Discovering Divine Purpose: Embracing Your Unique Calling
Summary
The stories of Jesus are not just ancient tales, but living invitations for us to encounter the heart of God and discover our true identity and purpose. In John 20:30-31, we are reminded that the stories recorded in scripture are chosen to help us believe that Jesus is the Messiah and, by believing, to experience life through His name. Like Nathaniel, who was seen and known by Jesus even before he met Him, each of us is intimately known by God. Our lives are not accidents or cosmic afterthoughts; we are created with intention, value, and a unique calling.
It’s easy in our world to feel insignificant, to compare ourselves to others, or to believe the lie that we are “junk” or without purpose. But God’s perspective is radically different. He sees us as His masterpiece, crafted for good works that He prepared in advance. Our quirks, our stories, even our pain and failures, are not wasted—they are woven into the tapestry of our calling. Just as Jesus called ordinary, even overlooked, people to follow Him, He calls each of us, not because of our résumé, but because of His love and purpose for us.
The journey of following Jesus is not about fulfilling our potential in the world’s eyes, but about fulfilling our calling in God’s eyes. Jesus is the gateway between heaven and earth, the visible image of the invisible God. As we behold Him, study Him, and walk with Him, we are transformed into His likeness. Our trials and challenges are not meaningless; they are the tools God uses to shape us, to chip away what doesn’t belong, and to reveal the gold within us.
Purpose is not just a motivational idea—it is the very reason we exist. Science can tell us what we are, but only our Creator can tell us why we are. When we return to the One who made us, we discover that our lives have divine meaning. Every season, every relationship, every pain, and every joy is infused with purpose when surrendered to Christ. We are called not just to survive, but to make a difference, to walk dangerously and victoriously in this world, and to reflect the glory of God in all we do.
Key Takeaways
- You are fully known and deeply valued by God. Even before you recognized Him, He saw you, understood your struggles, and called you by name. Your life is not an accident; you are on God’s radar, and He has a good purpose for you that transcends your past and present circumstances. [05:46]
- True purpose is found not in what the world says about you, but in what God has spoken over your life. The world may try to define you by your failures, your status, or your usefulness, but God calls you His masterpiece, uniquely crafted for a divine calling that only you can fulfill. [22:27]
- Discovering your “why” requires returning to your Creator. Science and philosophy can describe what you are, but only God can reveal why you exist. When you seek Him, you find not only salvation but also the meaning and direction for your life that nothing else can provide. [24:25]
- Trials and pain are not wasted in God’s economy; they are purposeful tools for your growth. Instead of rushing to escape hardship, allow perseverance to finish its work in you, knowing that every challenge is shaping you into the image of Christ and preparing you for greater things. [35:45]
- Becoming like Jesus is a process of beholding and following Him. As you study His life, join in community, and walk in obedience, the Holy Spirit chips away everything that doesn’t belong, revealing the new creation within you. Your story, with all its ups and downs, is part of God’s masterpiece. [33:37]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - Anchor Scriptures: The Purpose of Jesus Stories
[01:13] - Unlocking Paradigm Shifts Through Scripture
[02:36] - The Story of Nathaniel: Being Invited by Jesus
[03:59] - Reading John 1:43-51: Nathaniel’s Encounter
[05:20] - Jesus: The Stairway Between Heaven and Earth
[06:23] - What Makes a Person Special?
[07:48] - The Junk Drawer: Wrestling with Value
[10:05] - The Invitation: Come and See
[11:32] - Jesus’ Method: Lead Like You’re Leaving
[13:43] - Greater Things: From Jacob’s Ladder to Jesus
[15:18] - Jesus: The Image of the Invisible God
[17:43] - What We See, We Become
[19:13] - God Knows Your Past, Present, and Future
[22:27] - Discovering Your Why: Purpose Over Accident
[24:42] - The Fig Tree: God Sees You in Your Brokenness
[26:29] - Purpose Over Pleasure: The Call to Make a Difference
[28:06] - Sin, Satisfaction, and the Manufacturer’s Design
[29:24] - God’s Masterpiece: Embracing Your Unique Calling
[30:43] - Fulfilling Calling, Not Just Potential
[32:29] - The New Creation: Becoming Who God Sees
[33:37] - The Hall of Prisoners: Chipping Away the Unfinished
[35:16] - Trials, Perseverance, and Maturity
[37:14] - Mining for Gold: Removing What Hinders Purpose
[38:02] - Testimony: From Routine to Purpose
[39:27] - Prayer: Embracing God’s Purpose for Your Life
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Discovering Your Purpose in Christ
---
### Bible Reading
- John 1:43-51 (Nathaniel’s encounter with Jesus)
- John 20:30-31 (Purpose of the written stories about Jesus)
- Ephesians 2:10 (“For we are God’s masterpiece…”)
---
### Observation Questions
1. In John 1:43-51, how does Jesus demonstrate that He knows Nathaniel before they ever meet? What is Nathaniel’s reaction to this?
