with who He is. God is love, agape love. God is loving…committed, covenant, love beyond your lifetime. Consider who God described Himself to be, in Exodus 34:6-7 NCV, “The LORD is a God who shows mercy, who is kind, who doesn’t become angry quickly, who has great love and faithfulness and is kind to thousands of people. The LORD forgives people for evil, for sin, and for turning against him, but he does not forget to punish guilty people.” – Exodus 34:6-7 NCV

Note: the Good News of Jesus Christ makes a healthy relationship with God possible.

John 3:16-17 Romans 5:20-21 Ephesians 2:13 Matthew 22:37-38

C. Everything we experience is an opportunity to relate to God and get to know Him better.

Romans 12:1-2

“What is the chief and highest end of man (humanity)? … to glorify God, and fully enjoy Him forever. – Westminster Shorter Catechism “to know, love, and serve God,”

To be fully human is to be welcomed into a committed loving relationship with God. In this we can fulfill our purpose at any time on any day.

Why am I here? Giving God “relationship time” is fulfilling part of your purpose in this life.

What should we do?

1. Remove obstacles to our relationship with God.

2. Receive love from God and respond with wholehearted joyful devotion.