We see in our text that Jesus is beginning His ministry to preach the Gospel, the good news of salvation. His message is straight forward, not hard to understand. He says that the kingdom of God is close at hand, therefore repent and believe in the forgiveness of sins.
As we read further we see that Jesus is recruiting some helpers. He is calling men, who became His twelve disciples, to participate in His ministry to spread the good news of the forgiveness of sins. A few of them were fisherman, but that would change. Instead of catching fish, they would catch people for the kingdom of God. That was to be their calling. Quite clear, if you ask me. Jesus told them exactly what they would be doing.
Have we ever wondered what our calling was in life? Perhaps as we hit the teen years and had to decide what we were going to do with our lives we weren't sure what we were going to do. I'm sure we experienced some anxiety. Maybe some of us are still wondering what our call in life truly is.
Maybe some us question our purpose here on earth. Maybe some of us even question the purpose of God's creation. Why do we exist? Why does what we see around us exist? If you fall into the category of people among us who question our purpose and the purpose of creation, you're not alone. People have been asking these questions for centuries. And it's okay and understandable.
What is the purpose of our existence? All of a sudden we come into being; we're born into this world. We try to make sense of it all. We're forced to play the game of life. What does it mean? What is our purpose in all of this? What is our calling? These aren't wacky questions. Just about every person wants to know his place in life.
The theory of evolution which attempts to explain where we all came from gives us no answer whatsoever to the questions of life, our calling, and reason for our existence. Yet what amazes me is how widely accepted this theory is among people, especially among the so-called intelligent and wise. And it's widely taught in our school system. But again this theory answers none of these questions.
The only place we find real answers to the questions about our existence and purpose and calling here on earth is in Christianity, in our belief in God. Maybe we never thought about it before. We look at our faith in Jesus as something that just gets us into heaven. But it's more than that. It has a present aspect to it as well. What I mean is that our faith in Jesus Christ does more than just point us to the future; it helps us understand our purpose in the now, the present in which we find ourselves. With that said, let me explain what our purpose or calling is here on earth and the reason for creation.
In our text Jesus calls several fishermen to be apostles. The word "apostle" simply means "one who is sent." It's obvious in this instance that Jesus wishes to send these fisherman out into the world to bear witness to Him. At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, He tells them to go out into the world and preach and teach the Gospel which will save those who believe it and bring praise, glory and honor to God Almighty.
We have been called by Jesus Christ to do the same. Of course, not all of us have been called to proclaim the Gospel to the extent that the twelve disciples were. But we have been called to be Jesus' witnesses in all that we do. We bear the mark of Jesus wherever we go and in whatever we do. This is the ministry we have been called to.
Jesus made us, created us for this special ministry, believe it or not. The reason you and I exist is to give praise and glory to God, to give God pleasure and enjoyment by being faithful servants or apostles. Why else, do you think, He created mankind and put him on earth? Do you think he created mankind to be hostile toward Him? What would be the point of that? Do you think that was God's intent? I don't think so.
When God created us and all the angels, He created us good and wanted us to serve Him. The angels and Adam and Eve completely understood this. Unfortunately, the devil and his angels and Adam and Eve objected to God's reason for creating them and consequently fell from grace. Moreover, evil came into the world as well as confusion. Today, many people are confused as to why they exist or what their purpose and calling are here on earth.
However, Jesus gave Himself up for us by dying on a cross and rising from the dead. He did that so we might come to understand the real reason for our existence and reason why we were created. We were created to bring praise and glory to our Maker and our purpose is to be His faithful witnesses in what we say and do. Our purpose in life is to serve God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. If we keep that as our focus then everything else in our lives will fall into place.
Now I come to the question, why does creation exist? Why did God make everything around us? I believe that God made the things around us for both His enjoyment and ours. God derives pleasure from beholding all that He has made. Don't we get enjoyment from making things? Sure we do, especially if they turn out well. The same holds true for God. If God didn't intend to enjoy His creation, why then would He have made anything at all?
The purpose of God's creation is to cause us to marvel at the wonders of nature and give God the praise and glory. The wonders of nature are a testimony to God's almighty power. For example, the energy that earthquakes and volcanoes produce is mind-boggling. There is no way man can replicate that. When we witness the amazing things that happen in nature how can we not turn to God and praise Him?
The main reason everything exists is to bring praise and glory to God Almighty. If we keep this in mind, we really shouldn't have to wrestle with the question why have we been placed here on earth or what is our calling. We will seek to bring joy to our God in everything we do, including in our profession.
I warn us not to go along with the popular mindset that there is no reason for us to be here. Life is too complex to say that it has no meaning, that there really is no purpose for us to be here. That's not true at all. God has put us here to serve Him, to bring Him pleasure and delight. That is our calling.
If you are still searching for your calling in life, look no further. Remember that Jesus has called us all to do everything for His glory and praise.
People get so caught up in what they are going to do in life "Does God want me to be a fireman or policeman or farmer or sociologist or salesman" that they miss what is most important. If we understand that our calling is to serve God in all that we do, everything else will fall into place in this life. We need not let anxiety get the best of us.
Most of all, however, we need to remember that God has called us to eternal life through Jesus Christ. He has a special place just waiting for us in His kingdom. If we remain focused on our call to praise and give Him glory, we will be called to heaven. May the Holy Spirit help us remain focused on our calling to serve our Lord.
