Pursuing the Person, Not Just the Purpose
25 November 2024
ENCOURAGE
Affirmation: "My heart's desire is to know Jesus."
This week, I want to remind you that God is far more interested in you becoming more like Jesus than becoming the G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time).
In our journey with Christ, we often strive to live a life of "purpose," but if Jesus is not at the center of our ambitions, there is no purpose at all. Though it's true that God created you for good works (Ephesians 2:10), He did not create you for works alone. Our most important pursuit in life is to know God and be transformed by His love. In our knowing Him, we become more like His Son, and can more authentically fulfill our individual callings and the corporate call to follow Him in love and obedience, and go make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 9:23).
In order to keep Christ at the center of our purpose, we must learn to extinguish the obsession and idolatry of works based, accomplishment fueled "purpose" and recognize that true purpose if fulfilled as we pursue the Person named Jesus. It is in that pursuit that we find the fulfillment our souls are looking for. It is in that pursuit that we can prepare for eternity. It is in that pursuit that we grow and are refined into the people we were pre-destined to be in Christ. It is in that pursuit that we come to realize that living on purpose is not solely about the things we do, but foundationally about who we are (in our hearts).
We know this to be true because in Matthew 7:21-23, we read the warning about those who did all these great works but were far from God in their hearts and, consequently, they were not received into the Kingdom of Heaven. From this passage we can learn that no matter how great the works are for the Kingdom, if it is not done with clean hands and a pure heart, and in the will of the Father, it means nothing. This tells us we have a God that prefers quality over quantity; One who weighs the heart over the works of our hands.
Now, I don't want you to lose sight of the importance of fulfilling the earthly duties God may have given you such as your career, marriage, family, charity, education, ministry, etc, because they are all important. However, I want to emphasize that those pursuits should not be placed above the call of following Christ and allowing Him to deal with your heart (who you are) before He deals with your hands (what you do). Just think about Jesus. The Bible says He was manifested for the purpose of destroying the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). His purpose was informed by who He was and demonstrated in what He did.
Yes, He performed mighty miracles (healed the sick, raised the dead, casted out demons), but He also worked as a carpenter, fed people, celebrated with people, discipled people, fasted, prayed, slept, wept, and mourned. In all things great and small, He had one focus: to please the Father by doing His will. All of our Savior's decisions were rooted in a Kingdom-centered ambition to do God's will, not a polluted desire for self-promotion, accomplishment, or status. He placed the Father's will before everything and that is how He was able to fulfill His purpose and show that He was the only G.O.A.T- "God Above All Things." He didn't desperately strive for a particular work, social status, or accomplishment, He pursued the Father and all things necessary for the fulfillment of His purpose aligned into place and led Him to that cross. So what can we learn from His example?
Motives matter more than motion.
It doesn't matter how great you become or how many works you accomplish if Christ is not involved. When we put the Father's will first and set our hearts on pursuing the person of Christ, then and only then can we truly fulfill our purposes in Him.
EQUIP
Meditation Scriptures:
Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)
Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV)
Matthew 20:20-28 (NKJV)
Colossians 1:9-18, emphasis verses 9-12 (NLT)
Psalm 24:1-6 (NLT)
BUILD
Call to Action: On a piece of paper, write and reflect on the questions below. (Take one question a day if you need to time for deep introspection).
How do I define purpose?
What does the Bible say about purpose/plans? Find 2-3 scriptures and write them down.
What can I learn about living a life of purpose from the life Jesus lived?
In THIS season, have I been striving for purpose more than the person of Jesus? If yes, what do I need to do put Jesus back in first place of my heart? (Write 1-2 practical action steps).
