Those who live with purpose have an end goal. They have a project they want to complete, a hope they want to see come to fruition, a need they want to see met, or something else. Here at Sagebrush, because we are followers of Christ, our mission is to know Christ and to make Christ known. There is truly nothing greater that we can do with our time and with our lives than this.
The final words in the book of Ecclesiastes serve as a reminder to live with the end in mind. Throughout this book of the Bible, Solomon recounts a search for meaning and purpose in the things of this world. After searching for peace and meaning in the things of this world, like wisdom, relationships, wealth, and more, Solomon came up empty. He was the son of a king, David, who had become king himself, and still could not find meaning or purpose. Ultimately, he concluded in Ecclesiastes 12 that true purpose was found in God and God alone. He wrote, "That's the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone's duty" (verse 13). According to Solomon, everyone's call is to have a fear of God and obey Him. Next, Solomon concluded the book of Ecclesiastes by explaining why. He wrote, "God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad" (verse 14). We will all give an account for how we live one day, Solomon explained. We will all stand before God one day and answer for how we lived our lives. Paul said it this way in 2nd Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” Make no mistake, our actions each and every day matter, and one day we will answer for what we did with our lives.
It is easy to become overwhelmed by life and get caught up in our own goals and needs, forgetting what is truly most important. We forget that we will stand before God one day and be judged based on how we lived. As we consider how to honor God through the way we live our lives, one of the best ways is to focus on knowing Christ and making Christ known to everyone around us. As we focus on knowing Christ, we will grow to become more and more like Him. As we make Christ known, we will spread His good news all around us. Our time on earth is short. Let's make the most of every moment, knowing Christ and making Him known.
How are you doing when it comes to knowing Christ and making Christ known? Think about your answer to this question, and answer it honestly. Write down one way that you are following this mission well, and one area that needs improvement. Then, write down one step you can take to grow in that area starting this week.
1For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
11 Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. 12 Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. 13 If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. 14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
