“You are the ones chosen by God , chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do His work and speak out for Him,
To tell others of the night-and-day difference He made for you-from nothing to something
From rejected to accepted. Friends this world is not your home so don’t make yourselves cozy in it… Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will
Refuse their prejudices.
They will be won over to God’s side
And be there to join in the celebration when He arrives.”
1 Peter 2:9-12
I sat staring at the questions in front of me. The directions were clear mark most wanted job to least wanted job.
A.)Solving complex math equation …. Defiantly not
B.)Disciplining co-workers…. Nope
C.)Designing computer programs…. Umm I couldn’t even figure out Wi-Fi for my lab top so no
Next set of questions
A.) Blood analysis…. Did they say blood?!
B.) Brain surgeon…. Again doesn’t that involve blood
C.) Chicken farmer… Is this a joke?
The web-site had promised if I answered the one-hundred plus questions it would predict my perfect job. Half an hour and one web site and I could know my purpose.
After answering most of the questions a little red box popped up on my screen…
“If you would like the results to your career placement test please enter your information and debit/credit number in the appropriate boxes below.”
I glared at the box, like staring it down was going to make it go away.
So that was it an $80.00 charge stood between me and my ultimate purpose, my perfect job, my life altering career chose.
Almost every person at some point has a revelation that they are here for a purpose sent here with a mission. My revelation came the closer I got to graduating. The closer college came the heavier I thought about my ultimate purpose. I knew I had one, I didn’t know exactly what it was or how to fulfill it but I knew I had one. I thought a website that charged 80 bucks a pop would let me in on it but that didn’t work so good.
Then one Sunday my pastor talked about our mission in life. His message revolved around this passage. So I want to share with you; Your identity, your mission, that lead to your purpose.
UNDERSTANDING OUR IDENTITY
To understand my purpose, my mission and the amazingness of it all, I have to start with me. My Identity, your identity. Who are we?
First Peter two, tells us we are the people of God. Why is it so important to know our identity? When we can understand all that He has done for us, given to us , given up for us. Our purpose will seem like a no brainer. Look at these verses
“There is no body living right , not even one, nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God. They’ve all taken the wrong turn , they’ve all wandered down blind alleys. NO one’s living right, I can’t find a single one Romans 3:9-12. (The Message)
So I was dead , a dead man can’t have a purpose can’t have a calling can’t be anything but dead and hopeless. But now I am a person of God.
“God sent forth His Son, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out , ‘Abba , Father!’ ” Galatians 4:4-6.
I was a slave, enslaved to something I could never defeat. Enslaved to something that didn’t care about my cries. But instead of still being enslaved I am a daughter, a daughter who can call on her papa.
“God put the wrong on Him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (The Message)
Imagine two list:
ME CHRIST
Lustful Loving
Prideful Humble
Greedy Selfless
Deceitful Truth
Here’s the picture of the cross, that day at the cross. Your list and Christ list were switched. You now have a perfect record.
So you were; Dead, a slave, an outcast, unrighteous. But God redeemed you, restored you, adopted you, erased your wrongs. That is your identity. Have you tanked your life? Have you messed up every opportunity ever given to you? Not anymore that is no longer who you are.
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” Ephesians 2: 1-2.
The verse I started the chapter with in another translation has a list of what Christ has made us; “A Chosen nation” you were hand picked,
“A royal priesthood” A slave who is now royalty,
“A holy nation”
“His own special people” A chosen generation.
Dose it shock you that He would want you? Are you blown away that He would do so much for you? If it doesn’t then you don’t get it yet. But pray ask the Lord to open up your eyes. He wants to make you thankful! He wants for you to stand in awe of the fact that Jesus the only somebody in the world hand picked a messed up, no good, nobody like you.
You see who you were, you see the amazing grace that has been poured over your life? Then you’ll have a passion for your mission. The Son of God has come, taken your place, He’s freed you. I will do anything to please Him. I will want to imitate someone so amazing. That is the attitude that leads to our mission.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR MISSION
My mission is to make disciples of Jesus. My mission is to lead lost souls to the savior.
“That you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you... abstaining from fleshly lusts.. having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles..” 1 Peter 2: 9,11,12.
I can’t help but verbalize the undeserved favor poured on me. I can’t help but live a life that pleases the One who has done so much for me.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” Matthew 28:19-20.
UNDERSTAND MY PURPOSE
My identity leads me to a passion for my mission, my mission leads me to fulfill my purpose. My purpose is to glorify God.
Glorify God is to hold a high opinion of, to display the reality of the greatness and goodness of God! When you or I value God’s favor over man’s, over comfort, people will see and be won and this is bringing glory to God.
My friend and I were going through a bible study and one chapter dealt with giving glory to God. Giving God all the glory, all the time. Priscilla, my friend, brought up a valid question.
“Isn’t it selfish for God to want all the glory?’
Kind of seems like that, He wants all the praise, from all the people. But look at this story;
A man and his son had been in the father’s small plane when the engine had failed and the plane had gone down in the Atlantic. They both were alive for the moment, clinging to pieces of the plane to keep afloat. They floated in the water until the sky grew darker and darker until it was pitch black. There was no moon there were no stars only a black sky above them and deep ink water around them. The boy’s eyes were heavy and his grip began to loosen, until he couldn’t fight the waves anymore. He slipped into the inky water while his father panicked and dove under to save the small boy. He swam and swam farther and farther into the deep ocean. His world began to go black but he kept swimming deeper, he had to rescue his son. Deeper and deeper he went until his eyes closed and his body went limp. Neither the father nor his son was ever found. Do you know the saddest part there was a coast guard not a hundred feet away. But he didn’t want people to think he was trying to be a hero, he wanted to give the father a chance to save himself, that way no one would think the father was weak. No one would think the Coast guard had butted in where he didn’t belong.
This isn’t a true story but if it was and it had made the news the coast guard could have been charged. He had the power to save two lives but didn’t, he had all the tools needed to take the father and son home but he left them out in the water to fend for themselves.
Now think had the Guard turned on his search light, honked the horn, called for the two to come to him. They would have been saved. Would it have been wrong to put all the attention on the boat the only way of escape the only way to be saved, No!
Then why are we so shy about putting all the attention on God, giving Him all the glory pointing to Him as the only way of salvation. For Him not to expect all eyes on Him, for people to not give Him all glory as the only way out of our death condemned situation would be wrong, right?
There is no one else who can save us, no one who can give us purpose, no one else who has any thing in them worth glorifying. So it would be wrong for God to give glory to anyone else? Yes, for Him or us to give glory to anyone anything other than God would be idolatry and would lead sinners to god’s with no power to save. And that would be wrong.
MARY MC KENZIE