Living a Life of Significance

-

A New Mission

Matthew 28:16-20

“To therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

 

            What is your life purpose and goal?  What would it say if you were to write down three or four sentences that you would like to be known for at the end of your life? The greatest tragedy is that often people stand at the end of their lives and discover that they have spent their lives pursuing the insignificant.  The measure of a successful life is what we have accomplished that has eternal rather than temporal consequences.  

            In his final words to the disciples before his ascension, Christ realigns their priorities and gives them a purpose and calling with eternal value.  Commonly referred to as the “great commission,” this mandate is not only for all followers of Jesus but also serves to realign our whole purpose for life.  But this mandate is not just for missionaries and pastors; it is for all the followers of Jesus.  The task is simple in its mandate but profound in its implication.  The command in these verses is singular, “make disciples of all nations.”  In other words, the priority of life for Christians is to strive to influence people to become genuine followers of Christ who walk in obedience.  This begins with the sphere of influence closest to us:  our home.  As a parent, our primary purpose is to influence our children so that they also become disciples of Christ.  This involves being a model of a genuine disciple, teaching them what it means to be a disciple, and then involving them within the church so that they see the example of other disciples of Christ. 

            Second, we are to make disciples in our work.  While we may have different careers, for the disciple of Christ, our career path is not the end goal; instead, it is the place and means by which we influence others for Christ.  We take our message and our example into the workforce so that we can testify of Christ to those we work with.  

            Last, we labor in the church, utilizing our spiritual gifts to positively influence others so that they might grow as disciples of Christ. The church is not just a gathering place to visit with friends; it is a place where we strive to influence, encourage, and support one another as we grow as disciples of Christ.

            This brings us then to another critical question:  What is a disciple?  If we are to be a disciple of Christ and influence others to be disciples of Christ, then it is essential to understand what this means.  Christ answers this question in verse 20.  A disciple lives in obedience to the commands of God. Jesus affirms this in John 14, where he repeatedly states, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”  A genuine disciple strives to know God’s word and live in obedience to his word.  To make disciples is to call people to surrender their lives to Christ in complete obedience.

            The greatest tragedy in life is not a life that is a failure but a life of success in the wrong things.  Many people pursue achievement and success yet fail to accomplish anything of eternal consequence.  .  Christ points to the tragedy of this when he states, “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospels will save it.  For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”  Take a few moments are examine your life’s goals and purpose.  Do you have an eternal impact on others?  If not, reorient your life and start to make disciples.  It is not how many we reach that makes it practical; it is who we reach.  A successful life influences others for Christ, even if it is just one individual. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A New Way of Life

-
A New Way of Life Hebrews 10:19-25 “Therefore, brethren, since we have the confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”                   The book of Hebrews is centered on the redemptive work of Christ and how His sacrifice is sufficient for paying the penalty of our sins so that we now have free access to God.   By comparing the Old Testament sacrificial system and the sacrifice on the day of atonement with the sacrifice of Christ, the writer points out that the Old Testament sacrificial system and the Day of the Atonement provided only temporary and partial forgiveness for our sins.  Every year, the High Priest would take the blood of the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement and enter into the Holy of...
Read more

The Past, The Present, and The Future

-
The Past, Present, and Future 1 Peter 1:1-9 “In this, you greatly rejoice, even though now, for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials.”                   As we spend time with family and friends celebrating Thanksgiving this week, we think about the positive events and circumstances that give us a reason to be thankful.  We rightfully focus on our family and health and the blessings we enjoy. While we give thanks for these during this week, for the rest of the year, we wrestle with discouragement and dissatisfaction as we deal with the struggles and realities of life.  How do we find joy and satisfaction in the present when experiencing life's trials and problems?                   In verse 6, Peter commends and encourages his readers to “greatly rejoice” ...
Read more

Holiness as a way of life.

-
The Purpose of Salvation: A Call to a Holy Life 1 Peter 1:13-16 “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.”                   Of all the attributes of God, holiness is the one quality that encompasses the totality of the character of God. While other attributes, such as His love and mercy,  describe aspects of His character, holiness describes who he is in all his multifaceted glory.  In the throne room of heaven, the angels continually sing an anthem of praise to the holiness of God. In Isaiah 6, we find the prophet Isaiah transported into the throne room of heaven where God is sitting on the throne, and the seraphim continually encircles God, proclaiming the praise of His holiness (Isaiah 6:1-13).  In the Book of Revelation, John likewise is given a vision of the throne room in which the same message is continually proclaimed...
Read more