Russian author Leo Tolstoy once wrote, “My question was the simplest of questions…. ‘What will come of my whole life? Why should I live, why wish for anything, or do anything?’” This question echoes in every human heart: What’s my purpose? Why am I here? While philosophers may debate the greatest question of life, believers in Jesus don’t have to wonder about their purpose. As we continue our “Who We Are” series, we discover the fourth dimension of the cross-shaped life: we haven’t just been born into this world; we’ve been sent into it. Just as Jesus wasn’t merely born but sent with divine purpose, we too are commissioned with the same mission: to seek and save the lost. When Jesus told His disciples, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21, NIV), He revealed our ultimate calling.

The great 19th century evangelist, Dwight L. Moody said, “The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves.” This is the essence of the cross-shaped life we're exploring in our “Who We Are” series. While our culture often measures success by what we accumulate or achieve, Jesus demonstrates a radically different measure of greatness. As He declares, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45, NIV). The One who deserved to be served came to serve us! Today, we discover that service isn’t just something we do; it’s central to who we are as Christ-followers. It’s not an optional add-on to the Christian life but an essential expression of a life transformed by the Gospel.

Are you who you’re supposed to be, and are you what you’re supposed to be? While “Christian” appears only three times in the entire Bible, “disciple” shows up 269 times. In the first century, being a disciple wasn’t just about learning information; it meant becoming an apprentice who followed someone, watched how they lived, and grew to become like them. In other words, there’s a profound difference between deciding to become a disciple and living as a disciple. Our mission at Cross Pointe is “pointing people to Jesus and inspiring them to live the cross-shaped life.” As Jesus clearly states three times in Luke 14, “You cannot be my disciple” unless you’re willing to meet certain requirements. It doesn’t cost anything to become a disciple. It will cost you everything to be a disciple. Let’s take a look at what that means.