A PURPOSEFUL LIFE
John 8:37 (37) Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose, I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
If ever you are to live a successful and fulfilling life, one of the things you must establish early in your life is your purpose. The word purpose means the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. In our discussion today, I am referring to “purpose” as the reason for which you exist. Why are you in the earth today? For what reason are you living today? Why did you not exist twenty centuries ago, or centuries to come? Why specifically now?
If you would ask this question, many people would struggle with it. It may seem to be a simple question when you look at it, but believe you me, many would struggle. You are likely to get answers like, “I am here to make money. As for me, all I know is to look for money.” Or you would hear things like, “to give my wife and children a good life, and make sure that those who come after me, do not struggle in life.” Yet others would tell you, “I want to excel in education, and go very far with my career.”
Well, all these things sound good. None of the things mentioned above are bad. But is this the reason why you are on earth today? Did God create you and put you on earth so that you can make money? Is God just interested in that for you? Did God create you so that you could have a nice family that everyone admires and emulates? Did He put you on earth today so you could be the most learned guy around, and the boss of your organisation? Is that all? Surely, there should be a greater and higher purpose!
The Man, Jesus Christ helps us understand that there is indeed a higher purpose in life. When He was brought before Pontius Pilate for trial leading up to His crucifixion, He was asked whether He was the king of the Jews or not. His answer was, “You say that I am a king. FOR THIS PURPOSE, I WAS BORN AND FOR THIS PURPOSE I HAVE COME INTO THE WORLD—TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE TRUTH…”. He was very bold in declaring His purpose-in-life – to bear witness to the truth. He didn’t mince His words. What a man!
In another place, He said, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10). He was very clear about what He came to do. In Matthew 9:13, He said, “For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” From all that Jesus said about His purpose, you will notice that His purpose wasn’t for earthly things. His purpose was fulfilling the divine purpose of God. It was about the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the earth – pointing man towards God, the Father.
In doing this, Jesus was giving us an example to follow. We are not here in the earth to make money, build houses, buy fancy cars, fly around the globe or get academic degrees. We are here for something higher, bigger and better. We are here for the Kingdom of God – establishing it in the hearts of men. We are here to point the world towards God the Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ. We are here to live for God, please Him and do that which He desires of us to do. Hallelujah!
2 Corinthians 5:18 spells out clearly your divine purpose in the earth. It says, “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,..”. God reconciled us to Him through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. You have a ministry to carry out in this earth. It is the ministry of reconciling men with God. This is your divine purpose in the earth – helping men be in union with God the Father.
This you are to do through the preaching of the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. The word of reconciliation given to you is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your life should be about preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others. This is the reason why you are in the earth today.
Further than this, your life should be about building the Body of Christ, His Church. Ephesians 4:11-12 (NLT) Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. If you are to concern yourself and preoccupy yourself with building the Church of God, you will have fulfilled your purpose on earth.
Sit under the feet of the Church leaders whom God has assigned to you so you can learn how to function effectively as a minister of reconciliation, and how to build the Church of God. I encourage you to keep following this platform. I assure you that it will help you in a way to learn what you ought to do. May God help you live a purposeful life according to God’s standard!
Pastor Somandla Ndlovu
Resident Pastor – Bethel Ministries International Church
somainzim@gmail.com