Ephesians chapter 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, His own master work, a work of arts, created in Christ Jesus, reborn from above, spiritually transformed, spiritually renewed, ready to be used for good works.” [Amp]
The focus of this article is to get us prepared and ready to be used for good works, which God prepared for us, which God made ready, made available and beforehand prepared for us, beforehand taking paths which He set, so that we will walk in them living the good life. So, walking in Purpose is living the good life which He prearranged. So, if anybody is living a life that is opposite of good, then you are not living a life of Purpose , because the life of Purpose is a good life, it is a life that has been prearranged. Before you came on the scene; God had prearranged that life for you, and that life is a good life. And that's why God speaking in Jeremiah 29:11, He said; the thoughts that I have towards you says the Lord, it is thoughts of good and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
So, the life that God has arranged for you is a good life and He has made it ready, He has made it ready for you and I. So, when we step into Purpose , when we start walking in the precept and the arrangements of God for our lives, we walk in a good life. And that's why when God was speaking to the people, He said, go and find the ancient path where the good way is. God has already made that good way available, He said, when you find that good way, walk in it. He said when you walk in it, you will find rest for your souls.
So, walking in Purpose is something that is so important, something that we must not take light of. So, we will be looking at serving in Purpose : we are in the Purpose discovery series. And we're going to start our observation from the book of Mark chapter 10:41-45, “And when the ten heard it; this happened when the mother of John and James came to Jesus saying, let one sit on your right and let the other sit on your left in the kingdom. So, it now looks as if the ten were left out, and they were offended by that action. And when the ten heard this conversation that happened between Jesus and James and John and their mother, and when they heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them, He said this is an opportunity to learn something important; don't just be displeased; don't just be angry, don't be upset with these guys, there is something to learn in this.
So, Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “you know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great one’s exercise authority over them. Verse 43 says, Yet it shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great (whosoever desires a great life, whosoever desires a good life, whosoever desire something that is beyond the ordinary, something beyond the natural) among you shall be your servant. And I'm sure that startled the disciples; what is Jesus talking about? These guys are coming, they want to you-sup our authority, they want to take advantage of us because their mother has come to you, they want to take that opportunity to rob us all of all that we have been laboring for. So, what is Jesus talking about? Then, verse 44, He went further to explain it to them. And He said, and whoever of you desires to be first, Jesus was now breaking it down; He said, whoever deserves to be great among you, let him first be the servant. Then if anyone desires to be the first among you, let him be the slave of all. For even the Son of Man; now Jesus now brought Himself in, He said, let Me use Myself as an example: for even the Son of Man, as you have highly placed Me; as Jesus, your Master, your Rabbi, even the Son of Man did not come to be served. So, I also desired that greatness, I also desired to be first.
So, I did not come to be served but to serve; and to give His life a ransom for many. This verse 45, is the call of our conversation. Jesus used that opportunity to communicate something powerful to the church. Jesus used this opportunity of the disciples’ displeasure with an event, with an happening to communicate something powerful, that you and I must understand and start using as a means or as a principle that Jesus has instituted for our greatness. The Purpose of God is a good life, the Purpose of God is greatness. God has never Purpose d for a man to be less than grace, because He Himself is a great God. When a great man Purpose s, it can’t be small, when a great man decides to do something; he does it in the fullness of who he is.
The same thing with God, when God decides to do something, when God decides to show up, God does not show up small, God does not show up mediocre, God does not show up less than who He is; God shows up in the dimension of who He is. So, if it is God that has a Purpose for you, that Purpose is to the proportion of who God is. So, when we talk about the Purpose s of God for a man; it can never be small, it can never be meager, it can’t be little: it is going to be great. So, when we are talking about Purpose , we're talking about the Purpose that God has instituted. That one that He had prearranged, that one that He had pre-appointed for you and I; so, Jesus is letting us into the secret of how to attain, how to lay hold, how to step into the fullness of that Purpose : and He said, the key is service.
