I saw a picture of little twins the other day. They both were wearing red T-shirts. One said, “I was planned!” The other one said, “I was a surprise!” I wondered – how could they tell which one was the surprise?
I have news for you – whether you were planned or not, God says you were still “on purpose”! Your life has purpose! But too many people are living life like their existence has no purpose.
There are people convinced that everything that exists is here by random chance. That means you and I are the result of the happy collision of random atoms that ultimately arranged themselves into proteins and cells and tissues and organs and organisms and entire ecosystems. Under that arrangement, your purpose for existence, and mine, is on the very same level as that of a cockroach or a cloud. And everything that happens to us, and everything we do, carries the same meaning, or non-meaning.
Then, there are others who think life’s purpose is found in some kind of altruistic or important-sounding cause – save the whales or snails or lobsters; stop the use of Styrofoam cups, or bottled water, or microwaves.
So, you grow up, you get up in the morning, you go to school, you graduate, you get a job, maybe a family, and you still get up in the morning, and you go to work or whatever – maybe you even buy some stuff, and you grow old, and you continue to get up in the morning, until you can’t anymore, and then you’re gone, just like 10 billion people before you.
Let me say this: one of the greater features about life in Jesus is that it recognizes life has purpose. God made us for a purpose, and we get up in the morning with purpose and there is, underneath everything we do, a purpose to do it.
The times we’re living in require that we occasionally step back and review life’s purpose, especially as the situations around us grow increasingly hostile toward followers of Jesus worldwide. That’s probably the kind of situation Mark was considering as he compiled his account of the work of Jesus. Most likely, it was written in Rome, during the early stages of hostility against the Church. What did Christians in Rome need when it came to not giving up their faith in Jesus, and not letting their lives be thrown off track? The answer can be found in the gospel according to Mark. I think it gave them a quick and important reminder of what their lives and their commitments where all about. When early Christians asked themselves, “Hey, why are we going against our culture? Why do we refuse to worship the gods of most of the people around us? Why do we refuse to run after self-satisfaction and indulgence? Why should we take stands against immorality that will cost us everything we own, maybe even our lives?” the answer was, “Because you have been called to live your lives on purpose – a purpose that comes from God and that points you beyond those things – a purpose you can see in the life of Jesus Christ.”
Quite simply, you and I need this for similar reasons. When we start to ask ourselves, “Hey, why are we going against our culture? Why do we refuse to run after the same stuff our culture seems to live for? Why should we care about anyone other than ourselves? What’s the point of making ourselves square pegs in a culture where we just won’t fit?”
For the next couple months, we’re going to answer those questions with a look at the gospel according to Mark. What we’ll see there is a look at the life of Jesus that helps us see what life on purpose looks like.
I want to use the whole book this morning, but to get a sense of how it reads, I chose…
Mark 1:29-39 (NIV) As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. 35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" 38 Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Are you living life on purpose? I see 3 questions from the whole book of Mark that will help each of us sort though it this morning:
1. Does My Life Reflect Its Purpose?
When I look at Jesus through the eyes of Mark, I see actions that move toward His purpose. So what was it? That purpose is stated pretty clearly in what I think is probably the key verse of the whole book…
(A. His purpose)
Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Mark’s gospel focuses on Jesus’ servanthood. We don’t find Jesus called “Lord” before His resurrection except in the triumphal entry and in two other instances. He was a Servant. That was His purpose.
None of us can pattern our lives after Jesus exactly, because none of us has been born to offer our lives as a ransom for many like Jesus was. None of us is the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world. But every one of us can live the life of a servant. Every one of us can understand that we’ve been granted life and talents and time for the purpose of serving and not to be served.
I’m not much into titles. I don’t make a big issue of it, but I’ve always like the title “minister” because it’s biblical and it’s more in keeping with what every one of us is supposed to be in the Church - servants. Jesus, Who deserved to be served, to be worshiped, said His purpose on earth wasn’t to be served, but to serve, and to give his life for us.
