1. The First great purpose of life. To Know and Love God
Sarah was a tireless church volunteer. People admired her dedication. No one knew Sarah thought God’s approval depended on how much she did for Him.. Over time, Sarah became burned out and resentful, feeling unappreciated by others and disconnected from God.
One day, Sarah opened her Bible to Matthew 7:22-23, read Jesus’ words “depart from Me, I never knew you” and began to cry. God lovingly showed Sarah that the first and greatest thing he wanted was for her to know and love Him. She said, “Yes.” She had just discovered the first great purpose of life: to know and love God.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
“Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”
Jesus was asked, “What is greatest commandment?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
Matthew 7:22:37 NIV
------------
00:00 The First great purpose of life.
01:17 The 2nd great purpose of life
02:20 The 3rd great purpose of life
03:57 Knowing the meaning and purpose of our lives gives us our identity.
05:23 Action Step
------------------
2. The 2nd great purpose of life: Become Like Jesus
“I know more about the Bible than all of you, “ Thomas snapping, his eyes sweeping our Bible study group. It was true, he did. After all, he had been to Bible college and we had not. There was an awkward silence, then Jenny, the newest Christian in our group, said, “But I think…” and disagreed with Thomas’ opinion of what that Bible verse meant.
Thomas scowled furiously as others agreed with Jenny. Jenny was a simple, but godly young woman, whose life already reflected the heart of Jesus.
Thomas was the most disagreeable person in our group. And he obviously wasn’t living the Holy Scriptures He knew so well. Thomas left our group that night and didn’t return.
James 1:22 warns “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
This is God’s invitation to enter into the 2nd great purpose of our lives: become like Jesus.
3. The 3rd great purpose of life: Complete the Works God has Planned for You to do
Lisa constantly feels inadequate. She has been to many conferences on spiritual growth and reads book after book about healing spiritual wounds. She’s convinced God can’t use her until she’s “fixed.” When Pastor Bill asked her to mentor a young woman in the church who was struggling, she declined, saying, “How could I help her? I’m not ready yet.”
At the same time, she felt a tug in her heart that this is something she should do. Pastor Bill showed Lisa 2 Corinthians 12:9 where Paul wrote:
But he [the Lord] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Lisa said, “Yes.” and began mentoring young women in the church. She found that because of her own brokenness, she could relate to their pain and their flaws. And they listened to her. She soon realized God used her brokenness, now healed, to heal others.
Lisa discovered the 3rd great purpose in our lives: to do the specific works God prepared for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 EXB
·God has made us what we are… In Christ Jesus, God ·made [created] us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.
Many people struggle, sometimes for years, asking God to reveal His plan for our lives. I did that. What I meant was for God to show me the big thing or big things that he wanted me to do with my life.
God has great things planned for you and I to do. They begin with 3 great purposes God has for our lives.
1. Know and Love God
2. Become Like Jesus
3. Do the specific works God has planned for us to do.
These 3 purposes give us a firm foundation for a meaningful life. They also provide balance and focus. As you pursue these 3 purposes, God will reveal the great works He has planned for you to do.
This is Day 12 of “30 Days to Radically Shift Your Identity in Christ.”
Knowing the meaning and purpose of our lives gives us our identity.
We are lovers of God, who are being transformed to be like Jesus, and who are doing the work of God on this earth.
Our identity is wrapped up in eternity. We live on the earth and enjoy our time here, but our focus, our legacy is eternal. Our relationship with God, our growth, and the works we do for God now will all have eternal significance.
ACTION STEP: Ask God to show you how to live a balanced life of meaning and purpose with these 3 priorities. Ask Him if you need to change your priorities to bring your life into balance as you: pursue relationship with God, are being transformed to be like Jesus, and daily do the specific works God has waiting for you to do.
Let these 3 priorities change your life for good. Your destiny awaits.