FIRST, Jesus answers the question, “What is my purpose in life?” (See verse 25)
Business leader, Fred Smith, pointed out that the body makes blood in order to live, but the body does not live to make blood. We need to be careful that we do not confuse what we do to stay alive with why we were given life.
Jesus came to clarify our purpose in life, and he summed up our purpose in life in John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” In other words, the purpose of life is to grow in the personal knowledge of God and Jesus Christ.
Sometime ago, my wife left her key in the ignition with the car engine running overnight. When she went to her car the next morning, the car was not running anymore, because the gas she had put into the tank was used up, even though the car didn’t go anywhere.
To get a good education so we can get a good job so we can have enough to eat and buy a big house so we can live comfortably until we die, without ever achieving the purpose for which we were created, that is to live a right and healthy relationship with God through Jesus Christ, is like putting gasoline into the car and letting the car idle until the tank empties and the engine stops running.
SECOND, Jesus answers the question, “Am I valuable?” (See verses 26-27)
Our society has destroyed the value of human life by incorrectly defining the origin of life. Our schools are trying to build self-esteem into the curriculum because they recognize that our children are suffering from the lack of self-worth. What our schools do not recognize is that they have cut the legs off of self-worth by teaching evolution. Children are told that human beings, like viruses or amoebas, have evolved out of primordial soup and chance happening.
The Bible on the other hand tells us we are made in the image of God, more valuable than the rest of His creation. Furthermore, the Bible tells us that while we were ignoring God, He was willing to pay a high price, the death of His Son, Jesus Christ, to win us back.
Someone tells about the lady who walked into a hat store to buy a hat for a special night out on the town. She wanted something original, so she chose an emerald-colored ribbon and asked the weaver to make her a hat immediately. Within fifteen minutes, he made the most beautiful hat she had ever seen.
She asked, “How much?”
He replied, “Five hundred dollars.”
The lady shouted, “For a piece of ribbon!”
The man calmly unraveled the hat and responded, “You can have the ribbon for $5.”
Ingredient-wise, we may not be that unique from other creatures, but don’t forget that God did not make amoebas, elephants and your pet dog in His image. He made human being in His image, and He shed the blood of His only Son to pay for mankind’s penalty for sins.
THIRD, Jesus answers the question, “Who is my provider?” (See verses 28-30)
Your boss is not your provider. Your husband is not your provider. Your government is not your provider. They are simply stewards or managers of God’s provision. The God who gave us life, purpose and value, also gave us what we need to stay alive.
From the beginning of Creation, God gave us the command “[to] be fruitful and increase in number; to fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. (Genesis 1:28)” God never promised to subdue the earth and rule creation for our enjoyment and sustenance. In fact, because of the rebellion of Adam, God cursed the ground and our work is made harder.
A couple of years ago, a good friend took me out to dinner. We prayed to give thanks to God for the meal. When we began enjoying our meal, he asked, “Dana, I’ve been thinking. Why did we give thanks to God for this meal? I worked hard for my money, and I use my money to pay for this meal.”
In reply, I asked if he had worked hard to earn his hands, his legs and his brain, which he used on his job. I also ask if he had worked hard to create the earth from which the vegetables grew and whether he worked hard to create the cow and the chicken from which our meals came.
He looked at me with a smile and said, “Well, if you put it that way, I understand.”
FOURTH, Jesus answers the question, “Who controls my destiny?” (See verses 31-33)
Sometime ago, I asked a friend of mine, “What is keeping you from giving God control of your life?” His answer was, “I’m afraid God would not let me get married, because I’ve had sex with a number of different women in the past.”
Then I pointed out to him that he was better off with God in control of his life, since he hasn’t done such a great job being in control himself.
Two years after that conversation, I got a call from this friend telling me he had gotten his recent girlfriend pregnant. How my heart ached for him. If only he had given God control of his life, he would have enjoyed the journey of courtship, marriage and starting a family. He now faces relational, financial and moral complications.
Who controls your destiny? People who don’t know God as Father don’t have any other choice than to be the captain of their own ship and the master of their own destiny. Their philosophy for life is “get all you can, while you can.” That’s the pagan’s way, sailing through life without God as their life compass.
Being in charge of our own destiny without God as compass in our lives is like crossing a busy intersection blindfolded. We might get across to the other side without being hit, but we’ll find that we have arrived at the wrong side in eternity.
FIFTH, Jesus answers the question, “What am I responsible for?” (See verse 34)
The Bible does not teach fatalism, the belief that every event is predetermined. The Bible teaches that God is in control of every event, but He gives freedom with responsibility to mankind. This means we have the freedom and responsibility to act on today to prepare for a better tomorrow.
We are responsible for what we think. “Sow a thought, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. So a character, reap a destiny.”
We are responsible for what we say. Psalm 34:12-13 reads, “Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.”
We are responsible for what we do. Galatians 6:7-8 reads, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Finally, we are responsible for choosing a right and healthy relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Everyone who hears or reads God’s offer of peace through Jesus Christ and chooses not to trust in Jesus Christ stands condemned by God (John 3:16-18).
We need not worry about tomorrow or even eternity, if we will be responsible for today. Jesus has answered the top 5 questions human beings ask. We have the freedom to choose what we will do with these answers, but God will hold us responsible for our choices.
