Day One Study
Read the letter to Philemon in one sitting. A copy is provided before Lesson 1.

1. What words or phrases interested you as you read this letter?
2. To whom is the letter addressed?

3. Why do you think Paul addressed this letter to the church, not just to Philemon?
4. What is Onesimus’ relationship to Philemon?

Historical Insight: To help you get the big picture—Onesimus apparently stole some money and ran away from Philemon. He ended up in jail with Paul in Rome. He became a Christian, and now Paul is sending him back to Philemon to restore the relationship. The two men now share the relationship as brothers in Christ as well as master/slave.

5. How does Paul feel about these two men? Give verses to support your answers.

• Philemon —
• Onesimus —

6. Review Colossians 4:9.

• What is said about Onesimus?
• What is not said about Onesimus?
• Why do you think Paul said what he did about Onesimus in his letter to the Colossians?

7. What does Paul ask Philemon to do regarding Onesimus?
8. Put yourself in Philemon’s shoes. What would be his biggest challenges to accepting Onesimus as an equal in Christ and worshiping alongside him in church?
9. Now, put yourself in Onesimus’ shoes. What be his biggest challenges in going back to Philemon and putting himself under Philemon’s authority again?
10. Staying Healthy: Have you been in conflict with someone in your church? Regardless of any feelings of guilt or of being wronged, what challenges did you face (do you face) in loving that person as your sister (brother) in Christ and worshiping alongside them in church?

Day Two Study
Read Philemon 1-25.

11. If Jesus Christ is above all powers and authorities, in all believers, and is all we need for earth and heaven, His Word should make a difference in our lives in very tough situations. This is a tough situation. The book of Philemon is a practical application of the teachings Paul wrote in his letter to the Colossian church, especially Colossians chapter 3. How should both Philemon and Onesimus apply the teaching Paul gives to the Colossians? Support your answer with verses from Colossians 3:5-4:1.

• Philemon —
• Onesimus —

12. Why should they be obedient to God’s teaching through Paul?

Think About It: Freedom of slaves, like all freedom, must come from the heart of Christ inspired men. Under this compulsion, slavery must ultimately wilt and die.
That it took so long for it to do so, that slavery was practiced by many Christians in America until the Civil War ended it, that it is still, in one form or another, in the world today—these humbling facts show the tenacity of socially entrenched sin and the failure of Christendom to deal with it. While all ethical behavior for Christians should arise out of love, rather than regulation or constraint, yet it takes fully committed disciples to put it into practice. (Constables Notes on Philemon, p. 15)

13. Read Philemon 11. The name Onesimus means “profitable” or “useful.” Paul makes use of this in his attempt to persuade Philemon (verse 11). What do you think Paul means?

From the Greek: The name Philemon means “affectionate” or “one who is kind.” If the slave was expected to live up to his name, then what about the master? (Constables Notes on Philemon, p. 11)

14. In summary, what is Paul really asking of Philemon in this letter regarding Onesimus?

Historical Insight: What happened as a result of this letter? Did Philemon forgive Onesimus? We have no direct record of his response to this letter. However, the fact that Philemon preserved this epistle and allowed it to circulate among the churches, strongly suggests that he did behave as Paul had requested. (Constable’s Notes on Philemon, p. 16)
By 110 AD, the bishop of Ephesus was named Onesimus. From some correspondence preserved during this time period, many scholars believe this is the same Onesimus who is the subject of Paul’s letter to Philemon.

15. What do you learn from this small but powerful letter about the cost of forgiveness and reconciliation?
16. Staying Healthy: In Philemon, Paul is proactively serving as a mediator between Philemon and Onesimus.

• Define mediator and mediation.
• Have you been in a place where you needed mediation between yourself and another person? Maybe you are in that place now. What can you do (based on what you’ve learned in Colossians and Philemon) to bring about reconciliation?
• Do you need to proactively serve as mediator between 2 people in conflict? What have you learned from Paul’s example that you can use to hopefully bring about reconciliation?

Day Three Study: TRUTH—the Prescription for Healthy Living
Dwell in Truth You Can Know

17. What 3 truths will you take away from this study of Colossians and Philemon?

Humbly Accept the “I Don’t Know or Understand”

18. Remember to accept the things you don’t know or understand and patiently wait for the Lord to help you know what He wants you to know.

Discern Teaching through the Complete Revelation of God’s Word

19. Remember to evaluate what you read, see or hear in light of the TRUTH you have learned—books, social media, billboards—things that sound nice and comfy but may actually lead to or be based upon error in biblical thinking. Always discern truth from error using the Bible.

LIVE IN THIS TRUTH EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE:
Jesus Christ is above all powers and authorities, in all believers, and is all we need for earth and heaven!
© Copyright, 2018.

January 7, 2018

No one sets out deliberately to damage his or her marriage. We all want happy, satisfying marriages. But because we live in an evil world that subtly influences us more than we realize, many sincere Christian couples drift into a number of dangers that damage or sometimes destroy their marriages. While no marriage is perfect, when believers avoid the world’s ways and apply the wisdom of God’s Word in their marriages, their marriages will be healthy.

Keep in mind that the main goal of marriage is not our happiness, but rather God’s glory. Our marriages are a picture of Christ and His bride, the church (Eph. 5:32). We are to display to the world (and even to the angelic hosts, Eph. 3:10!) the faithful, holy love that Christ has for His church. And, as John Piper has often pointed out, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” And thus every Christian marriage must aim at being a God-glorifying marriage.

In the paragraph before he gives explicit commands to wives and husbands, Paul gives these general commands (Eph. 5:15-17): “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” I’m not going to explain these verses in detail (for that, see my sermon, “Walking Wisely,” in the Ephesians series), but rather I’m going to apply them to marriage in a general way:

Because we live in evil times, avoid the world’s dangers and apply God’s wisdom to your marriage.

1. This evil world presents many dangers that will damage your marriage if you are not careful.

Some of these dangers are more deadly than others. If you fall into more than one, the damage is multiplied. Here are a “dirty dozen” worldly dangers that will damage your marriage:

1) Poor communication will damage your marriage.

Poor communication is one of the most prevalent causes of marital problems. It can take many different forms. In Ephesians 4:15, Paul says, “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.” As the head, Christ is to be the Lord of all our communication. Before you speak, ask yourself, “Will my words be pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ?” And, “Are my words both truthful and loving, with the aim of building up my mate in Christ?” To blast your mate because “that’s just how I feel,” may be truthful, but it’s not loving. To be dishonest about how you feel or not to say anything to avoid conflict may seem loving, but it’s not truthful, and will lead to long term distance in the relationship. For sake of time, I can’t say more here, but on the church website is a one-page resource, “Some Biblical Principles for Communication.”

2) Anger and abusive speech will damage your marriage.

Sinful anger is always destructive to healthy relationships. James 1:19-20 cautions, “But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” Paul commands (Eph. 4:29), “Let no unwholesome [lit. ‘rotten’] word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Then he adds (Eph. 4:31), “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [yelling] and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” Proverbs 15:1 states, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

All of those verses assume that you are able to control your anger if you choose to obey God. So the excuse, “I just have a short fuse,” won’t cut it! In the first “counseling” scene in the Bible, the Lord asks Cain (Gen. 4:6), “Why are you angry?” The Lord was not wondering about the answer to that question! He wanted Cain to examine his heart about the root cause of his anger. The root cause of all anger is selfishness: “I want my way and I didn’t get my way!” When we get angry we’re not in submission to the sovereignty of God, who is in charge of all the frustrating and trying circumstances that come into our lives. In marriage, partners use anger to try to intimidate and control their mates. But it always creates distance in relationships and it is always destructive!

3) Bitterness and a lack of forgiveness will damage your marriage.

After commanding (Eph. 4:31), “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [yelling] and slander be put away from you, along with all malice,” Paul adds (Eph. 4:32), “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” The antidote to bitterness and anger is forgiveness. Over the years, married couples will invariably wrong one other. If they do not deal with those wrongs God’s way, it slowly builds a dividing wall of resentment and bitterness.

Thus it’s important to keep short accounts with your mate. If you lost your temper and yelled at her, don’t say, “I’m sorry that I yelled at you, but your stubbornness makes me angry!” That is to blame her for your sin. Don’t even say, “I’m sorry that I yelled at you.” That may be true and she’s probably sorry, too. Saying that you feel sorry expresses how you feel, but it doesn’t accept responsibility for your sin. The proper way to deal with your sin is to say, “God has convicted me of my sinful anger and I’ve asked His forgiveness. I will try to work to overcome that sin. I’m asking you, ‘Will you forgive me?’” As Christians, we don’t have the option not to forgive someone who asks forgiveness (Matt. 6:14-15; 18:21-35). By saying, “I forgive you,” the relationship can be restored.

4) Sexual immorality (beginning on the thought level) will damage your marriage.

I emphasize, beginning on the thought level, because Jesus said that all immorality begins in the heart (Mark 7:21-23; Matt. 5:27-28). This means, guys, that if you’re secretly lusting after women other than your wife or you’re looking at pornography, you’re sabotaging your marriage. You’re on the slippery slope that leads to physical immorality. And, more seriously, Jesus said that if you don’t take radical measures to cut mental lust out of your life (pluck out your eye, cut off your hand), you’re headed for hell (Matt. 5:29-30)! I wouldn’t have put it so strongly, but Jesus did!

