Life with a purpose

If

How do we know when we’ve had “enough” of something? More often than not it’s a matter of opinion. At dinner time in our house we hear the phrase, “I’ve had enough” more often than we would like, and it generally leads to a discussion of how much more would be “enough”.

When Rockerfeller was asked how much money is “enough”, he replied “always one dollar more”. If we go into a shop we might look at the price of something in order to work out if we have enough money to pay for it. But how can we tell if we love enough? How can we tell if we are devoted enough in our faith? How do we know if there is enough holiness in our lives? How much is enough?

In our reading today Paul seems to think that the Church in Thessalonica does not yet have “enough”. In verses 1 & 10 he is urging them to do more and more.

The problem is that this line of thought is all about putting limits on our love and on our faith. In there is a man who comes to Jesus and asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

As Jesus responds he reminds the man of what the law says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and, “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

The man though, we are told, wants to justify himself, and so he asks, “And who is my neighbour?”

He answered, ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”[c]; and, “Love your neighbour as yourself.”[d]’

Jesus then goes on to tell the parable of the good Samaritan. But what is the man really asking? He’s asking, “How much is enough?” “Who is my neighbour?” “Show me the ones who are in, and I’ll love them, and I can ignore or forget everything else?”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’

He saw love as some kind of duty, some kind of obligation, and if he did that then God would owe him, God would have to grant him eternal life. If religion is some kind of duty, or a dose that we need take like medicine, then we can put limits on it & say “that is enough”. Duty can be done, fulfilled a dose of medicine can be sufficient. But if faith is a way of life, as v1 puts it, then it is not a list of do’s & don’ts but a relationship with God, a relationship built on & characterised by love. And so how & when could we ever say “that is enough”?

When do we have “enough”? Well, it depends on what it is. Most often what is “enough” is a matter of opinion. For some, there has been almost enough football on TV in past few weeks - it’s been more than enough for others. When Rockerfeller was asked how much money is “enough”, he replied “always one dollar more”. I might know when I have enough to eat, when I have enough to pay for something.... but how can I tell if I love enough? or pay enough attention to the needy? am devoted enough? How do I know if there is enough holiness in my life? How much is “enough”? Paul seems to think that the Church in Thessalonica does not yet have “enough” for in v1 & 10 he talks of them getting & doing “more & more”. If religion is some kind of duty, or a dose that we need take like medicine, then we can put limits on it & say “that is enough”. Duty can be done, fulfilled a dose of medicine can be sufficient. But if faith is a way of life as v1 puts it, then it is not a list of do’s & don’ts but a relationship with God, a relationship built on & characterised by love. And so how & when could we ever say “that is enough.... I am all loved out... this relationship is as deep as any relationship can go”? The questions that put limits on something are not questions asked in the context of love. “Do I have to do that?... must I?... should I..... do I need to?” are questions I ask with reference to things I don’t want to do. I never ask that question about the things that I really enjoy. Had I been told that I have to attend the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games then I would be saying (or at least thinking) “do I have to?” because I don’t like opening ceremonies. I would rather be somewhere else. I would never be saying “I wish I could go twice... I wish I could get more of that.” That kind of response is only for what we really enjoy. So what sort of questions do we ask about our faith, our walk with God, our service toGod? Isit“doIhaveto?”orisit“howcanIgetmoreofthat?”

Paul seems to think that the Church in Thessalonica does not yet have “enough” for in v1 & 10 he talks of them getting & doing “more & more”. If religion is some kind of duty, or a dose that we need take like medicine, then we can put limits on it & say “that is enough”. Duty can be done, fulfilled a dose of medicine can be sufficient. But if faith is a way of life as v1 puts it, then it is not a list of do’s & don’ts but a relationship with God, a relationship built on & characterised by love. And so how & when could we ever say “that is enough.... I am all loved out... this relationship is as deep as any relationship can go”? The questions that put limits on something are not questions asked in the context of love. “Do I have to do that?... must I?... should I..... do I need to?” are questions I ask with reference to things I don’t want to do. I never ask that question about the things that I really enjoy. Had I been told that I have to attend the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games then I would be saying (or at least thinking) “do I have to?” because I don’t like opening ceremonies. I would rather be somewhere else. I would never be saying “I wish I could go twice... I wish I could get more of that.” That kind of response is only for what we really enjoy. So what sort of questions do we ask about our faith, our walk with God, our service toGod? Isit“doIhaveto?”orisit“howcanIgetmoreofthat?”

