Tag: purpose

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Be Eager To Be Me

Gracious Lord,
Comparison has been called the thief of joy – and with good reason! When I cannot avoid focusing on the status or gifts and abilities of others, and I end up feeling inferior, I lack appreciation and gratitude for my own lot in life. As a result, my ambition and drive dwindle, and I struggle to accomplish anything while falling into a funk. 

Instead of comparing myself to others, lead me to rejoice in the unique and varied ways you have made all people. Move me to celebrate the gifts and abilities of others and be thankful for them. Give me the ongoing desire to develop my own gifts, and to operate on the basis of my personal strengths, finding satisfaction and fulfillment in who you have made me to be. Keep me from holding back, and let me give myself fully to you and to others.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Picked for a Purpose

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(1 Peter 2:9-12)

The lone remaining member of the family is the only one to have survived the car wreck. It took the lives of everyone else in her family, leaving her to spend the rest of her life wondering, “Why me?” Why, of everyone in the family, was she the one who was spared? Veterans who have come home to their families after war have felt the same nagging question when reflecting on all of their friends who were not as fortunate to return: “Why me?” “Why me?” is also sure to shape the thoughts of the patient who was just told it’s terminal after leaving the follow-up appointment with his oncologist.

The answer to the “Why me?” questions in those scenarios is this: we don’t know. God hasn’t revealed his specific answer to those situations in his Word. The Bible doesn’t explain why it wasn’t another family member who lived, why the surviving veteran wasn’t KIA and others were, or why the tumor wasn’t found to be benign. We can speculate all we want, but that will never satisfy us if we demand an answer that ultimately will remain known only to God.

However, just because we don’t know the specific answer to those specific scenarios doesn’t mean that everything remains unknown to us. We can direct our thoughts to what we do know about God and his promises in his Word and apply those to our situation. As we do that, the Holy Spirit sheds light on some possible answers to those questions, “Why me?” In one case, God may have allowed that tragedy for the purpose of uniquely qualifying that individual to comfort others who experience something similar. In another case, the loss may be what God uses to draw someone closer to him in faith. God shapes and refines us most often not through ease and comfort, but through hardship and adversity.

Whether or not we have endured any experiences related to those mentioned, we do have answers to another “why me?” question. It’s one most believers have considered at one time or another: why did God choose me? Why am I a believer? Why not some other religion or belief? Why Christianity? Why am I a Christian?

The answer? You were picked for a purpose. Actually, you’ll discover many purposes if you read through the whole Bible. But we’re going to give our attention to the two purposes revealed in the verses from 1 Peter. One of those purposes is very well known to just about every believer. And we’ll get to that one. 

But the other purpose is no less beautiful, even if it is not as well known. I believe that this purpose, if not only known, but embraced, believed, and lived, has the potential to significantly alter the lives of those who hear it.

Some of you know it; others, not so well. Others know it, but have not combined it with the faith to change their outlook on life. When I say this purpose can be life-changing for people, I mean it. It can eliminate the need for pills. It can result in the cancellation of the remaining counseling sessions. It can improve relationships.

Do I have your attention? Are you ready for it? Do you want to know what this purpose is for which God picked you? Read 1 Peter 2:9 with again, but stop after the fourth comma. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession,…” Why did God pick you? To be his. That purpose stands on its own. Yes, there is much involved in living out our callings as Christians, but we cannot zip right past this purpose just to get busy with the doing. We have to bask in the “being.” 

And we have our choice! Who doesn’t like choices? We want options. We want things our way, the way we like them. So God puts together a list, and although all of them are true for believers, some may have more meaning than others. Think of the individual who has lived life always being overlooked or passed over for someone else. Not by God! No, because God chose us – he didn’t settle for us or get stuck with us, but chose us. And “a royal priesthood” carries with it a social status that some have never experienced, having been born into what they perceive to be a low rung of the socio-economic ladder. The believer with a tender conscience, crushed by the slightest sin or slip-up, is part of a “holy” nation. And the person from a broken home or who was adopted and perhaps has always struggled with feelings of being unwanted is God’s own possession. You were picked for a purpose: to be God’s!

