One of the most helpful organizations I belonged to as a teenager was the Future Farmers of America. What little I know about public speaking, organizational leadership and parliamentary procedure I learned from this association. The FFA opened its meetings with a distinctive ritual. The president called the meeting to order and immediately asked “Future Farmers of America, why are we here?”

Jesus wanted people to know why he was here, so he went back to his hometown synagogue, read from the prophet Isaiah about the Jewish Jubilee, rolled up the scroll, sat down and declared “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” “This is why I have come.”

Let us consider today our reason for being. We spend over four million dollars annually and we spend a lot of time together. Individuall…