Ephesians 1:1-14   What Drives your Life?
40 Days of Purpose #1

February 28, 1944, started out like many other days in Corrie’s family watch shop in Nazi-occupied Haarlem, in Holland. Corrie, the first woman watch-maker in Europe, was helping her father, Casper, repair watches, and her sister Betsie, was doing housework in their home attached to the back of the watch shop. The machine-gun-armed Gestapo that patrolled the streets was unaware of the six Jews hidden in a crawl space behind a bookcase in the ten Boom house. Corrie wasn’t surprised when a stranger, under the pretence of showing her a broken watch, whispered that his family was also hiding Jews. His wife had just been arrested. Could she help? Believing that God called her to resist the evil embodied in the Third Reich, Corrie led a clandestine network of rescuers hiding Jews in Haalem. By 1944, Jews still alive in Nazi-occupied countries had a simple choice: hide or die. Corrie agreed to help the stranger, and then he left the shop.

During the night of 1^st March 1944, sleep in the ten Boom house was shattered by a Gestapo raid. That night Corrie, Betsie, Casper, and thirty-nine other rescuers in their network were arrested, beaten and charged with hiding Jews. But in spite of a two day search, the Gestapo never found the six people in the ten-boom hiding place. Casper ten Boom, Corrie’s father, died in prison ten days after his arrest. Corrie and Betsie were transferred to the Ravensbruk death camp, where Betsie later died on Christmas Day. The Jews hidden behind Corrie’s family bookcase were freed, hidden again, and eventually survived the Holocaust. Corrie had a God-given purpose, that kept her focussed and faithful to her calling.

What drives your life? Here are three of the most common forces that drive people. Many are:

1. Driven by Guilt and Fear
Many people are unable or unwilling to forget what lies behind. They are unable to hide from their past. “Guilt-driven people are manipulated by their memories” so that “their past controls their future”. Although “we are products of our past” … “we don’t have to be prisoners of it.”  God’s purpose is not limited or neutralized by our past. God promised through Jeremiah to his wayward people, “For I know the plans I have for you … plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11). God is concerned with your future not your past. Without a God-given purpose for the future many people are driven by guilt & fear from the past. Secondly, many people are:

2. Driven by Anger and Resentment

Holding on to hurts is incredibly destructive. If we don’t forgive and forget, we will remember and resent. “Resentment driven people either ‘clam up’ and internalize their anger or ‘blow up’ and shower others with the fall-out.” Anger always hurts.  If we do not forgive, Jesus warns, God will not forgive us. Forgiveness is at the heart of the gospel - it is the purpose of the cross. In Philip Yancey’s book “What’s so amazing about grace?” he writes “Not to forgive imprisons me in the past and it locks out all of the potential for change.”

Resentment always hurts you more than the one resented. “While the one in the wrong has probably forgotten what it was that offended you, you will continue to stew in it, chained to the past.” Rick Warren says, “Listen: Those who have hurt you in the past cannot continue to hurt you now unless you hold on to the pain through resentment. Your past is past! Nothing will change it. You are only hurting yourself with your bitterness.”

God promised through Jeremiah “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13). Instead of crying out against others in rage, give them over to him. He will listen. He can take it. Seek him and you will find him. Forgive and you will be forgiven.

When Paul urges us to forget the past, he means that we are to break the power of the past by living for the future.

We cannot change the past, but Jesus has changed the consequences of our past. Driven by guilt and fear, driven by anger and resentment. Thirdly many people are

3. Driven by Wealth and Materialism
The desire to acquire can so easily become a consuming passion. The drive to want more comes from the mistaken belief that ‘more’ will make me more happy, more important, more secure. The truth is the very opposite. “Self worth and net worth are not the same. Your value is not determined by your valuables … God says the most valuable things in life are not things … Real security can only be found in that which can never be taken from you - your relationship with God.” That is why Paul says,

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:7-8)

Paul counted the best the world could offer as rubbish compared to knowing Jesus. His life had become purpose driven.  Three destructive things that drive many people : People driven by guilt and fear, driven by anger and resentment; driven by wealth and materialism.

In our gospel reading we see how Jesus was purpose driven. Luke 24:7, “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ (Luke 24:7). It was God’s plan. Jesus must be delivered, must be crucified, would be raised. It was no accident. God planned the salvation of the world before he had even created it. In Ephesians 1, God reveals how our purposes are linked to Jesus.  

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love… In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:3-4; 11-12)

In the next five weeks are going to examine the five main purposes that God intends to be a driving force in your life, and they are all mentioned in Ephesians.

1. You were planned for God’s pleasure - to know him and love him; That’s all that the word predestined means. (Ephesians 1:4, 11)

2. You were formed for God’s family - to find a home and family; We have been adopted into his family. (Ephesians 1:5, 2:19-22)

3. You were created to become like Christ - to be holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:3-4)

4. You were shaped for serving God - with a unique mix of talents, skills and passion. We were not saved by good works but for good works (Ephesians 2:8-9). He has given us spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16)

5. You were made for a mission - to introduce other people to God’s 5 purposes. Making known the mystery of the gospel, withstanding and overcoming the forces of evil (Ephesians 6:10-20). Brining unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. (Ephesians 1:10)

Between now and Easter we are going to take time to explore these five purposes through daily readings, through weekly small group studies and wrap these up through Sunday sermons between now and Easter. There are at least five benefits from living a purpose-driven life.

1. Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life

“Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance…” The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose. We were made to have meaning. Paul writes: “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (Philippians 3:12). Paul’s life had been transformed because the grace of Jesus had taken hold of him. This is why Paul can be so emphatic “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his suffering.” (Philippians 3:10). Dr. Bernie Siegel found he could predict which of his cancer patients would go into remission by asking, “Do you want to live to be one hundred?” Those with a deep sense of life purpose answered yes and were the ones most likely to survive. Hope comes from having a purpose.”

Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life.

2. Knowing your purpose simplifies your life

Without a clear purpose “a person has no foundation on which to base decisions, allocate your time, and use your resources.” Your life becomes cluttered with choices made based on circumstances, pressures, and emotions. Not knowing our purpose leads to overwork, to stress, fatigue and tension.

On the other hand, knowing your purpose simplifies your life because, “It defines what you do and what you don’t do. Your purpose becomes the standard you use to evaluate which activities are essential and which aren’t.”  Paul writes, “But one thing I do.” (Philippians 3:13). One thing.  One. "One thing you lack" Jesus says to the rich young man in Mark 10. "Only one thing is needed" Jesus has to say to over worked and hyper-critical Martha in Luke 10. "One thing I know" cries the man who had received his sight by the power of Christ, in John 9. Often we are involved in too "many things". Only one thing matters. God’s purpose for you today - this moment.

No athlete succeeds by doing everything. He succeeds in specializing. The secret to progress is to concentrate on "one thing," - to be purposeful, intentional, focused. Paul is single-minded about his ambition. “One thing I do”. “Purpose-driven living leads to a simpler lifestyle and a saner schedule.”

Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life.
Knowing your purpose simplifies your life

3. Knowing your purpose focuses your life

 “I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” (Philippians 3:13) 

Paul is describing the athlete stretching out, straining every muscle as he goes flat out for the finish. He brings to mind the striking image of Eric Liddell, the Olympic runner whose story was retold in the film Chariots of Fire, chest out, head held high, legs and arms pumping furiously as he tore down the back straight to the finish to win the Olympic gold medal.

It is with the same determination that Paul pursues his ambition to know Christ. Paul says "Don't look back".  That’s because one of the rules of running is that you don’t look back. When you’re in the middle of a race you don’t look over your shoulder, because when you do, it can throw off your confidence if you see somebody gaining on you. It can throw off your step so that you slow down. You will lose your balance. You could fall. There’s no reason to look back.  As a runner, you’re focused only on the finishing line. You cannot focus on what is ahead and turn your head at the same time.  “I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14) Take your eyes off Jesus and you will focus on other people and what they have or have not done. Focus on Jesus and his love and everything is put in its right perspective.  Here’s a test: Lee Strobel once said, “If you can’t sing ‘Amazing Grace’ with tears in your eyes--or at least in your heart--then you really don’t understand what it means.” Does the grace of God drive your life?

Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life.

Knowing your purpose simplifies your life

Knowing your purpose focuses your life

4. Knowing your purpose motivates your life

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize." (Philippians 3:14)

This is purpose produces passion. Nothing energises more than having a clear purpose. “On the other hand, passion dissipates when you lack a purpose.” Rick Warren says, “Just getting out of bed can become a major chose. It is usually meaningless work not overwork, that wears us down, saps our strength, and robs our joy.” We won’t become a winning athlete by listening to lectures, watching movies, reading books, and cheering at the games. An athlete is not distracted by cream buns or heckling bystanders. He wins by getting onto the track, practising hard and determining to win. The writer to Hebrews tells us how:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."  (Hebrews 12:1-2) 

Jesus is the author and finisher. He started the race for us and he will finish it with us. We are not alone. He is with us. There is no greater motivation than discovering the purpose for which you were created. Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life, it simplifies your life, it focuses your life and it motivates your life. Finally,

5. Knowing your purpose prepares you for eternity

“Many people invest their entire lives building up a legacy on earth.” Its all for the children they rationalize. “They want to be remembered when they’re gone.” They want to be immortalized so we name roads after them. Simon’s Walk, Cabrera Avenue, Wellington Avenue, Stuart Way. “Yet, what ultimately matters most will not be what others say about your life but what God says. Living to create an earthly legacy is a short-sighted goal. A wiser use of time is to build an eternal legacy. You weren’t put on earth to be remembered. You were put here to prepare for eternity. “I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14).

In June 1945, four months after her release from Ravensbruk, Corrie forced herself to write a letter that pained her greatly. It was to the Dutch stranger who had asked for help that day in her shop and whom Corrie realised had betrayed her family to the Nazis. She wrote,

“I heard that most probably you are the one who betrayed me. I went through ten months of concentration camp. My father died.. and my sister died in prison. The harm you planned was turned into good for me by God. I came nearer to Him. I have prayed for you, that the Lord may accept you if you will repent. I have forgiven you everything. God will also forgive you everything if you ask Him.”

Rescuing dozens of Jews in Holland turned out to be the beginning of her life’s work. God led her first to forgive her betrayer, then sent her to establish Christ-centred rehabilitation homes for people of all faiths scarred by the war. When asked Corrie said she was just the skin on the hands of God. The skin on the hands of God. She could not have achieved all God had intended without knowing his purposes for her in Jesus Christ. And neither can we.

Lets pray.

Dear Lord, help me discover your purposes for my life so that I might know you, love you and faithfully serve you all the days of my life, so that one day I may hear you say, “We’ll done, my good and faithful servant.” In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This sermon draws heavily on material from Rick Warren’s book “The Purpose Driven Life” (Zondervan) and is intended to motivate people to read the book and undertake the Purpose Driven Life - 40 Days of Purpose. The illustration about Corrie ten Boom is taken from The One Year Book of Christian History by Michael and Sharon Rusten (Tyndale)