The questions that put limits on something are not questions asked in the context of love. “Do I have to do that?... must I?... should I..... do I need to?” are questions I ask with reference to things I don’t want to do. I never ask that question about the things that I really enjoy. If it’s something we enjoy then we generally ask questions like, “How can I do that again?” or “How can I get more of that?”

So what sort of questions do we ask about our faith, about our walk with God? Is it, “Do I have to?” or is it “How can I get more of that?”

So what sort of questions do we ask about our faith, our walk with God, our service toGod? Isit“doIhaveto?”orisit“howcanIgetmoreofthat?”

As we have been going through this letter we have seen that the Church is not a building or an organisation but people who gather together, whose lives are rooted in God and marked by faith, hope and love. If this is what Church is then how can we ever say we’ve had enough? How can we say we’ve trusted enough, or that we’ve had enough hope or that we have loved or have been loved enough?

Before anything else, Christianity is about our relationship with God. And so we cannot say we’ve had enough or done enough. And we have a God who in his word continually reminds us and assures us that he will never give up with us. He is committed to his purposes being fulfilled, wants to see his people grow, wants his Kingdom to be further extended, wants the benefits & blessings of his love to be enjoyed more and more by more and more.

If Christianity is not so much about religion as it is about a loving relationship with God and with others,

In writing this letter to a young church finding its feet, finding its way in the world, Paul has been showing us a great deal about what the Church truly is. It is not a place or a building or a club or an organisation: the Church is people who assemble together - it is not those who are members but not active participants

So, while, as we heard last week, the Church in Thessalonica was doing well, Paul urges them in v.1 to live in order to please God more and more. He has just been praying (3:12,13) for their growth in faith & love because they, like us, need God to be at work in our lives if that is to happen - but that does not mean they/ we do nothing, so in 4:1-12 he is calling their attention to things that need to be addressed, areas where he wants them to grow in holiness.

it is people who are “rooted” in God: he shapes their lives, gives sustenance. So they bear fruit for him - the way of Christ is increasingly seen in who they are, how they are living, just as fruit is really seen to be growing from the fruit tree. they are people who take this Gospel way of life seriously - even when persecuted they keep following. they are people who show faith & love - faith in that they trust God in their daily lives. They trust him to be faithful to them, and they are committed to being faithful to him. So, if this is who/ what Church is, when have we reached “enough”. When can we say “well that is all the trusting that you need to do, don’t bother having to do more trusting tomorrow” or “well you have shown enough love, enough awareness of being loved... put God & serving him on the back burner for a while... these roots in God, in God’s word are deep enough, that is all the growing you need do”? When?

The two areas, and we’ll look at them in turn, but the two areas are Sexual Morality and Work. And what’s interesting is that these two areas of life, perhaps more than any other, are areas where people go to find purpose and meaning in life.

So, while, as we heard last week, the Church in Thessalonica was doing well, Paul urges them in v.1 to live in order to please God more and more. He then uses He has just been praying (3:12,13) for their growth in faith & love because they, like us, need God to be at work in our lives if that is to happen - but that does not mean they/ we do nothing, so in 4:1-12 he is calling their attention to things that need to be addressed, areas where he wants them to grow in holiness. The two areas, and we’ll look at them in turn, but the two areas are Sexual Morality and Work. And what’s interesting is that these two areas of life, perhaps more than any other, are areas where people go to find purpose and meaning in life.

Loving relationships either grow or they wither.... they cannot be left unattended without them suffering for that, particularly if one party in the relationship is saying “we need to keep on with this”. And God is saying that - he never wants to give in, give up. He is committed to his purposes being fulfilled, wants to see his people grow, wants his Kingdom to be further extended, wants the benefits & blessings of his love to be more enjoyed, more enjoyed by those already in his family, and more enjoyed by others as his family is extended. So, while the Church inThessalonica has been given a good report (see 3:6ff) Paul is still looking for, wanting “more & more” - not for his sake but for their sake & for God’s sake. He is praying (3:12,13) for their growth in faith & love because they, like us all, need God to be at work in our lives if that is to happen - but that does not mean they/ we do nothing, so in 4:1-12 he is calling their attention to things that need to be addressed. He mentions two areas:

People define themselves today in terms of their sexuality, others have their identity tied up in having a great family life and others are defined by success, career or money. The problem is that these things can’t ever give us the meaning we’re searching for. We’re either forever chasing what we don’t have, be it the next sexual experience or the next dollar, or we make it and discover that thing that we thought would make life really great, hasn’t. So let’s look at these two areas of life and see if we can discern what does bring purpose and meaning in life.

