Discovering Your Divine Calling and Purpose
Summary
Today, we gathered as a community to reflect on the story of the boy Jesus in the temple, as depicted in our stained glass window and in the Gospel of Luke. This story invites us to consider the nature of calling and purpose in our own lives. Jesus, at just twelve years old, was found in the temple, deeply engaged in listening, questioning, and astonishing the teachers with his understanding. His response to Mary and Joseph—“Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”—reveals an early awareness of his unique vocation and the divine purpose that shaped his life.
We explored how vocation is not merely a job or a goal to be achieved, but a gift to be received—a calling that emerges from the deepest part of who we are, given by God from birth. Sometimes, hints of our true calling are present even in childhood, as Parker Palmer suggests, and our life’s journey is about listening for that inner voice that calls us to become our truest selves. The story of Dr. Paul Turner, who was transformed by his experiences in Haiti and went on to found Partners in Health, reminds us that a life of purpose can have a profound impact on the world, especially when it is rooted in compassion and justice for the most vulnerable.
We also considered the example of Grandma Moses, who began her celebrated painting career at the age of 78, showing us that it is never too late to live more fully into our God-given calling. Whether young or old, each of us is invited to discern and embrace the unique purpose God has placed within us. Practical steps for discovering this calling include paying attention to what absorbs us, listening to the affirmations of others, being willing to follow God into unexpected places, and noticing what breaks our hearts in the world.
Ultimately, the question is not simply “What would Jesus do?” but “What would Jesus have me do?” Each of us is called to live into the fullness of who God created us to be, using our gifts to build a beloved community where all are welcomed, needed, and cherished.
Key Takeaways
- True vocation is a gift to be received, not a goal to be achieved. It is not about striving to become someone we are not, but about listening for the voice within that calls us to be the person God created us to be. This inner calling often aligns with our deepest joys and the unique gifts we possess. [53:49]
- Our sense of purpose can be awakened at any stage of life. The story of Grandma Moses, who began painting at 78, reminds us that God’s call is not limited by age or circumstance. No matter where we are on our journey, it is never too late to step into the fullness of our calling. [55:10]
- Paying attention to what absorbs us and what breaks our hearts can reveal our calling. The things that make us lose track of time or stir us to compassion are often clues to the work God is inviting us to do in the world. God uses our passions and our heartbreaks to guide us toward meaningful service. [01:00:51]
- Sometimes, following God’s call means stepping outside the expectations of others. Jesus was found in the temple, not with his family, and his actions were misunderstood even by those closest to him. Faithfulness to our calling may require courage to pursue paths that others do not understand, trusting that God’s purposes are greater than human expectations. [59:42]
- The ultimate question is not “What would Jesus do?” but “What would Jesus have me do?” Our calling is not to imitate another’s life, but to become the fullest version of ourselves in Christ. God’s desire is for us to live authentically, using our unique gifts to serve and love others, building a community where all are valued. [01:02:39]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[15:43] - Community Announcements
[17:08] - Upcoming Events and Celebrations
[18:15] - Birthday and Special Invitations
[19:30] - Windows of Faith Series Introduction
[36:15] - Opening Prayer and Thanksgiving
[37:48] - Prayers for Guidance and Purpose
[39:16] - Scripture Reading: Luke 2:41-52
[47:42] - Dr. Paul Turner’s Story: A Life of Purpose
[50:14] - Context of Jesus’ Journey to Jerusalem
[51:52] - Jesus in the Temple: Listening and Questioning
[52:56] - Awakening to Calling and Vocation
[53:49] - Vocation as a Gift, Not a Goal
[55:10] - Grandma Moses: It’s Never Too Late
[59:42] - Practical Steps to Discovering Your Calling
[01:00:51] - What Breaks Your Heart?
[01:01:45] - Rabbi Zusha: Becoming Your Truest Self
[01:02:39] - What Would Jesus Have Me Do?