We heard all about this in my last sermon post. Does that mean I shouldn’t be repeating the same thing again? Am I so unoriginal that I have to regurgitate the same stuff week after week? How about this? I’ll stop repeating it when 1), the Bible quits bringing it up, and 2) you start believing it. When those two things happen, then I’ll give it a rest; I’ll quit repeating the same thing.

But until then, hear it again: you are special. God used Peter to call you his “special possession.” And yes, that is what you are! And yes, that is one of the purposes for which God picked you!

And it sinks in more when we recall how drastically different our natural status before God ought to have been. Our natural arrogance of denying there’s a God or turning from him should have classified us as a “rejected” people. Our boorish behavior and classless treatment of others is a far cry from any designation of royalty. Our hatred and unholiness speak for themselves. Peter reminded us in this way: “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (v.10). 

But grace doesn’t call us what we are by nature, but what God has picked us for. Grace doesn’t force us to live under the labels we earned for ourselves, but calls us what God has made us. Chosen. Royalty. Holy. His prized possession. That’s what you were picked for.

This life-changing truth can impact everything in your life: how you view God, how you view yourself, and how you view others.

If it’s true that God feels that way about me – that he picked me not out of obligation or as some random name out of a hat, but because he deliberately, willingly, knowingly wanted me to be his, then that reality absolutely affects how I think and feel about God. There is no one and nothing in my life that could ever matter more! Someone who feels that way about me doesn’t have to ask for or demand my love and loyalty in return, because he’s already got it. 

And, if the Almighty God calls me all of these things, and backs it all up through the redeeming work of Jesus on my behalf, then it also shapes how I feel about me. Whose opinion of me matters more than that? Not someone else’s. Not even my own! So if the One who knows me better than I even know myself feels that way about me – and my best or worst days have no bearing on it, then how can I feel anything but positive about the person looking back at me in the mirror?

If God calls me his chosen, royalty, holy, prized possession, isn’t it the height of arrogance to think I know better than he does and think so little of or so negatively about myself? There’s simply no place for such a view. I need to start seeing myself as he does.

Finally, when I know how my loving God feels about me, which positively influences how I feel about me, then it also changes how I view others. I don’t need to pour myself into people pleasing (at least not for the purpose of earning the praise or affection of others!). I don’t need to pretend I can get everyone to like me. I don’t need to stress out over finding Mr. or Mrs. Right when I know it has zero impact on how God feels about me. And, I start to view others the way God views me. The bitterness, resentment, animosity, hatred, indifference, etc. that I may have felt about certain individuals or in general toward certain groups begins to disappear. It is replaced by an increasingly genuine desire to love them as God loves me and to want them to know how much God loves them, too. 

Lo and behold, that brings us to the second purpose for which God picked us. Recall early on that I mentioned two purposes Peter provides in these verses. The second is more familiar, and it’s found after the comma where we stopped earlier. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (v.9).

You – chosen, royalty, holy, prized possession of God, you – were picked also for this purpose: to “declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” You were picked to talk up God, to make him known, to let others know who he really is. That means we’re not content to let whatever hair-brained or half-baked ideas about God that others have drummed up in their own minds or regurgitated from some other teacher or teaching go unchecked. We simply treasure God and that other person too much to allow anyone or any teaching to falsely misrepresent him. 

The Bible’s doctrines and teachings are absolutely essential – after all, they’re how our understanding of and relationship with God grows. However, too many people choose to be so put off by the “rules” and teachings of the Bible that they’ve never actually taken the time to get to know the God of the Bible. When unbelievers are consistently quick to explain that they can’t believe because they don’t agree with this or that teaching, all they’re revealing is that they’ve never really gotten to know God first. They’re turned off by the teachings, but why should we expect anything else if they don’t know the Teacher? They have not come to know the One who reveals himself as the embodiment of love! 