There are countless examples

If we say we’ve had they cannot be left unattended without them suffering for that, particularly if one party in the relationship is saying “we need to keep on with this”. And God is saying that - he never wants to give in, give up. He is committed to his purposes being fulfilled, wants to see his people grow, wants his Kingdom to be further extended, wants the benefits & blessings of his love to be more enjoyed, more enjoyed by those already in his family, and more enjoyed by others as his family is extended. So, while the Church inThessalonica has been given a good report (see 3:6ff) Paul is still looking for, wanting “more & more” - not for his sake but for their sake & for God’s sake. He is praying (3:12,13) for their growth in faith & love because they, like us all, need God to be at work in our lives if that is to happen - but that does not mean they/ we do nothing, so in 4:1-12 he is calling their attention to things that need to be addressed. He mentions two areas:

Thessalonica has been given a good report (see 3:6ff) Paul is still looking for, wanting “more & more” - not for his sake but for their sake & for God’s sake. He is praying (3:12,13) for their growth in faith & love because they, like us all, need God to be at work in our lives if that is to happen - but that does not mean they/ we do nothing, so in 4:1-12 he is calling their attention to things that need to be addressed. He mentions two areas:

First we have sexual morality, which Paul discusses in verses 3-8. And I want us to notice straight away in these verses that Paul is talking about holiness here. In verse 3 he talks about us being sanctified, that is, being made holy; in verse 4 he says we should control our bodies in a way that is holy and in verse 7 he says that we are called by God to lead holy lives. Now, at this point there is perhaps an internal sigh from some of you. Holiness, and sexual morality are two words and phrases that have negative connotations today. Sexual morality and holiness are both commonly understood in negative terms. Holiness is seen as the absence of moral fault, but that is really a pharisaical holiness. True holiness is a positive thing, it is about becoming like Jesus and living lives marked by the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit, in , is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are positive things, who wouldn’t want to love a life marked by love or joy or peace? Holiness is a positive thing.

love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control

Holiness also has to do with our relationship with God. In the Old Testament if you were to enter into God’s presence, then holiness was mandatory. Special purification rituals were prescribed. But all of these rituals and sacrifices were pointing to the cross. Jesus’ death has purified his people from all their sins and so now, rather than us going to the Temple to draw near to God’s presence, God brings his presence to us. His Spirit dwells within us. Our bodies, in effect, become Temples of the Holy Spirit, an image Paul uses in ; . They must therefore be as holy in all the details of their lives as if they were constantly in the Temple in Jerusalem.

It’s a word that appears three times in this passage (verses 3, 4, 7), and it draws its strength, for Paul, from the circle of ideas that belonged with the Temple in Jerusalem. If you went there to be in God’s presence, holiness was mandatory. Special purification rituals were prescribed. It was vital that you come before the living God, the ultimately and utterly holy one, in a state of complete purity. Paul believes, of course, that Jesus’ death has purified his people from all their sins. God’s spirit now dwells in them: as individuals, and all together, they become the new Temple for God to live in (; ). They must therefore be as holy in all the details of their lives as if they were constantly in the Temple in Jerusalem.

They must therefore be as holy in all the details of their lives as if they were constantly in the Temple in Jerusalem.

One area of concern for holiness in our lives is that of sexuality. This is an area that is increasingly becoming something of a moral free-for-all in our world today, where the only rule is that people must be allowed to express whatever desires happen to arise, or be aroused, within them. And this is not all that different to the what was going on in Thessalonica 2,000 years ago. Pagan temples regularly doubled as brothels, and sexual practices of all sorts were at least tolerated if not actively encouraged within the society as a whole. This was an area of real challenge and temptation for this young church.

For Paul, as for all Jewish and early Christian teachers of moral behaviour, that is like saying that you must allow the horse or donkey, unbroken and untamed, to rush and leap about in all directions, endangering rider and onlookers alike, and doing no useful work. Sexuality is a good gift of the wise creator, but like all good gifts is given for a purpose; only in a world where the only purpose was self-gratification could anyone suppose that hard work was not going to be necessary to tame and train powerful desires such as the sexual one.