2. According to John 20:30-31, why were the stories about Jesus written down?
3. In Ephesians 2:10, what does Paul call us, and what does he say we are created for?
4. The sermon mentioned that Jesus called ordinary, even overlooked, people to follow Him. What are some examples from the passage or the sermon of the kinds of people Jesus called? [[31:25]]
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean that Jesus saw Nathaniel “under the fig tree” before Philip called him? How might this relate to the idea that God knows us intimately, even in our struggles or hidden moments? [[05:46]]
2. The sermon says, “You are not what people have spoken over you. You are what God has spoken over your life.” How does this challenge the way we often define ourselves? [[22:27]]
3. The preacher said, “Science can explain what a thing is, but only the Creator can explain why it is.” How does this idea shape the way we search for meaning and purpose in our lives? [[24:25]]
4. According to the sermon, how are trials and pain used by God in shaping us? What does James 1 say about the purpose of trials? [[35:45]]
---
### Application Questions
1. The sermon emphasized that “you are fully known and deeply valued by God.” When was a time you felt overlooked or insignificant? How does knowing God sees you change the way you view that experience? [[05:46]]
2. The world often tries to define us by our failures, status, or usefulness. What are some labels or lies you have believed about yourself? How can you begin to replace those with what God says about you? [[22:27]]
3. The preacher shared that discovering your “why” requires returning to your Creator. What are some practical ways you can seek God this week to better understand your purpose? [[24:25]]
4. Think about a recent trial or painful experience. How might God be using that situation to shape you or reveal something new in you? Are you more focused on escaping the trial or letting God finish His work in you? [[35:45]]
5. The sermon said, “Becoming like Jesus is a process of beholding and following Him.” What is one step you can take this week to study Jesus more closely or to walk in obedience, even if it feels small? [[33:37]]
6. The preacher talked about our quirks, stories, and even our pain being woven into God’s masterpiece. Is there a part of your story you tend to hide or feel ashamed of? How might God want to use that for His purpose? [[29:54]]
7. The message challenged us not just to survive, but to make a difference and reflect God’s glory. What is one area of your life where you sense God calling you to step out and make a difference? What’s holding you back? [[26:29]]
---
Close in prayer, asking God to help each person see themselves as He sees them, to discover their purpose, and to trust Him in every season.
Devotional
Day 1: Intimately Known and Purposefully Called
You are fully known and deeply valued by God. Even before you recognized Him, He saw you, understood your struggles, and called you by name. Your life is not an accident; you are on God’s radar, and He has a good purpose for you that transcends your past and present circumstances. God’s knowledge of you is not distant or impersonal—it is intimate and intentional. Like Nathaniel, who was seen and known by Jesus before their first meeting, you are invited into a relationship where your true identity is revealed and affirmed. This knowledge brings security and hope, reminding you that your life matters deeply in God’s eternal plan.
In a world that often makes you feel overlooked or insignificant, God’s perspective is radically different. He sees beyond your failures, fears, and doubts to the masterpiece He is shaping. Your story, with all its complexities, is woven into His greater purpose. Trusting this truth allows you to walk confidently, knowing that God’s call on your life is not based on your résumé or achievements but on His love and sovereign design. [05:46]
Psalm 139:1-6
O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
Reflection: Who in your life do you need to remind yourself that God knows and values deeply today? How can you intentionally rest in God’s intimate knowledge of you when feelings of insignificance arise?
Day 2: Purpose Beyond Worldly Definitions
True purpose is found not in what the world says about you, but in what God has spoken over your life. The world may try to define you by your failures, your status, or your usefulness, but God calls you His masterpiece, uniquely crafted for a divine calling that only you can fulfill. This calling is not about meeting external expectations or achieving worldly success but about embracing the unique design God has placed within you. Your quirks, your past, and even your pain are not liabilities but essential threads in the tapestry of your purpose.
