Are You Really Living? Part 2 of 3
The second question we might ask to ascertain whether or not we are Living is:
II. DO YOU LIVE WITH A SENSE OF DIVINE DESTINY
John 17:1 (NKJV) Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,
Jesus said, “the hour is come”.
This is an interesting phrase that Jesus uses in this gospel. At the beginning of his ministry at a wedding feast, his mother wanted him to show himself as the Messiah and he said, “My hour has not yet come”.
On another occasion, his brothers urged him to go to the feast of Tabernacles if he was really who he thought he was and show himself as messiah.
He said then, “my time is not yet come.”
What was Jesus’ time, his hour?
It was his hour to be glorified and to glorify God.
What Mary and Jesus’ brothers did not know was that Jesus would be glorified and would glorify God through a bloody cross and the resurrection.
But Jesus knew.
He knew that he had come for the purpose of dying for the sins of the world. He had a sense of purpose of destiny, and everything that he did and said led to that moment, that hour.
And now the hour had come. Jesus’ life was one of direction, and purpose, and divine destiny.
One of the most miserable ways to live is to live aimlessly without a real ultimate purpose, not really knowing ultimately why we are here.
God wants all of us to live with a sense of divine destiny.
Why are you here?
Why are you a member of this Church?
Because your family belongs here, great.
But God has a greater purpose for you in the body of Christ.
He wants to use you.
He has a nitch for you in His body. He has given you a gift, a divine ability to carry out the purpose that He has for your life.
I’ve talked to many who don’t believe they have a spiritual gift, but that’s not what the bible says. “Each one has been given a manifestation of the Spirit”.
Romans 12:1-21 (NKJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
Hypocrisy or KJV dissimulation = hide something by pretense: to disguise or hide true feelings, thoughts, or intentions
10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
I believe that if a person will honestly ask God to show him or her what His purpose is for him or her in the body of Christ, and how He’s gifted them,
He will be faithful to reveal that to them. It may require you to step out in faith and try something you have never done before. It may stretch you; it may cause you to risk failure. But God will be faithful. He will show you. The truth is, He is more interested in revealing your purpose in His body than you and I are in knowing it.
I will never forget my first preaching experience I had a friend to call and say “Do you have butterflies? Well, they will turn to crocodiles before it’s over.
I dreaded it for weeks.
It was terrifying.
When I got up and began to preach, I knew. I felt I was born for it.
I wanted to stay there, to live in that experience.
God confirmed to me what his plan was for my life and he will for you as well if you do not already know.
Jesus lived with a sense of divine destiny. Do you?
The third and final question next week is we might ask to determine whether or not we are really living is:
III. ARE YOU LIVING WITH A DESIRE TO GLORIFY GOD