Although Christian scholars differ, my understanding (of Matt. 5:31-32; 19:3-9) is that God permits divorce in cases of physical sexual immorality outside of marriage (not in cases of mental adultery, as some counselors assert). But, God’s best is always forgiveness and restoration of the marriage. In the Old Testament, God often accuses His people Israel of spiritual adultery against Him. But over and over He offers forgiveness if they will repent and return to Him. Only after repeated adulteries does He finally divorce them (Jer. 3:6-10). Since the aim of marriage is to glorify God, I believe that forgiveness and restoration of the marriage brings more glory to God than ending the marriage. It’s never easy and it takes time, but it is God’s best.

5) Alcohol and drug abuse will damage your marriage.

I have seen Christian homes torn apart by alcohol and drug abuse. Many argue that alcoholism and drug addiction are diseases. That is partly, but not totally, correct. Both forms of abuse are sins, but they also have a physiological aspect. Once a person is addicted to a substance, his body craves it and he often will lie, steal, or worse to get that substance. To deny that alcohol and drug abuse are sins is wrong, because it absolves the person of responsibility for his actions. But no one ever became addicted to alcohol or drugs without choosing to take the first drink or first hit of a drug. The Bible condemns drunkenness as a sinful deed of the flesh (Gal. 5:21). Acknowledging it to be sin is the first step to deliverance from it, since God is in the business of giving His people victory over sin.

Although the Bible allows drinking alcoholic beverages in moderation, it can be dangerous. If you turn to alcohol to relieve stress or escape from your problems, you’re sinning, because you’re not trusting the Lord for these things. Turning to alcohol or drugs is a sin that will damage your marriage.

6) Selfishness will damage your marriage.

Selfishness takes many forms. As I said, selfishness is the root cause of anger. A selfish husband insists that he is right and he won’t listen to or yield to any other views. He does not think about his wife’s needs or how she may feel, but only thinks about his needs and how he feels. He will buy whatever he wants for himself, but deny his wife the same privilege. He will spend time with his friends when he feels like it, but not let his wife spend time with her friends, because he wants her to be available to meet his needs. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Life in the Spirit, in Marriage, Home & Work [Baker], p. 211) states,

The real cause of failure, ultimately, in marriage is always self, and the various manifestations of self. Of course that is the cause of trouble everywhere and in every realm. Self and selfishness are the greatest disrupting forces in the world.

Jesus said that to follow Him we must deny self and put it to death on a daily basis (Luke 9:23): “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” The second greatest commandment (Matt. 22:39) is that I love my neighbor as much as I do in fact love myself. My wife is my closest “neighbor.” To love her requires killing my selfishness every day.

7) Competition instead of cooperation will damage your marriage.

Many Christian couples are vying for dominance and power in their marriage. It often comes through in the way they exchange barbed comments or use humor to try to put one another down. If you were to confront them, they’d protest, “We’re just joking!” But competition, whether in marriage or in the church, goes against the truth that we are members of one another and our aim should be to build up one another (Eph. 5:28-30). If your arm is competing against the rest of your body, you’ve got a big problem. The members of your body should cooperate for their common good, not compete.

Before we got married, I told Marla that I did not want us to smash cake in each other’s faces at our wedding, because that shows disrespect and it would start us off competing against one another. In the early days of our marriage, if she was upset with me about something, I would remind her, “I’m on your side and I want what’s best for you. If I wronged you, I want to correct it. But we’re on the same team. We’ve got to work together.” In an argument or disagreement, your aim should not be to win, unless an important doctrinal or moral issue is at stake. Your aim should be to glorify the Lord by learning to cooperate as a couple.

8) Financial irresponsibility will damage your marriage.

I have read that disagreements over money are a major cause of divorce. Sometimes a freewheeling, impulsive spender will marry a cheapskate who won’t buy anything that isn’t on sale, in a thrift store, or absolutely necessary. As the famous understatement goes, “Houston, we’ve got a problem!” A couple like that will have to work overtime to live together in harmony. The starting place is to study what God’s Word says about financial stewardship. (Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University is a good starting point.)

This problem is made worse if couples are competing, not cooperating. They get into a spending war: “You bought yourself that new motorcycle that we couldn’t afford, so I’m going to Hawaii with my friends!” As the bills and the credit card interest skyrocket, tension in the marriage increases to the explosion level. You don’t need that tension! The solution is to manage your money according to the principles in God’s Word. Begin by working out a plan to get out of debt and then live within your means.

9) Mismanaging your time will damage your marriage.

Paul says that if we’re wise, we’ll make the most of our time. But it’s easy to fall into the workaholic trap, where you neglect your family. Or, many families get overloaded with too many activities. Or a husband and wife are going in different directions and not spending enough time together.

A frequent marital pattern is that early in the marriage, the husband pours himself into his career, putting in the necessary hours to succeed. He rationalizes his long days or frequent business trips by saying, “If I don’t do this, I’ll get passed over for the promotion or even fired.” Meanwhile, the couple has several children, so the wife’s time is focused on rearing them. If she’s also working in an outside job, she hardly has any spare time. So the busy couple drifts apart in their relationship.

Meanwhile, the devil brings along an attractive, interesting young woman at work who, unlike the overwhelmed wife at home, gives the husband attention and affirmation. Or, if the wife is working, a man at work fills a need that her overworked husband no longer is meeting. He is kind, caring, and has time to listen to her. He seems so understanding. Whether with the husband or the wife, it’s a setup for marital unfaithfulness. At its root is mismanaging your time so that your marriage relationship takes a back seat to other things. A ninth danger is related to this:

10) Wrong expectations and goals will damage your marriage.

Many couples enter marriage with unstated expectations. If a man’s expectation is that his wife stay home, keep house, and care for the children, but her expectation is to have a successful career, conflict is ahead! If a wife expects that her new husband will make a pile of money so that they can move up in the world and enjoy the good life, but his expectation is to live simply and give the rest to missions, a train wreck is in the making!

The solution is to talk about expectations and mutually to establish biblical goals for your marriage. Putting career success over marital success is a wrong goal. Living to impress others by getting a bigger and nicer house, newer and more expensive cars, or accumulating more stuff, is a wrong goal. Paul warns (1 Tim. 6:7-10):

For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Rather than seeking after all the stuff that pagans seek, Jesus stated what our goal should be (Matt. 6:33): “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Every couple needs to talk about and work out what that looks like in terms of time management and financial management. It’s not a once for life discussion. Seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness will look different at different phases of marriage. But that should be a couple’s overarching goal at every phase.

11) Worldliness will damage your marriage.

To be worldly is to adopt the world’s values, goals, and ways as opposed to the values, goals, and ways of God’s Word. Worldliness seeps into the cracks of your life when you’re not looking, so be on guard! The world says, “Marriage is to make you happy. If your marriage is not making you happy, you should divorce and go find someone else who will make you happy.” God says, “Your lifelong marriage is to bring Me glory by reflecting the relationship between Christ and the church.”

The world says, “The roles of men and women in marriage are up for grabs. It doesn’t matter who does what as long as you agree upon it.” The Bible says, “Husbands are to provide loving leadership; wives are to submit respectfully to their husbands.” The world says, “Stand up for your rights!” The Bible says, “Regard the other person’s needs and interests above your own” (Phil. 2:3-8). The world says, “Accumulating more stuff will make you happy!” Jesus said (Matt. 16:26), “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” Finally,

12) Drifting from the Lord will damage your marriage.

I often point out at weddings that marriage is like a triangle with God at the top and the couple at both lower corners. As the couple both move closer to the Lord, they grow closer to one another. Or, if they go in the opposite direction, they grow more distant from one another. As each partner grows in the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), they will grow closer to one another, since all of those qualities have a relational dimension: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” On the other hand, the deeds of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21), which include immorality, strife, jealousy, anger, and drunkenness, damage and destroy loving relationships. So guard your walk with the Lord! The antidote to all these dangers is found in God’s Word:

2. God’s Word gives us the wisdom we need to avoid these worldly dangers.

To refresh Paul’s commands (Eph. 5:15-17), “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

To be careful how you walk, you must avoid the dangers that damage your marriage. Where do we find wisdom? Proverbs 2:6: “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” He has revealed His wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in His Word (Ps. 119). The will of the Lord is that you and your family please and glorify Him in all things (1 Cor. 10:31; Eph. 5:10). His will is that you grow to love Him more deeply as you get to know Him better through His Word (Matt. 22:37). His will is that you glorify Him by your holiness, beginning on the thought level (1 Pet. 1:15-16; Mark 7:7-23). His will is that you grow in love for others, even as He has loved you (Eph. 5:1-2; Phil. 1:9). His will is that you treat others even as you want them to treat you (Matt. 7:12). Your marriage and family are the proving ground for His will to be displayed.

Conclusion

Here’s a main action point: If you’re not spending consistent time in God’s Word, begin there. There are many online plans for reading through the Bible in a year. Or, read through the New Testament several times this year. As you read, ask God to reveal Himself to you and to help you apply the Word in your family.

