PURPOSE # 4: YOU WERE SHAPED FOR SERVING GOD (29. Accepting Your Assignment)

We're simply God's servants…Each one of us does the work which the Lord gave him to do: I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plant, but it was God who made the plant grow.
○ 1 Corinthians 3:5-6

It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.
○ Ephesians 2:10

I glorified You on earth by completing down to the last detail what you assigned me to do.
○ John 17:4

You were put on earth to make a contribution to make a difference with your life.

You were created to ADD to life on earth, not just take from it. God wants you to give something back. This is God's 4th purpose for your life and it's called your MINISTRY or service.

DETAILS OF MINISTRY
○ You were created to serve God
§ [God] has created for us a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do. - Ephesians 2:10b
□ These "good deeds" are your service.
□ Whenever you serve others in any way, you're actually serving God (Colossians 3:23-24; Matt. 25:34-45; Eph. 6:7) and fulfilling one of your purposes
□ Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work. - Jeremiah 1:5
§ You were placed on this planet for a special assignment
○ You were saved to serve God
§ It is HE who saved us and chose us for HIS holy work, not because we deserved it but because that was his plan. - 2 Tim 1:9
□ God redeemed you to do his "holy work"
□ You're not saved by service, but for service
§ In God's kingdom you have a place, purpose, role, and function to fulfill. This gives your life great significance and value.
§ Jesus died on the cross to purchase your salvation
□ God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God. - 1 Cor 6:20
§ We don't serve God out of fear or duty BUT out of joy and deep gratitude for what He's done for us. We owe Him our lives
§ Thru salvation our past has been forgiven, our present is given meaning, and our future secured
□ Because of God's great mercy...Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service. - Romans 12:1
§ Our loving service to others shows that we're truly saved
□ Our love for each other proves that we have gone from death to life - 1 John 3:14
□ If I have no love for others, no desire to serve others, and I'm only concerned about my needs, I should question whether Christ is really in my life.
○ You were called to serve God
§ He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own purpose. - 2 Tim 1:9
§ You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you. - 1 Peter 2:9
□ Anytime you use your God given abilities to help others you are fulfilling your calling.
§ One reason why you need to be connected with a church family is to fulfill your calling to serve other believers in practical ways
○ You are commanded to serve God
§ Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, didn't come to be served, but to serve and to give my life - Matt 20:28
§ For Christians service IS NOT optional
§ Serving and giving sum up God's fourth purpose for your life

As we mature in Christ the focus of our lives should increasingly shift to living a life of service

PREPARING FOR ETERNITY
At the end of your life on earth you will stand before God and he is going to evaluate how well you served others with your life.
○ Each of us will have to give a personal account to God - Romans 14:12
You're only fully alive when you're helping others
○ If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live - Mark 8:35

SERVICE AND SIGNIFICANCE
You're going to give your life for something - make sure it has a lasting significance.
○ Service is the pathway to REAL significance. Thru ministry we discover the meaning of our lives
§ Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body - Romans 12:5
○ As you serve in God's family, your life times on eternal importance
§ I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less…because of what you are a part of. - 1 Cor 12:14a
○ WHAT MATTERS IS NOT THE DURATION OF YOUR LIFE, BUT THE DONATION OF IT. NOT HOW LONG YOU LIVE, BUT HOW YOU LIVED
If you're not involved in any service or ministry what excuse have you been using?
○ Abraham was old
○ Jacob was insecure
○ Leah was unattractive
○ Joseph was abused
○ Moses stuttered
○ Gideon was poor
○ Samson was codependent
○ Rahab was immoral
○ David had an affair and all kinds of family problems
○ Elijah was suicidal
○ Jeremiah was depressed
○ Jonah was reluctant
○ Naomi was a widow
○ John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least
○ Peter was impulsive and hot tempered
○ Martha worried a lot
○ The Samaritan woman had several failed marriages
○ Zacchaeus was unpopular
○ Thomas had doubts
○ Paul had poor health
○ Timothy was timid
○ BUT GOD USED EACH OF THEM FOR HIS SERVICE, AND HE'LL USE YOU TOO IF YOU STOP MAKING EXCUSES

DAY 29

P2P: Service is not optional

V2R: For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Ephesians 2:10

Q2C: What is holding me back from accepting God's call to serve him?