Bible study with the Jeremiah Group – Oct 18, 2024

A couple of points for my introduction. My name is Nguyen huu Toan. We have returned to the Midway Church over a year ago. I left Vietnam in 1975 as a young man and ended up in the North of the USA. In 1979, I met Muc su Van Dai in California and the church sponsored my family (including my parents OB Nguyen huu Dung, 2 em and 3 cousins, MS Bui minh Quan was one) from Indonesia to California.

 

The topic that we will study together this morning is “Life’s meaning and purpose” and the Biblical foundation is Eph 2:10. According to MS Phú, a majority of Jeremiah group is above 50 (at the half time of life), so this Bible study would seem appropriate and could be interesting. The Bible tells us of God’s plan for all believers, found in Eph 2:10 – “Chúng ta là việc Ngài làm ra, đã được dựng nên trong Đức Chúa Jesus Christ để làm việc lành mà Đức Chúa Trời đã sắm sẵn trước cho chúng ta làm theo”.  Many thanks to God, in 2012, this was God’s answer to my simple and practical question “What will I do with my time after I retire?” and a really big question that I didn’t even know to ask, “What is the meaning and purpose of my life?” 

 

Back to God’s Word, it is very clear that God’s plan for each of us has 3 phases. Let’s together do a deep dive now.

 

The 1st part is “Each of us is God’s workmanship”. We are created in God’s image and given different skills, talents, and personalities. Einstein said, “Everybody is a genius, but don’t ask a fish to fly or a bird to swim”. We can’t do what other people can and vice versa. Therefore, we should not compare and compete, because we are the clay and God is the potter. Instead of comparing and possibly being saddened, we should do our best to honor God with our life. God will use everybody who is available and obedient, even if we think we are not worthy and we can’t do anything.  

 

Can we tell Nick Vujicic that, who was born without limbs? He didn’t let his limitations stop him from showing God through him. He honored God by courageously sharing God with big groups of people. He travels all over the world to talk about God’s amazing grace and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And God blessed him in many ways, with a family, a wife and 4 children. We certainly can agree with Nick that he has a full and abundant life that Jesus promised in John 10:10 even though he has no limbs! Can we honor God with our limitations and what we think the world demands – degree or job title in society? If we don’t think we can, we are not letting God’s power work through our weakness!

 

The 2nd part is “We are developed in Christ Jesus”. When we are young, we go to school to learn knowledge, then we get a job to make a living and after 20, 30 or 40 years of working, we really gain a lot of knowledge, experience and skills. It is God’s grace, blessings and plans for us to achieve it all. We make money, get promotion, travel to other countries to work and to live, and find happiness from our work. But that’s not everything!

 

Because God made each of us different, we do different work. When I started working in the 80’s, I had friends at the same age, who began to serve as pastors. Sometimes, I questioned why I work for an oil company or why I did not have the same calling to be a pastor like my friends? I had these questions because I didn’t know God’s will in Eph 2:10. God created people to be different and do different things. And God needs his children to be everywhere – to be a pastor in a church, a teacher in a school, a bus driver, a housewife at home… a boss, a worker… who are the light of the world. Yes, all of us should be the light in the dark world and people should see God through us, our work and our lives. Each of the believer’s life should be a testimony for God. The end goal is God will use us with our knowledge, skills and experience to carry out His ultimate plans. 

 

In the 3rd part of Eph 2:10, we see “được dựng nên trong Đức Chúa Jesus Christ để làm việc lành mà Đức Chúa Trời đã sắm sẵn trước cho chúng ta làm theo”. God’s goal is for us to carry out His good works. God’s will is not for us to make a lot of money, buy more houses and expensive cars, travel the world and seek pleasures, and will die without knowing Him!… Before, each of us is born, God already knew what He wants us to do. He has planned the good work for us before creation. 

 

In our half time, around 50 years of age, I believe many people would naturally ask questions such as:

 

1) What else is there after making money, getting promotion, buy houses and cars, raise children?

2) How come I am not satisfied after I have achieved the “American dream” (for us who live in the States) and a lot of my life goals are completed?

3) What can I do for God whom I call my Father (whom I love) and my Lord (whom I worship)?

4) How can I know God more deeply? certainly not just by going to church on Sunday because we all have done that.

 

I believe these questions are what the Holy Spirit does to Push us to think and make a very important decision. Before any important decision is made, people usually need to be “Pushed and Pulled”. We already know the Pull from the Bible such as: we will not bring anything with us when we die, we should count our days to be wise, and be content is a great benefit. Another Push for me was the book “Half time” by Bob Buford. He advocated that people in half time should “move from success to significance”. Yes! What can be more significant than knowing God and have a really close relationship with Him. What can be more significant and satisfying than sharing life with Jesus and carrying out His will and His plan for our life?

 

Thưa quí OB and quí AC, Eph 2:10 was God’s answer for me in 2012. After working for the company more than 30 years, I wanted to retire due to various reasons. But before I could do it, I had 2 basic and very practical questions: 1) Have I saved enough money? and 2) What will I do with my free time? 

The 1st question is relatively easier to answer because I could calculate, have known that God taught, “biết thỏa lòng là một mối lợi lớn” and I must trust God to provide for all of our needs. It was still a difficult internal fight because we are usually at the top of our career (or in business), have the highest salary and benefits before we quit. I would certainly lose a lot of benefits. Also in my mind, “why quit when I still can work, have good health and the company still needs me?” Not only that, we lose position (our identity), respect and importance in family, in society. These are very important issues for a person contemplating early retirement.

 

The 2nd question was much more difficult because I had absolutely no way of knowing. Only God knows, so I asked Him. In my life, there were important and difficult requests that I had prayed, one I had to wait 25 years for God’s answer and another took 20 years, but this question, God gave me the answer in only 3 days. Once I know that God has planned good work for me to do, I surrendered and let God take control of my life. I knew that the Israelites had to step on the water before the Red Sea would separate. I had to be obedient before I can discover God’s plan. I had to be available before I can do God’s good work. “Obedient and available” is the key to open God’s plan and God’s will for us.

 

After 12 years of retirement and counting, I can really testify that it has been a huge blessing to discover God’s will and carrying it out. I have understood the meaning that “retirement years are golden years when we have good health, money saved and freedom to do what we want!”. God had answered my simple and practical question, “What will I do with my time?” and also gave me the answer to a much larger issue that I need but didn’t even know to ask, “The meaning and purpose of my life”. This is a general and very difficult question that many people, many philosophers have asked, but few find the answer. By amazing grace, God will give the answer to those who seek and ask Him. We can be sure of that and I guarantee we will be “happiest” – because of eternal peace, joy and hope and because we know God and Jesus said “Ta biết con”. 

 

Prayer: Oh Lord, Father God, I am praying for all of the people in the Jeremiah group, those who are here and not here, that we all know you more deeply. Praying for those who are already doing your good work, will be blessed more to do more, so that we will be able to experience the riches and great power of God. And for those who are still searching, please reveal God’s will and bless them to discover the meaning and purpose of their life. In Jesus name, I pray.