Peter seemed to be aware of this, since he didn’t write that the purpose for which we were picked was to argue or debate others into the kingdom by proving the validity, the wisdom, or the correctness of all of the Bible’s teachings, but by declaring the praises of God.

Praise who he is and what he’s done. Lead others to get to know who God is – the gracious, merciful, patient, loving God who has sacrificed so much to demonstrate the depth of his love for us. You are uniquely equipped to declare those praises to others! Not because you went to the Seminary or aced a class or had some intense, in-depth training, but because you know from experience what it’s like to have been called out of darkness into his wonderful light. You know how wonderful it is. You, therefore, are as qualified as anyone to declare to others the praises and promises of God!

And one last thing. Please, literally for the love of God, please back up your words with the way you live your life. “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (v.12). Others aren’t just listening to the words that come out of your mouth. They are paying attention to your life to see if it validates your words.

If the impression they get from you is that grace means it doesn’t really matter how a person lives, how is that any different from how they’re already living? They already live however they want to. They’re already doing whatever they want. If all your talk about Jesus and faith has not resulted in any noticeable change in your life, then why should they be drawn to a life that looks no different from theirs? No, “live such good lives” that the quality and character of your life stands out so much they can’t help but be drawn to know more about the God who made that change in you. 

Why me? Why you? You were picked for a purpose – to be known by God and to make God known. He picked you to make you his own – chosen, royalty, holy, prized possession – and to make him known. Others are wrestling with “Why me?” for countless reasons. Give them the best answer to that question. Make known to them the One who has done everything to make them his own, too.

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Those Contemplating Suicide

Author of Life,
Although they may have figured out how to mask it on the outside, many are desperately hurting on the inside. For a number of them, the struggle is so severe that they have even considered suicide as an option. Intervene, Lord, especially in the lives of those who have gone so far as to plan out how they would end their lives. Protect their lives by frustrating their plans and making others aware of the gravity of their situation. Compel those with suicidal thoughts to be proactive and ask for help, and when they do, provide it. Let those struggling in this way know that others love them and care for them, and that their lives really do matter. And, if that is difficult for them to grasp or believe, open their eyes to see that they are so valuable to you that you were willing to give up your only Son for them. Please extend their time of grace and restore meaning and purpose to their precious lives. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Appreciate the Blessing of Work

Gracious God,
While you created us to tend the garden and care for creation, the Fall forever corrupted our perfect relationship with the blessing of work. It is primarily our own sin and selfishness which drive our disdain for work. But, when we add deadlines, bosses on power trips, and self-centered co-workers to the mix, we find even more reasons to dread the workplace. 

Use us to provide an example that stands out from the negative perception of work that is so common in the world. Help us to recapture the positive relationship with work that you always intended. May we celebrate it as an outlet for creativity and problem-solving, and a place to provide purpose and meaningful contribution to a collective effort. Through our work, give us the satisfaction of overcoming obstacles and the joy of a job well done. Let our favorable speech, body language, and attitude toward our jobs stand out so much to others that they’re drawn to ask us for the reason behind it, then give us the courage to direct that conversation to you.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For the Daily Blessings of My Baptism

Gracious Father,
Thank you for the blessings of my baptism. Through this gracious act you have achieved for me so much to sustain me spiritually throughout my life. Lead me to benefit daily from reflecting on the spiritual realities that are mine through this precious gift. Since my baptism assures me that I belong in your family, it keeps me secure and stable whether I am experiencing sensational successes or frustrating failures in my life, for neither takes away from or adds to my place in the family. I am still yours.

When the guilt of my sin lingers far too long, I can revisit my baptismal font for the refreshing reminder that my sin has been washed away through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

When my life lacks purpose or I feel like I am wondering aimlessly, wondering what to do, my baptism redirects me to the new life and purpose I have in Jesus, providing meaning for my many callings to joyfully serve others in so many ways. 