, where the only rule is that people must be allowed to express whatever desires happen to arise, or be aroused, within them. For Paul, as for all Jewish and early Christian teachers of moral behaviour, that is like saying that you must allow the horse or donkey, unbroken and untamed, to rush and leap about in all directions, endangering rider and onlookers alike, and doing no useful work. Sexuality is a good gift of the wise creator, but like all good gifts is given for a purpose; only in a world where the only purpose was self-gratification could anyone suppose that hard work was not going to be necessary to tame and train powerful desires such as the sexual one.

Our modern world has turned sexual desire, preference and practice into a moral free-for-all, where the only rule is that people must be allowed to express whatever desires happen to arise, or be aroused, within them. For Paul, as for all Jewish and early Christian teachers of moral behaviour, that is like saying that you must allow the horse or donkey, unbroken and untamed, to rush and leap about in all directions, endangering rider and onlookers alike, and doing no useful work. Sexuality is a good gift of the wise creator, but like all good gifts is given for a purpose; only in a world where the only purpose was self-gratification could anyone suppose that hard work was not going to be necessary to tame and train powerful desires such as the sexual one.

And so in response to the call to holiness and this challenge from the world around them, Paul gives them clear instructions as to how to behave. Firstly, verse 3, avoid sexual immorality. That might sound a bit vague to us, but the word Paul uses refers to all sexual practice outside outside of marriage itself and may have a particular reference to the use of prostitutes at pagan temples. Secondly, in verses 4 & 5, he looks for self-control within marriage. The Christians in Thessalonica should not be continually chasing after new partners and pleasures. Instead they should be committed to their own spouses. Thirdly, in verse 6, he writes, ‘that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister’. This seems to be his way of saying, don’t go after someone else’s spouse. Fourthly, and finally, he says ‘Remember these are God’s instructions and he gives them for your good.’ We can see in the world around us, and even in our own lives, our own families and our own circle of friends, the damage that can be done when we fall short on these matters.

Just such a world, of course—the world of unbridled self-gratification—was what the Thessalonians found on their doorsteps, the world to which until recently they had themselves belonged. Pagan temples regularly doubled as brothels, and sexual practices of all sorts were at least tolerated if not actively encouraged within the society as a whole. The new way of life was therefore a huge challenge for the young Christians, though we may suppose that they, like many converts from the murky world of selfish licentiousness, found a certain relief in the cool, clean lines of a Judaeo-Christian morality, however much the body might rebel from time to time against the strict new standards.

We can see in the world around us, and even in our own lives, our own families and our own circle of friends, the damage that can be done when we fall short on these matters.

Now, as with holiness, sexual morality can sound a bit negative. And it might be that these instructions Paul gives sound a bit negative. Sexual morality is seen as the stifling of sex, it’s all about who you can’t or shouldn’t sleep with. Indeed one of the promises of the sexual revolution, of bringing sex outside of the realm of marriage, was the promise of more and better sex. Yet surveys continually show that the reverse is actually the case and in general terms people are having less sex than they were 50 years ago.

Paul’s clear instructions, then, are these. First, no fornication (verse 3): this word includes all kinds of sexual practice outside marriage itself, and in Paul’s world could refer particularly, though not exclusively, to the sacred prostitution at pagan temples. Second, self-control within marriage: the wild and untamed lust that went on the rampage looking for new partners and new pleasures was to be brought into strict submission (verses 4, 5). Third, no cheating of one another; verse 6a is probably a delicate way of referring to people effectively stealing one another’s spouses. Fourth, remember that these instructions are not only from God himself, but will be backed up by the judgment of the Lord (verse 6b). Jesus himself will pronounce sentence on those who flout this basic code; and we may observe that not infrequently this judgment is anticipated in the present life by the particularly exquisite misery awaiting many who ruin healthy and deep relationships through their restless pursuit of new sexual conquests and thrills.

Sexual morality in much of the world at the start of the twenty-first century is, we might as well admit, at a low ebb. The church desperately needs to stand out from the world at this point, rather than being eager (as it sometimes appears) to go along with the world for fear of being thought negative or ‘dualistic’ about one of God’s good gifts. (A ‘dualist’ is someone who thinks of the world as being composed of two quite different parts; for instance, seeing the material world as bad and the non-material world as good.) Proper sexual behaviour is not negative; again and again, it uncovers, whether in marriage or in celibacy, ways forward to a fullness of life which the debauchee or the casually immoral never discover. Appropriate sexual self-control is not dualistic, any more than taming and training a powerful and intelligent horse is demeaning for the animal. The key to it all is the knowledge of God (verse 5), the God whom the pagans do not know: the God in whose image humans were made male and female (), and who longs to see that image reflected in the holiness that the spirit is now at work to produce (verse 8).

