Fulfilment
18th June 2011
Jesus said:
John 10:10
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
So why do so many Christians seem to live unfulfilled lives? Why are the bored, disillusioned and demotivated?
Jesus also said:
Matthew 11v28-29
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
So why do so many Christians seem tired? Tired of worship, tired of prayer, tired of their church, tired of their life. I think much of the answer is in the passage we looked at last week, when Jesus said:
Acts 1:8
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in
all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
When Jesus said this to His disciples, he was setting out what Christians are. We are his witnesses. This is our calling - our function. It is what we're for.
1 Peter 2:9
you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare
the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
We belong to God so that we may declare his praises both in worship and in witness. A Christian who does not regularly worship God, or who is not involved in the work of witnessing to God's goodness and the cross of Jesus Christ, is not living the Christian life. No wonder such Christians are unfulfilled.
I had a vision recently. I was sitting in a restaurant where all the customers were Christians. Jesus Christ was the waiter. We were all waiting for Jesus to serve us what we'd ordered, and were even getting impatient with him because we thought the service was too slow. Jesus was working very hard trying to keep us all happy (a vision does not have to be 100% theologically correct) and we were just sitting there, getting annoyed. God was waiting for just one Christian to say, "Jesus, please sit down and let me serve you" but no-one did.
It's true, of course, that Jesus is our servant and even laid down His life for us. But it's also true that He is our Master and we are called to be His servants, and His witnesses.
Romans 12v1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy
and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.
Every Christian was designed by God, and is being healed by God, so that we can do what we were designed to do. We will be fulfilled when we function according to that design. And we were designed to be His witnesses.
To be Christ's witness can feel frustrating at times, when you share something of the kingdom of God with someone and they don't respond. But people typically need many encounters with God's people before they find faith in Jesus. When we witness, we're often being just a small link in a chain of events that will eventually bring them to Christ. And that's OK. We are doing what we're here to do. We're living real Christian lives, we're serving our Lord. And every act of witness makes a difference.
Romans 12v2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then
you will be able to test and approve what God;s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.
God's will for us is that we do what he designed us to do and be what He designed us to be - His witnesses, in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is good, pleasing and perfect. It's the only way to find true fulfilment.
Nothing else comes close.