in Christ... // I Have a Purpose // BCF Church

“In Christ” names the whole Christian life. The New Testament keeps saying it because God redeems a people into union with his Son, then supplies the very power to live this new life by his Spirit. The church is not a club to join or a uniform to wear. The “Boy Scout” way of merit badges and meetings burns out fast, because the gospel is not “try harder,” it is “in Christ.” Birth into a family fits better. Family rules train a son or daughter, but never secure their place. So God brings new birth and then gives the Spirit who “gives the desire and the power to do the things that please him.”

Second Timothy 1:9 speaks plain: “God saved us and called us to a holy calling,” not because of works, but because of his purpose and grace. Purpose means a plan set out in advance. “Before the ages began,” before time eternal, God already held a design for each life in Christ. Riches, fame, and a big name can still miss it. Christ himself must live in a person for that purpose to be found.

That shared purpose looks like five things. Worship comes first, loving the Lord with heart, soul, and mind. Mission follows, “introducing people to Jesus Christ” and baptizing them as disciples. Growth means learning “how wide and long and high and deep” his love is. Connection names life together, where love for one another validates discipleship and small groups become the workshop of that love. Then comes unique service. Ephesians 2:10 says the church is God’s workmanship, his poema, a living masterpiece “created in Christ Jesus for good works…prepared beforehand.” Grace does not excuse work, it empowers the works God prepared.

The hammer bag makes it tangible. A finishing hammer, a framing hammer, and a sledgehammer are all good, all different, and all wrong when misused. So a believer discovers design by “picking up a hammer and doing something,” learning by fit and fruit. Some will thrive in detail behind a soundboard, others in the noise of youth, others in music, all as gifts entrusted for building up the family.

Philippians 3:13–14 calls the church forward: forget what lies behind, press on toward “the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul writes that from prison, yet refuses to retire early. God’s call does not quit. Even detours can refine a servant and confirm the assignment. Romans 11:29 seals the hope: “God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.” The right response sounds simple and scary: “God, I surrender. God, use me.” In Christ, the Spirit will guide and supply.

Key Takeaways

• 1. In Christ, purpose precedes time God’s purpose is not improvised. It is older than clocks and galaxies and was set on a person in Christ before the ages began. That frees the believer from scrambling for identity and invites steady obedience into a plan already held by God. Purpose is received, then discovered step by step. [35:26]
• 2. Grace empowers, not merit badges Grace does not put a uniform on a sinner and then demand a flawless performance. Grace unites to Christ, washes clean, and pours in power for holy desire and holy action. The heart stops hustling for approval and starts working from adoption. That shift is the difference between burnout and fruit. [34:38]
• 3. Different tools, one Builder’s design A finishing hammer, a framing hammer, and a sledgehammer are all right in the right place. So each disciple is crafted for particular good works and will feel strain or frustration when misapplied. Calling often clarifies through trying, failing, adjusting, and noticing joy and fruit. The Master Builder knows which tool belongs where. [43:06]
• 4. The call is upward and stubborn God’s call does not fade with age, setbacks, or even prison walls. It keeps pulling a person forward, past regrets and past trophies, into fresh obedience today. Fear will speak, but the call holds, because the Giver does not revoke what he gives. Pressing on is not ambition; it is agreement with grace. [47:57]
• 5. Surrender unlocks guided action “God, use me” is dangerous and life-giving, because surrender hands the pen back to the Author. That prayer does not float in the air; the Spirit answers by pointing to concrete next steps and supplying strength to walk them. Joy increases where availability meets assignment. Start, and God will steer. [53:50]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [30:04] - In Christ defines Christian life
• [30:56] - A family, not an organization
• [31:49] - Merit badges vs grace
• [33:46] - Saved and called, not earned
• [35:26] - Purpose before the ages began
• [37:19] - Five purposes for every disciple
• [39:44] - Masterpiece created for good works
• [41:54] - Choosing the right hammer
• [45:34] - Try something, find your fit
• [47:37] - Pressing on toward the upward call
• [49:53] - A detour, growth, and confirmation
• [52:24] - Gifts and calling never withdrawn
• [53:50] - Prayer of surrender: God, use me
• [55:08] - Empowered by the Spirit in Christ

1. According to 2 Timothy 1:9, what two things does God not base our calling on, and what does He base it on instead?
2. The sermon compares believers to different types of hammers (finishing, framing, sledgehammer). What happens when a tool is used for the wrong purpose, and how does this relate to discovering our God-given design? [43:06]
3. In Philippians 3:13–14, what action does Paul emphasize (“forgetting,” “straining,” “pressing”) and what is the ultimate goal he describes?
4. What does Ephesians 2:10 mean by saying believers are God’s “workmanship” (poema), and how does this contrast with self-driven efforts? [41:10]

1. Why might Paul use the phrase “before the ages began” in 2 Timothy 1:9 to describe God’s purpose? How does this eternal perspective change the way someone views their daily choices?
2. The sermon states, “Grace does not put a uniform on a sinner and demand a flawless performance.” How does this contrast with a “merit badge” approach to faith, and why does the latter lead to burnout? [34:38]
3. In Philippians 3:13–14, Paul writes about pressing forward while imprisoned. How does his circumstance make his emphasis on “the upward call” more impactful? What does this reveal about God’s calling in hardship?
4. Romans 11:29 says God’s gifts and call are “irrevocable.” How might this truth encourage someone who feels they’ve failed or delayed responding to God’s purpose for them? [52:24]

1. The phrase “God, use me” was highlighted as a prayer of surrender. What practical step could you take this week to act on that prayer, even if it feels uncertain? [53:50]
2. Have you ever tried serving in a role (like a “misused hammer”) that left you frustrated or burned out? How might recognizing your unique design help you pivot toward something life-giving? [44:12]
3. Where do you sense a tension between striving to “earn” God’s approval (like a merit badge) versus working from your identity as His adopted child? What habit could remind you of grace this week?
4. The sermon says, “Joy increases where availability meets assignment.” Is there an area of service you’ve avoided trying because of fear or perfectionism? How could you “pick up a hammer” and test it? [45:34]
5. Paul describes God’s call as “upward and stubborn.” What regret, failure, or past success do you need to “forget” in order to press forward into what God has next?
6. How could your small group help you discern your unique “good works” (Ephesians 2:10)? What gifts or passions do others see in you that you might undervalue?