[01:03:39] - Communion Invitation
[01:04:35] - Communion Prayer and Words of Institution
[01:07:08] - Sharing the Bread and Cup
[01:10:17] - Closing Prayers and Song
[01:13:10] - Blessing and Sending Forth
Study Guide
Small Group Bible Study Guide: Discovering and Living Your Calling
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### Bible Reading
Luke 2:41-52 (NRSV)
Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.
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### Observation Questions
1. What was Jesus doing when his parents found him in the temple, and how did the teachers respond to him? (Luke 2:46-47)
2. How did Mary and Joseph react when they found Jesus, and what was Jesus’ response to their concern? (Luke 2:48-49)
3. According to the sermon, what does Jesus’ statement, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” reveal about his sense of purpose at age twelve? [52:56]
4. What are some of the practical steps for discovering your calling that were mentioned in the sermon? [59:42]
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### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean that vocation is “a gift to be received, not a goal to be achieved”? How does this idea challenge or affirm your current understanding of calling? [53:49]
2. The sermon shared stories of Dr. Paul Turner and Grandma Moses. What do their lives suggest about the timing and nature of discovering one’s purpose? [47:42] / [55:10]
3. Jesus’ actions in the temple were misunderstood by his parents. What might this teach us about following God’s call, especially when it doesn’t fit others’ expectations? [59:42]
4. The sermon suggests that our calling is often connected to what absorbs us or what breaks our hearts. Why might these be important clues for discerning God’s purpose for us? [01:00:51]
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### Application Questions
1. Think back to your own childhood or younger years. Were there any activities or interests that made you “lose track of time”? Do you see any connection between those and your sense of calling today? [53:49]
2. Have you ever felt “too old” or “too late” to start something new or meaningful? How does the story of Grandma Moses challenge that mindset? Is there something you feel nudged to begin, regardless of your age or stage of life? [55:10]
3. What is something in the world that breaks your heart or stirs you to compassion? How might God be inviting you to respond to that need? [01:00:51]
4. Have you ever sensed God calling you to do something that others didn’t understand or even questioned? How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [59:42]
5. The sermon encouraged us to listen to the affirmations of others. Has someone ever pointed out a gift or strength in you that you hadn’t noticed? How might you use that gift to serve others? [59:42]
6. Instead of asking “What would Jesus do?” the sermon suggests asking, “What would Jesus have me do?” What difference does this make in how you think about your daily life and decisions? [01:02:39]
7. What is one practical step you can take this week to pay attention to your passions, listen for God’s voice, or serve in a way that aligns with your unique gifts?
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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for open hearts to hear God’s calling, courage to follow where God leads, and the willingness to use their gifts to build a beloved community where all are welcomed, needed, and cherished.
Devotional
Day 1: Discovering Purpose in God’s Presence
Like the young Jesus in the temple, each of us is invited to seek out the sacred spaces where we can listen, ask questions, and grow in understanding of our unique calling. Even when others may not understand our journey or when we feel lost, God gently reminds us that we belong in His house and have important work to do in this world. Our purpose is not something we must strive to invent, but a gift to be received as we open our hearts to God’s leading and presence. [36:15]
Luke 2:41-52 (ESV)
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Reflection: Where is God inviting you to pause, listen, and seek understanding about your purpose today?
Day 2: Vocation as a Gift, Not a Goal
True vocation is not a distant prize to be achieved, but a treasure already planted within us by God—a calling that grows as we embrace our true selves. Rather than striving to become someone we are not, we are invited to listen for the voice within, calling us to be the person God created us to be. This journey of vocation is about receiving and nurturing the unique gifts and passions that God has woven into our lives from the very beginning. [53:49]
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
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 gift or passion you sense God has placed within you that you may have overlooked or undervalued?
Day 3: It’s Never Too Late to Live Your Calling
No matter your age or stage of life, it is never too late to step more fully into the calling God has for you. Whether you are young and just beginning to sense your purpose, in the midst of your career, or discovering new passions later in life, God continues to invite you to grow, create, and serve. The story of Grandma Moses reminds us that new beginnings and profound impact can happen at any age when we are open to God’s leading. [55:10]
Isaiah 46:4 (ESV)
Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.