A second action point: Sit down with your spouse and evaluate your marriage by these twelve dangers. Hopefully, no one will score twelve out of twelve that need attention! Pick the one or two that need the most help and begin there. Then move on to the next most needy. Keep in mind that the main goal of marriage is not your happiness, but rather God’s glory.

In the preface to his book, When Sinners Say, “I Do” ([Shepherd Press], p. 16), Dave Harvey cites the Puritan pastor, Thomas Watson: “Till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet.” Harvey applies this to marriage (italics his): “When sin becomes bitter, marriage becomes sweet.” He then points out how the gospel is central for a sweet marriage. If you’ve not come to the cross as a sinner and by faith received new life in Christ and His righteousness, that’s your main need! The Christian life begins and continues with repentance from sin. When you trust in Christ as Savior and Lord, He gives you the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in you. He enables you to avoid the world’s dangers and apply God’s wisdom to your marriage, to His glory!

Application Questions

1. Go through the list of twelve worldly dangers and prioritize those that apply to your marriage. Discuss with your spouse.
2. How can an impulsive person who lives by his feelings develop self-discipline? What steps should he take?
3. How can we discern the harmful aspects of our culture from the harmless? How can we be in the world, but not of it?
4. How can a couple who have opposite financial mindsets live in harmony? Where should they begin?

Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2018, All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation

Introduction

My friend John stopped by my house one day in his pickup truck. I noticed that a bracket was broken on the truck causing the tail pipe to rattle against the frame. Having just obtained an electric welder which I loved to use at the slightest excuse, I offered to fix the bracket. John seemed grateful for my offer, and I set out to weld the broken piece.

But the task was not easy. The position of the break, along with my inexperience and lack of skill, made the repair difficult. As I proceeded to blunder along, my friend tried to look impressed and appreciative. After a while, I turned to John and asked, “Do you know how to weld?” When he admitted that he did know a little about welding, I suddenly recalled with considerable embarrassment that John had been a teacher of industrial arts. He not only knew how to weld; he had taught others to weld.

It is easy for us to think we are better than we really are. The Jews, to whom God had given the Law, along with the promise of being a great nation and the source of great blessing to others, thought they were better than the Gentiles. The Gentiles who then came to faith began to look down on the Jews who rejected salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. Paul’s words in Romans 11 are intended to bring the Gentiles back down to reality. Paul’s purpose is to teach them the truth, which should turn them from arrogance to humility and from self-congratulation to heart-felt worship.

The Setting of Our Text

The Jews had rejected Jesus as their Messiah and, as a nation, they were in a state of unbelief. Already, they were experiencing the judgment of God in the form of hardened hearts, and they would soon suffer a great calamity in the sacking of Jerusalem. A number of Gentiles, on the other hand, were coming to faith in Jesus. The complexion of the churches was changing from an almost exclusively Jewish constituency to a predominantly Gentile membership.

In chapters 9-11 of Romans, Paul explains what is taking place. While Israel has failed, the Word of God has not (see 9:6ff.). Rather, God’s Word has been fulfilled in all that has happened. The principle of divine election, taught in the Old Testament, is demonstrated in the experience of Israel in Paul’s day. Those Jews who have not believed were not chosen (Romans 9). Furthermore, those Jews who are under divine judgment have rejected the gospel, which had been plainly proclaimed among them (Romans 10).

Nevertheless Israel’s future blessings are certain and secure, because God’s promises are not frustrated by man’s disobedience (Romans 11:1-12). Israel’s disobedience is sin, but it is also a fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. Because God’s promises are a matter of sovereign grace and not of human works (11:5-6), Israel’s hope is secure. God has always maintained a faithful remnant, preserving the line He will someday restore and bless.

God’s purpose of bringing the good news of the gospel to the Gentiles, so that men from every nation might be saved, has been accomplished through Israel’s unbelief. If such blessings can come from Israel’s disobedience, one can hardly imagine what blessings will flow from Israel’s restoration (11:12, 15).

Israel’s history is no mere academic exercise, a few facts to be learned by the Gentiles. Neither is her failure to become the basis of Gentile pride. The Gentiles should learn from the mistakes of God’s chosen people, Israel, and they should be humbled. If God has not overlooked the transgressions of His chosen people, surely He will not take the Gentiles sin lightly either. Faith alone is the basis for abiding in God’s promised blessings, and unbelief leads to divine judgment. When the Gentiles begin to be proud, they reveal the same symptoms which led to Israel’s demise. Let them be warned.

There are yet other reasons why the Gentiles should be humbled as they contemplate God’s work among them and among the Jews. These reasons are given in verses 25-32. On the basis of what Paul has said to this point (chapters 1-11), the entire Book of Romans concludes in the praise of God, whose mighty hand and unfathomable wisdom require men to fall before Him in worship with Paul (verses 33-36.)

The Structure of Our Text

Essentially our text falls into two major divisions. Verses 25-32 outline Israel’s future and the principles on which it is based. Verses 33-36 are Paul’s concluding words of worship and praise, based upon the wisdom and the works of God, as seen in His gracious dealings with the Jews and with the Gentiles. We can thus summarize the structure in this way:

(1) Israel’s future, as it relates to the Gentiles — Verses 25-32

(2) Concluding praise — Verses 33-36

Israel’s Future Restoration
(11:25-32)

25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” 27 “And this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” 28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so these also now have been disobedient, in order that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. 32 For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all.

Paul has already indicated to his Gentile readers that he believes they are guilty, or in immediate danger, of an attitude of arrogance toward the unbelieving Jews (see 11:18, 20). Paul assumes such arrogance will be based upon the Jews’ blind ignorance and the Gentiles’ greater knowledge of the gospel. In truth, any such arrogance Paul believes to be based upon ignorance and not knowledge. For Paul, ignorance is the basis of arrogance. Conversely, humility is based upon knowledge. Arrogance is a distorted view of oneself and of reality; humility is seeing matters as they really are.

Paul’s prescription for Gentile arrogance is to expose and to expound a mystery. Do these Gentiles think they know so much? Then Paul will show them something they are not aware of, something to humble them and lead them to worship and praise God rather than patting themselves on the back.

Before exploring the specific mystery Paul has in mind for his readers, we should arrive at a biblical definition for a mystery, at least as Paul uses this term.³⁵ In its broadest terms, a mystery is that truth which mortal men would never have imagined and which they are unable and unwilling to believe, even when it is revealed to them.

As I have reflected on Paul’s use of this term, I believe God’s “mysteries” have four phases. We might call the first phase of a biblical mystery the “unrevealed phase.” This phase begins in eternity past. The mysteries of God are those plans and purposes God has planned and predestined which have not yet been made known to men. The second phase of a biblical mystery is that phase during which God foretells that which He has eternally decreed. This second phase is a prophetic phase. The fulfillment is yet future, but the revelation of the plan is prophetically revealed. The third phase of a biblical mystery is its actual fulfillment. That which God has purposed, of which He has prophesied, He now brings to pass. The fourth and final phase of a mystery is the proclamation phase: God proclaims to men that which He has purposed, promised, and produced.

A mystery, at each and every phase, is a mystery: fallen men would not have predicted God’s purpose, they would not believe it when it was prophetically revealed, they cannot grasp it even when it is taking place, and they refuse to believe it when its fulfillment is proclaimed.

The greatest mystery of the Bible is the mystery of Christ. In ages past, long before man was even created and placed in the Garden of Eden, God purposed to send His Son to the earth to die for the sins of men and to bring about the salvation of God’s elect. No one would ever have imagined such an amazing gift of grace. No one did. No mortal man existed at the time to even expect it.³⁶

God began to unveil His previously unrevealed plan of sending His Son to atone for the sins of fallen men (see Genesis 3:15) when He created Adam and Eve and they fell into sin in the Garden of Eden. As time passed, more and more clues were revealed concerning the Christ and His coming, until even the place of His birth was revealed (see Micah 5:2). Even so, it was a mystery to men. Even the prophets who foretold of the coming of the Christ were perplexed at what God had revealed through them (1 Peter 1:10-12). Specifically, these prophets could not put together the two streams of revelation: (1) that the Christ would suffer; and (2) that the Christ would reign triumphantly in glory. God’s plan and purpose, though prophetically foretold, was still a mystery to men.

Then, at last, the Christ came to earth. John the Baptist introduced Him as the Savior, the Lamb of God. Jesus identified Himself as the Son of God, God’s Messiah. God the Father bore witness that this One was His beloved Son. In spite of all this, men could not recognize Him as the Messiah, apart from divine illumination. And so He was rejected and crucified, which was also the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.

When Jesus rose from the grave, His resurrection from the dead was positive proof that He was the Christ, just as He said. In spite of the empty tomb, the transformed lives of the disciples, and the many miracles performed in His name, men would not and could not believe in Jesus as the Messiah. It was still a mystery. And so it is still a mystery, both to Jews and to Gentiles. Only by divine illumination, the illumination of God’s Spirit, can men grasp the work of salvation which God has accomplished and made available in Christ.³⁷ Even Christians can only understand God’s mysteries by means of His Spirit:

Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not as Moses, who used to put a veil over his face that the sons of Israel might not look intently at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart (2 Corinthians 3:12-15).

