Our Need for Purpose

Opening:

Alright alright alright. 747 welcome back. I am so glad you are here and NOT at chicfila. We thought we were going to have to move service because of how many of y’all thought we were meeting there tonight.

Well, if you have your Bibles, go ahead and start flipping to the book of Luke chapter 10.

We are going to set up camp here as we close out our opening series of “Essentials of the Human Life”.

Over the last 2 weeks, we have looked at “Our Need for the Gospel”, highlighting how every single one of us here is in desperate need of 1 main thing. Salvation from our sins.

We then took it a step further last week and looked into Acts 2 and “Our Need for Community.” Because while yes, we need to be saved from our sin, we are not called to just stop there. We saw how the apostles and the early church modeled this idea that when we are saved from sin, we are saved into the church. And we talked about the explicit need for biblical community and characteristic to look for in that.

And then this week we are closing our with our final need, “Our Need for Purpose.”

Friends, every one of us here, wether you realize it or not, have either searched for our purpose, are searching for our purpose, or will search for your purpose.

And in that search, you have the world, teeming with “answers” to said search, advertising any and everything trying to sell us on what they think our purpose in life should be.

You may have walked in here tonight believing that your purpose is to be the best future [insert job], or the perfect example of what a significant other looks like in relationship, or maybe even that your purpose is to be the life of the party. All of those things, while some better than others, are cheap and fickle lies that only keep you returning back for the newest and brightest “purpose”.

I asked y’all’s good friend, ChatGPT what it thought that human’s purpose in life was. Here is what it said:

There isn't a single objective answer that everyone agrees on. The purpose of human life is one of the oldest questions in philosophy, religion, and science, and different traditions answer it differently. Here are some of the major perspectives:

Biological Perspective: From an evolutionary standpoint, life's "purpose" is to survive and reproduce.

Philosophical Perspective: Many philosophers argue that life has no predetermined purpose. Instead, humans create meaning through their choices, relationships, work, creativity, and values.

Psychological Perspective: Research in psychology suggests that people tend to experience greater well-being when they have a sense of purpose—whether that's raising a family, helping others, learning, creating, or contributing to a cause larger than themselves.

Secular humanism: Our purpose is to promote human flourishing—develop ourselves, care for others, pursue knowledge, reduce suffering, and leave the world better than we found it.

Existentialism: Life doesn't necessarily come with a predetermined purpose. We create meaning through our choices, commitments, relationships, and actions.

Naturalism/materialism: Nature itself doesn't appear to assign humans a cosmic purpose. Biologically, organisms survive and reproduce, but a person can still have personally meaningful goals—family, friendship, discovery, creativity, service, etc.

Stoicism: The good life involves living rationally and virtuously—developing wisdom, courage, justice, and self-control while accepting what lies outside our control.

From a non-Christian perspective, there isn't one universally agreed-upon answer. In fact, whether life has an objective purpose at all is one of philosophy's biggest questions. Here are several major ways someone might answer:

Ultimately, if our lives do not have or serve a purpose, we will routinely live in this cycle of existential dread, wondering if we are making our time count.

Thankfully, theres good news. Our lives have purpose. And that purpose is to Share the Gospel and Make Disciples.

These are 2 things that we take EXTREMELY seriously here at 747.

We have 12 verses tonight that we are going to read, but the main one we are going to focus on is verse 2.

This passage is deeply engrained into who we are as a staff, who we are as a ministry, and who we are as a church.

Background of Luke

Jesus is on his way to the cross.

Seeing and teaching along the way

Just has people saying they want to follow him.

READ

Luke 10:1–12 CSB

1 After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others, and he sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest. 3 Now go; I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Don’t carry a money-bag, traveling bag, or sandals; don’t greet anyone along the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ 6 If a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they offer, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Don’t move from house to house. 8 When you enter any town, and they welcome you, eat the things set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there, and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near you.’ 10 When you enter any town, and they don’t welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘We are wiping off even the dust of your town that clings to our feet as a witness against you. Know this for certain: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.

PRAY

Luke 10:2 = Lynch Pin to 747

Also w/ M28

If the reality of the gospel in our lives is what gives us our vitality and life, then this passage is what charges/invigorates/excites us to put that same Gospel into action.

Jesus uses this imagery of a harvest that is ready to be brought in.