When you begin to see yourself through God’s eyes, you are freed from the pressure to conform to the world’s standards. You are invited to live out the calling that only you can fulfill, a calling prepared in advance by God for good works. This perspective shifts your focus from comparison and self-doubt to confident obedience and joyful service. Embracing this truth empowers you to walk in the freedom of being God’s masterpiece. [22:27]
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Reflection: What is one way you have been trying to define your worth by worldly standards? How can you begin to embrace God’s unique calling on your life today, even if it looks different from others’ expectations?
Day 3: Returning to the Creator for Your “Why”
Discovering your “why” requires returning to your Creator. Science and philosophy can describe what you are, but only God can reveal why you exist. When you seek Him, you find not only salvation but also the meaning and direction for your life that nothing else can provide. This return is not a one-time event but a daily posture of surrender and seeking. It is in the presence of the One who made you that your purpose becomes clear and your heart finds rest.
The Creator’s perspective gives your life divine meaning beyond mere existence or achievement. Every season, relationship, pain, and joy gains significance when surrendered to Christ. This journey invites you to move beyond survival and step into a life that makes a difference, reflecting God’s glory in all you do. Returning to God is the key to unlocking the mystery of your existence and living with intentionality and hope. [24:25]
Jeremiah 29:11-13
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil,
to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have sought answers apart from God? How can you practically return to your Creator today to seek His purpose and direction for that area?
Day 4: Trials as Tools for Transformation
Trials and pain are not wasted in God’s economy; they are purposeful tools for your growth. Instead of rushing to escape hardship, allow perseverance to finish its work in you, knowing that every challenge is shaping you into the image of Christ and preparing you for greater things. Difficult seasons refine your character, reveal hidden strengths, and deepen your dependence on God. They are not meaningless suffering but part of the divine process of sanctification.
When you embrace trials as God’s instruments, you begin to see beyond immediate discomfort to the eternal value being produced. This perspective encourages patience and trust, knowing that God is actively working through your hardships to chip away what doesn’t belong and to reveal the gold within you. Your perseverance is not in vain but is cultivating maturity and readiness for the calling God has placed on your life. [35:45]
Romans 5:3-5
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Reflection: What trial or difficulty are you currently facing that you tend to resist or want to escape? How can you invite God to use this situation to shape your character and deepen your faith today?
Day 5: Becoming Christlike Through Obedient Transformation
Becoming like Jesus is a process of beholding and following Him. As you study His life, join in community, and walk in obedience, the Holy Spirit chips away everything that doesn’t belong, revealing the new creation within you. This transformation is not instantaneous but a lifelong journey of surrender and growth. Your story, with all its ups and downs, is part of God’s masterpiece being formed.
The visible image of the invisible God, Jesus is the perfect example and gateway between heaven and earth. By fixing your eyes on Him and engaging in spiritual disciplines and fellowship, you are gradually conformed to His likeness. The challenges you face and the grace you receive are all part of this refining process. Trusting this journey allows you to embrace your identity as a new creation, continually being shaped into who God sees you to be. [33:37]
2 Corinthians 3:18
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image
from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Reflection: What spiritual practice or community connection can you deepen this week to help you behold Jesus more clearly? How can you cooperate with the Holy Spirit in removing what hinders your growth into Christlikeness?
