Dr. Hugh Moorhead, a philosophy professor at Northeastern Illinois University, wrote to 250 of the world’s best philosophers, scientists, writers, intellectuals and key thinkers, asking them, “What is the meaning of life?” Some offered their best guess and others admitted that they just made up a purpose. Others were pretty straight-forward and said they had no idea. Some of them wrote to him and asked him to write back and tell them if he discovered the purpose of life (Chicago Review Press, 1988).
Knowing the purpose for which you exist is the key to living a productive and fruitful life. This is true for individuals, as it is true for congregations.
The effective churches are those who minister with a sense of purpose, evaluating everything in light of that purpose. Those individuals that I have known whose lives have been fruitful and productive live with an inner awareness that God has sent them into this world to accomplish something.
When I consider the life of Jesus, I see Him in this way. He lived each day with an awareness of being sent. From the Gospel of John, this becomes so apparent. Read the verses that follow slowly and thoughtfully. Ponder and reflect on what they reveal about the life of Jesus:
“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish His work’” (4:34).
“By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me” (5:30).
“For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me” (6:38).
“But I know him because I am from him and he sent me” (7:29).
“The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him” (8:29).
“As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work” (9:4).
“Then Jesus cried out, ‘When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me’” (12:44-45).
“For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it” (12:49).
“I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me” (13:20).
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (17:3).
“For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me” (17:8).
“As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (17:18).
“Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you’” (20:21).
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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,
Rev. Dr. Brent L Parrish