Obviously, he is not meaning a literal harvest of crops that they were used to.

Instead, he’s meaning that there are people on this Earth that are ready to hear the gospel. That are ready for that life change. That are ready to be brought back to the Lord. Ready to be harvested.

However, the tragedy of this passage is what follows.

“But the laborers are few.”

I want you to imagine with me for a second, this scenario that Jesus is painting for these that he is getting ready to send out…

Now I have no grounds to try and discuss all of the intricacies of farming. As I am a city boy at heart.

However, if you are a farmer, I would argue that your absolute goal is not how much you grow, but how much you harvest. Now, I know those two things are very closely tied together, but in reality all that is counted is what is brought in. Even if it was only a fraction of what you planted. If you were to tell one of the many farmers here at Central that you planted and grew X amount of acres of a crop, but only brought in 1/10th of X acres of that crop. They would look at you with concern, and probably ask you where your field is so that they can go harvest the rest of it.

Well, Jesus paints this image of this land where the crops are growing well in abundance, and there is MUCH to reap.

But with that, there is only a small percentage of that crop that is brought in because there are not enough laborers.

What a sad reality. Its not that the crops aren’t ready or didn’t grow well, there is no one working the field.

Its that no one is willing to do it.

Jesus uses this as way of saying that the harvest that the Lord has planted and grown is ready to be brought in.

There are people, that all they need is:

Someone to approach them with a 30 second survey

Someone to invite them to join their team to hunt a weird guy in a Sasquatch costume

Someone to share with them how the Lord has saved them from a life of sin, and that they too can be forgiven.

But again, the laborers are few.

There are people who will say YES to the gospel, and all it takes is asking them about it.

I’d also go on record and say that we are a blessed church and a blessed ministry.

50+ students that are committed to laboring.

50+ adults that are commited to laboring.

There are many of us in here tonight that are so content with this surface level, lethargic, apathetic Christianity or this watered-down Jesus, and could not care less about the Harvest thats mentioned in Luke 10:2.

The reality is that was once you.

YOU were the one in the field waiting to be brought in.

YOU were the one that just needed an invitation or for someone to share their life and how Jesus changed it with you.

YOU were the one that was on the path that would ultimately lead to eternity seperated from the Father.

This, at some point or another, was all of us. Maybe that is still you.

There is good news, you can be brought in today. You can say yes tonight.

747, to claim Jesus, but to deny your purpose means to live a safe and convenient life.

Safe in the way that you don’t want to get in the game.

You’re fine just watching because the last thing you want to do is put something on the line.

And convenient in the way that since there is no one else that is of your concern, you main focus is to do what is beneficial to you.

This idea of, “Hey I got mine! I hope you find what you need, but I’m just gonna do me. I got my John 3:16 tattoo and my cool little Hobby Lobby verse decor for the kitchen. I’m good.”

To live a safe and convenient life mean to live a wasted life.

This is aimed at me too! There is nothing I love more than convenience.

If I can find a route on a drive to safe a few minutes to my final destination, or if I learn of a new note taking app that makes that more efficient, or whatever, I’m all for it.

And this world is marked by the ongoing pursuit of convenience.

Fast food, Amazon, Netflix, Facetime, etc.

These things aren’t bad, but they make poor gods.

But for how much I love convenience, I hate wasting time. And I do it all the time.

Ask Carington about when I sleep too long, or am on my phone too much. It flips a switch and drives me crazy.

Students, we desperately want you to make much of this life you have been given and step into the harvest with us.

A passage I find myself coming back to often, especially when I preach to college students (which is often LOL), is Ecclesiastes 2:1-8.

Set up Solomon briefly.

Ecclesiastes 2:1–11 CSB

1 I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile. 2 I said about laughter, “It is madness,” and about pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” 3 I explored with my mind the pull of wine on my body—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—and how to grasp folly, until I could see what is good for people to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. 4 I increased my achievements. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and planted every kind of fruit tree in them. 6 I constructed reservoirs for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. 7 I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house. I also owned livestock—large herds and flocks—more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered male and female singers for myself, and many concubines, the delights of men. 9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom also remained with me. 10 All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles. 11 When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.

None of it matters! These hard pursuits after things of this world end up with us wondering whats next.

