Sermon On Fulfillment

Germany Kent, an American print and broadcast journalist, television personality and author once remarked: “Positive thinking is powerful thinking. If you want happiness, fulfillment, success and inner peace, start thinking you have the power to achieve those things. Focus on the bright side of life and expect positive results.” Proverbs 13:12 reminds us: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

Fulfillment is defined as the achievement of something desired, promised or predicted. It may often result in a feeling of contentment. For those who possess wealth, an element of complacency may prevail in life. However, although some might disagree, it has been said that: “People don’t need riches, they need fulfillment.” Money can’t buy happiness or health. The sufferings endured in life don’t cease to exist purely on the factors of wealth or prosperity. People who believe otherwise, are unfortunately misguided.

The Tree of Life, amongst other things, is considered to represent the wisdom and love of God. For some, it is viewed as the positive link and unification between all forms of creation. It not only contains the forbidden fruit as represented in the story of Adam and Eve, but is also considered the fountain of all knowledge. Consistent learning and the cognition gleaned from it provide part of the necessary attributes to obtain fulfillment. It includes self-identification to establish who we really are and what we hope to achieve in life. Believing in the future and in ourselves. Understanding the needs of God and others, and showing concern and empathy when required. Probably, the most important of all, is following the word of God. Hebrews 4:12 confirms: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Scripture is of significant importance on any road to fulfillment, it may answer pertinent questions on doubt or uncertainty, guide or direct toward the path of righteousness and ultimately reassure us of God’s love and continued presence in our personal lives. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Promises, which form part of fulfillment, lay the initial foundation stone for faith, trust and respect not only between people, but also with God. They are often considered as a declaration or assurance of intent in a proposed plan for achievement. Numbers 30:2 confirms: “If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.”

God’s promises of fulfillment are many and feature prominently throughout the books of the old testament. They were made to several individuals, notably Abraham and Moses, to name just two, who are now considered as prophets. They were often based on forthcoming events that were included in God’s individualistic proposals. God is not slow in His endeavors to fulfill, they are carefully timed and planned. However, He is patient with us. He allows time for adjustment for a new course in life. Sometimes, His wishes may include an element of testing and patience from the selected person for the final accomplishment to be achieved. Matthew 5:17 confirms: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

A short story is told of a promising 10-year-old schoolboy, who had recently become unruly and lost his avid interest in learning. He consistently arrived late to school, disrupted many lessons and failed to progress in any way in class. He was eventually considered by others as a complete failure in life. The teachers had given up any hope for him. One day, a new female teacher of religious studies arrived, who was prewarned of this boy’s attitude and decided to adopt a different approach in handling him. On a particular day, during the lunch hour, she sat the boy down for a long chat.

They ate lunch together. During the conversation, it emerged that the boy’s mother had recently passed away and he had been requested by his father to help raise his three younger siblings. His father was suffering from depression as a result of his loss and couldn’t cope any longer with a young family. He was charged with all the household shopping tasks, raising his siblings in the morning, washing, dressing and feeding them before and after school. He felt that he didn’t have a life left to enjoy and from the added responsibility, encountered a temporary mental instability as a result. He did not know which way to turn for help.