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Corinthians 1:21-25).

Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM” (1 Corinthians 2:6-9).

I have come to the conclusion that the term “mystery” applies not to isolated portions of truth, but to all truth which pertains to the gospel. God’s plan and purpose to save men, including both Jews and Gentiles, is one men would never have imagined, would not have asked for, did not understand when it was prophetically foretold, did not recognize as it was being fulfilled, and failed to grasp even when it happened in history. God’s gracious dealings with men are all mysteries which men would never believe or receive unless God divinely intervened and enabled them to do so.

The very mention of revealing a mystery to these Gentiles should prove humbling. Rather than priding themselves in knowing truth which is concealed from others, they must humbly admit that this truth is that which they would never have believed, apart from revelation and divine illumination. The revelation of this truth is a matter of grace and not a matter for which men can take credit.

What then is the “mystery” which Paul reveals to these Gentiles? It is simply this: Israel’s failure is neither full nor final, but rather partial and temporary, and that Israel’s “fall” is not only the occasion for God’s saving the Gentiles, but also for God’s mercy to be poured out on His chosen people.

The Gentiles seemed tempted to conclude that Israel’s fall was full and final. They appear, as some do today, to want to think of themselves as having replaced Israel as “God’s favorites.” They were wrong! God’s purpose was that Israel would only partially and temporarily be hardened. The hardening was partial, because God always preserves a faithful remnant (see 9:27-29; 11:4-6). The blindness of Israel is only temporary, just long enough for God to save the full measure of those Gentiles whom He has chosen.

There is no question that Israel has fallen into sin, but this does not diminish Israel’s future hope. The Old Testament Scriptures which spoke of Israel’s future salvation spoke of her salvation from her sins. The text Paul quotes in verses 26 and 27 (Isaiah 59:20-21)³⁸ emphasizes Israel’s sin and ungodliness. Her salvation is not by works, due to her righteousness, but by grace, because of her great sin. Israel’s future restoration was prophesied as God’s gracious dealings which removed Israel’s sin and made possible the outpouring of His blessings. Israel’s condition in Paul’s day did not therefore present any problem unforeseen by God’s sovereign decree.

Paul presents a new and very different perspective by which his readers should look upon their fallen Jewish opponents. Actually, he presents two perspectives, both of which must be maintained. The first perspective is from the “standpoint of the gospel”; the second perspective is from the “standpoint of God’s sovereign choice.”

From the “standpoint of the gospel,” unbelieving Israelites should be viewed as “beloved enemies.” The Jews did oppose Christianity. Most of all, they opposed God. But their opposition, while ungodly, worked out (Romans 8:28) for the benefit and blessing of the Gentiles. The rejection of the gospel by the Jews opened the door for the salvation of the Gentiles. And so, these “enemies” performed a very friendly service to the Gentiles. The Jews became God’s enemies for the sake of the Gentiles.

The Jews, though God’s enemies, are also beloved of God because of the patriarchs. God made a covenant with Abraham, which He renewed with Isaac and Jacob (Israel). While the Jews had set themselves against God, God was still committed to bless this people because of His promise to their forefathers. God’s judgment on Israel was temporary. His blessings were still to come.

The reason for the security and certainty of Israel’s future blessings is given in verse 29: “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

This truth was the basis for the appeal of Moses as recorded in Exodus 33. God produces what He promises. God finishes what He starts. God’s commitments to the patriarchs were literal, and so will their fulfillment be. God keeps His promises. He promised to set this people apart, to sanctify them, and through them to bless the whole world. This He has done, in part, through their disobedience. This He will do, in total, through their salvation and restoration.

Two dominant themes are found in verses 30-32. The first is disobedience, and the second is mercy. Both are referred to four times in these verses. Paul wishes to highlight some very important points here.

First, Paul emphasizes that disobedience is the occasion for God’s grace and mercy. As Paul has said earlier, “where sin abounds, grace abounds even more” (see Romans 5:20). The disobedience of men sets the scene for God to display His grace toward sinners by saving them from their sins.

Second, Paul emphasizes that there is really no distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles in that both were disobedient sinners saved by grace.

Third, Paul explains why sin is allowed to persist: so that grace might abound in the salvation of unworthy sinners. Since grace is demonstrated toward sinners, both sin and sinners are allowed to exist so that God may deal graciously with some. Here is one explanation of why a good God would allow sin to exist.

What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so in order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles (Romans 9:22-24).

Viewed another way, Paul stresses that God has chosen to save both Jews and Gentiles by grace. Salvation does not come about as the result of fallen man’s obedience but due to man’s disobedience and God’s grace. Grace is not overcome by sin; sin is overcome by grace. Sin is our enemy. But our sovereign God is able to use sin as though it were His ally, when it is an enemy. God is not limited to using only obedient people in order to accomplish His will. He accomplishes His will through those who are disobedient. There is no basis for pride in this.

Were the Gentiles hopelessly lost in their sins, so lost that they were without hope? So the Jews thought. But God purposed to save Gentiles in spite of their disobedience and by means of Israel’s disobedience. Are the Jews now hopelessly lost in their disobedience? So some Gentiles may wish to believe. But God has purposed to shut the Jews up in their disobedience so that He may save them by His grace.

The Worship of Our All-Wise God:
An Antidote to Arrogance
(11:33-36)

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35 OR WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

The text of our lesson began in verse 25 by focusing on the puffed up minds of men. Here in verses 33-36 it ends with Paul falling before God in praise, based upon the infinite and unfathomable wisdom of God. These words are a most appropriate conclusion. They conclude not only the argument of chapter 11, and of chapters 9-11, but also the entire argument of chapters 1-11. These words turn our attention to Him who alone is worthy of our praise.

The punctuation of this portion offers a clue to its structure and argument. The statements of verse 33 end with an exclamation mark. These statements are about God. The sentences in verses 34 and 35 end with a question mark. These questions show how far short of God’s wisdom human wisdom falls. Man’s ignorance is thereby contrasted with God’s wisdom. All basis for human pride is swept aside. Verse 36 is almost a benediction, ascribing all glory to God for all eternity.

If history has shown the Word of God to be absolutely trustworthy, both the Scriptures and history have shown God’s wisdom to be infinitely above that of mortal men. All that has happened to Israel and through Israel to the Gentiles is precisely what God purposed and promised in His Word. All of this was, is, and will be a mystery to fallen men, because the wisdom of God is vastly higher and infinitely superior to the wisdom of men.

Who could ever have conceived of such a plan by which sinners, both Jews and Gentiles, would be saved? Who could have been so wise as to devise a means of saving men in spite of their disobedience, rather than based upon their obedience? Who could have planned a means for saving sinful men which would not violate God’s righteousness but would express His grace and mercy? Who could ever have thought of a plan so wise as that which Scripture has foretold and which history has unfolded?

If Paul is lost in verse 33 in the depths of the wisdom of God, in verses 34 and 35 Paul challenges those Gentiles inclined toward arrogance to compare their ignorance with God’s wisdom. These words could be used to rebuke prideful men, but they are employed in worship instead. Man worships God because He is infinitely greater, wiser, and more gracious than men. Seeing ourselves in the light of who God is humbles us. Seeing God in the light of who and what we are necessitates our praise and worship.

Paul’s words of praise are borrowed. The expressions of verse 34 come from Isaiah 40 which deals with the salvation of Israel from her sins. It does not speak of Israel’s salvation in a way that would flatter this rebellious people or incite them to pride. Nevertheless, much of its thrust is against the arrogance of the Gentiles, who prevail for a time over God’s people and who begin to be puffed up with pride, not understanding God’s purposes, nor that He has used them to accomplish His purposes:

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And marked off the heavens by the span, And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance, And the hills in a pair of scales? Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge, And informed Him of the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust. Even Lebanon is not enough to burn, Nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering, All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless (Isaiah 40:12-17 emphasis mine).

The words Paul quotes in verse 35 come from the lips of Elihu, spoken to Job as recorded in Job 35:

Then Elihu continued and said, “Do you think this is according to justice? Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’? For you say, ‘What advantage will it be to You? What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?’ I will answer you, And your friends with you. Look at the heavens and see; And behold the clouds—they are higher than you. If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him? And if your transgressions are many, what do you do to Him? If you are righteous, what do you give to Him? Or what does He receive from your hand? Your wickedness is for a man like yourself, And your righteousness is for a son of man” (Job 35:1-8).

Sin and righteousness are in view in this text. It shows that righteousness is in spite of our sin and without any contribution from us that is righteous. God’s salvation has not come to us because we initiated it or because we earned it. His salvation comes to us by grace alone. The grace and the wisdom of God not only lead to the praise of God, they strike a death blow to human pride.

One more thing may be said of this text from the Book of Job and from the lips of Elihu. Elihu, along with his other two friends, were wrong in the assessment of Job’s situation. They were not commended by God but rebuked for their words. And yet Paul finds the words of Elihu appropriate to what he is teaching in Romans. Even when Elihu was wrong, his words were right, when correctly applied by Paul. Once again, we see that God is able to use even the failures of men to achieve His purposes.

