What on Earth Am I Here For? - Part 1

October 22, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

What on Earth Am I Here For? — Part 1

The two most important days in a person's life, Mark Twain once said, are the day you're born and the day you figure out why. Rick Warren opens this message by stating that most people go through life never knowing why they were born, and that God has five purposes for every human life — not ten, not fifteen, not two or three, but five. These five purposes, he argues, are embedded in two of Jesus' most famous statements: the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, which together contain five verbs that reveal why God made you.

You Cannot Discover Your Purpose by Looking Within

Warren's central argument is straightforward: if you want to know the purpose of something, you have to ask its creator. He uses the analogy of an unfamiliar invention — without talking to the inventor or reading the owner's manual, you would only be guessing at its purpose. The same applies to human life. Philosophy, he says, is just guessing. The popular idea of "looking within" to discover your purpose is, in his words, "nonsensical" and "irrational" because you did not create yourself. Only the God who made you can tell you why he made you.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:02) **Introduction to "What on Earth Am I Here For?"** - Rick Warren opens a message foundational to Saddleback Church, stating that God has five purposes for every life, not ten or fifteen.
2 (03:31) **Why Self-Discovery Fails to Reveal Purpose** - Rick argues that philosophy and "looking within" are guesswork, and only the Creator can define the purpose of his creation.
3 (04:50) **You Were Made for God and to Last Forever** - Rick presents two foundational truths: you were made by God and for God, and you were made to last forever, making this life a dress rehearsal for eternity.
4 (08:03) **Purpose #1: Planned for God's Pleasure (Worship)** - The first purpose of your life is to let God love you and to learn to love him back, which is the definition of worship.
5 (13:08) **How to Live Out the First Purpose Daily** - Rick provides a practical morning routine and a metric for a successful day centered on knowing and loving God more.
6 (16:08) **Purpose #2: Formed for God's Family (Fellowship)** - The second purpose is that you were made to be part of God's family, the church, and God hates loneliness.
7 (17:26) **Closing & Invitation to Daily Hope Devotional** - The broadcast concludes with an invitation to sign up for the free Daily Hope email devotional to start each day with God's promises.

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Show Notes

This life is preparation for eternity. And how you choose to live on this side of eternity will determine where you spend the other side of eternity. In this message, Pastor Rick helps you organize your life around God's five purposes.