What is Our Purpose of living?

(Philippians 3:7-15)

Once again greetings to you all in the matchless name of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. According to the rota we had, it seems like this will be the 2 nd and
for the last time that I will be standing here in the pulpit and preaching the word
of GOD. It is a blessing that I have the privilege to preach twice in this academic
year in front of all of you. When I heard that I will be preaching this morning, I
do not know what should I share with you all and my mind was blank. And when
I listened to one Mizo song about what is the purpose of life. Then, basing on the
bible verses that were read out by our friend
______________________________________, I have entitled my sermon as
What is our purpose of living?

May I invite Sister Yuzili to have a prayer for blessing…

I think we all know what is the purpose of undergoing theological training, we

used to remind ourselves that what am I doing here, right? Is there anyone who
ask about what is the purpose of life or What is our purpose of living? Do we
question that Why did He create us? Why did God create human? what is God’s
purpose on our lives?

By the way what is purpose? What is the meaning of Purpose? Purpose is That
which a person sets before himself as an object to be reached or accomplished;
the end or aim to which the view is directed in any plan, measure or exertion. In
other words, we build a house for the purpose for shelter, we labour for the
purpose of sustenance. (For example, for a pen; its purpose to write) But, many
of us here may not know our purpose.

In our childhood days, we all have different aims in life, right? Some of us wants
to be a doctor, some wants to be an IAS officers, Military Officers, Teachers,
Pilots, making money, having fun, travel around the world, and some of us try to
be the wealthiest in the world, right? But then, why did we left all those purposes
and came here in this college for theological studies and try to serve God. Is this
our purpose? Or God’s purpose?

If we look at Psalm 37:5, it says ‘Commit your ways into the Lord, trust in Him
and He will act.’ If you ask an interpretation or the application for this verse,
some of us might say that it refers to our future planning, some others will say
that this verse is for my hardships, my troubles, or my stress relief. This verse can
be interpreted in different ways according to our context.

One little girl went to her mother and asked “Mommy, why do you cut the ends
off the meat before you cook it?” The girl’s mother thought for a moment and
said “I think it’s because it adds to the flavour by allowing the meat to better
absorb the spices, but maybe you should go ask your grandmother, because she
always did it that way.” So, the little girl went to her grandmother and asked
“Grandma, why do you and Mom cut the ends off the meat before you cook it?”
Her grandmother thought for a moment and said “I think it allows the meat to
stay tender because it soaks up the juices better, but why don’t you ask your Nana,
because I learned it from her and she always did it that way.” The little girl,
getting a little frustrated, goes to her great grandmother, climbs up on her lap and
asks “Nana, why do you and Mom and Grandma cut the ends off the meat before
you cook it?” Her great grandmother smiled and said “I’m not sure why they do
it, but I did it because my pot wasn’t big enough.”

Just like that, we are all driven either by design or default. We either live for the
purpose that God designed us to, or we live according to the demands of our
schedule and the expectations of others. We all have different purpose in life,
right? All of us here will not be neither pastor nor a priest. Some of us will be
working in a theological institute as a lecturer, or some of us will go as
missionary, some of us will be a pastor or some of us will not have any particular
occupation or job. But that doesn’t mean that God have no purpose on us. We all
have a reason for living, we all have a purpose put in us by God before we were
born. We have to find out what purpose driven us.

In Colossians 1:16, it is written that, “For in him all things in heaven and on earth
were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or
powers- all things have been created through him and for him.” It means that we
are made by God through Jesus Christ and for Jesus Christ himself. We are not
made for other purposes; we are made for Him. But our ways are different. Even
though we work in the ministry or have any other occupation, we are supposed to
work for God always. While living here on earth, we should earn foods or cloths,
we cannot neglect the basic human needs. we have to work. God will not directly
give you a food to eat always, its not the way He work. But we must not forget
what is our goal or what is our purpose of living.

In Philippians 3:7-15, Paul, who is writing to churches that he established during

his 2nd mission journey, deals with the subject of a purpose driven life and those
that live with no purpose.

Who he is talking about is a group of religious people who lived according to

Jewish customs. They lived by the flesh and they trusted in the flesh, not only
they trust in the flesh but they trusted that their flesh was the ticket to eternal life.
Paul tells the Philippians that he used to be just like them. He used to live for the
greatest of his thinking. According to society he was somebody, who goes to
different places, he was popular, he was rich, he was circumcised, he was of the
tribe of Benjamin, Hebrew of the Hebrews, he was a Pharisee, he was the
persecutor of the church, killing and arresting Christians. In his mind he couldn’t
get any better. But one day Paul met Jesus Christ and as a result he was saved and
realized that his purpose for living had changed.

Paul tells the Philippians and us that he realized that all of those personal gains
had no purpose. Why because in the end they weren’t going to amount to a thing
without Christ. It doesn’t matter if you become the President of the India, if you
live a purpose driven life without Christ in the centre of it, you haven’t gained a
thing. Paul made a personal decision to give up every single accomplishment
including his family, friends, work, fame, all for the sake of Christ. Paul realized
that it wasn’t trying to grasp the dream, it was the attitude which was wrong.

Luke 9:23-26 says, “Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my
followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
24For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life
for my sake will save it. 25What does it profit them if they gain the whole world,
but lose or forfeit themselves? 26Those who are ashamed of me and of my words,
of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory
of the Father and of the holy angels.”

I am not saying that you are not to set goals, or set high standards in regards to
living a successful life. Rather your purpose in life when you give your life to
Christ no longer should come from your motives but through God and the only
way to receive that purpose is through a daily intimate relationship with Christ.

I want us all to really evaluate our lives for just a few moments. I want to ask you
the same question that I asked earlier, what is the purpose in your life right now?
When you wake up what drives you? Is it your relationship with God or the
world? Is it for the prestige? Possessions? Pleasures? Friends, if that’s you this
morning would you consider a different purpose? One that points to eternal
prestige, possession, pleasure? Do you even feel that you have a purpose?

Ephesians 2:10 says, for we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for
good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. And 1 Cor.
10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the
glory of God.”

Therefore, the purpose of human is to glorify God and to praise him forever.
One of my favourite songs clearly describe the purpose of living. It is a mizo
song, the title is Nang fak zel che hi ka duhsam ber a ni (My utmost desire is to
praise you/ to adore you). The song says:

1. This world we pilgrim in is just a place full of sorrows,

Though there come merry times, we often close the day with agony
Who would stay contended when faced by agony and misery?

2. Circumstances coming our way are not our will and determination,
Jacob’s God was our sovereign,
He is ours,by virtue of our priest, the Christ
The one who loves us endlessly.

And I kneel down in praise before you,

I give you praise with all i have
May my days be story and hard, amidst the joy and happiness
My utmost desire is to praise you

3. Had I not confided in You and bow down to Thy words,

This weary soul wouldn't have a place to call home,
You gave my story of woe a new beginning,
You are my God, the omnipotent, ruler of worlds,
Thy grace is my haven, my only serenity.

4. Brothers and sisters, if ever you question your existence,

Devote unto Him and there you'll find your answers;
Surrender in your entirety,
Sing and shout in His glory,
For reciprocating His love is all He ever yearn.

I now invite Sister V. Lalnghenchhani to sing the song which I read for the ending
of our preaching…