The final words of this chapter recorded in verse 36 sum up all of human history and show that God is sovereign and in control of history. He is the source, the means, and the goal of all things. This means He is “the author and the finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). It means He is the One who began the good work in us, and He is the One who will also complete it (Philippians 1:6).

But it means much more. This statement goes even further than Romans 8:28. In Romans 8:28, God is seen as the One who is sovereign in the life of the Christian, who controls all that comes into the life of the one who loves God and who is called according to His purpose. Romans 11:36 extends the expression of God’s control to “all things.” God is sovereign in history. While He does not cause men to sin, He has purposed to allow it, and even more to use it to accomplish His purposes and to bring praise and glory to Himself.

Conclusion

What should these words mean to us? What can we learn from them? Much, in every way (to borrow Paul’s words). Let us conclude by considering some of the implications and applications of Paul’s words.

First, we learn that truth is the basis for humility. The Gentiles’ arrogance which Paul sought to correct was not based upon truth but upon a mistaken perception. Arrogance is evident in a “know-it-all” attitude. When once we begin to grasp the infinite depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God, we realize how little we do know. When we begin to grasp the depth of our own depravity, we also begin to understand our resistance to the truth, even when it is revealed. How often Paul attacked arrogance and pride with the words, “Do you not know …?”

True knowledge—a knowledge of the mysteries of God, beginning with the mystery of salvation—should bring us to our knees. False knowledge tempts us to set ourselves above others and even equal with God (see Genesis 3:5). And the humility which true knowledge produces inclines our hearts toward God and our ears to listen to Him. Thus, knowledge produces humility, and humility seeks the wisdom of God (see Psalm 119).

Second, we dare not judge eternity by our circumstances at a moment in time. The Gentiles were tempted to look down on the Jews because of their blindness and unbelief. They were inclined to think that God had permanently set them aside. They judged Israel’s future by the present and not by God’s promises. The eleventh chapter of the Book of Hebrews reminds us that the Christian dare not base his view of the future on what is seen at the moment but on what God has said.

Third, because God’s wisdom is infinitely above and beyond our knowledge or grasp, we should expect God to accomplish His will in a way we would never have imagined. I often hear people pray in a way which suggests that God should accomplish what they think He should and in the way they think He should. This comes dangerously close to attempting to limit God by our weakness. Much better for us to ask God to stretch our understanding and faith by leaving both the ends and the means to Him and asking for those things which He has promised. I suspect most of our prayers would be substantially improved by reducing our petitions and increasing our praise. Our petitions should be for those things that will bring Him praise.

Fourth, the life of faith is trusting God in the midst of the mystery. Because God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher than ours, we will find that we are unable to reason out what He is doing at any particular moment in time. We shall only understand fully when we are with Him, in heaven. We must live out our lives, trusting God and obeying Him, when His workings are a total mystery to us. Did the Israelites know how they would survive trapped between the sea and Pharaoh’s army? They did not. But when all was done, the sea was the instrument of Israel’s deliverance and Egypt’s destruction. Did Abraham understand what God was doing when He commanded him to leave his homeland and go to an unspecified place? Did he know what God was doing when He commanded him to sacrifice his son? He did not. All Abraham knew was that God was faithful and that He promised him a land, a host of descendants, and blessings for the whole world.

Job diligently worshipped God, and he faithfully offered up sacrifices for his children lest they should sin and God should punish them. And yet in spite of all his precautions, God took all of his children anyway. Job could not understand what God was doing. Throughout his entire life, he never knew why the hand of God had worked in his life at it did. But he did trust in God, and thus he could praise and worship Him when his personal world was in shambles (see Job 1). Job’s sufferings and God’s strategy were a mystery to him, but when he came to grips with God’s infinite wisdom, knowing that God was in control was enough (see Job 38:1–42:6).

Asaph, the psalmist in Psalm 73, could not understand what was happening around him. God had promised to bless the pure in heart (73:1), and yet Asaph observed that the wicked seemed to be prospering while the righteous suffered. It was a mystery which brought him near the brink of doubt and disaster. Only when he began to view time in the light of eternity did he come to his senses. He did not fully understand all that God was doing, but he knew that God was drawing him nearer to Himself, both for time and for eternity. This was enough.

I suspect that God’s work in your life is a mystery at this very moment. You may have lost your job or your mate. You may be facing circumstances which seem to promise only defeat or disaster. But if you are a child of God, you know that He is in control of all things. He is working out your good and His glory by means of the very circumstances that puzzle you. You do not need to know the secrets which God has chosen to conceal. You only need to know what God has promised and to trust and obey (see Deuteronomy 29:29). This is what the life of faith is all about. God is in control. He has promised to bring about wonderful things for His people. And because He is infinitely wise and powerful, He will do it in ways that will bring us to our knees in wonder and praise.

Finally, this text reminds us of the security of God’s chosen ones. Our security rests in our sovereign and all-wise God. It does not rest on our faithfulness or on our works, but on Him who is the Author, the Sustainer, and the Goal of our faith (see 11:36). The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (11:29). While this principle is applied to Israel collectively, it applies equally to each individual whom God has chosen and called to salvation. The blessings of God are a certainty, in spite of our sin and because of our sovereign God.

What a joy it will be to spend all of eternity exploring the wisdom of God and expressing our gratitude in worship and praise. To God be the glory!

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35 Paul often uses the term mystery. It is employed by Paul in Romans 11:25; 16:25; 1 Corinthians 2:7; 4:1; 13:2; 14:2; 15:51; Ephesians 1:9; 3:3; 5:32; 6:19; Colossians 1:26-27; 2:2; 4:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:7; 1 Timothy 3:9, 16.

36 Angels existed long before man was created. I believe the same things which mystify men are mysteries to the angels. Why else would angels stoop to look down, to try to learn what God is doing (see 1 Peter 1:12)? Why else would God be teaching the angels and celestial beings (see 1 Corinthians 11:10; Ephesians 3:10-11)? I believe those angels who announced the coming of the Christ child wondered at the words which they spoke, just as the Old Testament prophets pondered their words (see 1 Peter 1:10-12). I believe there must have been a great silence in heaven during those three days when our Lord’s body lay in the grave. I do not think the angels understood the mystery any more than men did.

37 See 1 Corinthians 2:10-14.

38 The citation from Isaiah 59:20 and 21 seems to end with the words, “And this is My covenant with them.” I am not as certain that Paul is directly quoting from Isaiah 27:9 as is indicated in the margin of the NASB.

Please note, this article is from a talk at the Dallas Theological Seminary 2005 Women's Leadership Conference, but the video is no longer available on the DTS site.>

I am sure that most of you have seen Apollo 13. These three astronauts are on a mission. But they are not alone in that mission. Everyone at mission command is part of the mission as well. You could define their mission as getting three men to the moon. Each person, whether onboard on in the command center, has a specific part of the mission to complete. They are focused entirely on the mission.

We as believers are on mission for God. Together we work toward His kingdom program here on earth. We each are responsible for our part in that mission. When we discover what that personal mission is, we must give it our focus in order to maximize our influence and to accomplish the task.

I really do believe in what I am sharing with you today. In a sense I happened upon the truth that I should focus my influence where God has designed and sent me. I cannot remember anyone telling me that. I probably did it out of burnout when I attempted to take on too many things. Or I was simply frustrated by taking on ministry and activities for which I was not designed.

We are going to look at four things today:

1. Defining mission

2. Focusing your influence

3. Finding your God-given mission

4. Writing a personal mission statement

We start with defining mission.

I. Defining Mission

a. Mission is God’s overarching unique purpose for your life.

• It is the big picture of what God has called you to uniquely contribute with the life He has given you.
• It is a broad umbrella that covers your entire life, both career and personal.
• Some use the term “call” and some use “vision” for the same concept. Read carefully to determine if it is the same.

The way I will refer to mission today is not a specific short-term mission. Consider the difference in going on a short-term mission trip and becoming a lifetime missionary. I have been on 3 short-term mission trips and I have never really changed my life over them. There were a few adjustments for a few weeks, but nothing long lasting. On the other hand, long-term missionaries’ assignments are far-reaching and take place over many years. Their focus in life becomes this mission that they have. They adjust everything in their lives to the mission. That is the kind of mission we are talking about today.

With that in mind, let’s talk about what mission is not so that we don’t confuse it!

b. Mission is not—

• A job—I am the Women’s Minister at NBC. That is not my mission. I cannot see my mission as simply to lead the women of NBC. Although my job should be part of my mission, it is not all of my mission. I have only been leading women’s ministries in a church for 5 years, but I have been about fulfilling my mission for many years. The day will come when I no longer have the job but the mission will continue.
• A role, such as wife or mother—when we see our missions in this light, we are in trouble because those are roles that may or may not stay with us. If we can lose the role because of death or estrangement or other loss, we lose the mission and our life-purpose. If I had seen myself only in terms of my motherhood, I would not be lost, feeling purposeless because my children are grown and out of the house.
• Necessarily grand or highly visible. Some of you may have a mission to love and care for the hurting and the outcast in practical ways. That will never involve a highly visible role. Few may ever notice that you are busy doing your mission. But it is a mission that reflects the love of God to both believers and unbelievers. It involves Christ-like care for people in need. I can think of some women who serve me and the other women at our Bible study every Tuesday. They are not as visible as I am, but their contributions are as important as mine. They are the hands of Christ extended with warmth and welcome to others. Perhaps such a woman could say her mission is to make the love of Jesus real to those within her sphere of influence by creating a hospitable and warm atmosphere.
• Vision, but you need vision to accomplish it (I am defining vision here as a picture of the future in a particular sphere of life. Vision focuses on results while mission focuses on actions. I recommend highly Andy Stanley’s book, Visioneering when you want to look at the topic of vision.) When I think of mission, I think of Noah who was called to be a witness of God’s truth. As he built the ark, he told them of the coming judgment; yet, there were no results. No one came to repentance before God. Only his sons and their wives responded and were saved from the flood. Noah became a witness to his own generation and to all of us who have followed.

