Balancing Your Life
Purpose Driven Life #39
Cornwall/Montreal
June 12, 2004
We’re drawing to the conclusion of our 40 message series on Living the Purpose Filled Life, and we’ve learned a lot and, hopefully, begun to implement that knowing into our lives- both individually and church-wide.
We’ve learned that our lives have five scriptural purposes, that fit inside the great purpose God has in calling us. He wants to call all to himself and we’ve been privileged to be part of this process, now. These five purposes are not new- they have been practiced by the early church members, in Acts 2. Paul explained them in Ephesians 4, in ourlining how we are to live based on who Christ is. Jesus modeled these purposes, through his prayer for us, recorded in John 17. These five purposes are contained in the Great Commandment (love God and love neighbour) and in the Great Commission (go to the world).
1. Love God with all your heart. We learned that we were planned for God’s pleasure, so our purpose is to love God through worship. This is a big subject and one that sets people on edge because we think of worship wars around styles of worship. However, above all, we’ve reconfirmed that this worship is to be practiced each day, all day long. It is not limited to our 2 hours together here- it can’t be. You can’t be a Christian for only 2 hours in a week. You can’t relate to God only 2 hours in a week, or only in a group in corporate worship. It must be what God sees in your life each minute of each day.
2. Love your neighbour as yourself. You were shaped for serving, so your purpose is to show love for others through ministry. We discussed how ministries fit within the whole, and we must remember that no ministry is ’my ministry’. I hear people talking about ’my ministry’ and I know this is to be clear in talking with someone. But, even as we talk that way, we must appreciate that each ministry is God’s ministry; if it is not, it has no value. This ministry contributes to our community, here, and is important. We need a stronger sense of community- where we spend time together and communicate with one another not only, again, during our 2 hours together here.
3. Go and make disciples. You were made for a mission, so your purpose is to share God’smessage through evangelism. We’re not really good at this, but we need to be. We need to learn and practice on this one, maybe more than others. We’re nervous about this, but we have to move through and past that nervousness, and into action.
4. Baptize them. We were formed for God’s family, so our purpose is to identify with his church through fellowship. Do you? Is this important to you? Do you miss something when you’re not here in a week or two? It’s hard to imagine being away from church for any lengthy time. Don’t get used to it. Value family and the relationships we have with one another here.
5. Teach them to do all things. We were created to become like Christ, so our purpose is to grow to maturity through discipleship. This challenges us. I know we’re still challenged by our church’s journey. A disciples doesn’t think he has it made and then just coasts. We continue to learn and grow. When there’s church literature, read and study it, so you continue to grow.
Keeping these five purposes in balance is not easy. It’s easy to overemphasize one or two and leave the others. This is what churches do and sometimes gives the flavour of various churches. Some individuals/churches are strong in one area and weak in others. We need to balance all and be involved in nurturing all. We need to continue to grow in worship, belonging, serving, evangelizing, maturing, just like someone in any family.
What can you do to help you grow in these five areas and to help you maintain balance of all five purposes in your life?
1. Talk about these things with a partner or small group. Just hearing doesn’t always lead to the action that the hearing is meant to lead to. Small groups are wonderful helps in this and we need more of them in our midst.
Prov.27.17- talks about iron sharpening iron. We learn best in community. Our minds are sharpened and our convictions are deepened through conversation. You don’t need me to begin a small group. You need to gather a group together for the purpose of spiritual growth and accountability. You can use what I’ve discussed in these sermons as springboards to discussion and this will take us for quite some time. We need to be a purpose driving church because God is driven by and with purpose. He isn’t flakey and wandering willy-nilly and hoping to accomplish something.
Phil.4.9- put into practice what you learn. Have you talked with anyone about Jesus since I urged this 3 weeks ago? If not, why not? Don’t you think you’ll be blessed when you obey God in this?
1 Thess.5.11- Encourage each other and give each other strength. This is the great value of groups. Society is weaker than it should be because people are on their own, rather than being in and with others to strengthen in righteousness. We need to grow in righteousness.
I want to see small groups so they are accessible to each one of us. We all can’t go to the south shore, and shouldn’t. You and I, from Montreal, can’t invite friends to a group on the Southshore, can we, even as they can’t invite people here. That’s a simple logistical reality in church work. Everyone can’t belong to the same small group, either, or else it isn’t a small group anymore and it loses the benefits that accrue through and in a small group.