But proper sexual behaviour is far from negative; again and again, it uncovers, whether in marriage or in celibacy, ways forward to a fullness of life which the casually immoral never discover.The key to it all is the knowledge of God (verse 5), the God whom the pagans do not know: the God in whose image humans were made male and female (), and who longs to see that image reflected in the holiness that the spirit is now at work to produce (verse 8).

Proper sexual behaviour, as it is laid out in the Bible, is far from negative; again and again, it uncovers, whether in marriage or in celibacy, ways forward to a fullness of life which the sexual revolution of our day can never uncover. The key to it all is the knowledge of God (verse 5), the God whom the pagans do not know: the God in whose image humans were made male and female (), and the God who longs to see that image reflected in our lives

Wright, T. (2004). Paul for Everyone: Galatians and Thessalonians (pp. 118–120). London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

Sexual morality is seen as the stifling of sex, it’s all about who you can’t or shouldn’t sleep with. Indeed one of the promises of the sexual revolution, of bringing sex outside of the realm of marriage, was the promise of more and better sex. Yet surveys continually show that the reverse is actually the case and in general terms people are having less sex than they were 50 years ago. Sexual morality is about

Wright, T. (2004). Paul for Everyone: Galatians and Thessalonians (pp. 118–120). London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

A life of purpose is therefore marked by a knowledge of God, and a pursuit of holiness that His Spirit works in us to produce. If we want meaning in life, if we want fulness of life, then that is where we must look.

There is more though. Because Paul goes on to talk about work in verses 9-12. And once again as we read these verses there is a temptation for us only to see the negative. Hopefully we can discover some of the positive over the next few minutes.

For Paul, as for all Jewish and early Christian teachers of moral behaviour, that is like saying that you must allow the horse or donkey, unbroken and untamed, to rush and leap about in all directions, endangering rider and onlookers alike, and doing no useful work. Sexuality is a good gift of the wise creator, but like all good gifts is given for a purpose; only in a world where the only purpose was self-gratification could anyone suppose that hard work was not going to be necessary to tame and train powerful desires such as the sexual one.

Now, we’ve just been talking about the sexual revolution, a modern doctrine of sex. But there’s also a modern doctrine of work which is work is that which you do for a living. Work is that through which you make money so you can do what you really want to do.

Just such a world, of course—the world of unbridled self-gratification—was what the Thessalonians found on their doorsteps, the world to which until recently they had themselves belonged. Pagan temples regularly doubled as brothels, and sexual practices of all sorts were at least tolerated if not actively encouraged within the society as a whole. The new way of life was therefore a huge challenge for the young Christians, though we may suppose that they, like many converts from the murky world of selfish licentiousness, found a certain relief in the cool, clean lines of a Judaeo-Christian morality, however much the body might rebel from time to time against the strict new standards.

work is that which you do for a living. Work is that through which you make money so you can do what you really want to do.

Dorothy Sayers wrote about this in an Essay entitled ‘Why work?’ which was written not long after the end of the 2nd World War. In the essay she quotes a surgeon, a friend of hers who sums it up quite well. He says:

“What is happening is that nobody today works for the sake of the thing they do. The result of the work is only a by-product of their real aim. The real aim in work is money or status, so doctors practice medicine not primarily to relieve suffering, but to make a living. The patient is something that happens along the way. Lawyers accept briefs not because of their passion for justice, but because this is the profession that enables them to live.”

It shouldn’t really come as a surprise to us that this is not a particularly fulfilling way to live. So how do we work with purpose in life? There are two practical guidelines for us in these verses. The first is that we should work out of a love for other people. We need to understand, whether we are a doctor or a nurse, whether we are a teacher or a minister, whether we work as a sales assistant or as a joiner, whether we work in the private or public sectors, we need to understand that our work is one of the ways we show our love for others. The first reason we should do any job is not the money but how we can use our God-given skills and abilities to help people.

You can see it if you look at verses 10-11. Paul is talking about love and he says, ‘And you do love… yet I want you to do more… I want you to work.’ I want you to help people. I want you to work for the common good.