Mission is not about results.

Richard Nelson Bolles writes in his book How to Find Your Mission in Life, “As the stone does not always know what ripples it has caused in the pond whose surface it impacts, so neither we nor those who watch our life will always know what we have achieved by our life and by our Mission. It may be that by the grace of God we helped bring about a profound change for the better in the lives of other souls around us, but it also may be that this takes place beyond our sight, or after we have gone on. And we may never know what we have accomplished, until we see him face-to-face after this life is past.”

Mission as defined this way does not change. It is given by God as a life-purpose. If it were defined by roles or jobs or results, it would change. We may not understand what it is or even define it well, but it is God’s purpose for your life as a believer.

Bolles defines mission this way: “to exercise that Talent which you particularly came to earth to use—your greatest gift, which you most delight to use, in the place(s) or setting(s) which God has caused to appeal to you the most, and for those purposes which God most needs to have done in the world.”

Are there any questions about the way we are defining mission today?

The next thing we need to discuss is—

II. Focusing Your Influence

We see models of this in the lives of Jesus and of Paul.

a. Jesus’ example

Jesus gave several mission-type statements throughout his life. I found 7 that I would call mission-type statements.

1. Mt. 9:10; Luke 5:32 “For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (NET)

2. Mt. 20:28; Mark 10:45 “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (NET)

3. Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (NET)

4. John 9:34 “For judgment I have come into this world, so that those who do not see may gain their sight, and the ones who see may become blind.” (NET)

5. John 12:47 “I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” (NET)

6. John 18:37 “For this reason I as born, and for this reason I came into the world—to testify to the truth.” (NET)

7. John 10:10 “I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly.” (NET)

Although Jesus described His mission in several ways, depending upon the situation and the audience, they involve similar ideas. He came to save people and to serve them by giving His life for them and by preaching the truth to them.

We see that Jesus focused His influence in the area of His mission.

Luke 4:42-44 “And when day came, He departed and went to a lonely place; and the multitudes were searching for Him, and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from going away from them. But He said to them, ‘I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.’” (NASB)

Luke 9:51 “Now when the days drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus set our resolutely to go to Jerusalem.” (NET)

At the end of Jesus’ life He was able to say in John 17:4 “I glorified you on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” (NET)

He did not do everything that He could have done. He didn’t heal all the sick; he didn’t preach to everyone; He didn’t bring everyone to faith. He never traveled far from home. But He did all that He was sent to do. He completed His mission. If He had failed to focus on that mission and allowed others to distract Him, He would not have been able to fulfill what He was supposed to do.

Let’s look at Paul’s example quickly:

b. Paul’s example

In Acts 26 Paul described his conversion experience to King Agrippa. In that account he reported how Jesus had given him a mission.

Acts 26:15b-18 “The Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance as a servant and witness to the things you have seen and to the things in which I will appear to you. I will rescue you from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you to open their eyes so that they turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” (NET)

Paul kept this mission in mind throughout his life. In his last letter written shortly before he was martyred, he told Timothy that he had completed his mission.

2 Tim. 4:6-8 “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (NASB)

Paul finished the course. There was a lot that Paul didn’t do, but he focused on teaching and preaching the gospel to the gentiles, just as Jesus commissioned him to do.

When we focus on our missions, as Jesus and Paul did, we have to let some other opportunities and activities go. If we understand that God empowers us where He sends u, we realize that focus on mission maximizes our influence. I do more to influence others when I am about the work that God has specifically designed me to do than when I am doing anything else, as good as it may be.

Why don’t we focus our influence as Jesus and Paul did? What are the hindrances that keep us distracted rather than focused?

c. Hindrances to focus

• Pleasing people

Paul had this to say about pleasing people:

Gal. 1:10 “Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ!” (NET)

This is a big one for women, I think. A friend or someone whom you admire calls and asks you to take on a job or a task. Although you don’t think it quite fits your mission, you agree because you are so honored to be asked, out of all the women that could have been asked. You don’t want to disappoint your friend.

Or perhaps you would love to do this assignment with this friend because you enjoy her company so you agree, although it is not a good fit for you. You are pleasing people and even yourself when you do that. If God has not called you to the task, it is not one you should agree to do.

A second hindrance to focus is the

• Desire for recognition/ advancement

Matt. 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before me to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” (NASB)

I have certainly been guilty of this one. I can think of several times when I took on a speaking engagement that really didn’t fit me because I had this great opportunity to speak before a group. I am just not a dinner or retreat speaker, and I should always just say no when asked to do those kinds of things.

You could be swayed by the desire to advance in your working situation or even on a church staff. I think it is especially hard for women to turn down good opportunities when they are put before us, even if the job doesn’t fit who and what God made us to be. We make the opportunity more important than the mission.

Finally, a big hindrance for us is always guilt.

• Guilt

As we read earlier, when Jesus was approached with the demands of the crowds, He focused on His mission instead of giving in to guilt.

We often begin falling into this one with our parents. My mother is a master in using guilt to get me to do what she wants. I learned early on that she expected me to act out of guilt.

I went to a relatively small church for several years. When we joined, I was informed that all of the women did VBS. So I guess that I was the first not to do it because I didn’t allow guilt to be my motivation. That was not my ministry, and I only had time to focus on what God had called me to do. If I had given in to guilt or had done it to please people rather than God, I would have failed to give my best in the area where God called me to be.

I have found this principle of focusing on mission be the easiest way to quickly eliminate a lot of opportunities. As a rule I do not do the things that do not fit my mission. Now that doesn’t mean that all I do is within my mission. God calls all of us to share our faith, to encourage, to carry one another’s burdens, to pray, to help, to serve, and many other things. That is the mission of the church at large, and we are to participate.

But in what arena? Most of my evangelism is done when I am teaching a large group or when I am on a one-on-one with someone I know. I do not use up my Saturdays going with our evangelism team on DART to share the gospel with those who are waiting for trains. If I did that, I would not have time to do the ministry God has called me to do while prioritizing God and family. But I am not relieved of the responsibility to proclaim the good news. I just don’t make that my ministry focus.

Have you ever thought about the fact that a good thing can be a sin to you if God is not calling you to do it? If you are acting for any other reason, it is wrong because it distracts you from your focus. If you are motivated by guilt or pride or to please others rather than because it is what God has called you to do, you are doing it for the wrong reason, and it is sin.

I read somewhere that if we fulfill our missions, our lives will be out of balance. Jesus’ life was; Paul’s was. We aren’t called to a balanced life but to a life of purpose. We are to fulfill that purpose. Sometimes that means that we don’t live completely balanced lives. There are some things that just don’t fit into my life right now. I love to read and would like to just sit down and read more mysteries, but that has to give in to my mission.

Katie Brazelton, who wrote Pathway to Purpose for Women says, “God’s purpose will cost you your life in the sense that you must choose to die to self and accept his plan. It will cost you your life, too, in that you will be spent and used up in service to God. It will stretch you to such an impossible degree that you will fail without Him.”

Group Assignment: Let’s talk about focusing our influence. Let’s all pair up. Which of the hindrances is most likely to keep you from maximizing your influence? Why?

Now we want to move on. My guess is that the next area is the reason that most of you are here. You are unsure of your mission.

III. Finding Your Unique God-given Mission (John 17:18)

The first thing to say here is that you are probably already doing something related to your mission, but you may not realize it.

If you want to know what God desires you to focus on, you must first prioritize Him over the mission.

a. Prioritize

The Mission-giver over the mission (Mark 3:14)

Richard Nelson Bolles in his book How to Find Your Mission in Life describes this priority as the first of three missions in life: “to seek to stand hour by hour in the conscious presence of God, the One from whom your Mission is derived.”

This is God’s purpose for all people. Our love relationship with God trumps the specific personal missions given to us.

Os Guinness says in The Call, “We are not primarily called to do something or go somewhere; we are called to Someone. We are not called first to special work but to God. The key to answering the call is to be devoted to no one and to nothing above God Himself.”

We see this priority in Mark 3:14. It says that Jesus appointed twelve (whom he named apostles), so that they would be with him and he could sent them to preach.

The twelve were called to preach but more importantly, they were called to be with Jesus. That was the priority. That was how they learned from Him and received His instructions. Being with Jesus was the most important part of their training course. And even though Jesus intended to send them to preach, it was a while before he did. They spent a lot of time with him before they went out on their first journey.

