The Perfect Purpose-Driven Life

The greatest example in history of a person’s life who was totally focused on fulfilling His purpose was the life of Jesus. Rick Warren made popular the phrase “purpose-driven life.” Jesus lived the perfect purpose-driven life!

He knew and lived His purpose at every stage of His life. When he was twelve years old, His parents were leaving Jerusalem. Everybody thought that Jesus was a part of the group. Later they discovered that He was missing.

Joseph and some of his friends went back to Jerusalem to search for Him. They were amazed to find Him in the temple teaching the people—at twelve years old! Joseph probably started to scold Him a bit, but Jesus quickly cleared the air by reminding His dad of His purpose, “Don’t you know that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:48)

At thirty years old, He began His public ministry. He went into the wilderness and was tempted three times by Satan. In each temptation, it would have been easy for Jesus to yield to the temptation to satisfy His human needs, but His purpose was beyond His human needs.

Jesus used scripture to refute every temptation Satan threw at Him. He emerged victorious. He was always focused on His purpose. (Matthew 4:1-11)

One day Jesus told the disciples that He must go to Jerusalem. He shared that He would suffer and be killed. Peter and the group counseled against that plan. But Jesus chose to fulfill His purpose by going against their counsel. (Matthew 16:21-28)

On the last night that He lived, He went into the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed so passionately that sweat turned to drops of blood. He pleaded that His Father would not cause the things to happen that He knew would happen the next day. Then He said, “It’s not my will but your will be done.” (Luke 22:42)

Jesus was always in the center of God’s will and fulfilling His purpose for life.

On Good Friday afternoon He was badly beaten and bruised and placed on a cross in public view and died the death of a common criminal. He knew it was His purpose to die so that each of us could have forgiveness of our sins. He came to fulfill that purpose. (Matthew 27:33-51)

He was placed in a borrowed tomb but didn’t stay there long. He left before “check-out time.” His purpose was not only to live a perfect life and die a sacrificial death, but to rise from the dead so that the chains of death could be broken for all His followers. Easter morning saw the glad news that the tomb was empty and that Jesus was alive. (Mark 16)

In every step of His life, Jesus was focused on fulfilling His purpose perfectly.

How much are we willing to overlook human comforts and desires and stay focused on the purpose of God’s calling to us. Staying on track with that kind of purpose is the road that leads to victory over everything in this life and over death itself!

Is your life in the center of God’s purpose for you?