2. Give yourself a regular spiritual check-up.
Every couple of years, each of us needs to see a doctor for a check-up on our general health. As we get a bit older, this becomes increasingly important, of course, so we catch those symptoms of our falling apart sooner and can treat them, as appropriate. Spiritually, you need to evaluate yourself periodically. God places a high value on the habit of self-evaluation, and says so five times in scripture:
Lam.3.40- take a good look at th ewya we’re living and reorder our lives under God.
1 Cor.11.28, 31; 13.5
Ga.6.4
2 Cor.13.5 tells us to test ourselves to be sure we’re strong in the faith- we’re not to drift along. As a doctor has to check our vital signs, so we need to check the vital signs of these five biblical purposes in our lives.
2 Cor.8.11 tells us to keep up the enthusiasm and the vigor!
3. Use a journal. Writing can be wonderfully clarifying. As thoughts pass through your fingers and a pen, they can really become clearer. Many have moved away from taking notes in church- this isn’t particularly wise. There’s always something to remember, and the reality is that we forget 80% of what we hear within 24 hours- maybe it’s even a bit higher. So you can forget important things, too, even though you think you’ll remember. I’m aware of how quickly I can forget things and have to write down more and more, it seems.
Moses kept a written rcord of the progress of Israel- that record benefits us, doesn’t it? He did it because God commanded him to do that.
Spiritual journaling is widely discussed these days and can be very valuable.
Nu.33.2- your life is a journey and a journey deserves a journal. My Mom was great at doing that and for each of the trips she/us/Dad and Mom took, there was a journal. Sadly, we had to throw many of these out a year back but they had great value to her. That value is worthwhile for you. Maybe no one else will see your journal, or maybe it will really benefit your children, or others, eventually.
When writing, don’t just write down the good things. In the Psalms, we see that David wrote down the difficult things, too. He wrote his doubts and questions. He wrote his joys and despairs. He wrote his struggles with God. This is helpful and, again, helps to clarify what’s going on in our lives. Remember that whenever problems occur, God is using them to fulfill all five purposes in your life. Problems force you to focus on God, draw you closer to others in fellowship, build Christlike character, provide you with a ministry, and give you a testimony. Every problem is purpoe-driven.
Psa.102.18. Preserve the testimony of how God helped you fulfil his purposes on earth. It is a witness that will continue to speak long after you’ve finished your course here on earth.
4. Pass on what you know to others. It’s one thing to know something; the test of knowing something comes in being able to share it with someone else. That’s when you really know how much and how well you know something.
Prov.11.25 tells us "The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed those who help others are helped." Those who pass along insights get more from God.
You understand the purpose to life, and you have a responsibility to carry the message to others. God has called you to be a messenger- God’s messenger!
2 Ti.2.2- it’s not enough to know. It’s necessary to help others know, too. You and I know hundreds of people who don’t know that life has purpose. Can we just sit by and let them stew in their ignorance? No! that doesn’t reflect love, does it? We start with our children, friends, neighbours, and those you work with.
The more you know the more God expects you to use that knowledge to help others.
Jas.4.17- very clearn. Passing along the purposes of life is a great privilege!
1 Ti.4.6- teaching good things brings great benefit to others.
Conclusion
The reason we pass on what we learn is for the lgory of God and the growth of his kingdom. Jesus did it:
John 17.4- he had not yet died fo rour sins, so his work was something else, before that. His work had to do with preparing disciples to live for God’s purposes. He helped them to now and love God (worship), taught them to love each other (fellowship), gave them the Word so they could grow to maturity (discipleship), showed them how to serve (ministry), and sent them out to tell others (mission). He modeled a purpose-driven life, and he aught others how to live it, too. That was the ’work’ that brought glory to God.
Today God calls each of us to the same work. Not only does he want us to live out his purposes, he alswo wants us to help others do the same. God wants us to introduce people to Christ, bring them into his fellowhsip, help them grow to maturity and discover their place of service, and then send them out to reach others, too.
This is what it’s all about- it’s a wonderful circle. As we do this, our lives will simply get better and better, as God intends for them to do.
