Attribute Six | A Man Lives On Purpose Series

Well, gentlemen, we are in a series entitled “Attributes of a Man.” We are looking at 9 attributes that define a man of God. We are in attribute 6, “Lives Purposefully.” And I hope that you understand that it was – we’re on this journey of uncovering what it means to be a man. That we have to turn to the prototype. We have to turn to the man of all men, Jesus Christ himself. And as promised each time, I would give you a verse on something that Jesus did and said – simultaneously, or things that we see witnessed in his life that he did. That he integrated together, that he said with his mouth – and lived with his life.

The first verse I want to look at here today, is Luke chapter 2, verse 49. It reads, “And he,” that’s Jesus, “Said to them,” His parents. “Why were you looking for me, did you not know that I must be in my father’s house?” As a young man, Jesus understood – even at the age of 13, right? That he had a purpose. And he understood that this purpose was to do his father’s will. He clarifies that, for his parents – not in a sarcastic tone, I doubt. But with the understanding that he’s beginning to come of age. And as he comes of age, his purpose is going to carry him away from his home into his ultimate mission.

Our second verse is from John 4:34. “Jesus says to them,” that’s his disciples. “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.” As he’s approached by his disciples, they come to discover that he is not in need of food. Jesus says he’s already got some other food. They are bewildered by this. And he responds by saying that his food is to accomplish the purposes and the will of his father. To do his work. And he wants us to understand that it is our call to do the same.

This leads to attribute number 6, a man lives on purpose. Here’s how I define it. As a man is desperate to discover his purpose, he knows that God is the single provider of purpose. And the Christian call to “Follow me,” was the primary means of discovering purpose. Because of this, a man rightly prioritizes his identity in Christ, before all other things – including his possessions and his profession– He understands that his unique spiritual gifts are a means to discover purpose and that living these out in a community, reveals purpose and mission.

I believe, gentlemen – that there are all kinds of reasons why we struggle to find purpose. I have thought of a few, you can probably think of your own. Your own reason why you struggle to find purpose. But let me see if one of these maybe fits a description for you?

Number 1 – maybe we have too many competing purposes in our life? This could be very true for you. There’s just too many things on your plate and too many competing purposes. Therefore, we really can’t get after the guts of what God is really calling us to do.

Number 2 – because of this, maybe we lack clarity, or we have confusion in our life, and we feel like we’re walking through a fog, and we can’t see through to the other side.

Number 3 – maybe it’s because we have a desire to control? And because of this desire to control, we constrict the process, and it prohibits us from really enjoying the process of getting there and uncovering and discovering our true purpose.

Number 4 – maybe it’s because we’re just too ultra-focused on yourself, and we are just like a prima donna set center stage – and all we can see is us. Because the lights are always shining in our face. And therefore we can only see what’s right in front of us.

And number 5 – it could be that we just too often accept purposes from other people. We accept what they say as true, therefore we can’t really see our unique design. And therefore, really miss – for far too long, God’s true purpose for us in life.

I don’t know what it is for you, but you probably are thinking of something right now that is a reason that you struggle to find purpose in your own life. Regardless of that, I can tell you this. We want to find purpose. And I promise you, God wants us to find it as well.

In today’s lesson, I want to share with you 6 things that I have learned about finding purpose, or convergence – if you want to call it that – in my own life. 6 things that I have learned along the journey from God’s word, that has been great verses for me. That have taught me powerful lessons about my path to discovering my own purpose. Here’s number 1.