So, from verse 43, when He was saying to them; it shall not be so among you, whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. That's when He started introducing the concept and the principle to them. If there is anyone that desires greatness; there is no need getting angry with James and John, everybody desire to be great. Is there anybody you've met in your life, apart from the person that has a mental disorder or disorientation: every normal human being created by God, the way God created him, without any interference in his or her life desires greatness. Pick up a little child of seven or eight years and ask the child, who do you want to be in the future? the child will not mention a bus conductor except somebody has tampered with that child's mindset. The mindset of everyone born into this world created by God is greatness. Everybody desires to be great, everybody as desire and the search for greatness locked in their insight, it is a wiring, it is how God created man.
God created man with a longing in their heart for greatness, and that's why if you see a man searching for anything else, apart from God, that person is in a futile search for greatness. Because the only way you can connect back to the greatness that God has created the vacuum in you for is connecting back to God. So, it is important to understand that Jesus was appealing to the humanity in every one when He was making this statement, He was appealing to the wiring in every one when He was making this statement. Is there anyone among you who desires to be great? He knew that all of them desired greatness. Because if they did not desire greatness, Apostle Peter will not come to Jesus and say to Him, after we have left all; what shall we have? Is he talking about a house in his village? Is he talking about shoes and clothes? No! He was talking about, what is the greatness tied to following you, Jesus? What is the future that we have, that is tied to following you?
Jesus knew their mentality, He knew their wiring, He knew the heart of every man; remember He is God. The God in Him was reaching out to the humanity in us, saying, is there anyone who desires to become great among you, because I know latently that it is the desire in each of your hearts but He said the way to get it, you shall serve; be a servant. Whoever desires to be first ‘because every human being wants to be the first’. That's why when God was reaching out to humanity, He said, you will be the head and not the tail because He knows that’s your desire. When God says, I will grant you your heart desire, He knows your desire that's why He is saying I will grant you your heart desire. He knows you have a desire to be the first, and that's why when Jesus was appealing to the humanity in us and He's calling us; He says I know you desire this, but this is the way.
They have taught you so many principles, they've taught you so many things, they have taught you the ways of the world, but I am going to teach you the way of the kingdom; because that's what Jesus simply came to do on the earth, to show us the way of the kingdom. He said the way of the kingdom is that whoever desires to be first (you desire to be great, you desire to be first) among you shall be the slave of all. So, He used the concept of servant, He used the concept of slave: what was Jesus saying? Then He came to verse 45 to help us understand it. He said, for even the Son of Man did not come to be served, He did not come sitting down for everybody to come and bow before Him and pay obeisance; the only time that happened was when He was born, that the shepherd had to come and see, because there was a divine declaration, a king has been born.
And they came to the manger and found the boy that was born, and they worshipped God, and the three men from the East also came bringing gifts, and they worshipped the king that was born. After that time, Jesus was in the business of serving. He said, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve; I have come as an example to you, I have come to show you the way; I did not come to be served, but to serve. So, He first showed us the example of being a servant. I will like to show us a Scripture where Jesus exemplified this deeply; (meaning they're not the same) He said two things. He said, one, whosoever desires to be great among you, let him be the servant, whosoever desires to be first among you, let him be the slave. So, He said, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve. So, He showed us an example of being a servant, then He said and not or, and to give His life a ransom for many. That is how He became a slave to become the first.
So, Jesus showing us in verse 45, saying that, because I have come in the volume of the books: to do Your will, I have not come to play, I've not come to play catch up, I've not come because I miss humanity and I want to mix up with them; No! I have come for a divine Purpose and that Purpose , I will serve. The Bible says David served the will of God in his generation, and he went to sleep. For you to be the first, Jesus said, you will be the slave. What does it mean to be a slave? You give your life as a ransom for many. A slave has nothing; if you look at the concept of being a slave, it is deeper than being a servant. A servant will serve his master, a slave is sold; no rights, no privileges.
So, these two concepts is what we want to look at: “serving in Purpose ” what is that greatness in your Purpose ? Jesus said you have to serve to attain it. What is that first place in Purpose that you want to attain? Jesus said you have to slave to get it. I want to show us a scripture in John chapter 13:12-17, so when He had washed their feet, taken His garments and sat down again, He said to them, do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord and you say well for so I am. If I then Your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. ‘The same thing He was saying in Mark chapter 10 we read’ I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you; what did I do? I served you; you should also serve one another; that is what service is about.
