Purpose

Written by cycleguy on December 26th, 2013

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It is hard to believe this will be the last Sunday of 2013 (presuming, of course, Jesus does not return first).  It is also the last Sunday of preaching a series as I have known it.  Next Sunday-actually this Wednesday- all bets are off. Everything changes.  But more info on that will come in another post.

Early on the evening of July 16,1999, reports began to surface that the plane carrying JFK, Jr., his wife, and her sister was missing.  As the hours mounted it began to become more of a reality that something had happened.  After days of searching evidence was found off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard the plane had wrecked.  The investigation said the cause was “pilot error”: disorientation caused by a loss of visual reference to recognizable landmarks. Kennedy was not equipped to fly dependent on flight instruments alone.  The importance of the instruments cannot be understated.  In much the same way, there are way too many people living aimless, going-nowhere lives.

“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”  Thoreau

“Passion costs me too much to spend it on trifle.”  Thomas Adams

“It’s not about you.  The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness…You were born by His purpose, and for His purpose.”  Warren

Imagine what it would have been like if Jesus had not known His purpose for being here.  Talk about a messed up scenario!  But He did know.  John 1 lets us in on it as well.  The crux of the Christmas message can be found in John 1:12-14, 17.

I’m also going to be talking about two forgotten characters-not really part of the Christmas story per se- but still part of the purpose of Jesus being known. Their names are Simeon and Anna and their stories are found in Luke 2.

This is sort of the “final installment” of the Christmas story from the Gospels.  I have used it to lead up to “The Great Adventure: A Year with Jesus.”  I hope you had a great Christmas celebration time and find yourself now seeking the Lord about His purpose for you in 2014.  I invite you to join me in “The Great Adventure.”

Do you know your purpose? 

 

13 Comments so far ↓

  1. Daniel says:

    I am starting to think that my Lord has a different purpose for me in different seasons of my life. I say this because sometimes I feel like I am right where I am supposed to be doing what I am supposed to be doing but I know that the assignment is temporary. For example, raising my daughter, is one assignment that is meant to be temporary. As for the road ahead, it is way too murky for me now to make heads or tails out of. Just when I start to get antsy, He leads me to be still and be patient.

  2. My purpose is to glorify God. How that happens continues to grow and change.

  3. Betty Draper says:

    I for one am glad to have the Christmas holiday over. Glad to think more about Him and less about gifts, food and all the other stuff that goes with a holiday. My purpose is to glorify Him too, it just got a little lost in the discarded wrapping paper but I have found it again. Blessings brother.

    • cycleguy says:

      It is a hectic time and sometimes we do get lost, but at the same time it is also a time to “let down our hair.” Being ready to go again is good.

  4. Ryan says:

    How appropriate that I read this post today… Last night, we went unplugged for the evening and spent some time as a family playing spoons… To start the game, I kicked off a study specicially discussing our purpose.

    The study pointed us to the following verse-

    Psalms 115:1
    Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,

    for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

    We often get too wrapped up in me me me and forget that it is really not about us… It is about God…

    My prayer is that I can live that more and that my kids will see that in me and desire to do the same.

    • cycleguy says:

      And THAT is the exact reason you and Amanda are great parents. You intentionally teach your kids the important things in life, like having a purpose. Your kids already see it and I pray it will come even clearer to them as you live purposefully.

  5. floyd says:

    Looking forward the adventure. My purpose is revere our Father and seek His will in all that I do. Although that sounds overly simplified, it really isn’t and can only be accomplished by His power in us.

    • cycleguy says:

      Can’t oversimplify that important of a purpose. It is to be applauded. I can’t wait to see what He is going to do in & with you this year.

  6. Caleb Suko says:

    I love the story of Simeon and Anna. I have preached on both in the years past. This year I focused on John 1:1-14. It was an amazing experience studying that passage and then writing poetry to it.

    May your last Sunday of the year honor Christ in every way! Blessings as you preach! I have the Sunday off 🙂

    • cycleguy says:

      I do think Simeon and Anna are too often forgotten in our celebration. Were they part of the original Christmas story? No. But they sure played a big part concerning His future. Thanks for your blessing Caleb. i welcome it.

  7. Ed says:

    I can agree with the others; my purpose is to magnify the Lord, though I have to admit, I fail horribly at it somedays.