Quotes
The Bible is the only book that when you read it, the author shows up to read it with you. The Holy Spirit shows up and wants to make it alive to us. So today we're going to talk about the story of Nathaniel, a follower of Jesus who had a really interesting experience, an experience of being invited, shoulder tapped, invited into a life of following Jesus. But it wasn't easy, but it was very peculiar. And I think that today when we unpack this together, we're going to discover something about not only Jesus, but about ourselves. [00:02:17]
One of the things that I had to learn, and I feel like the Lord shared with me maybe 10 years ago, was not to presume that I was bringing Jesus to people. people came to church and they experienced Jesus for the first time. I had to realize that there was already a conversation that was happening between people's hearts and God that God was already involved in people's lives that we are just part of the process in their walking out their faith fully. [00:03:04]
You see, Jesus knows Nathaniel. I know where you've been. I know what you've done. I know who and what you are. And I know your future. I know you. I know you, Nathaniel. And my heart today for you is I want you to know how known you really are. I want you to leave this place today knowing and believing you're on God's radar and God has a purpose for your life. [00:05:36]
You are special to God. He knows you. He knows about you. And he knows his plans for you and they're good. [00:07:18]
It is very easy to feel like you are space junk, junk mail. the word junk. There's no value to this. Don't need it. Not important. And I don't know about you, but we live in a world where it feels like there's a lot of of again virtue signaling. There's a lot of fame. There's a lot of things on people online, celebrity status. You know, you're watching uh something on social media. A kid who's 19 years old just made, you know, $50 million doing this thing. You're like, man, I what what am I doing with my life? It's very easy to feel like junk. [00:08:26]
The greatest thing we can do is we can say, "Come and see." Now, that invitation is going to create an opportunity for you to discover something not just about Christ, but about yourself. What does Jesus do? Jesus is shoulder tapping people to follow him. This is the rabbitical order. This is how it worked in the days of the rabbis. The rabbis were kind of the replacement for the priesthood because after Babylon came and destroyed Israel and Jerusalem, these rabbis came up. [00:09:59]
But Jesus was different. He wasn't just people coming to ask him. He was going as a head hunter. I'm coming to find the right ones. And this is what Jesus finally told the disciples. He said, "You didn't choose me. I chose you. I chose you. There's an interesting piece of art by Andre Del Verrochi and I want to put the picture up. It's known as the baptism of Jesus. [00:11:04]
Everything about Jesus's ministry was follow me. Come and see because what I'm doing you're going to do. Jesus's ministry was in his backyard. But you guys are going to bring this to the whole world. I need you to come and see what is possible. He even said, "Greater things than these shall you do." He even told Nathaniel and Philillip, you are going to see angels ascending and descending on the son of man. [00:13:36]
Jesus again is more than just a man, more than just a prophet. Jesus is the very son of God, which means God became man and dwelt among us. In fact, the Bible talks about how no one can ever see God. God is in yesterday. He's in tomorrow. He's up, down. He He's He's everywhere at all times. It's impossible for you and I to even fathom the nature of God. So, how can we know God? How can we have a relationship with God? Through his son, Jesus Christ. [00:15:24]
My heart for you is that when you study the scriptures and you read about Jesus that it will become high def surround sound, 3D 4K, no more mono radio, no more black and white. It's got to come alive. We got to see Jesus because when we study Jesus, we're studying the very nature of God himself. [00:17:04]
What we see in Jesus is precisely what God is. Now, why is this important for us to see and behold? Because what we see, we become. In fact, Albert Bandura, the psychologist and professor at Stanford University, uh discovered this idea. It's called social learning therapy. It was the social learning theory that he started these explorations. And he said his theory challenged the strict behavioralist view that behavior is shaped by rewards and punishments. That palvarian view. He said no, it's more than that. [00:17:36]
What we see we become. What we see we mirror. That's why we have to see Jesus as he is. We've got to study him, learn of him. Come and see. Why? Because if you come and see, then you can become what God sees in you. You can begin to grow. That's why we do Bible studies. That's why we learn the scripture. That's why we That's why we get into small groups because we want to learn about this Yeshua Hamashiach, this Jesus, this Messiah. Because in studying him, we become more like him. [00:18:32]
I know who you are, Nathaniel. I know where you've been. I know what you did last summer. I know. I know you better than you know you. and I know not just your past and your present, but I know your future. Why is this important? There's an idea called contingency, causality. And it's the big idea even of the cosmos that everything that began to exist has to have a cause. You can't just have eternal causes where just dominoes just keep falling and keep falling and keep falling. There has to be an initial cause that started the first cause. [00:19:21]
There's a saying, I love this, that everyone at least believes in one miracle. Like we believe in the virgin birth and if you don't believe in God then you at least believe in the virgin birth of the universe. Like everyone believes in at least one miracle. How did this get here? And if you want to believe, hey, you know what? I just believe that this is all an accident. There's no meaning to it. There's no purpose. Which is what postmodern secularism will tell you. There's no meaning to it. [00:20:13]
