The Chief Purpose of Man

And a very good morning to you! It is Friday morning, 11th of March and the year 2022. And this is your friend, Angus Buchan with a thought for today.

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Matthew 16:26

Folks, those are stirring words... And then we go to Luke 12:20:

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?”

Remember the story of the farmer who had a bountiful crop? He said, “I will pull down my barns and I will build greater ones,” and then he says, “I will eat, drink and be merry.” The Lord said, “Tonight your soul will be required of you.”

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”

Mark 8:36

I heard a story of an old businessman who was extremely successful and very wealthy. Somebody came to visit him and sat in his beautiful office and said: “You have done so well.” The old businessman’s eyes filled with tears and he said, “Yes”, he said, “I have used all my strength to build up this gigantic business and now I am using my money to try and buy back my health but it is not working.”

I want to say to you today that we need to keep our priorities in order. I knew an old gentleman who worked his whole life to build his dream home that he was going to retire in... He eventually retired and moved to that beautiful home and then I got a very sad report that he had contracted cancer and he only had a few weeks to live.

I went to visit him, he was sitting on the verandah of his magnificent home and I didn’t know what to say. I said, “What a beautiful home you have built for yourself. Tears filled his eyes and he said, “Yes, but for what?” He didn't live in that house for more than a couple of months before he died.

You know, in the 1600s a group of clergymen, professors of Theology, got together and they waited on God to find out what God’s purpose for man is on earth and they came to the conclusion, very simple:

The purpose of man is:
1) To glorify God and,
2) To enjoy Him forever.

I want to say to you today, “Are you doing that?” Because the wisest man who ever lived, that’s right - Solomon, said very clearly in the back of the Book of Ecclesiastes:

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Jesus bless you as you spend time with your Friend today.
Goodbye.