“Purpose of life”
November 17, 2019
John 10:7-10
“Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
I’ve been thinking about life this week. The passing of our sweet sister, Lois, has touched us all. When someone close to us passes, it reminds us of how fleeting life is. The Psalmist said,
“Lord, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them? They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow.”
Psalm 144:3-4
“Mortals, born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble. They spring up like flowers and wither away; like fleeting shadows, they do not endure.”
Job 14:1-2
I can’t make sense of it. Why do good people die young and evil people live long and prosper? Some people die young because they make bad choices; drunk driving; taking drugs; not living healthy. But others may make good choices and suffer anyway. I am not the one to go to, to find the answers to some of life’s mysteries. I probably have an opinion – but no real answers. But I know who to go to. I go to God and His Word when I am bewildered. And one thing I am convinced of is that life has a purpose – whether you realize it or not. There is a reason for your life. The Bible says,
“A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.” Job 14:5
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.”
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:1-4; 13-16
Nothing catches God by surprise. He transcends time. He sees you from the moment you were conceived in the womb to your last breath – and beyond. That doesn’t mean He causes everything that happens to us. Much of life is a result of our choices or the choices of others. God knows it but seldom causes it. When you think of God’s will it is important to think of it in three parts; His causive will (that which He causes); His desirous will (what He desires to happen but often doesn’t) and His permissive will (he permits or allows everything that happens to happen). That doesn’t mean He desires it and certainly didn’t cause it. But nothing happens without Him permitting it – He is God, after all!
I started my adult life with no purpose. I had no goals; I had no aim in life. I just reacted to what I encountered. That is an unstable way to live. I was up and down emotionally and felt hopeless and empty. It was probably a good thing I joined the service. The army did my thinking and planning for me. But when I got out – even before I got out – I was depressed, despondent and directionless. Fortunately, I came to Christ and He gave me purpose and direction that has lasted my entire life and has given it meaning. I realize that a life without purpose is a life without God, although many people do find a purpose in life without God. Their goal is to be the best in sports or to get rich or to experience as much pleasure in life as they can. Solomon tried to find purpose without God and he said,
“I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 1:12-14
Thinking about purpose in life, I conclude that without God there is really no purpose. Paul said,
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
To find real purpose in life, first, we have to focus our eyes on Jesus. More than that, we have to accept Him as our Savior and make Him the Lord of our life. That’s two different things. To make Jesus our Savior is just the beginning. We realize our sin and alienation from God. We admit it to ourselves and confess it to God. We ask His forgiveness for a life of rebellion and neglect. But life doesn’t take on its real meaning until we make Jesus our Lord, as well as our Savior. You can be saved and still be calling the shots in your life. You can be saved and be in charge and in control. Of course, that leads to failure and frustration. It is when we let go of the wheel that Jesus can take over. It is only when we let go that we let God.
The result, secondly, is direction for our lives – sometimes an impossible direction. Sometimes it is something we never would have done or even thought of when we were in charge. For me, it was being called to be a pastor. Never in a thousand years would I have chosen this path for myself. Julie, when she was a young Christian, told God she would do anything He wants, except to be a pastor’s wife. She grew up in a parsonage and didn’t want that for her life. Hey, if Jesus isn’t Lord of all – He isn’t Lord. God had different plans for Julie. She has been a pastor’s wife for almost fifty years now. God gives us purpose. God gives us direction in life. And most of us have experienced that God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called. I told God, when He called me to preach, that I couldn’t do it. He said, “Do it anyway!” I said, “Okay, but don’t make me pastor in Minnesota or California.” He said, “Follow me!” Most of my ministry has been in California – thirty years or so. I have learned to just shut up and follow. I have learned it better just to said, “Yes, Lord!”
And here I am, over four decades in service to the King. God has given purpose in my life. God has given direction for my life. Thirdly, God gives grace to obey Him. My one supreme desire has been to please my Commander. My one goal has been to stay in the center of God’s will. Paul, a prisoner for the Lord, said to the King,
“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.”
Acts 26:19
I can say that as well – and may I received the grace to say it with my dying breath. Life is so much easier when you let God be in control. There is so much more peace when you give your burdens and worries and frustrations to Him. Paul said,
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
Do you lay awake at night worrying about the future? There is a difference between worrying and concern. We need to plan and prepare and count the cost. But I can get myself into a real frantic, frazzled, frenzy – where I can’t sleep and it sucks the joy and peace right out of life. It’s then I remember to give it to God and let Him deal with it. Worry is non-productive. It saps us of energy and joy and peace. Make it your desire to stay in the center of God’s will and your aim to please Him. Paul said,
“Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.” 2 Timothy 2:3-4
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Philippians 1:27
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Ephesians 4:1
“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God” Colossians 1:9b-10
Try to please your Commanding Officer every moment of every day. Conduct yourself in a manner worthy of Christ; life a life worthy of your calling; live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way. We need grace to do that. May that be our desire and may we receive His enable grace to do just that.
Solomon concluded his thoughts on life with this,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
I’m not sure if Solomon was in a loving relationship with God when he wrote this. It is more logic and love; more fear than faith; more of a duty then a delight. I hope you can come to a place in your walk that your aim is to please Jesus simply because you want to; simply motivated out of love. It’s possible. Peter said,
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life…” 2 Peter 1:3
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-8
The grace is there. The power is there. We can live the life God wants us to. We can be productive and effective. Keep growing. Keep seeking. And to find purpose in life, 1. Focus on Jesus; 2. Get direction from Him; and 3. Go to Him for enable grace.