Thank you for the blessings of my baptism. Lead me to treasure them daily. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Power with Purpose

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(Mark 7:31-37)

While there may be a variety of different qualities that followers look for in leaders, one thing that leaders have in common is that they hold some measure of power. The exercise of power can be demonstrated in different ways. It can refer to the heavy influence or sway a leader has over his followers, like a cult leader, for example. That is a different kind of power than that which comes from one’s access to and command over military might and weapons. Nations can rise or fall on the basis of this kind of power. Power is also associated with the authority that allows its bearer to implement decisions or determine direction for groups. The CEO of a company has more power than the new hire sharing a cubicle with other employees in one of many departments within that company. In some capacity, leaders have power.

What that power is used for depends on the leader. The cult leader, for example, does not have a favorable track record for using his power in a positive way. A leader with military power could go either way, coming to the aid of nations being wrongly attacked or defending his own nation with that power, or he could abuse that power and be the one wrongly attacking others. The CEO in that position of power can turn around a failing company or be the reason a thriving company falls apart. How a leader’s power is managed, for good or bad, depends on the leader. 

Followers of Jesus during his life here on earth saw his power. And they saw Jesus use his power for good. If you were there with Jesus to witness the event described in the verses from Mark 7, there is no room for debate over whether Jesus used his power for the man’s good. When a man who couldn’t speak or hear can suddenly do both, that’s a good thing. “At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly” (v.35). Even those present recognized Jesus used his power for a good purpose. “People were overwhelmed with amazement. ‘He has done everything well,’ they said. ‘He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak’” (v.37).  

This lines up with most of the miracles of Jesus recorded for us in the Bible. He used his power for good. The small contingent who might have disagreed would have been the Pharisees, especially when Jesus had the audacity to heal on the Sabbath. But as we saw in the previous post, the issue they had was not really with Jesus, but with their own hearts.

As we look at this miracle and the miracles of Jesus in general, we want to make sure we also understand the purpose of this power. What role did miracles play? Why was Jesus able to perform them? Why did he choose to? Understanding the right answers to questions like these determines whether or not we’re following Jesus for the right reasons.

We also have to factor in something else: our own attraction to power. After all, followers are drawn to leaders with power for different reasons. As much as we like to imagine our reasons being altruistic and noble, that isn’t always the case. There is value in being connected to those with power: they can do things for us. We want to be in good standing with the powerful because it could help our cause or work out in our favor one way or another. 

Why does all of this make a difference in our role as followers of Jesus? It has everything to do with our expectations of him and whether or not those will be met. It is what determines Jesus’ role in my life as well as my relationship with him. If you are drawn to Jesus today because of his power to heal or bless or turn a person’s life around, your followership may very well be short-lived. Why? Because what Jesus chose to do in someone else’s life he may not choose to repeat in yours. 

The sickness that he is able to heal? He may not heal it. The relationship that he is able to mend? He may not mend it. The job that he is able to provide? He may not provide it. The wrong against us that he could right? He may not right it. 

And if we’re not ready for that, our world might be rocked to when Jesus doesn’t direct his power to fix our lives in the way we expect him to. And it’s never because he’s incapable of doing it; but he may choose not to for reasons we could never know. 

Do you wonder if, at the scene of any of Jesus’ miracles recorded for us in Scripture, there were other individuals with the same physical limitation, the same sickness, the same chronic pain… who weren’t healed? Jesus didn’t heal, cure, or alleviate the aches and pains of all people, in every situation. Therefore, it’s not just possible, but probable that when Jesus did perform miracles, there were others present who didn’t get to experience his power working the same miracle in their lives. 

Ouch! That realization stings a bit. It’s one thing to stand in awe of the amazing miracles he did perform, but when we consider all of the additional miracles that could have happened but didn’t, it might shift our view of Jesus slightly. That’s why it matters that we rightly understand the purpose behind his power. 

