Pursuing Your Purpose

"It has been well said that there are only three classes of people in the world today:

those who are afraid,

those who do not know enough to be afraid, and

those who know their bibles." ~from "Why Revival Tarries" by Leonard Ravenhill

Mark 1:21–32 NKJV

21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee. 29 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them. 32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.

Luke 4:

Luke 4:42–43 NKJV

42 Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; 43 but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”

There is great power in knowing your purpose, sticking to your purpose, and pursuing

Jesus key commitment and His keen awareness of His purpose.

no matter what Jesus would never allow anyone to take him off his game, his deep abiding purpose

We struggle to keep the main thing the main thing.

I believe that each of us has an excitement

It is the work of people of faith to discern what it is that God would have me to do, and to pursue it.

So much competes for our divided attention

So many efforts angling for your energy

Nothing in the world, replaces knowing

He grew in wisdom and in stature and if favor....

We see Him at the commencement of His public ministry

Goes into Nazareth - with a deep sense of his purpose and identity.

Goes to the synagogue and is asked to read...”The spirit of the Lord is upon me.....”

Luke 4:18–21 NKJV

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” 20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Because He was so clear about his purpose, he had a head on collision and they ran him out of town.

If you have your own agenda, other people find that offensive.

They were about to throw him over a cliff

They were so offended by the depth of his commitement to things that really matter.

Jesus could have died right there..... (Marter complex)

Leaves Nazareth and goes to Capernaum.

Saw the power of His healing hands and authority over demons.

There is no where He can go without being recognized.

He’s the toast of the town.

Luke 4:42 NLT

42 Early the next morning Jesus went out to an isolated place. The crowds searched everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave them.

Pigeon hole and

This message isn’t for everybody.

It’s for those who want all that God has for your life!

The folks who love you are often the very same folks who will limit you.

If you are not careful they will prevent you from living out your full purpose

Nazareth rejects Jesus

Caperanum embraces Him

But they both had this in common, neither on understood the magnitude of His ministry

They sent out a whole posse, went hunting for Jesus because they wanted him to stay.

He said He came to:

Preach good news to the poor - their were poor folks in caperanamm

Open the eyes of the blind - there were blind folks in Capernaum

1. Know your purpose

2. Guard Your Purpose

Bible says in Mark 1 that Simon led the crowd

3. Live in Your Purpose

Jesus could have taken up residence as the chaplain of Capernaum.

Would have done a lot of good.

But we would never have heard of Jesus.

Don’t stay out of the way

Get in the way

And God will make a way out of no way.

Had He listened to them there would have been no Gospel...

Chapter 5 - I’ve got to go to unknown city and heal a leper

Go to a house where

Calm a raging sea

Go to Jairus house

Preach repentance

Make my way to Jerusalem where prophets die.

I’ve got to leave you in this terafirma - this place called earth, so I can send the comforter.

When the Spirit comes, you will know your purpose,......