Reflection: What is one new step you could take this week to explore or embrace a calling or passion, regardless of your age?
Day 4: Listening for God’s Direction in Community
Sometimes our truest callings are revealed through the encouragement and observations of others, or by noticing what deeply moves our hearts. Paying attention to what absorbs us, listening to the affirmations of those around us, and being willing to follow God into unexpected places can help us discern our unique purpose. God often uses community and the stirrings of our hearts to guide us toward the work we are meant to do. [59:42]
Romans 12:4-6 (ESV)
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.
Reflection: Who in your life has affirmed a gift or passion in you, and how might you listen more closely to their encouragement or to what stirs your heart?
Day 5: Becoming Who God Created You to Be
God does not ask us to become someone else, but to live fully as the person He created us to be. The greatest question we may face is not why we weren’t like someone else, but whether we lived into our own God-given identity and purpose. Each of us is called to ask, “What would Jesus have me do?” and to courageously follow that path, trusting that it is never too late to become our truest selves in Christ. [01:01:45]
Psalm 139:13-16 (ESV)
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
Reflection: In what area of your life do you sense God inviting you to stop comparing yourself to others and instead embrace your own unique calling?
Quotes
And their one goal was to make sure that just because you were poor didn't mean you didn't have access to adequate health care. This is a quote from Paul Turner. The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world. [00:48:12] (20 seconds)
He was listening to the teachers there at the temple. He was asking profound questions. Bible says that everyone there was astounded by his understanding at such a young age at 12 years old. And Mary scolded him saying, you ever get the side eye from your mom? Where were you? We have been looking all over the place for you. Why are you here? You can, you can kind of feel it right in your bones, the tongue lashing from mama. [00:52:12] (33 seconds)
Discovering vocation does not mean scrambling towards some prize just beyond my reach, but accepting the treasure of true self that I already possess. Vocation does not come from a voice out there calling me to become something I am not. It comes from a voice in here, calling me to be the person I was born to be, to fulfill the original selfhood given to me at birth by God. Palmer goes on to write that hints of our true vocation can be found sometimes in early childhood. [00:53:57] (43 seconds)
it's never too late to live more fully into our God -given calling so whether you're young like Jesus in this window here at 12 years old whether you're mid -career like Dr. Paul Turner or maybe later in life like Grandma Moses we can still find our deepest truest calling and I want to give you a couple of tips for how you can begin to find your calling. Just short little tips. Number one, pay attention to what absorbs you. [00:59:05] (37 seconds)
What do you lose yourself in? How do you lose time? You're doing something you enjoy so much that time just doesn't matter. You lose yourself in it. Pay attention to things like that. Number two, listen to others. Remember how the people in the temple were amazed and astounded at Jesus at such a young age? Offering such wisdom in his teachings? Listen to what others say about you. What do they say is your superpower? [00:59:42] (30 seconds)
Something that comes so naturally to you that other that is you know no big deal to you but to others they find it impressive. Listen to that. Number three, be willing to follow even if it's into unexpected places. Jesus was not expected to be at the temple. He was expected to be with his family and the other travelers heading back to Nazareth. Sometimes following God's will will take us out of the expectations of others and they won't understand it. And number four, notice what breaks your heart. [01:00:10] (39 seconds)
Out in the world, what is it out there that every time you think about it, you get misty -eyed. It stirs your heart and you think somebody should do something about that. Guess who should do something about that? Scriptures say that Jesus continued to grow in a wisdom and stature and my friends, so must we. [01:00:51] (27 seconds)
He said, what I'm worried about most is being asked the question, Zusha, why weren't you Zusha? Why didn't you live into your fullest capacity of who I made you to be? A few years ago, several years ago now, there was this fad, this WWJD fad. You remember this? You remember what it stands for? What would Jesus do? You know, there were bracelets and bumper stickers, all the whole thing. I never thought that was a very good question. I think the question would be more like WWJHMD. What would Jesus have me do? [01:01:58] (48 seconds)
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