What’s more, if I am following Jesus with a misunderstanding of the purpose of his power, I am also likely to lead others to him for the wrong reasons. This doesn’t just happen on an individual basis, but can happen in churches and ministries, too. When the main emphasis is on wealth and wellness or healing or even manifestations of the Spirit’s work, others are being drawn to the wrong purpose behind Jesus’ power.

Yes, he can do all those things, and may choose to, but I have no authority on my own, nor any promise from Scripture, that permits me to guarantee to others how God will choose to act on their behalf. When we assure others of wealth or wellness, healing or some special manifestation of the Holy Spirit, we have crossed the line and, regardless of our intentions, have become false teachers. We are making assurances that we have no business making. We are speaking with an authority we do not have.

So what is the right reason to follow Jesus and the power he has? His miraculous power to heal was just the tip of the iceberg. We rightly grasp the purpose of Jesus’ power by holding on to the cross. As much as Jesus’ miracles highlighted his power and revealed his compassion and care for the sick and suffering, he had his sights set on something far superior: your salvation.

Jesus came to play the long game. While he could certainly wield his mighty power in ways that would increase our quality of life for several decades on earth, what good would that really be if that was all the time he could spend with us, and after those decades, the sentence for our sin would set in, and we would be cut off from him for the rest of eternity in hell because of it? No, Jesus wanted more than just a few good years or decades with us on earth while making everything hunky dory for us; he wanted to never to have to turn away from the crown of his creation.

For that reason, he wanted the power of his miracles to draw our attention to him so that we could see something far more powerful. His perfect life lived in the place of sinners. His innocent crucifixion died in the place of sinners. His resurrection, raised for the eternal life of sinners. Those powerful realities stand out on their own above everything else simply because of their monumental nature! But, what makes them even more powerful is that their impact reaches out to and counts for every sinner who has ever lived. 

Everyone. Regardless of the size of the sin. Regardless of the frequency of the sin. Regardless of the powerful damage any sin may have caused. Regardless of your sin and my sin. Hands down, the absolute greatest exercise of Jesus’ power is that he definitively delivered us from hell and declares us to be forgiven and perfectly pure in his sight.

So as impressive as any of his powerful miracles were, they served only as attention grabbers so that no one would miss out on the real show of power on the cross, where our Savior willingly gave himself for sinners, forgiving our sins and claiming us as his own forever. For that reason, nothing must ever distract from or conceal the cross. Ever.

That may help us understand why Jesus said what he did after he performed this miracle. “Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone” (v.36). When power comes into the picture, as was pointed out earlier, we are selfishly drawn to it for the wrong reasons initially. We are too easily concerned with what it can do for us here and now. Jesus knew that the more people heard about his jaw-dropping miracles, the more people would come to him in search of jaw-dropping miracles. And that desire for the jaw-dropping miracles that were all temporary and worldly would for many cloud the greater miracles that are eternal and heavenly: the miracles of forgiveness, of salvation, of eternal life. These realities could come only by the power of the cross. May we never forget or forsake its powerful purpose.

“Help Me See… that I Have Purpose”

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(John 21:15-25)

“When they had finished eating…” (v.15). Did John catch your attention with these words? Remember who the “they” is made up of – it includes Jesus! The dead guy was eating a meal with the disciples! They had been out on the Sea of Galilee fishing, not catching anything, and then Jesus told them to throw the net on the other side of the boat. When they did, the haul of fish was too great that one boat alone could not drag it to shore! Then, once they were on the shore together, they ate. Jesus, the dead guy, was eating. The one who had taken his last breath on the cross, whose lifeless corpse had been removed from the cross and placed in a tomb, was there. Eating. Doing something that only living people do. John tells us this was the third time Jesus had appeared to the disciples. Were the disciples still in awe of it at all? Had the magnitude of the Resurrection begun to sink in yet… or had it already lost its luster?

It’s been two weeks already since we celebrated Easter Sunday. Does the magnitude of the Resurrection still sink in for you… or has it already lost its luster? Another question: is the Resurrection simply an historical event that we celebrate, or is it an eternity-altering, life-changing shift in how we view ourselves and our reason for being in this world?

