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Jesus believes his divine partnership with God powers his prayers and allows him to lean into his superpower to co-create miracles with God. These transformative beliefs lead to an even greater belief: his life has unwavering purpose directed by God the Father. Jesus lives his life on purpose.
In fact, according to the Gospels, Jesus’ life purpose has at least three distinct aspects. The first aspect of Jesus’ purpose is that of Savior. Before Mary and Joseph marry, an angel of the Lord speaks to Joseph in a dream about the son Mary will have: “You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Many Christians read this as a call to wholeness; other Christians believe that Jesus fulfilled the purpose of the Savior when he died on the cross and rose from the dead three days later.
The second aspect of Jesus’ purpose is making God’s presence widely known. Capernaum is the center of Jesus’ public ministry. He spends time there healing the sick, casting out demons, and preaching. Understandably, the good people of Capernaum want him to stick around and heal every last ill they have. But Jesus knows he can’t just stay where things are familiar. He has more work to do. Upon hearing their request, “Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.’ So he travels throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons” (Mark 1:38-39). The Gospel of Luke puts Jesus’ response to a similar situation this way: “But he said, ‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent’” (Luke 4:43). Jesus clearly states this aspect of his purpose: “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God”—and not simply to local folks but to everyone he can reach.
The third aspect of Jesus’ purpose is testifying to God’s truth. The Gospel of John mentions several times that Jesus embodies God’s truth: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Later Jesus speaks to Pilate in a similar vein: “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:37). The truth or Logos that Jesus represents is the essential nature of God the Father, and our unity with it.
As with Jesus, you may have different purposes for different communities or different times in your life. You may even mean something different to the various people in your life. For example, my dad (and my mom when she was alive) doesn’t need me to be a great church leader; he needs me to be a caring daughter. Our foster boys need me to feed them, play with them, and set healthy boundaries; in other words, to be a good mother. The church leaders I work with need me to inspire and challenge them to lead with new skills and courage. Same person, three different purposes.
Jesus Invites You to Live on Purpose
Jesus lived on purpose and called the Twelve to live the same way:
As you go, proclaim this message: “The kingdom of heaven has come near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” (Matthew 10:7-9)
The actions of the apostles tell us how they elevate themselves, how they rise from having faith in Jesus as witnesses and apprentices to having the faith of Jesus as agents and apostles.
Just as we all have different purposes at different times in our lives, so our lives will reflect different aspects of the Kingdom reality. Your purpose doesn’t have to be about ministry per se. In other words, you don’t have to be a missionary, a pastor, or an evangelist to live out your life’s purpose. Maybe your purpose is to be an entrepreneur, an artist, a bricklayer, a parent, or a preschool teacher. In living his purpose, Jesus shows us how to live our purpose. In experiencing that deep unity with God, using the gift of prayer, and cultivating the miracle mindset, you can live your larger purpose as Jesus did—whatever that purpose may be.
Throughout the New Testament, we see that many people from different walks of life love and emulate Jesus and learn from him. Some give up their old lives and literally trail after him from town to town. Others are sent back into their communities to live their lives in a new and more purposeful way after Jesus heals them. Jesus instructs still others to say nothing about their healing or about him. Regardless, we can imagine that, changed by the presence of Jesus, each person is living according to God’s distinct purpose for them.
It’s the same for us. While I was called to be a pastor, many of the people I have met along the way have been called to other equally wonderful purposes. They are teachers, golf pros, energy healers, attorneys, parents, athletes, inventors, salesclerks, trainers, oilfield workers, servers, managers, general contractors, law enforcement officers, public servants, and more. When it comes to living life on purpose, it’s more about how you live than your job description. This is the Kingdom of God on earth.
Of course, the opposite can be true as well. Anyone in any role can be inauthentic about their purpose, can be doing what they’re doing for all the wrong reasons, for reasons that aren’t aligned with Jesus’ purpose—out of fear, greed, lust, revenge, a hunger for fame, hubris, envy, and a host of other sins.
To avoid that path, discover what brings you alive and use it to contribute to the joy of Beloved Community. Living on purpose in this way gives you focus. Emboldens you. Protects you against fear. Guides your prayers.
What if you don’t know what brings you alive or don’t know what your purpose is? I have definitely felt that way. At those times I simply pray: “God, please help me live the deepest purposes of my life.” With this prayer, I don’t even have to know or decide what my purpose is! I simply follow God’s prompting every day, trusting that what comes my way is God’s guidance—letting me know my purpose, moment by moment, day by day. In this way, I can trust that I am living every day on purpose.
Excerpted and adapted from Rebekah Simon-Peter’s forthcoming book, Believe Like Jesus: Rising from Faith in Jesus to the Faith of Jesus, November 2024.
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