Christianity is more than just getting saved and getting out of here. It is discovering who you are in Christ and fulfilling that calling in the earth. Discovering your why. Discovering your why. Every book needs an author. Every car needs a manufacturer. Every song needs a composer. Everything comes from something. Nobody has ever looked at uh, you know, a lightning rod at the top of a of a of a tower or a building and thought, "I bet that accidentally got there." or a computer and thought that accidentally happened. [00:21:44]
Your life has a purpose. You're not cosmic space trash, spam mail. You are not what people have spoken over you. You are what God has spoken over your life. discovering your why. Let me explain. Science can explain the what what a thing is. My my grandma, my late grandma, Grandma Faith, who passed away a year and a half ago, she used to make the most epic pecan pie. It is I I think about it. I dream about it. If I'm just staring off into the distance and you're like, I wonder what he's thinking about, I'm thinking about pecan pie n out of 10en times. [00:22:30]
Now hear me. There's only one person. There's only one that can define and describe why you exist, why you are here, the meaning of your life. It cannot be found in the in the empirical world, in the natural world. You have to go back to the manufacturer, the one who created you. And I want you to leave this place with so much hope, full of calling, knowing that your life has divine meaning. Nathaniel, you are not here by accident. All this that has happened is not by accident. [00:24:16]
You may be done with yourself, but God is not done with your life. God is just getting started. That's the hope. And the answers of this world, the secular reasoning of this world, this post-modern culture, it's falling short. And that's why the numbers people by the droves are coming back to faith and back to Christianity. They've tried it. They tr they tried to they they smoke. They they we secular world put it in the pipe. Everybody smoked it and like it has fallen short. It does not fulfill what is in my heart and in my soul. [00:25:29]
You cannot solve your pain with pleasure. You can only solve your pain with purpose. The only way to come out of the pain of life is to find a purpose that is higher than you. And that's the purpose that is found in Jesus Christ. That's why we exist as a church, to help people know God, find freedom, discover their purpose, and walk in their destiny. Our heart is not for you just to be saved. Because if it was, then all we would do is just get you baptized, hold you under the water, and let you go straight to heaven. [00:26:23]
The greatest satisfaction that I will receive from that iPhone is when I use it according to why it was made. And the greatest satisfaction that you're going to have in your life is when you discover your why. And the Bible says that your life is hid in Christ. You can discover your life, the real life, but you got to go back to the manufacturer, the one who made you. You're not like anybody else. Ephesians 2:10 says this. It says, "For we are God's masterpiece." [00:28:57]
He made you the way that you are. You're quirky. You're a little strange. Your story is different than mine. Mine's different than yours. All of our stories are different. What does this tell us? It tells us that you were made for a divine purpose. You know, the worst thing I can do is try to be you and you try to be me. Yeah. When I discovered 15 years ago, I was trying to pastor. I was like trying to pastor like this person and this person. I was like, "No, no, no. I got to pastor from how God made me out of my own spiritual DNA, my own calling. [00:29:54]
Jesus could have fulfilled his potential. What was Jesus' potential? Anything. You want to be the Caesar? You want to do a circus olay and walk on water and do some tricks and spins? He could have done it. Circus Olay by Jesus. It would have been amazing. He had unlimited potential. But he came to fulfill his calling, his purpose. For this purpose have I come to destroy the works of Satan. To die, to be buried, and be raised on the third day. Try down this bottle body. and on the third day I will raise it up again. [00:30:24]
Jesus calls the worst of us. Calls us into the best of practices to follow him. It's that simple. He's not looking for your your your resume. He's looking for your willingness to follow and learn, to watch, to come and see. And as you watch, you will become more and more like him. Everybody say, "Purpose." I don't I don't know what your purpose is, but but Christ does. He wants to reveal it to you. [00:31:30]
It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living. part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. I love this. God has a purpose for your life. There's great meaning for your life. I want you to be known as heaven knows you. Heaven sees you differently than people around you see you. [00:31:57]
God is speaking life over you and and truth over you and and and he's speaking destiny over you. And that is what you have to hold to and fight for. And when the enemy comes in like a flood, can I tell you today everything has a purpose. Every trial has a purpose. Every season has a purpose. All pain has a purpose. James chapter 1 says this. It says that whenever we go through trials, consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. [00:34:24]
Once you start seeing purpose, you see it in everything. I'm going through hell right now, but God's doing something in me. This shouldn't have happened, but this but it's making me better. It's making me look more like Jesus. I'm seeing him. I'm seeing the heavens open. I see the son of man. I'm tell when you see it, you're changed by it. The dimension of your revelation of Jesus will be the dimension of your ability to walk in your purpose. That's why we exist. [00:36:17]
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