Now this doesn’t mean we all need to be nurses or teachers (although I know that many of you either do work or have worked in those professions), it means we need to understand how our work helps people. Whether, we’re a chef, a bus driver or an airline pilot.

Some of you might have noticed that they’ve been digging up the road on Shirra’s Brae this week. They’ve been doing that in order to ensure that a handful of houses continue to get a gas supply. As one of the residents of those houses I am grateful for the work they do. When we begin to think about our work in terms of how it helps and benefits others, it can change our whole approach to our job.

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Painter story

So, this is a shift about a shift in mindset that will change our motivation in work and will also affect both how we work and the career choices we make. Instead of asking, ‘What can make me the most money?’ we will instead be thinking, ‘How can I best help people through what I do?’

We work in order to help people, to love people. That’s the first guideline. The second guideline is that the work we do, should be the work that best fits with who we are. This is perhaps not quite as obvious, but if you look at verse 11 you’ll see that it says, ‘make it your ambition to lead a quiet life’. This is one of these phrases that causes translators a little difficulty. Literally what Paul writes here is, ‘Strive for quiet. Strive for rest’.

Now, when he writes this he’s addressing a particular group within the church who, for whatever reason, have given up work and as a result have become disruptive. He refers to them more explicitly in the next chapter. But it seems that this group were experiencing a disquiet, a boredom, and this led them to be disruptive within the church.

Paul says the antidote for that is work. Now this seems counterintuitive doesn’t it? Idleness brings restlessness but work brings rest. How can this be the case?

Well the Bible tells us that all work is a calling. And God calls us to particular jobs that he has equipped us for. Each one of us has different abilities, talents, passions, interests and desires. When we work according to our gifts, when we work out a love for others, then what we find is a sense of rest and peace about what we do. Work brings us a rest that idleness can never do.

In other words, the Bible says, all work is a calling. God calls you to do work you’re equipped to do. In other words, you should look at your insides. It is a good idea to look inside and see whether or not there’s a quiet there. If there’s not, you may not be doing the work you’re called to do, or you may not be doing any work, because you are called to do work, but you’re called to do certain kinds of work.

The other thing to say here, is not just to understand work as a way of loving others and as a calling, but also to understand all work in terms of its significance to God. When Paul uses the phrase ‘work with your hands’ it’s his way of saying that no work is degrading. The Romans and the Greeks both looked down on those who did manual labour. Paul is saying that all work can glorify God.

Keller, T. J. (2013). The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

The reformers all talked about work in terms of redemption.

This is an area that the reformers were really good on and both Luther and Calvin wrote about the importance and dignity of work. They would say, ‘To sweep the streets or to preach a sermon is to bring order out of chaos, is to take the material world God loves and to redeem it. Therefore to sweep the streets or preach a sermon are both works valuable to God.

All of our work has value to God, and all of our work has the power to deepen our faith and deepen our commitment to God. In other words, work is one of the ways we grow in, holiness, in the likeness of Christ. Christ the carpenter, Christ the creator, Christ the healer, Christ the redeemer.

So, there we have it, if we want meaning in life, if we want purpose in life holiness is what we need to pursue. When we value our relationship with God above all else, when we look for his Kingdom before anything else, if we long fo more and more of him in our lives, then we’ll find that ‘all these things will be added unto you’. Now, by that I don’t mean that we’ll enjoy perfect relationships or a stellar career, but we will be able to enjoy these, to take deep satisfaction from them, if our identity and sense of purpose in life is not wrapped up in them.

If it is, if our we live purely for relationship or career, then when our marriage goes through a difficult time, or we never get married, or when we lose our job or don’t get the promotion or recognition we thought we would, then our sense of purpose crumbles. But if our purpose, if our identity is wrapped up in the completed work of Christ, then when things go wrong in our relationships or at our work, then yes we’ll be sad or angry or upset, but we won’t be crushed. Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and over-burdened, and I will give you rest!”

Our Father, we thank you for your Word to us. Help us to apply the truth of the gospel to our every day lives. Help us to know you and love you more and more. Help us to grow on the likeness of you Son and abound more and more in the fruit of the Spirit. Help us to lead lives marked by a sense of peace and purpose that is rooted not in our own relationships or in our career or in anything else but you.

And Lord, help us to be gracious, gentle and loving ambassadors of you. That our lives, and the life of this church, might glorify your name and lead others to know you. In Jesus’ name, and for his glory we pray. Amen.

Life with a purpose

Introduction

Sexual Morality

Work

Conclusion