Our God-Given Assignment

"OUR GOD-GIVEN ASSIGNMENT"

By Dr. Dennis Deese – www.dennisdeese.com

JOHN 11:1-15

Given the opportunity to get a direct and clear response from God, what one question would you ask him? A survey in USA Today posed that thought to Americans and the top five questions were posted in their paper on May 28, 1999. The clear winner was that which addressed the issue of purpose where 34 percent said they would ask God, "Why am I here on earth?" The second-leading question was, "Is there life after death (19 percent)." Sixteen percent wanted to know, "Why bad things happen." The fourth and fifth questions were almost an even split with 7 percent wondering if there is intelligent life elsewhere, and 6 percent being curious about the length of their life. Such snapshots of American culture affirm people’s need to have and understand the true purpose of life. May the Church be motivated by such information to help people discover real meaning and purpose through Jesus Christ. AFA Journal, July 1999, p. 13

"A measure of a man’s success is not what he achieves, but what he overcomes" Booker T. Washington

Wouldn’t you agree that the most important goal or thing in life that you can accomplish is the goal God has given us?

The game of Monopoly: After playing a the game with my family, about midnight I foreclosed on the last property and did a little victory dance. My family wasn’t impressed. They went to bed and made me put the game away. As I began putting all of my money back in the box, a very empty feeling came over me. Everything that I had accumulated was gone. The excitement over riches was just an illusion. And then it occurred to me, Hey, this isn’t just the game of Monopoly that has caught my attention; this is the game of life. You sweat and strain to get ahead, but then one day, after a little chest pain or a wrong change of lanes on the freeway, the game ends. It all goes back in the box. You leave this world just as naked as the day you came into it.

I once saw a bumper sticker that proclaimed, He who dies with the most toys wins. That’s wrong. It should say, He who dies with the most toys dies anyway. Dr. James Dobson, Coming Home, Timeless Wisdom for Families, (Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton; 1998), pp. 242-243Jesus fulfilled His assignment in life.

No one has understood His God given assignment more than Jesus; thus, there is much to learn about our purpose in this life from Him.

Jesus said,

John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

John 4:34 My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

John 5:36 But I have greater witness than [that] of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that 1 do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

John 14:31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so i do. Arise, let us go hence.

l. HIS PERSPECTIVE

Jesus filtered everything through the eyes of the spiritual and eternity. This is the greatest challenge & most difficult aspect of the Christian life.

1. Believe God’s Word

2. Trust God’s Heart

3. Acknowledge God’s Spirit

2. HIS ASSURANCE 11:7-10

His assurance was derived from His trust in God’s:

1. Control 11:9 "Are there not twelve hours in the day?"

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2. Protection 11:8-8 "goest thou there again?’

3. Direction 11:9 "If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not"

4. Presence 11:9 "because he seeth the light"

5. Wisdom 11:9 "light of this world"

LIGHT: 5457 phoce: to shine or make manifest, to illuminate. HIS DESIRE 11:4 & 11:15

1. The Glory of God 11:4 & 12:27-28

2. To obey God 11:7 "let us go" & 11:15 "let us go"

Jesus said in Luke 14:25-26: "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."

3. The Belief of Unbelievers 11:15