What Are We Here For?

One of the great things about being a disciple of Jesus is that we always have an answer to the question: What am I here for? It’s not an answer that comes from the accumulation of wealth, or a life of leisure and pleasure. It’s an answer that comes to us out of the very purposes of God in eternity. Christ is the first born form the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. We are here to serve and glorify Jesus, who has loved us with an immeasurable love and redeemed us at immeasurable cost.

We have been learning from the Gospel of Luke that Jesus purpose’ was to preach the Kingdom of God. The purpose of his preaching was to call disciples to follow him. The purpose of this calling is mission (from now on you will catch people), and Jesus’ mission is to proclaim release of the captives and announce the day of the Lord’s favour – the Good News of Jesus. He releases us from captivity to Satan, sin and death as we turn back to God in the knowledge of his forgiveness. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

This week we press pause on our Lukan series. Don’t worry – we’ll be back to continue the story shortly! But the next four weeks we will preach through Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, four chapters in four weeks. As we look at Colossians 1 this week, we will revisit our Vision Statement: Our city transformed by the hope of the Risen Christ. What are we here for? What is God’s purpose for St. John’s? We are here for Jesus Mission, to proclaim the Good News as he calls people to be his disciples and set them free from captivity, to bring them into the freedom of the Children of God.

In the following weeks we will revisit our Mission Statement. The mission statement is an attempt to summarise what it is that we must do to fulfil our vision: We must: Grow disciples of Jesus; Glorify God by our love and service; and Engage our city with the message of the Risen Christ. Now I’ll tell you a secret! On Sunday you will see our revised version of this Mission. It’s succinct, easy to remember, and cuts to the heart of what we’re about. I can’t wait to show you.

Bruce Morrison
Senior Minister

PRAY: Give thanks for the clear purpose God has given his people—to serve and glorify Jesus by proclaiming the Good News and making disciples. Ask God for wisdom and boldness for the church as they seek to grow disciples, glorify him through love and service, and engage their city with the hope of the risen Christ. Ask God to work through St. John’s to call many to freedom in Christ, that they may know his grace and live for his glory.