Loving, obeying and following Jesus is a Purposeful life

Purpose

There’s always that feeling we all get when we help someone and they say ‘thank you’, or we do something kind and someone responds with gratitude. That little feeling is called fulfilment, or in other words, purposeful. You have tapped into something ingrained deep in your DNA that teaches you to seek purpose, to be a useful human being.

In Acts 7-28, the writer tells us the story of a man called Saul, who had made it his purpose to eliminate Christians from existence. He facilitated the prosecution of many Christians for religious crimes. But in Chapter 9, things would change, and God would use him as one of the greatest facilitators of the good news of Jesus:

The New King James Version Chapter 9

Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

The murderer and persecutor of Christians became one of the disciples of Jesus. He would go on to suffer a lot of pain and persecution for the sake of Jesus. From AD 33 to AD 67, he would travel across Israel, Turkey, Syria and Greece spreading the good news of Jesus. He travelled well over 10,000 miles for 30 years.

Paul was eventually executed, possibly by beheading around AD 64. What’s interesting is that at the time, he seemed to know the end was near. His last letter that we know of is to a protege disciple called Timothy, who he was writing to and encouraging him to keep working for the cause of Christ.

In this letter, we find a lot of what Paul was thinking as his death approached. Here’s a sample we can focus on for today:

2 Timothy 4:6–7 “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Let’s break these two verses into four parts, so that we can also think about our own purpose:

1. Poured out as a drink offering, the time of my departure has come

His death was approaching, and he knew it. He knew that his work was almost complete. This is the same case with Jesus, when He was about to be crucified on the cross: John 17:4 “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.”

Purpose is finite. It has an end, or a goal. We all have to play our part in spreading the Gospel of Jesus, whether a prominent role or otherwise. But when the completion of our responsibility is near, we will know it.

2. I have fought the good fight

If you read the book of Acts, you will see how many problems Paul had. At one time, he was so broke that he had to make tents to survive. It will not be easy, and it will be challenging. It will be full of sacrifice and pain. Expect it.

3. I have finished the race

Aim to run the race such that you can finish it and win - doing the work of the Gospel is good, but do not forget to have a lasting relationship with Jesus, focusing only on the work and forgetting that the most important part is who you are in Jesus:

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

4. I have kept the faith

Faith is believing with a purpose. You can think of it as a marriage - the husband is faithful to his wife, and his wife is faithful to him. Faith is belief+loyalty.

Paul was loyal to Jesus. He did not flounder. He kept the faith.

Purpose in your life will have three characteristics:

Knowing what Jesus wants you to do for His kingdom, from now till the last day of your life

Doing it.

Loving Jesus, being faithful to him - like a marriage. Having a healthy, vibrant and personal relationship with Jesus. It is easy to do something for someone you love.

There’s no easy formula to being a purposeful human. Here are three building blocks:

Know the story of God - read the Bible, know all the stories and the messages by heart

Talk with God often (do it in secret, no one has to know - that will make it sincere)

As you get closer and closer to God, He reveals what you must do. Simply do it. You might not get any recognition, But God can see it. :-)