So, the concept of service Jesus was showing us as an example, I washed your feet; I don't know where you have gone, I don't know how you have messed up, but I served you by washing your feet. The same way I'm showing you this as an example. For you to fulfill Purpose and become great, you must wash one another's feet. So, in serving in Purpose , you must understand the concept of being a servant, being a servant is intentionally bringing yourself to the place of humility, because of what you carry. It's not so much about who you are, it is about the good work, it's about what God has intended for you to carry out. Let's go to Philippians chapter 2:5-8, “Let this mind be you, ‘whenever you are thinking of service’ which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, (Yes, you are fearfully and wonderfully made, we get it.)
Jesus was in the form of God; He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. That God will now send Him on an errand and He will say no, God, after all, I'm also a God. No! but made Himself of no reputation, He took the form of a slave; taking the form of a bondservant. Who is a bondservant? A bondservant is beyond a servant. A bondservant is like a sentenced servant; a servant that has been sold. Another word for bondservant is a slave. He took the form of a bondservant, He is not; even though He is God, He did not count it robbery to be equal with God: this is Jesus. There are many of us that for us to serve in Purpose , we must take the form.
For you to be first, you must take the form of a slave; you are not a slave: yes, we know you are born again, you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, we know you are seated with Christ in the heavenly places; far above principalities and powers; but for you to be the first you must take the form of a slave, for you to be great, you must take the form of a servant; that's what Jesus said. And coming in the likeness of men. Verse 8, and being found in appearance as a man, He is not man; found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death; even the death of the cross. I want to read verse 6-7 in the Amplified, Who although, He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God, as one with Him, possessing the fullness of all divine attributes, the entire nature of deity, did not to regard equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, as if He did not already possess it or was afraid of losing it; verse seven, but emptied Himself, so He was a vessel fit for Purpose ; He knew it was not about the vessel, but about the content.
So, when you are serving in Purpose , there is something you carry that you must empty; and that's why you must seek the form of a servant, you must take the form of a slave, because God has put a treasure in your earthen vessel that must be emptied in the lives of people, must be empty for humanity to benefit from: Jesus emptied Himself; not that we were deserving of Him emptying Himself or going through all those rigors, but for the Purpose ; and that's why when John the Baptist was saying to Him, he says, must you do this? I am the one that supposed to be baptized by you not the other way round. He said, suffer it, allow it to be so; because if we don't allow it to be so, we cannot fulfill the Purpose of God. So, there are some things in your life that you are allowed to be so not; that you can fulfill the Purpose of God.
So, when we're talking about serving in Purpose , it is not about your limitations, it is not about what you can or cannot do: it's about what you must do. In Matthew chapter four, when the devil came to Jesus, Jesus could turn stone to bread; it was not a big deal, because you will see later on in ministry, He was the one that blessed, five loaves of bread and two fishes, and He fed 3000, in another occasion, He fed 5000 men apart from women and children. So, there was no big deal about turning stone to bread, but was that the will of God, was that the in Purpose of God? It's not like this mouth cannot be used for marketing but is that why God has given the mouth. Is it the content that God has poured into the vessel that I'm pouring back. They wanted to make Jesus king, He had all the qualities of being king but with His kingdom here, was He called to become king here? king of Israel, king of one country, or He is called to be the king of kings. So, when we're talking about serving in Purpose , it is something that is intentional.
Jesus intentionally became obedient; do you think when they were stoning Him, spitting on Him, wiping and stroking Him with all those strokes, He could not command Angel Michael in one strip to destroy? And He was praying to God that God forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing; because this Purpose must be fulfilled. So, when people look at you, and it looks as if they want to insult the grace, it looks as if you are docile, you know some people: when people are fulfilling the Purpose of God, they look at them as if they are just docile, you are just lazy; as in can’t you do much, can't you be multitasking: and God has not called you to multitask.
See the example of Jesus, He emptied Himself without renouncing or diminishing His deity. That's why every time He will show up even though He's in the appearance of men, even though He has taking the form of a servant, even though He has taking the form of a slave, He would tell them; I and the Father, We are One. Greater than Solomon was here, before Abraham was, I am. He didn't denounce who He was, He didn't renounce His deity, but only temporarily giving it up to His outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity by assuming the form of a bondservant and being made in the likeness of men, He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man.