So Dr. Paul Rees very wisely writes: "I you want a picture of success as heaven measures it, of greatness as God views it, don't look for the blaring of the bands of Broadway, listen, rather, for the tinkle of water splashing into a basin while God incarnate, in a humility that makes the angels hold their breath, sponges the grime from the feet of His undeserving disciples."
To serve. That was Jesus’ purpose.
B. His Actions worked toward that purpose
So, from the very first word, Mark shows us Jesus on the move. He doesn’t give us family history. Neither is there a word about Jesus’ birth. Mark just starts, and right away we find Jesus moving toward the showdown in Jerusalem – the cross, and the empty tomb.
Jesus moved toward His purpose. Right away, there are miracles:
V31 – Peter’s mother-in-law
V34 – Jesus healed many diseases and drove out many demons
V39 – He “drove out demons”
Mark records over 27 specific miracles that Jesus performed. Vv38-39 Mark gives the short version by saying that Jesus taught and preached. Still, all of it was pointed to the cross, because Jesus had come to be the sacrifice. Even though it’s the shortest of the 4 gospels, Mark devotes a large portion of his book to Jesus’ death on the cross.
Jesus came with a goal in mind! He told it to His disciples
Mark 9:31b-32 (NIV)
He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.
Mark 10:32b-34 (NIV)
Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise."
Once He had prepared for the ministry, He carried it out. He didn't run off to Rabbi University to "find Himself." Mark makes that so obvious: 9 verses into the book, Jesus comes to be baptized by John and begin His ministry. By v16 He starts calling the 12 who will become the Apostles. Mark is showing us a Jesus Who is living His life with purpose, and His actions demonstrate it. No one who reads Mark wonders if Jesus is working toward His goal of serving and offering His life as a ransom for many. His actions are constantly moving toward His purpose.
The thing we’re supposed to do with that is see if our lives are doing the same.
What about your life today says that you understand you have and that you are headed toward a divinely-designed purpose? Does your life reflect its purpose?
I’m not pointing to a chapter and verse that says you should have this. I’m pointing to a whole gospel, called Mark, and to the view Mark gives us of Jesus.
So, ask the question: What about my life reflects my purpose?
If the answer to this question is “Well, there’s nothing about my life that reflects its purpose,” then it’s time to step back and re-aim at the right target. Change it! Get God’s purpose for your life out in front of you again!
Paul writes in II Co 5 that God has made us for the purpose of living forever in Heaven.
Eph 2:10 says God has prepared good works in order that we should walk in them.
Realize that God has great purpose for your life, whether you were planned or a surprise! Set it in front of you. Aim for nothing, and you’re sure to hit it.
Jesus' actions worked toward His purpose.
The 2nd question is…
II. Do I Avoid The Hindrances?
Hebrews says that we have in Jesus a high priest who has been tempted in every way that we are. Sure enough, Jesus was constantly dealing with hindrances to His purpose.
(Mark 1:34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.)
Jesus kept the demons quiet. It wasn’t time for everyone to know Who He was quite then. That would have been a hindrance.
Mark pictures Jesus as "running" from the crowds so He could teach His disciples. Jesus went off by Himself often. Peter rebuked Him for saying He would go into Jerusalem and there allow Himself to be killed. "No way, Lord!" and Jesus said, "Get behind me, Satan, you are a hindrance to me!"
All through His ministry years, Jesus dealt with distractions.
You’re dealing with it right now. You know why? Because Satan doesn’t want you modeling your life after Jesus. Satan wants you distracted from living life on purpose.
Ill - In 1942 C. S. Lewis published a book called The Screwtape Letters. It’s an imaginary visit to the underworld – a collection of correspondences written by a seasoned demon to his demon-in-training nephew Wormwood. Uncle Screwtape is giving his nephew pointers on how to mess up the life of his “patient,” the new Christian whose life he has been assigned to ruin. Even though it’s 70 years old now, it’s as today as it can get. Now, remember, this is a demon, writing advice about how to ruin a human.