How we view it makes a difference, as we seem to be lacking purpose. It seems like people are more content than ever to just ooze through life, like molasses slowly dripping off a spoon. There’s no drive. There’s no motivation. There’s no yearning to make a difference. In fact, indifference is maybe the best description of it. People don’t care. We just exist. We wake up. Eat. Do nothing for a whole day. Go back to sleep. What are we here for? What is our purpose? Today’s message is needed, because Jesus provides us with the purpose many are lacking.

The word “purpose” needs clarification. We can use it to mean two things: what? and why? Both are essential when it comes to Jesus helping us see our purpose. It is one thing for a person to know the “what?” of his purpose, but if there is no “why?” to his purpose, no drive, no determination, no motivation, then it’s possible that nothing changes. A child knows the purpose (what?) of school – to learn and receive an education. But parents and teachers alike realize that the child/student also needs purpose (why?) – motivation, encouragement, drive, to carry that follow through. 

And Jesus gives it both to us – the “what?” and the “why?” of our purpose. And there is nothing more noble than the purpose Jesus provides. Do you hear that? There is nothing more noble, no greater achievement than the purpose Jesus assigns to us as his disciples. We’ll focus on the “what?” of our purpose in just a moment as we see Jesus dialogue with Peter. But Jesus’ resurrection also provides us with the “why?”  After all, what is more inspiring than his resurrection from the dead? What could be more impactful than the dead end of death being overcome and stripped of the chokehold it would otherwise have on anyone’s purpose? For if the end result of anything we accomplish in this life would simply be the meaninglessness of death, why bother? Why care? Why get up in the morning? What would be the point if death had the final say?

But it doesn’t. There is more. So much more than the here and now, and Jesus’ resurrection helps us see it, helps us see our purpose, and propels us to carry it out with enthusiasm and vigor because we know something that far too many don’t: there’s more. There’s a life waiting for us that by comparison would make the best days of this life seem like a nightmare. Sure, had Jesus remained in the tomb and stayed and decayed, we would have reason to be deflated and defeated, like a boxer getting pummeled who is encouraged to just stay down and give up. But that’s not how it ended. The finality of death was flung off by Jesus’ resurrection. The whole picture of rising up is one of intention and purpose! His death by itself would have been the end, but his Resurrection was just the beginning. It means purpose, purpose for Christ which means purpose for you and me, and by the very same act he propels us to carry out our purpose, meaning that our work makes a real difference! So let us explore and embrace his purpose for us, and let the Resurrection help us see what a profound impact the risen Jesus can make in and through each and every one of us as we feed, care, and follow. 

Jesus told Peter to feed, and he told him twice. The first time he told him to feed lambs, which could mean either little ones, children, or also those who are new to the faith. The second time Jesus told Peter to feed, he used a different word, the word “sheep,” which would include everyone. So his purpose was to feed everyone, little ones, grown ups, and those new to the faith – all of the sheep of God’s flock. 

You don’t have to be a pet expert to realize there is one key requirement for having a pet that matters more than anything else. This key requirement pretty much applies across the board, regardless of the type of pet – dog, cat, bird, hamster, lizard, fish, snake, etc. Whatever type of pet you have, it needs to be fed. You might occasionally miss a meal here or there, but if you go too long without feeding your pet, you won’t have a pet for very long.

I don’t know if there is a simpler analogy in the whole Bible than the concept of needing to be fed to live. Everyone understands that basic truth. Eat and live. Don’t eat and starve. Yet as simple as it might be to comprehend, it may be one of the most difficult to make stick spiritually. Go to church every week. Participate in Bible study. Read your Bible. Have devotions. “But why? Why do I need to do those things?” Because you’ll die if you don’t. Because you want to live. Because you need to be fed to stay alive. And if you don’t take Jesus’ command to feed and be fed seriously, thinking these things don’t really matter or make much of a difference, please see me after the service and I will sadly provide a list of names – many of them names we know – of those who have either died or are dying because they are not being fed. “Feed my sheep” (v.17). That is your purpose!

