True Purpose

Acts 16:6-12

16th Sunday after Pentecost

October 1, 2006

Continuing in our stewardship theme today we focus on True Purpose. I hope you have been reading the devotions and are growing spiritually. We are nearing the opportunity for you to make a pledge to the ministry of Mount Olive.

Today we also have the privilege to celebrate the feast day of St. Michael and all the Angels. Our Scripture readings and liturgy have focused on the ministry of angels. They are mysterious beings that God uses for His purposes - that matches our theme for today. We see two purposes of the angels in the texts we read today - to fight for God against Satan and to announce the marvelous plan of salvation to the world. God uses us for His purposes as well.

In our Acts passage today we see Paul traveling to many areas before God blesses his mission. In many ways this is a good view of our human lives in God. Some areas we try are not fruitful and others are. Some doors are closed to us and others are open for us to be God's servants. Ultimately it is up to God where He wants us to be most effective.

This leads me to another strongly held belief - I don't like the emphasis on purpose as much as I like the emphasis on vocation (which I will explain in just a moment). Don't get me wrong - there is nothing wrong with the word "purpose" as wee see ourselves uses by God. But I think we have focused too strongly on finding our purpose in life rather than accepting God' guidance and direction in the here and now. It seems to me that we focus so heavily on fining purpose, focusing on future events and "greener pastures" that we forget that our ordinary, daily lives are a gift from God and truly where God wants us to be. Again, discovering who we are is not wrong; it just should make us lose sight of today.

Vocation, a term used by Luther and others was a way of looking at how what we do in our lives is connected to God's working in the world. When we speak of vocation we speak of more than just a job we get paid at - we are speaking of our whole lives and the various roles we play in it.

In the time of Luther is was, as is today too, believed that if you wanted to serve God you had to join the priesthood or become a monk or nun. You had to do something special to truly be serving God. But Luther felt there was something wrong with this idea. Everyone is called to serve God but not all could be priests or monks or nuns. This is where Luther used the term vocation - ones station in life, as a way of seeing God truly at work. And it was often in the more mundane roles of life that Luther saw God's greatest providence coming through. In the farming bringing food to the market. In the wife caring for her husband and household. In the father caring for his children. In each of these and many other roles Luther saw God providing for His people.

The role of a priest or pastor was important too but not more important than other roles or vocation is life. Each of the roles we fulfill in life is a way for God to bring His providence to the world. In a way each of us are a mask of God in the basic duties we fulfill in life. God protects through the police. God gives us food through the farmer. God raises us children through parents and teachers. God provides shelter through craftsman. On and on the list can go - but I think you can get the picture. God uses us in our everyday lives to fulfill His will.

Good vocation equals good stewardship. Instead of striving for greatness in something beyond ourselves we should look at the daily routines of our life and find God there. God often hides Himself in the mundane and ordinary instead of revealing Himself in miracles. And He uses us daily to help his people. We are called to be good stewards of what God has given us. If we are always looking top something in the future we may horde our resources and never use them, always thinking something better is yet to come. But if we think of the daily life roles we play as places God comes then we will not horde but graciously use and give away our resources for the good of our neighbor and the glory of God.

In Luther’s Small Catechism, at the end of the 6 chief parts is a table of duties. At first glance this may seem like just a listing of things to do that are good. But they are a way for Luther to say - the basic duties of life are a way in which God lets His grace and mercy shine through us. Being a "good Christian" means to be a good citizen, husband or wife, child, craftsman, etc.

This is what Luther said, “We conclude, therefore, that a Christian lives not in himself, but in Christ and the neighbor. Otherwise he is not a Christian. He lives in Christ through faith and in the neighbor through love.”

When I have taught about spiritual gifts or finding where God wants you I have used this simple formula. First, think about you passions in life. What do you like to do? What activities do you enjoy doing? What capture your heart and attentions? Then think about a world need you resonate too. Is it those in need of basic necessities? Is it for those who need to be taught? Is it providing a much needed service? What needs of others capture your attention? Now take you passion and find a way to use it to fulfill a need in the world. This is you purpose, your vocation, your mask of God. Why does this work? Well God created you in a unique way to fulfill a unique purpose in life. You put those two together and you have a calling, a God given vocation.

When you realize that you don't have to go to Africa or Asia to be a missionary, you don't have to go to Seminary to teach about God. To do something "great" for God you need only fulfill your daily tasks to the best of your ability and for the glory of God. For that is the ultimate goal - give glory to God. Changing a diaper, filling out a report, cooking dinner, sitting next to one in the hospital, all these tasks and more can be done for the glory of God. Each is a vocation. Each is a mask of God. Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God!

Amen