In the very first letter, Uncle Screwtape tells his nephew to stop trying to get his patient to argue and think. That is, in fact, counter-productive. He tells him, “Your man has been accustomed, ever since he was a boy, to having a dozen incompatible philosophies dancing about together inside his head….By the very act of arguing you awake the patient's reason…Even if a particular train of thought can be twisted so as to end in our favour, you will find that you have been strengthening in your patient the fatal habit of attending to universal issues and withdrawing his attention from the stream of immediate sense experiences. Your business is to fix his attention on the stream. Teach him to call it "real life" and don't let him ask what he means by "real."
In short, distract him.
Can you relate to that “stream”? I wonder how many times I have had something to do, and instead I was caught up in “the stream.” Has that ever happened to you? It’s where the remote control takes you. Have you ever gotten onto the internet, and after 5 min or so, you can’t remember what it was you were looking for?
I look at Jesus in Mark, and I’m reminded how necessary it is to avoid hindrances. Are you? Do you want practical? Look at Jesus in Mark, see and remember these:
1. Private time away from the crowds is vital
2. Good habits and practices need to fill our lives so that bad habits won’t
3. People, places, or things that hinder us need to be left
4. Wasted time needs to stop (That brings us to the final question…)
III. Do I Live Like I’m On Limited Time?
I’m not sure where everyone is going, but I notice a lot of people are in touch with this limited time thing. We tend to rush for a lot of reasons, don’t we?
Ill - Woodstock, Ontario –Sentinel Review:
Our American visitors are normally welcome here, but occasionally they reveal some odd notions about our country. Charged with driving at 74 mph, a Michigan man gave a captivating explanation. He thought that since the Canadian gallon is bigger than the US gallon, miles might be longer north of the border. To cover the 60 Canadian miles in an hour, he felt his speedometer should show at least 70 mph. The magistrate clarified the error and fined him in Canadian dollars, which are smaller than US dollars.
Lots of people are in a hurry. I guess they’re on limited time! You know what? So are you! Does your life show that?
Jesus lived His life with a sense of urgency.
If you could look at it in the original, you’d see Mark’s favorite word 11X in just the first chapter:
1:10,12,18,20,21,23,28,29,30,42,43
It’s the word “IMMEDIATELY” - 40x's he uses it! Jesus had to accomplish His work in just 3.5 years of ministry. He was on limited time, and as you read this shortest of all the gospels, you really get that sense. He Who existed before time began, Who is, and was, and is to come, Who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, dove into time-space history and set a timer for about 33½ years. Jesus lived with a sense of urgency, because He was on limited time. So are you!
I don’t get the sense that life is going to move any slower. Church, we need to see the urgency of our situation. Our challenges are accelerating, and the gap between now and the time that Jesus returns is ever-shrinking. Satan isn’t waiting around for us, and the only reason that God is delaying His return is for the sake of people who will still accept Him.
Your lifetime isn’t the only one with a limit. So is the life of your neighbors, your friends, your family members, the homeless guy you drive by, the people you work with, and the total stranger you lock eyes with today. Are you living with a sense of urgency?
God has placed the members of His church as ambassadors whose mission is to reconcile lost people with their creator. The only resource that we’re promised will run out is time.
Mark, why’d you write such a short gospel? I’ll tell you why, guys – So it wouldn’t take you as long to read it and you’d go do something about it!
We need a sense of urgency as we live our lives on purpose for God.
Conclusion:
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
I hope that this morning you’ll not just forget what you’ve heard. I hope that you’ll take the short time to read Mark and that you’ll see Jesus and remember what a life lived on purpose looks like. Even more importantly, my prayer is that all of us will do this, and understand.
Mark is the good news about Jesus. There’s no better way for us to learn how to live life on purpose than by learning from the work of Jesus.
Do your actions have/work toward a purpose? Do you avoid the hindrances that will keep you from doing His work? Do you work with a sense of urgency?
I challenge you today to live life on purpose…
