This morning I want to begin a discussion of another of God’s purposes for our lives. Over the last few weeks we have seen that: First we were created for God’s pleasure- we were designed to be in relationship with God. Second- we were formed for God’s family- and as a result God desires to place each of us in a spiritual family namely his church. Third- we were created to become like Christ. And in this process God uses the agents of his word, temptation, and personal trials to transform us.
This leads us into another purpose that god has for our lives. Purpose number four is that we were shaped to serve God. The main points of this message come from chapters 30 and 31 of the book the Purpose Driven Life. If you have a copy of this book, I urge you this week to reread these two chapters.
It is here in this purpose where my true passion lies. It is here where as your pastor I get to guide, direct, and watch as you connect to your God given gifts, talents, and strengths and then once you find them and connect with them I get to personally point you to
avenues by which you can use them.
I
If you have your Bibles this morning turn with me
to the book of Ephesians chapter 2 beginning in verse 10.
listen to what the word of God says: "We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. II
I like how the New Living translation puts it: It says: We
are God’s masterpiece.
Guys, Just like a potter makes a clay pot to hold water, just like a wood crafter works wood and nails into a chair for sitting, we are God’s workmanship made for the purpose of serving him.
We are not simply made to sit in the stands and watch the game of life pass by, we are made to get in game and make a contribution to the teaml But just like a coach doesn’t send his players into a game without giving them the tools they need to succeed, God has not sent us into the game with out the tools we need.
Job 10:8 says, "Your hands shaped me and made me."
1 Peter 4:10 also says, "Each of us should use whatever gift he’s received to serve others. II
You are God’s workmanship, His Masterpiece, created Why? To do good works- To serve. Specially shaped to serve.
Right now you might be saying yeah, yeah Kevin I have heard that before. What’s new. Look at me what gifts do I have, it seems like God must have missed me. But to say that and to believe that would be to call God a liar because His word clearly speak otherwise. So if you are in that group saying I don’t know or I have none listen up.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 says: There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us.
In other words there are different kinds of spiritual gifts... different ways of serving... and different abilities to perform service.
In order to help us understand how we are shaped to serve. Let us take the word SHAPE apart and see what we can discover.
S -Spiritual Gifts
Every Christmas eve we go to my parent’s house to open gifts. By that time the gifts under the tree are piled high and are spread out far beyond the base of the tree. When it is time to open our gifts we literally have to dig through the gifts searching for a gift that has our name on it. And once our gifts are found we sit down and open them. We unwrap our gifts.
In this same way God has given each of you at least one spiritual gift to serve Him. A gift of service that flows naturally and very easy for you.
Rick Warren in his book the Purpose Driven Life say this: " God gives every believer spiritual gifts to be used in ministry. These are special God- enpowered abilities for serving Him that are given only to believers... You can not earn these gifts or deserve them-that’s why they are
called gifts. They are an expression of God’s grace to you. Ephesians 4:7 says Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us. Neither do you and I get to choose which gifts we like to have; God determines that. Paul explains this in 1 Corinthians 12:11 It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
These gifts were not given to us for our benefit but for others. 1 Corinthians 12:7 spells this out: A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.
So our first starting point is to unwrap our personal spiritual gift
Which brings us to the letter H which represents our heart
While listening to our emotions and feelings can get us into trouble-to ignore them would also be a tragedy. Just like God has given each of us a unique fingerprint and physical personally different marks. He also has given a personal unique emotional heartbeat that races when we think of certain subjects, activities, or circumstances that interest us.
At the close of our First New York Mission trip we toured a Baptist church near the place where we were working as the pastor told us of his vision for his church my heart began to race and began to personally connect with what he was saying and how through missions we could share in that dream through a mission trip.
Listening for inner promptings can point to the ministry God intends you to have. When we listen to our heart we can become passionate about the work that we are doing
A applying your abilities
Your abilities are the natural talents you were born with. Be it talking, athletics, mechanics, sports, carpentry, music, math... the list is endless.
Use them for God.
In the Old testament when God wanted to create the tabernacle and all the utensils for worship, he provided artists, carpenters, and craftsmen who were shaped with certain skills and abilities
One of the cool things about our many mission trips is the way men and women are given opportunities to use their natural abilities and strengths.
P using your personality
Look around you God loves variety. We are all different. Some are loud some are quiet some are emotional and some are not. Some are thinkers and others are feelers. Some of you love variety and change and others love routine and consistency. Looking at all of our Bible heroes each possessed a different temperament which drives home the point that there are no right or wrong temperaments for ministry. We need all kinds of personalities to balance the church and give it flavor.
It is here where each of us will serve differently If two of you have the gift of evangelism and one of you is shy
and the other is outspoken then the expression of your gift will be different. None being better than the other.
Like stained glass, our different personalities reflect God’s light in many colors and patterns. This blesses the family of God with depth and variety. It also blesses us personally. It feels good to do what God made you to do.
E employing your experiences
In determining your shape for serving God, you should examine 6 kinds of experiences from your past.
1. Family- What did you learn growing up in your family? 2.Educational What were your favorite subjects in school?
3. Vocational- What jobs have you been the most effective in and enjoyed the most?
4.Spiritual- What have been your most meaningful times with God?
5.Ministry- How have you served God in the past? 6.Painful experiences- What problems, hurts, thorns, and trials have you learned from?
And it is this last category that God uses the most to prepare you for ministry. God never wastes a hurt. In fact for many of you your greatest ministry will most likely come out of your greatest hurt.
This afternoon reflected on the accrostic SHAPE and choose to today to begin a journey of serving God exactly as you were made exactly as you were shaped to serve.
