Purpose
What is the purpose of my life? This is a question that we all have asked, especially if it seems that our life is out of control, this is amplified during stressful times. Believers and unbelievers all have an inherent knowing that we were created for something.
During this timeframe of history, our society had told us our purpose to just accepted everyone the same no matter what, “To love everyone”. This sounds biblical and true, but there is more to this truth, we are “to love everyone as Christ loved”.
So what does the Bible say about our purpose?
making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth
Ephesians 1:9-10 ESV
God’s will and his purpose are “set forth in Christ as a plan”. Jesus set a plan in motion with his disciples and as we are also disciples we are to also work this plan. He commissioned all his disciples including us to “GO”.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20 ESV
I thought we all have different purposes. No we all have the same purpose just different applications. Paul’s purpose was this commission but his profession was a tentmaker. Your profession, skills, and talents give you a sphere of influence to do the commission
Jesus was asking his disciples and us to reproduce reproducer that will reproduce reproducer. The disciples went from there just as confused as most believers today are, in how do we do this commission.
This commission is given to a follower of Jesus Christ if you have not made him Lord of your life check our post on the Gospel in 3 minutes.
First Step Disciples
The first interaction we see in the life of Jesus (Luke 2), is when he was 12 years old. His family went to Jerusalem and when it was time to leave Jesus stayed back. After three days his parents found him studying with the teachers in the temple.
Jesus was being mentored by these teachers getting the scriptures deep within him. He was also mentored by his parents (verse 51) he submitted himself to his parents. Jesus modeled discipleship from both sides, by being a mentor and mentoring others.
I believe you can disciple a person before and as important after accepting Jesus as Lord of there lives. The disciples did not have the redemption price paid for there lives until after Christ when to the cross. They were being disciplined before the cross.
Step Two Baptize
Once your disciple accepted the fullness of the gospel then you are able to baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Wait I’m not a pastor? In this verse Jesus was talking to the disciple, they were not walking in their full function as apostles. We all care about the authority to baptize another believer. If baptism was reserved just for the leadership then why did the head of the church Christ Jesus never baptized anyone.
Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples),
John 4:1-2 ESV
Step Three Teaching
“Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” So we have to see what is Jesus taught his disciples.
- Repent & Believe (Matthew 4:17)
- Be Baptized and Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)
- Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
- Make Disciples (Matthew 28:18-20)
- Love (Matthew 22:37-39)
- Worship (Matthew 4:10)
- Lord Supper (Matthew 26:26-28)
- Giving (Matthew 6:1-4)
- Gather Together (Hebrews 10:24-25)
This is just some of the things Jesus commanded his disciples to do, and if we were to list everything it would be overwhelming to any to follow Him. but this list is a great place to begin when disciplining another of just to study and apply to your life. I have applied everyone on these to my personal life and family, but my personal favorite is “Love”.
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:37-40
If everyone would just apply this one commend to the church, our communities, cities and the nation would be a better place. Love will cause us to walk out all the promises and plans both from the old and new covenants.
APPLICATION
- Realize that God has a purpose for you (His Commission)
- Locate your sphere of influence to apply your purpose
- Begin to disciple (mentor) and ask someone to disciple you