And care for them. In addition to feeding his sheep, Jesus gave to Peter the command, “Take care of my sheep” (v.16). Feeding sheep is essential to keeping them alive, but it’s not the only thing that is necessary. They also need to be cared for. Whether you’re caring for a newborn or an aging parent, you know that making sure they are fed is not the only thing they need. They aren’t able to carry out basic functions on their own. They aren’t able to know what pills or medicine they need. They need care. 

All of us do – especially in a world that is sending conflicting messages about what it means to care. Consider the messages we’re used to hearing: “Distance yourself. Isolate yourself. Stay away from others. Don’t say anything negative about others living their truth. Mind your own business.” While it isn’t overtly stated, how can anyone ignore that the overall message being received in all of this is “worry about yourself,” and is that really any different than, “stop caring about others?” One of our members just recently commented on how nice it is to come to church and frequently be asked by one person or another, “How are you doing?” Think about where else we can expect to receive such a simple, yet impactful, expression of concern in our world today? Working remotely? From neighbors we don’t know? From distance learning on a screen? But the church is called to care. That is our purpose. That is why you are here – to care for each other. Why does the Acts 2 church have to be the standard for what care should look like among believers in the church? Why can’t we raise the standard even higher? What is stopping us from caring about each other in such a radical way that our neighborhood and community couldn’t help but be attracted to how deeply we care for each other? 

Jesus gives us purpose. He calls us to feed, to care, and also to follow. He told Peter in verse 19 and again in verse 22: “Follow me.”  Not casually. Not occasionally glancing up. Not the way we find ourselves trying to follow two or more screens at the same time when we watch a movie, with the television on, with our phone in hand and another screen on our lap. That’s not focus. That’s not following. That’s being distracted. But it’s also perhaps a better illustration of how many of us follow Jesus. We glance up on occasion from the other stuff in life when we get a break, but we’re not really engaged. We’re not really focused. Jesus is there, and we keep tabs on him and check on him. But we don’t follow him the way he calls us to, we don’t follow him the way the winter storm driver clings to the wheel, white-knuckled, when the road itself is hardly visible and she’s locked in to the red taillights on the car in front of her. THAT’s the kind of following Jesus calls us to do.

Why? Why should you follow, feed, and care for each other? We need to revisit the “why?” of our purpose. Why should you carry out this purpose to which Jesus has called you? Because of what he did for you in the first place to even enable you to not only have a purpose, but to live. Being reminded of our purpose this morning is a double-edged sword, isn’t it? It convicts and condemns each of us for how indifferent we’ve been to his purpose for us, and how infrequently we concern ourselves with carrying it out, and how inadequate even our good days really are. So for all of that, Jesus died. For all of that, more importantly, Jesus rose. He did not need to die and rise for himself, remember. He did not need to depart the holy majesty of heaven for himself. He died and rose so that your purpose would mean something. So that as you feed and care and follow, it would actually matter. For eternity and for this life. The past two Sundays Jesus’ resurrection has helped us overcome negatives – fears and doubts, but too often we fail to see how the Resurrection amplifies our lives, the positives it brings to us. It isn’t just about what he’s freed us from – Satan, sin, and death itself – but also what he has set us free for – purpose! You are not only on this planet for a purpose, but you are here in this place, in this church, around these people God has brought together, for a purpose, for each other. Love your brothers! Love your sisters. And show it.

Did you make that connection that Jesus did for Peter? Three times he asked Peter if he loved him. Each time Peter responded with a resounding “Yes!” Each time Jesus then gave Peter the opportunity not just to speak his love, but to put it into action. Feed. Care. Follow. Jesus loves you fiercely. Do you love him? Really? Then feed, care, follow. You have purpose. Carry it out purposefully with the strength his Resurrection provides.