See the example Jesus gave us, He took the form of a servant, because the Purpose of God must be fulfilled, the agenda of God must be fulfilled. Scriptures made us understand that when the sons of God came to the earth, then they saw the daughters of men: that's not their Purpose , the reason why God sent them was to become watchers, and instead of them to fulfill that Purpose , they said afterall we too we are handsome, afterall our eyes are not blind, we can see, these daughters of men are beautiful, and they took wives for themselves; it wasn’t in the Purpose of God. And that's why we must understand that God will judge every creature based on Purpose .
If you go to the book of Revelation, and you read, the Bible says, God will judge the sea, He will judge death, He will judge the grave. Because the Purpose which God created them, they went outside that Purpose . So that's why God's judgment is based on Purpose , any creature of God that goes outside the Purpose of God has sinned: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; God's glory is in His Purpose . So, you might look at yourself, and say have not sinned but the question is, are you serving in Purpose or you're doing your thing? because every man will come before the judgement throne of God and will be judged according to His works.
So, let's go back to John chapter 13:15, which says, for I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. What did I do? I served you, serve also. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. Just don’t know that greatness is tied to service: do it, just don't know that being the first is tied to being the slave of all: do it; its important. So, Jesus exemplifies serving in the Purpose of God, Jesus did not come to the earth and find a new Purpose for Himself. He said, for this reason, was the son of man was made manifest and Bible says, Jesus, filled with the Holy Ghost and with power, He went about doing good, healing all those who are oppressed of the devil, healing all those that had infirmities; for God was with Him.
He didn't do anything outside Purpose , He was serving in Purpose . Jesus did not suddenly become a carpenter, because His earthly father that raised Him was; even when He was twelve, Jesus said to Mary, He said, don't you know that I must go about My Father's business; that's the first thing. He said, I must work the work of Him that sent Me in the day for the night comes when no man can work. Jesus was Purpose centric. He was not carried away by the frivolities of this life, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; He was consumed with the zeal of the house of the Lord, the Bible says and when they saw what Jesus did; the disciples remember the scripture that was written concerning Him that the zeal of the house of the Lord will consume Him. Jesus was consumed by the zeal for the business of God, serving in Purpose is being consumed by the zeal of God business that every day that you wake up, every moment that you are awake, you are thinking of how to serve the will of God in your own generation. How do I serve today? Lord, how do you want me to slave today?
First Corinthians chapter 9:16-22, this is an example of Apostle Paul, he said, “for if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of; for necessity.” (It is necessary, it is not something I should do but it is something I must do. So, if I am doing it, I don't need you to clap for me. When you are serving in Purpose , it is not the time to put it on Instagram, and post on facebook.) Apostle Paul said there is nothing to boast about, he said necessity is laid upon me. Yes, woe is me, if I do not preach the gospel, woe is me if I do not serve in Purpose , he says, serving in Purpose : I have nothing to boast about. When I'm serving in Purpose , I have nothing to glory about, nothing to boast about; for it is necessary for me to do. It is a necessity that has been laid upon my life, I must do it. When God has called me as an intercessor, and I pray for three hours, it is not for me to go about asking people about their prayer life; God raised you as an intercessor: necessity is laid on you to do it, it is nothing to boast about. He said, for if I do this willingly, I have a reward, If I serve in Purpose willingly, nobody is persuading me, nobody is compelling me, nobody is pushing me to serve God: I do it willing. He said, if I do it willingly, I have a reward; he said but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
We have this treasure in earthen vessel, the reason God poured that dimension in you for you to serve your generation is not for you. The Bible says that the earnest expectation of creation eagerly awaits the manifestation of the sons of God: when do sons manifest? When they serve in Purpose ; and they are not just subject to futility on their own. It is like people have been subjected to hopelessness, helplessness; he said God subjected them in hope that you will serve: so, let God be true and every man a liar. When you serve, you're not making God bigger on His throne, you are making God true. When you serve, angels are not clapping for you because they're also making God true. He made His angels spirit and His ministers, flame of fire: so, what are they supposed to do? When you minister as a minister of God, you are supposed to burn because you are a flame of fire.
