Does It Matter?

Introduction

Not long ago, Mitch Albom wrote a book entitled “The Five People You Meet in Heaven.” It is a work of fiction based upon the life of a man named Eddie. Eddie is born, grows up, fights in a war, marries, buries his spouse much too early, works, and eventually dies saving a little girl’s life. The question throughout the book is “does it matter?” Not in those exact words, but especially as we journey with Eddie through the latter years of his life. He is struck by the profundity of growing older alone and wondering “what about his life really mattered?”

Have you ever thought like that? When we are younger, the length of our lives is such that we may not be able to envision doing something great but the sheer number of years available to us may allow us to do something distinct. In fact, we find some kind of vicarious glory in knowing someone who has done something great. It somehow enriches our own life to know someone who has managed to “succeed” in this world at least as the world counts success. As we age, we discover that greatness is afforded to very few and the reality that we will not be one of the few sets in. For many this is a time of reevaluation leading to what is often termed “a mid-life crisis.” The realization that one cannot go back and reclaim the adventure of youth; regrets and missed opportunities are highlighted; and a realization that the future while good may not be all that we had dreamed it would be.

When we come to life’s end, the question which remains on our hearts is “does it matter?” Or to phrase it another way, what was the purpose? What did it all mean? Did I make an impact in this world? Eddie discovered that he made a profound difference in this world. Albom allows us to walk the fictional journey that we all want to take. What difference did I make in this world? Wouldn’t you like to see it? As Eddie discovered the differences he made in this world were not always easily recognized. It was after his death that God allowed him to see some of those distinctive impacts he made. Perhaps that will be part of our own heavenly experience. But the Bible is not silent about purpose and meaning in our own lives. God has tried to reassure us that he made us and claimed us for him. Tonight we are going to look at several texts to help us understand what our purpose and meaning is in this life. I trust that our time together will help to live with confidence and security knowing that we are fulfilling God’s intent for our lives.

Scriptures

Let’s begin at looking at our purpose in this world by examining our text. Paul says that God’s will is found in Jesus. The ultimate purpose was to bring all people and all things under the authority of Jesus. This is God’s intent and purpose. And the fact that he has revealed this to us who love him and want to honor him means that his purpose is our purpose. We are here to reconcile people to God and thus to each other.

Jesus succeeded at the cross in making this possible. However, people still must choose who they will follow. When we spend our lives living for ourselves then we will miss the opportunity to fulfill God’s purpose. Not all will choose to be in submission to Jesus. But another person’s refusal does not change our purpose.

When Jesus walked this earth, not all followed him. But he did not lose sight of God’s purpose. Paul will hit on this theme again in Ephesians 3:10-11. God’s intent is that his people reveal God’s wisdom.

Our difficulty is that we compartmentalize our lives. We think that what we do in a room on Sunday has little effect on what we do in a cubicle on Monday; or our choice of entertainment; or how we treat others. We hear God’s words to love and we want some directive on what that looks like. What it looks like is that every person you know, every person you meet, every person that you touch is an opportunity to reveal God’s purpose in this world.

Instead of looking for how we are to love, we need to be convicted in our minds that we live for God. Every day; every moment is for him. When we become convinced of that in our minds, then we treat people the way God would want us to.

Colossians 3:1-2 makes the same point. Since we have been raised with Christ—when were we raised with Christ? In our baptism. We came out of the watery grave and were pronounced to be new people. Since we have been raised with Christ, then we set our minds on things above not on things of this earth. This is difficult at best. We are surrounded by flesh and blood things. Our senses are finely tuned for this earth. Our minds find it difficult to comprehend that which we cannot see. Our minds cannot get around something infinite.

But Paul gives us a clue about how we can set our minds on things above. We must consider ourselves dead. We are dead to this world. We died and our life is now found in Christ. If we died, then the one who gave us life receives our attention and loyalty.

In our baptism we died and God raised us to a new life. It is his life. We belong to him. He gets to tell us how to live and what to do with our lives. It isn’t that he gets Sunday; he gets every day.

The difficulty is found in our thinking. We think that this life is ours to live. We can do what we wish. We get to breathe God’s air and we can choose how to live. We died. The only life we have is God’s.

Application

We can look back and be filled with regrets. We can look back at our lives and think that somehow we didn’t accomplish what we wanted or dreamed. That is part of the reality of living in the flesh. But God has a different way of looking at things. Greatness is found in our journey of faith. The cup of cold water given in Christ’s name. The receiving of little children and blessing them. Helping someone who doesn’t have enough to eat.

Our lives are intertwined with God’s time line. When we recognize that our life belongs to God then every deed, every action, every word finds its purpose in bringing honor to God. This is not to put pressure on us to make sure we do not mess up. Instead it gives us a reason and motivation for each day. Nothing is wasted in this life when our lives are lived for God. The smallest word of encouragement honors him. This allows us to live our lives with great contentment and satisfaction for we know that our lives matter to God. Wherever we find our life being lived, we know that a life lived to honor him fulfills his purpose. What joy to walk with God; what optimism that brings; what contentment. This is a faith journey.

At the end of Albom’s book, Eddie learns how his life mattered. I am convinced that our God will allow us to know how we impacted the lives of others and how our lives were intricately intertwined with others. But until that time, let us live this life with faith, joy, courage, and contentment knowing that we are living for God in order to bring honor to him.

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