Originally posted: 07/06/2019
His mind was set, always on the interests of His Father. Everything Jesus did was to fulfill His Predetermined Purpose and He would allow nothing and no one to deter Him.
Consider His Predetermined Purpose
And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s,” (8:31-33).
He was resolute in His Predetermined Purpose; every day brought Him one day closer to Calvary, to what would be the end of His earthly life. Along the way He loved, cared and ministered, but was never dissuaded from His Predetermined Purpose.
His Predetermined Purpose established His interests as those of God and not man.
His Predetermined Purpose motivated His obedience, regardless of the suffering and cost.
His Predetermined Purpose would fulfill the Father’s plan of redemption through His death, burial and resurrection.
How do we respond to His Predetermined Purpose?
Today let us personally examine our lives as we seriously consider the following:
- We too have a Predetermined Purpose; that we would be conformed to the image of His Son.
- For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, (Romans 8:29).
Am I beginning to look more like Jesus?
- Is my mind set on the interests of God or man? Where do I invest my time, money and energy?
- But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you, (Matthew 6:33).
- Am I undeterred in my commitment to obey, regardless the suffering and cost?
- Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing, (James 1:2-4).
- Is His plan of redemption a reality in my life? Am I trusting in anything other than His perfect payment for my sin, accomplished by His death, burial and resurrection?
- …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; (Romans 3:23-24).
- Am I cooperating with His conforming work in my life by faith, and thereby sharing in His crucified and resurrected life?
- I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me, (Galatians 2:20).
Oh Father, please grow us in our desire to live solely in the Predetermined Purpose You have ordained for Your children; that we would live each day as Your chosen people, solely intent on Your interests, wholeheartedly obedient to Your call, with unwavering trust in Your plan of redemption, to live the crucified life by faith; that we may continually be conformed to the image of Your Son, daily declaring Your praises.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9).