How can we do Jesus’ work, the mission to which we are called, when we do not make Him our priority? That may be a big reason we are unsure of our missions. We don’t know how to listen to the One who sends us.

Not only do we need to prioritize the Mission-giver over the mission, we need to prioritize being over doing.

Being over doing

Os Guinness says, “Our secondary calling, considering who God is as sovereign, is that everyone, everywhere, in everything should thin speak, live and act entirely for him.”

In the passages that give qualifications of deacons and elders, we notice they are character qualities rather than skills or gifts. God makes character maturity a priority when He uses people. How can we bring glory to God unless we are more concerned with being the kind of women He can use than we are in finding a special assignment? First, we must be the kind of women whom God can use before He will trust us to do His mission.

We see this principle in Moses’ life. In Stephen’s sermon he said that Moses felt a call to liberate his people. But he was not the man he should be, as became clear when he tried to use murder to accomplish the mission. It took another 40 years for him to be ready to fulfill his mission from God.

What are some specific steps to take so that we prioritize our character over our work?

Heal from the past and then move into the present

Heb. 12:1-2a “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.” (NASB)

You may not ready to fulfill your mission because you are defeated and enslaved by your past and its sins or its hardships. If so, you need to deal with the sin and heal from the hurts so that God can use you and the past as part of your mission. Are there people in your past who need forgiving? Are there relationships that need healing? Are there hurts that you must face with God? Once you do that, God will use the past as you move ahead with your mission.

The second thing you always need to work on is character.

Grow in character

Growing in character is a lifelong journey, and we never quit working on this. It’s not a to-do list that we accomplish and then set aside. God is still working on me and I have a long way to go. I should always prioritize my personal growth over my mission. I can never stop reading the Scriptures and letting God speak into my life. I can never stop seeking the input of those who know me best to see what changes I need to make. It is not a matter of arriving but it is a constant process.

The next item listed belongs under character, but because of its importance in being prepared to do mission, I wrote it separately.

Grow in faithfulness & excellence

In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul instructs Timothy as a pastor: “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (NASB)

It is the faithful to whom Timothy is to entrust the ministry. That quality is very important if we are to be trusted with something more. God values faithfulness in the little things before giving bigger things to us. That theme runs through many of Jesus’ parables.

As far as excellence, God calls us to do our best in everything.

Col. 3:17 “And whatever you do in work or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him..” (NET)

The work that we do in every arena of life is to be done as if to God. Our work, whether it is cleaning toilets or selling stock or being in full-time ministry is worship. It is done for the glory and pleasure of God.

Other qualities where we must grow are love and servanthood. We must be willing to do whatever it is that God tells us to do. If that means that I love the unlovely or serve the selfish, I must be ready to do so.

Grow in love and servanthood

You are all familiar with the love chapter of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13. It is interesting that the context of that chapter is spiritual gifts. This chapter is sandwiched between two chapters dealing with spiritual gifts. The first few verses are important for us as women who want to fulfill a mission: “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.”

There is no point in doing the mission for which we are called if love is not at its core. Those of us who are task-oriented must learn that people are more important than the task. We must act in love toward others.

Jesus said that true leaders are servants.

Lk. 22:25-26 “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant.”

If you want to increase your influence, grow in your attitude of servanthood.

There are many other character qualities that I could have listed. I chose these because their lack could be the reason that God has not shown you a mission.

So you want to know your mission. Let’s say you are prioritizing the Mission-giver over the mission and being over doing. How do you discover your mission?

b. Look for the intersection of your divine design, the desires of your heart, and the opportunity

Jeff Lawrence, with whom I work, suggested this intersection of three circles and I thought it was really good as a visual explanation of how to find your mission. Where the 3 intersect is where you hope to be. I wish I could be technical enough to have that little spot colored, but I never could figure out how to do it!

The first circle is your divine design. That involves your personality, your abilities, your motivations, your preferences, and your spiritual giftedness.

In order to focus your influence in this intersection, you must discover your divine design.

Learn about your divine design

In The Power of Uniqueness Arthur Miller identified the centrality of using your design. He said, “What lies at the heart of a seven-days-a-week faith: It is using one’s endowed giftedness to serve the world with excellence and, through that service, to love and honor God! The calling that fully engages what God has given you is a holy task!”

Whenever and in whatever arena we fully use the giftedness that God has given us, we bring Him glory because He is the one who designed and created us.

Os Guinness says, “The truth is not that God is finding us a place for our gifts but that God has created us and our gifts for a place of his choosing—and we will only be ourselves when we are finally there.”

So how do you discover your unique God-given design so that you find the place where God intends you to be? There are always tests that you can take, but testing is very limited and not always accurate. I suggest trying some other things.

Study your spiritual giftedness

See what the Bible says about the gifts. The lists may not be exhaustive but when put together they may be. Remember that spiritual gifts are New Testament and so they come with the indwelling of God’s Spirit. There were some ways that God’s Spirit worked through people in the Old Testament, but spiritual gifts are specifically of the new covenant.

Here are some questions that may help you determine at least where to start looking for your giftedness.

What attracts you?

What sounds like you would enjoy it? I remember how I wanted to be able to teach like my pastor’s wife. I was attracted to that.

What gifts do others see in me?

I think this is really helpful, but I would ask someone who knows something about the subject of spiritual gifts. Otherwise you may hear that you are gifted at listening or at small talk. It may be true but those aren’t spiritual gifts.

There is a woman who leads one of our small groups. She is probably in her 60’s. After I had been at Northwest a few months, we had a lesson on spiritual gifts. She told me that she didn’t know what hers was. Well, I knew. Hers was obvious to me because I had seen her in action and I knew something about spiritual gifts. She was so excited to learn that she had the gift of exhortation, and the truth of what I told her has been confirmed over and over. She shared with me several weeks ago that she now makes time for women who call her because she realizes that they need encouragement and that is what God has called her to do.

I have placed on the table an assignment that I have done with several groups as we studied spiritual gifts. If you are unsure about yours, pick one of these up and use it. Instead of focusing on a test, written from someone’s interpretation of the gifts, this assignment has you interview some other people.

Another question to consider as you think about your spiritual gifts:

Where do I have success?

If God is working in me to empower me in that area, there should be a measure of success. That doesn’t mean that when I teach, I become Beth Moore with thousands of women wanting to hear me. It does mean that God uses me in the lives of those in my Bible studies, even if that number is very small.

What gives me joy and purpose?

I am convinced that your giftedness should give you an inner joy. As you walk where God designed you to be, you will sense that God is using you for His purposes.

Try different ministries

There is really no substitute for this. Sometimes you just cannot figure out your design until you try different things.

Before I knew anything about this subject, I was part of a young women’s group at my church. All we did as a group was meet once a month and listen to someone talk. It bothered me. So I got us as a group organized for ministry. I assigned us to visit people in nursing homes and to set up a clothes closet. The problem was that when I did those things myself, I hated it. I had nothing to say to the people in the nursing home. I had no clue. I don’t think I made them feel any better. Who wants someone from the church to come by and be boring? But I learned a great lesson. I do not have the gift of mercy. God has not called me to minister to the hurting or the sick. I am terrible at it! But I am good at figuring out how to organize a group to get things done.

Consider what you learn from the past

Think through the things that you have enjoyed or from which you have received a sense of accomplishment. What motivated you? What caused you to feel that you had accomplished something? Do you see a pattern as you think through your lifetime?

But we are complex creatures. We are not merely one-dimensional. Spiritual giftedness is only one part of the way we are designed by God for His purposes. There are other aspects to our giftedness.

Other areas where we need to understand our divine design is that of our preferences, our motivations, and our other abilities. We are more than our personalities and our spiritual gifts. We are each motivated by different things. Some of us are motivated by a tangible reward, such as money. Some of us are motivated by fixing a problem. Some like to create something new. The work and ministry we do should fit this part of our design as well.

Map out your preferences, motivations, & abilities

At the end of this handout is a list of some resources which you may be interested in checking out of a library or purchasing. The one called The Power of Uniqueness gives you some insight into this area of divine design and may be worth working through. In the appendix the author gives questions to consider in discovering other areas of divine design.

The giftedness center has a booth downstairs. This is a place to get help understanding your divine design.

Most of these things I sort of fell into because I didn’t have the benefit of these resources. No one told me to think through the situations in which I work well or to consider what motivates me. But through the years I did more and more of the things that I enjoyed under the conditions that I enjoyed. I stayed with the things that worked well for me.

Assignment: Go back to your partner and share for 2 minutes each what you know about your divine design. Do you know your spiritual gifts? What things do you like to do? What do others tell you that you do well? What motivates you? Do you like to work with people or with tasks? Are you energized by people or by solitude? Do you want to organize others to do the work or do it yourself? Or do you want to have the idea and have others implement it?

The first circle that helps us find mission is divine design. The second circle is the desires of the heart. Some may call this passion. I don’t know why I don’t like that word. When someone asks me about my passion, I can’t seem to answer. So we will go with the biblical word, desire.

Consider the desires of your heart

Ps. 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.”

I believe that God has given you desires that accompany your mission. It will not be the last thing that you want to do. That should make some of you feel better. Without the desire to go, God will not send you to Siberia. What does this desire look like?