What is the essence of your fire if there’s no heat, there's no light, there is no burning? Serving in Purpose is manifesting, making God true. So, if God has spoken to somebody that I'm bringing a word your way that you will not recover from, and the sent person refuse to come; the sent person has made God a liar. But rather for God to be a liar, He will raise another because God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that will repent. That means if you refuse to serve the Purpose of God, God will raise another man that will serve it.
Still on 1 Corinthians chapter 9:16-22. Verse 18 says, what is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. (I serve without charging anybody, I serve not abusing my authority, that's what Apostle Paul was saying), verse 19, for though I am free from all men, ‘it is not compulsory’ I have made myself a servant (but I am not) to all that I might win the more. The same example of Jesus in Philippians chapter 2, I made myself a servant to all that I might win the more, and to the Jews, I became as a Jew, that I may win Jews, to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I may win those who are under the law, to those who are without law, as without law, (not being without law towards God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law, to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak.
‘That is his definition of serving in Purpose ’ I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Serving in Purpose and taking the form of servant is becoming all things to all men; so that by all means: I must exhaust all options that I might save some. This is a classic example of serving in Purpose . He said, I have made myself, what have you made yourself in order to serve the Purpose of God? What have we made ourselves to serve the Purpose of God? So, it's important for us to understand this: that serving in Purpose is making sure that by all means, we fulfill the will of God. We are inexcusable if we don't fulfill the will of God. If we complain that in our own generation things are hard, Bible says, Behold, we are surrounded with a great cloud of witnesses.
In that cloud of witness, there is Abel, there is Noah, there is Job, there is Abraham: there were things they had to suffer; they're in cloud and we are surrounded by them. These people fulfilled the will of God in difficult situations, in difficult terrains. In that cloud, you also have Jonah; that was swallowed in the mouth of a fish for three days, that by all means he must preach to Nineveh: he will share his experience. So, while you are giving excuses, men will justify the means through which you served. Apostle Paul will be there, Apostle John will also be there: he was sentenced to the Island of Pathmos: they tried to kill him, he did not die, they sentenced him to an Island; in the middle of ocean, in the middle of nowhere. And in the middle of that nowhere, he received the Book of Revelation; they will be there.
Lastly, let’s see Isaiah chapter 49:3-7, “And He said to me, you are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified (when you are serving the will of God, the essence, the completion of the matter is that God will be glorified.) Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet, surely my just reward is with the Lord, and my work with my God. And now the Lord says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant. To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel is gathered to Him. (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD. And My God shall be My strength) ‘when you are serving in Purpose , God will be your strength’ verse 6, let’s see what God said, Indeed He says, it is too small a thing that You should be My Servant.
‘God is saying to us here, that He desire us to be in charge, in dominion of greater things’ (what I'm asking you to do is a small thing, because I will be there to help you; you are co-laboring with Me) To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth. Verse 7, Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, to Him whom man despises, to Him whom the nation abhors, to the Servant of rulers: kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel; and He has chosen You.” It looks as if you are a slave, it looks as if you're a servant, it looks as if you are a person that men can just trample upon; but God is saying, to that person, He said Kings will see you and they will arise, princes shall worship; because of the LORD who is faithful, because God is not unjust to forsake, to forget, to look away from your labor of love; in that you minister, in that you serve: and you are serving.
So, what God is calling us to, is to walk in the fullness of the Purpose s of God concerning our lives; finding that ancient path where that good way is, will we walk in it? Are we ready to walk in it? Because the rest that God is talking about is assured. The Bible says there remaineth a rest, that rest cannot be tampered with, that rest cannot be altered. There remaineth a rest for the children of God; the sons of God will operate in rest because they are fulfilling the Purpose s of God. Isaiah 49:7 says, kings will see you and arise, princes shall worship, because God that has chosen you, the One that has called you for His Purpose which He has prearranged is faithful. Do you believe in the faithfulness of God? The Bible says Jesus committed His soul to God that He is faithful; and God did not allow His soul to see corruption: on the third day, He rose again and the Bible says God gave Him a name that is higher than every other name. He became the first, He became great, taking the form of a bondservant, taking the form of a slave. Do we believe in the faithfulness of God?
