What Now?

An age and stage of life that can bring us to a place of dazed confusion and conflict in family relationships involves students who are graduating High School and entering into the next chapter of their lives. You see, as student’s transition from High School and to this next chapter of their lives, they can find themselves in a daze of fear and uncertainty. And that place of dazed confusion can often be summarized by a simple, yet tension-filled question. And that question is this: “What now? What am I supposed to do now?”

The significance of this question can not be overlooked or brushed aside, because this question often reflects a much deeper longing that all of us have. This longing is one of purpose, and is reflected by the question “What on earth am I here for?” And regardless of what age and stage of life you find yourself at here this morning, this question of purpose is one of three fundamental questions that all of us must answer during our lifetime. The answer to this question of purpose will profoundly shape our view of the world and how we live life here on earth. And the answer to this question will have a profound affect the level of clarity or confusion we will experience as we live life.

So I would like for us to answer the question “What now?” And regardless of your age or stage in life, my prayer is that we would be challenged to look afresh at this question and at how our lives reveal the reality of our answer to this question. You see, in my journey as a follower of Jesus, I have found this question of purpose to be the easiest to answer, yet one of the hardest to live out. We find the answer to the question “What now” in a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians. In the third chapter of the Book of Colossians, the Apostle Paul has been challenging the members of this first century church of the need to practically live out in our daily life the realities of their new life in Jesus Christ.

In Colossians 3:5-7, Paul reveals how our actions should reflect the new reality of being a follower of Jesus. In Colossians 3:8-11, Paul reveals how our words should reflect the new reality of being a follower of Jesus. In Colossians 3:12-16, Paul reveals how our hearts should reflect the new reality of being a follower of Jesus. Paul then provides a summary statement in verse 17 of Colossians 3 that reveals the timeless answer to the question “What now”? And it is in this summary statement that we also discover a timeless truth when it comes to our relationships. So let’s look at this summary statement together:

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

In this summary statement by the Apostle Paul, we find the answer to the question “What now”. The first thing that we notice about the answer to this question is it’s scope. We are told that whatever we do, whether in word or deed; in other words whatever we are talking about or whatever we are doing with our hands, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus. I don’t know about you, but isn’t that freeing? So often we find ourselves saying “What am I supposed to do with my life”; so often we can find ourselves struggling and comparing ourselves to others to find the right answer.

The answer is whatever you do. Some of you, God has given a passion for creativity and design. Go for it. Some of you have a passion to engage in political and social issues. Go for it. Some of you want to help others in a way that they are healed physically or emotionally. Awesome. Whatever you do. Now some of you might be saying, “Well Dave I don’t know. I want to do something significant, something meaningful. I mean God would want me to do something important and spiritual, like be a Pastor or a missionary. But I love to engage in conversations about policy and debate people; I love to design things”. God is telling you to go for it. Whatever you do. That is comprehensive.

You see, God does not make a distinction between the sacred and the secular. God has wired each one of us with a distinct personality, passions, and gifts. As followers of Jesus, God places us as individuals and as a church in a distinctive environment to be distinctively different. God desires to use us as individuals and as a church to be the vehicle that He uses to reveal His Son Jesus to the world. Look, somebody is going to be debating about important political and social issues; someone is going to be designing buildings; someone is going to be in a position to offer physical and emotional help and healing. Why not have the person who is engaged in those activities doing them in the name of the Lord Jesus?

But what does Paul mean when he says to do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus? Does he mean that we should be going around saying “I am designing this building in the name of the Lord Jesus; I am providing this treatment for your injury in the name of the Lord Jesus.” While you may want to do that, I don’t think that is what Paul is talking about here. The idea that is being conveyed to us by this phrase is the sense that we are Jesus representative acting with His approval. Now there are some things that we can not do in Jesus name; there are some things that if we did them, would not meet with His approval. We should not be doing those things. What Paul is saying is that whatever we do, in word or deed should shine a light on Jesus as His representative. Whatever we are talking about and whatever we are doing should be done with a different spirit. Whatever we say and do should have a different focus than that of the world.

And it is in the answer to this question that we see Paul reveal for us a timeless truth that should govern our lives as followers of Jesus. And that timeless truth is that our relationships should enhance God’s reputation. That person who had a debate on a policy or social issue should walk away saying “I have never engaged in a conversation with someone I so disagreed with philosophically or politically and yet I respect so much as a person; I have never had someone work on a design for a project was more conscientious, or treated me with more respect, than you have”. Or, “I have been coming to this casino for a long time, but I have never been treated as well as you have. What makes you work so hard with such a great attitude?” And it is in that moment that you have the opportunity to introduce them to Jesus, who they have just met through you being the vehicle that Jesus uses to reveal Himself to the world. And when that happens, when we embrace our purpose, we walk away giving thanks to God the Father for not only the reality of our rescue from our selfishness and sin through Christ, but also for the fact that we can play a small role in His huge story of rescue and redemption.

So, where does God have you right now? Are you in school? Do your school work as Jesus representative. Are you a stay at home mom? Be a representative of Jesus to your husband and your children. Are you in management at work? Be a servant-leader to your employees that reflects Christ. Whatever age and stage of life you are in now; whatever you do, do it all in a way that glorifies God and reveals Him to the world. And in the relationships that God places you in, live your life in a way that enhances God’s reputation.

That’s it. That’s the end of the sermon on purpose. But, as I said earlier, while this question is one of the easiest to answer, it can be one of the hardest to live out. And how we choose to embrace or reject this answer will have a profound effect as we look back on our lives. So at the end of our life, when we look in the rear-view mirror of our life, what do we want to see? Do we want to see a life filled with regret over not leaning into and leveraging our lives into the lives of purpose that God has given us? Or do we want to be able to rejoice over the opportunities that God has given us to be distinctively different in the distinctive role we played in God’s story? How has God’s reputation fared as a result of your relationships? Do your relationships enhance God’s reputation?