• It may seem like passion for

A particular group of people

A cause

A task

A need

I don’t have a desire to help a certain group of people, but I do have a heart for challenging others to live according to the truths of God’s word. I suppose it’s a cause or a need. I see Christians who have no sense of the wisdom in God’s word. I want to share that with them.

I also have a desire for training up a new generation of leaders. That is why I am here doing this seminar today. The opportunity fit my design and my desires.

You may find your desires because you see the lack of something.

• It may surface because you see a lack

What is bothering you?

What needs to be done?

What is essential?

I was in a church where the Bible was not being taught. We were getting positive thinking instead. How that bothered me! My soul was not at rest because the people were not being fed. I knew that they could not make it long-term without the truth of the scriptures.

I also am bothered by disorganization, as far as the large organization is concerned. I like simple rather than complicated. I like to be sure there is a purpose in what people do.

Maybe you are hurting because no one seems to be caring for the women around you who have big hurts. Maybe you see that something is a mess organizationally. Maybe in your job situation you see there is no concern for accountability.

Think through the things that bother you. That should clue you into your desires.

Assignment: What are the desires of your heart? What bothers you? What lack do you see? What draws you as far as desires are concerned? What are you passionate about? What would you like to fix? Talk to your neighbor about some of those. Talk about your involvement in meeting those needs.

So your divine design and your desires meet. Then someone calls you with an opportunity. Analyze every opportunity that comes your way. We are always so pious to say that we will pray about it, and I am not saying that we don’t. But God wants you to use your brain as well. God’s leading doesn’t have to be some deep feeling that God is speaking to you.

• Analyze your opportunity

It is in line with the way that God has been leading me and working through and with me?

If you have not studied Experiencing God, be sure and do that. In it Henry Blackaby suggests to look back at every time in the past when you knew that God led you. He calls them spiritual markers. Sometimes it is easier to see from hindsight that God was involved than it is at decision time. Anyway, think through all the times that God has clearly worked and led you. They are like the markers that the Jews set up to remind them of God’s work in their nation. Blackaby says that God works in our lives in line with what He has already done in the past.

When I first studied Experiencing God, I went through this process. I spent a lot of time on it, but it was worth it. It helped me stay directed on my mission. I could see how consistently God had worked in my life to put me where I could teach the Bible. Looking back I could see God’s hand placing me in strategic situations where I was leading others even when I didn’t intend to do so.

For more than two and a half years I was the Director of the Women’s Ministry at another church where we had been members for a long time. When that staff position became vacant, the pastor approached me to take it. I could look at my spiritual markers and know that it was in line with the ways that God had been using me and leading me.

Another helpful question from Henry Blackaby is:

• Do I see God already at work?

One of the great things about Experiencing God is that it focuses on the fact that mission is always about God and what He wants to do in the world. If God is about to act in a situation where He is calling us to join Him in His work, He is already busy in preparation and we should be able to see His hand in some way.

About three years ago, someone from Northwest Bible Church called to see if I would consider coming to lead the Women’s Ministry. The search committee wanted to interview me. When God opens a door like that, it indicates that He is at work doing something. They sought me out; I did not contact them. So I had to go forward and at least consider whether He was leading me there.

In analyzing the opportunity that lies before you, you must not only consider your spiritual markers and whether you see God at work, but you must also think about your season in life.

• Does it fit my season in life?

There are opportunities that have all the makings of mission but come at the wrong time. You need to consider your family situation.

My family situation

We are not to neglect our responsibilities at home or with our families. All of us are called to faithfulness in those things. They are priority over ministry and work. But there is a way to be involved in mission in every season of life. The opportunities that you have may be more narrow and look differently than they will later. I did not go to seminary until my children were gone. I did not work on a church staff until 5 years ago. But I always worked on mission. It just looks very different today than it did then.

Considering your family situation means talking with your husband about it. Working with him through the demands and the time constraints involved are very important.

I do not believe that God tells me to get involved in anything that Gary is not for! That is part of our oneness in God’s design for marriage. He uses Gary to help direct me to the right opportunities.

When my kids were in preschool, I had an opportunity to join a civic organization. I knew that it would be a good place for many of the skills that I had, and it was known as a good training ground for leaders. It fit my divine design and I had a desire to be involved somewhere outside of the church. But I was committed to teach a Bible study group. And my season of life dictated that I could not do both. I had to say no although the opportunity fit my design and my desire.

Other things to consider when thinking about season of life are preparation and experience.

My preparation and experience

We can jump into something for which we are not really prepared. We may need training or time to study or some experience at a lower level. But don’t go overboard with this one! There are opportunities for which we never feel qualified although we are.

When I was approached about leading the women’s ministry in my former church, I knew that God had prepared me in many ways. I was one semester short of graduating from DTS with a specialty in women’s ministry. So I had the training that was needed. I also had years of working in the area of women’s ministry, both there and at a couple of other churches. I had held leadership positions in the women’s ministry in every church I had attended. This fit my training and my experience.

Mission is the intersection of divine design, desires, and opportunity. When the three meet, you are on mission.

When Northwest asked me to come, I considered all of these factors. One of the primary reasons that I took the position was because my divine design fit the job description there better than the job description where I was. The women’s ministry is more Bible study driven and part of my job there is to teach. My previous position was more event-driven. As I analyzed the whole thing, this was a better fit for me.

Assignment: Consider the intersection of your divine design, the desires of your heart, and your opportunity. Are you living in that spot now? If not, which is missing? Is it your design? Your desire? Or have you not been given the opportunity that you seek?

So we have discussed defining mission, focusing your influence, and finding your unique God-given mission. We will spend just a few minutes on writing a mission statement.

I guess there are a couple of reasons why we aren’t going to spend a lot of time on this. The first one is because I have never come up with a statement for myself that I like. So I am unsure of how to best help you do it. Second, I am not sure it is necessary. I know my mission without a statement.

But it may help some of you to write it out. I do think that the process is helpful even if you aren’t excited about the result.

IV. Writing a mission statement

a. It is a process.

So my first point is that it is a process and the process is valuable. I appreciated the process but just don’t like the result. But you don’t have to feel that you are finished. This is something you can take your time to work on. You really need a sense of mission before you attempt this anyway.

I put this next thing on here because I do think it helps.

b. Try to keep it short.

Short forces you to think through. The one I wrote a year or so ago was too long and involved too much in it.

Another advantage of short is simply being able to remember it, if you care to do so. If you are easily distracted from the mission with other things, you may need to have it memorized so that you can quickly determine whether the opportunity is in line with the mission.

Laurie Beth Jones, author of The Path, believes strongly in a short, written statement. She gives a formula: My mission is to ____, ____, and _____ (fill in with 3 verbs that fit you) _____ (a core value such as serve, justice, mercy, family, creativity, freedom, etc.) to, for, or with ___________ (this is the group or cause that most excites you).

Here are a couple of examples from her book:

1. From an at-home mom: My mission is to create, nurture, and maintain an environment of growth, challenge, and unlimited potential for all those around me.

2. From a labor relations expert: My mission is to uphold, discover, and support trust, honesty, and integrity in all relationships.

3. From a CEO: My mission is to foster innovation, enhance cooperation, and create prosperity for all whom I serve.

Richard Nelson Bolles doesn’t follow a formula but quotes some short statements:

1. My mission is, out of the rich reservoir of love which God seems to have given me, to nurture and show love for others—most particularly to those who are suffering from incurable diseases.

2. My mission is to weep with those who weep, so that in my arms they may feel themselves in the arms of that Eternal Love which sent me and created them.”

3. My mission is to create beautiful gardens, so that in the lilies of the field people may behold the Beauty of God and be reminded of the Beauty of Holiness.”

The third thing that I find helpful is to use scriptures.

c. Use scriptures or biblical concepts that apply.

Not that you are going to just quote them, but you may pull a word or two from them. Plus, that reminds you that this is a God-given mission. It will be in line with His work in the world. That is what we see in these last couple of statements we read. Some scriptural concepts may be helpful: words like grace, serve, love, sacrifice, teach, reveal, challenge, encourage.

Just as the astronauts and NASA ground support all joined together to accomplish a mission greater than any of them could have done alone, as we each fulfill our individual God-given missions, together we are able to fulfill the great mission that God has called the church to do: glorify God so that we reveal who He is to the world.

Resources on Personal Mission and Related Material

Blackaby, Henry T. and Claude W. King. Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God. Lifeway, 1990.

Bolles, Richard Nelson. How to Find Your Mission in Life. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 2005.

*Brazelton, Katie. Pathway to Purpose for Women: Connecting your to-do list, your passions, and God’s purposes for your life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005.

Guinness, Os. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Nashville, Word Publishing, 1998.

Jones, Laurie Beth. The Path: Creating Your Own Mission Statement for Work and for Life. New York: Hyperion, 1996.

*Miller, Arthur F., Jr. The Power of Uniqueness: How to Become Who You Really Are. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1999.

Stanley, Andy. Visioneering. Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 1999.

Travilla, Carol and Joan C. Webb. The Intentional Woman: A Guide to Experiencing the Power of Your Story. Colorado Springs: Navpress, 2002.

*These resources have some questions and activities to help you better understand your divine design.