We long to live a purposeful life. One Christian author Rick Warren wrote a book, "The Purpose Driven Life", with a subtitle, "What on earth am I here for?" It turned out to be a bestseller, because that’s the cry of the human heart. We want to live life with meaning and purpose. I want to make my life count.
Do you want to live a fruitful life? That which is purposeful and useful? We need to learn from Jesus. He led a most satisfying life - pleasing to God and fulfils all that the Father expects from Him. Today we want to live the same kind of life.
Jesus need not have to ask the question, "What on earth am I here for?" It was clearly prophesied even before He was born. His parents need not have to think of a name for Him, like all parents do - His name was given even before He was born. His Name epitomizes His entire life purpose - He was born to save.
He lived only for 33 years, and completed what He was born to do. From His encounter with this Samaritan woman, Jesus showed us 3 guiding principles of life: (1) He lived His life knowing clearly His purpose; (2) He has the right priorities; (3) He was driven by a passion to fulfil God’s will.
1. Live Your Life With A Clear Purpose
Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Judea from the North (Galilee). If they had taken the normal route, they would not have passed Samaria. In fact, there are at least 3 different routes from Galilee to Judea, yet Jesus made a deliberate trip to stop at this place - Samaria. The Bible says in v.4 “Now he had to go through Samaria.”
Why? Because He knows His purpose – to bring the message of God’s love to the Samaritans. He has come to meet the woman at the well, and gave her the message of new life that He can offer – “living water”. And did He succeed? Yes, in fact, very well. The Bible says (v.39) “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony.”
Jesus lived His life with a purpose – a very clear one.
John 6:38-40, Jesus says “38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me. 39And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Do you know your Father’s will? It all starts with God. People often ask, “So what do you want to achieve with your life?” This is not accurate. The right question for us is, “So what does God want you to achieve with your life?” The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfilment and happiness. It’s far greater than your family, career, and ambitions. God revealed to us, from Scriptures, the grand purpose of our life – to know Him and make Him known.
For some of us, we need to know Him more – devotion, prayer, worship, SS
For others, we want to make Him known – to those in our homes, offices, school.
Make this year a purposeful one. Let God accomplishes His will through you. God wants to work through you
… to bring love back into your home,
… to bring the good news of Jesus to your colleagues,
… to restore someone who is grieving or hurting, and give them divine hope and joy.
Live your life with a divine purpose. Let God do His work through you. Matt 5 – Jesus says God expects us to be “the light of the world” and “salt of the earth”.
Jesus shows us a second lesson:
2. Live Your Life With THE RIGHT PRIORITIES
Speaking to His disciples after they return from buying food, Jesus says (John 4:34) “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.”
Obviously Jesus is not saying He does not need to eat. He is thirsty and hungry at this time, that’s why the disciples went to the village to get food. Jesus wanted them to know that the real aim and purpose of His life was not to cater to the body, but rather to do the will of God. At this point of time, getting food is not the important thing. Meeting up with this woman is. Once He missed her, there might not be a second chance.
Jesus says the priority now is to DO God’s will and FINISH His work. Not just knowing, but doing. Many know but not doing. Jesus has just done it – leading the Samaritan woman to faith in God and eternal life in Him. And not just for her. Jesus stayed two more days in that town so that more will have a chance to hear – He is to DO and FINISH God’s work. John 4:41 “And because of His words many more became believers.” The people say in verse 42, “now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world.”
There may be 101 things you can do this year, how can you get it all done? There are housework, homework, schoolwork, office work and church work. In a world full of things that need to be done, where do we go to get some sense of what to do first? How do we determine our priorities? Most of us just jump right in and overload ourselves. As a result we begin to get very nervous. We say to ourselves, "Well, I will just have to try harder."
Learn from Jesus – He knows clearly the Father’s will –
(1) PRAY AND SEEK WISE COUNSEL FROM ABOVE. Discuss with your spouse, family members – get advice, know what you need to do at this stage of your life.
(2) PLAN AND PRIORITIZE. You need to plan. Jesus did not choose to go with His disciples. He got a quiet place and a one-on-one conversation with the woman. He started talking about water, because that’s why the woman was out to get. And Jesus gave her the “living water”.
Prioritize and you will be able to DO and FINISH the works God has entrusted you. Lastly…
3. Live Your Life With A Godly PASSION
The disciples urged Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.” (4:31) Jesus said, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
When he sat down at the well, he was weary, and needed refreshment; but this opportunity of saving souls made him forgets his weariness and hunger. He ought to be thinking about food. The disciples have to urge him to eat.
The disciples were interested in food. They went into the village to get food. They came back with it. The Lord was consumed with love for lost souls. He was interested in saving men and women from sin, and giving them the water of everlasting life.
Jesus switched from talking about physical food to spiritual food. This is the second time He made such a switch of words. The Samaritan woman wanted physical water, but Jesus redirected her to her real need – living water, eternal life. The disciples talked about food, Jesus redirected them to that which is more important - spiritual food – doing God’s will.
The disciples focus on the physical. Jesus wanted them to know the importance of that which is spiritual. We are to be concerned with the will of God. We are to be concerned with the salvation of the lost. Can we see the PASSION of Jesus’ heart?
Can you feel the passion of His heart today? Are we talking only about the physical? Are we praying only for physical needs? Are we preoccupied only by the physical – the affairs of this life?
We are to be PASSIONATE not just because this is God’s will for us. Jesus explains further, saying to His disciples, in verse 35: “Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”
We are to be PASSIONATE because time is running out. It’s the right time to reap now! Let us develop a PASSION for the work of God. Don’t wait. Do it now. You may not get another chance.
Make your life count. Start at least, with this year and make 2004 special.
1. Live Your Life With A Clear Purpose
2. Live Your Life With The Right Priorities
3. Live Your Life With Godly Passion
