What is the Point? At some moment in our life we have probably asked ourselves or someone else this very question. I think a more specific inquiry would be, what is the purpose of life, or maybe what is our purpose? In fact, many times when we are teaching other married couples I often ask questions like these, “What is the purpose of your marriage”, and I usually follow up with, “What is the purpose of our lives?” In speaking to others, many times I notice that this is something couples have never specifically asked themselves. If they have, it’s been so long since they asked themselves that question they have forgotten the answer. After experiencing the typical silence which follows questions like these, I will respond with what I believe is the answer.
Mark 12:28-33 (NIV), One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
As the scriptures indicate, the first part of our primary purpose in life is to love God, be in relationship with Him; and whatever it is that we do in life, do it for the purpose of glorifying Him. The other part of that primary purpose is to love others. Those two things are more important than all those other offerings and sacrifices that we make in our lives.
Relationship Sandwich
When I was thinking and praying about this post the thought of a sandwich came to mind. Maybe I was hungry, or maybe the Lord was just using that hunger as my inspiration for this message. Nevertheless, the word-picture for me was this: When you make a sandwich you start with a bottom slice of bread or foundation.
This would represent the basis for that love story in the bible. We overcome by the blood of Lamb and the word of our testimony. The Grace of salvation was made possible with the blood of Christ through faith. While salvation isn’t possible without Christ, our testimony of what He has done for us is also very important. The power of the Holy Spirit proclaims the work of cross through our personalized testimony in each unique life, and this is what verifies His glory. We are called to be prepared to explain the reason for our faith to others. While Christ did the hard work on the cross, we are supposed to lift Him up so that all men are drawn to Him.
The meat is at the center of the sandwich. This is the part of the sandwich that is most fulfilling. If we want to be at the center of the will of God, then we need to love God, love Others, and be in relationship with Him, and then others as well. Consequently, when loving and serving God and others, this will be the times when we are the most fulfilled.
While the bottom portion of the “sandwich” is the foundation, and the “meat” of the sandwich bring much fulfillment. The sandwich becomes whole or complete with the top piece of bread. This is where believers begin to take things to a whole new level. Sure, we can be like that thief on the cross who in his last moments of life accepted Christ as his savior, or maybe ensure salvation as one only escaping through the flames. The point is there is so much more than just getting by with the minimum.
God wants more for our lives than just the bare minimum. He wants us to have an abundant and fulfilling life. God wants us to be leaders who point people to Christ, just as the Apostles did. He wants us to lead our wives, our children, our families, and our friends in the ways and the principles of God. The next time you wonder what your purpose is and you start to hunger for the meaningful things in life, begin building your own “relationship sandwich” and see how God fulfills your desires.