But there is one pursuit, one purpose that leaves us with the exact opposite reaction of Ecclesiastes 2:1-8.

To step into the field and bring in the Lord’s harvest.

Caveat about jobs aren’t bad, etc.

TRANSITION TO POINT ONE SOMEHOW LOL

The Labor is Hard, but the Reward is Immense

Why do any of us do anything that is hard? Because the reward is great.

CrossFit

Hedonic Adaptation?

We pretty much now a days measure anything we do on this metric of Input vs. Output.

If I input X amount of effort, how much with the output “gain” be

This output is far greater than the input would ever be.

Look at Luke 9:57-62

Luke 9:57–62 CSB

57 As they were traveling on the road someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 Then he said to another, “Follow me.” “Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.” 60 But he told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.” 61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Following Christ and engaging in the work for Him is not easy.

These people didn’t really want to Labor. They had other things they wanted to do first.

How many of us in here:

Just want to get through the craziness of freshman year first

Just want to graduate first

Just want to get married first

Just want to get your first big boy or girl job first

Christ says that right NOW the harvest is plentiful, there is no time to wait.

Those things aren’t bad, but there is always that next thing.

Friends, this work is hard, and its tiresome. There are times when you are going to get hurt (most of us probably not physically), and many more times where your life in inconvenienced for the sake of sharing the gospel, but living a purpose driven life for the Lord’s harvest is the most exciting and rewarding things you will ever do.

Luke 10:4–7 CSB

4 Don’t carry a money-bag, traveling bag, or sandals; don’t greet anyone along the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ 6 If a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they offer, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Don’t move from house to house.

There have been days in ministry where I’ll be talking with Carington and think, “I cannot do this anymore, I am unfit, I can’t take it anymore, this is too hard.”

But every time, the Lord has preserved me and reminded me that the work done for him, albeit difficult, is satisfying.

It’s the reason we uprooted our lives before our son was born and moved to Jonesboro.

Last thing. In all these thoughts about laboring, we see it function in 2 main ways.

We Labor in 2 Primary Ways

We Share the Gospel

Daveena Story

AND CALEB STORY LOL

Missions Notes Page

Pauls emphasis in Romans in sharing the gospel.

We Engage in Deep Discipleship

Life Groups

Discipleship is what gets me up in the morning.

Explanation of Matt Reynolds discipling me, grew up, felt a call to ministry, had this desire for discipleship.

Then met rich halcomb. Rich fostered and gave legs to this desire of discipleship. Learned that Rich is who discipled matt.

Then I had students and former staff go with me to mission trips to Ohio to work with a group that met rich.

There were 4 generations of discipleship there.

But this discipleship doesnt stop with us. Its meant to go on and on and on.

If sharing the gospel is bringing in the harvest, then discipleship is building the laborers.

I want to see all of us become laborers.

3:20 Network Plug

Closing…

Look down chapter 10 with me to verse 17.

The 72 went out, proclaimed christ, and returned with news that would make anyone go crazy. People saved, demons exercised, and Christ glorified, but Jesus redirects them back to the root of it all.

Luke 10:17–20 CSB

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 Look, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing at all will harm you. 20 However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

He says to rejoice because of their what?

Salvation.

Unbeliever:

Friends, we can do incredible things for the cause of Christ, and thats amazing, but at the end of the day the question is, can you rejoice because of your salvation in christ?

Like I’ve mentioned already, I know for a fact, that there are people in here tonight that grew up in church, have some of the most faithful parents you’d ever meet, but are deceived in thinking that you too have salvation.

Mom and dad can’t save you, this labor cant save you, only Christ can save you. And the offer is extended today.

Romans 10:9 says

Romans 10:9 “9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

You can have salvation tonight. And you can begin living out this purpose God has given you.

Believer:

And for my believer friends in the room… Are you in the field harvesting, or are you checked out, content with just being apart of community, or just being apart of Wednesday nights?

I want to challenge you to get out in the field. We have so many students that want to labor with you.

I WANT TO LABOR WITH YOU.

These life groups are set up so that you may be equipped to do the work of the ministry along side us.

Co-Laborer:

Lastly, for my brothers and sisters toiling in the sun with us. Are you praying for the Lord to send out laborers?

Luke 10:2 “2 He told them, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”

And are you willing to be the answer to that prayer?

PRAY AND CLOSE.