Purpose
JOHN 19:30 AMP
When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and [voluntarily] gave up His spirit.
This is one of the most profound statements that Jesus made on the cross. To say it is finished is to declare that accomplishment of a purpose and in the case of Jesus, a divine assignment. If you don’t have a purpose or you are oblivious of it, there is no way you can declare that it is completed. But then again what was this purpose that Jesus had finished?
LUKE 4:18-19 AMP
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me (the Messiah), Because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy), to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the favor of God abound greatly].”
This is why he came and at this point when he was hanging on the cross he knew the job was done. This is why we celebrate Easter; that Jesus came and accomplished what was required for us to be set free, meaning now the ball is in our court. What are you going to do about it?
In the same manner you and I ought to live a life filled with purpose. As pastor Rick Warren says in his highly acclaimed book “the purpose driven Life.” How do you know that you have accomplished the task that you were put on earth for unless you live a purpose driven Life? God’s purpose and not your own just as Christ fulfilled God’s purpose and not his own. Remember he said not my will but thine be done?
Paul lived a purpose driven Life and when he neared his end, he said something similar.
2 TIMOTHY 4:7-8 AMP
I have fought the good and worthy and noble fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith [firmly guarding the gospel against error]. In the future there is reserved for me the [victor’s] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that [great] day–and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and longed for and welcomed His appearing.
As we celebrate Easter and the finished work of Christ, are you living a purpose driven Life? Is your life dedicated to God and what he created you to accomplish? The most refreshing words that we all long to hear on that day are the words “welcome home thou good and FAITHFUL servant. Jesus was faithful to God’s purpose over His life, are you?
