Purpose Driven Life 11 – 4th Purpose – “You were shaped for serving God”
i. Elvis Presley had an enormously successful career as a singer and performer.
ii. He struggled with the meaning of his life though.
1. To be fair, about his life, Presley did many charitable acts, many of them in secret.
2. He paid hospital bills, bought meals, and gave to charity.
3. Yet he died with a drug dependency at age 42.
4. In an interview with his wife, Priscilla, she said this about her husband: “Elvis never came to terms with who he was meant to be or what his purpose in life was. He thought he was here for a reason, maybe to preach, maybe to serve, maybe to save, maybe to care for people. That agonizing desire was always with him and he knew he wasn’t fulfilling it. So he’d go on stage and he wouldn’t have to think about it.”
iii. Do you think about the question “What on Earth am I here for?”
iv. Elvis’s wife said he felt like he was here to do something, to serve, to preach, to save…to do something with his life, but he just couldn’t quite figure it out. Because he couldn’t answer this question, he ran away from the answer.
i. Instead of running from our purpose, let us run toward it. Let us embrace it.
1. And to do that, we need to embrace God.
2. This morning, one of the things you will have to ask yourself is whether you are running toward God or away from Him.
ii. He seeks a relationship with you. He wants you to know Him.
1. He wants you to be able to hear Him.
2. But if you are running away from Him…because you are too busy chasing the plan of your own life…you are missing the greatest plan on earth.
iii. God wants a relationship with you so much that He was willing to come to earth and die in your place on a cross.
1. He opens up his hands and says, “I love you this much!”
2. Are you running from that or are you just not ready to let go of the so called control you have over your life?
a. It always boils down to that. Who is in charge of your life.
3. Someday you are going to run out of options, out of detours, out of your own plans and you will come to a dead end street. And then it might be too late to turn to Jesus Christ.
4. Won’t you turn around and run toward God today.
i. When God wants to do something on this earth he uses one of us.
ii. God doesn’t ignore all of the laws that God created and break into the world, instead God says, “I’ve got a job for you.”
iii. That is the most incredible part about serving God…if you don’t do your part, then there is a part of God’s perfect plan that will be missing on this earth.
iv. We don’t do our part because we are too busy looking for what we can get OUT of life.
1. Randy Travis released a country music song that went to the top of the charts and stayed there for most of the past year. The song is called “Three Wooden Crosses.”
2. In that song it says, “It’s not what you take, but what you leave behind.”
3. Bookstores are filled with books telling us how to get the most out of life.
a. Self help.
4. But we were not created to get the most out of life, but to put something into life.
i. The reason I read verse 10 in the context of verses 8 and 9, is that people often think that they will gain value in God’s eyes for what they do.
1. But the bible is perfectly clear that your value in God’s eyes is a result of who you are, not on what you do.
2. What you do will come from who you are.
3. And that is why God sent Jesus to pay the price for your sins and to show you who and whose you are.
4. You belong to Him.
5. You and I can boast about nothing, because all we are is a direct result of what God has done for us.
ii. God has a plan for your life and that plan has a bunch of stuff that He wants you to do and leave behind for eternity.
1. Our first 10 weeks of this study has been about the inward journey:
a. Worship – planned for God’s pleasure -(who we belong to, whose in charge).
b. Fellowship – formed for God’s family – (we are made for one another and need each other).
c. Discipleship – created to be like Christ – (we are being reformed into His image)
2. And now we are heading away from the Inward journey and going toward the Outward journey.
a. The last two purposes have to do with the outward fruit of our lives.
b. If we only journey inward…naval stare…we will produce nothing.
c. Our lives require balance and they require outflow.
d. Our lives are like the differences between the Sea of Galillee and the Dead Sea.
i. One has fish, the other doesn’t
ii. One is teeming with life, the other isn’t
iii. Both have water flowing in…but only one has water flowing out.
iv. The difference between the Dead sea and the Sea of Galilee is striking, Galilee takes water in but also gives it out.
v. Nothing though lives in the Dead sea because it has no outflow. It is dead.
vi. In the same way, your life will stagnate without outflow.
vii. If all you do is receive and learn, and never serve, then your life will grow stagnant and dead.
1. Impression without expression causes depression.
2. Study without service leads to spiritual stagnation.
e. Christians need serving experiences.
i. Many of us look for a church that meets our needs.
ii. But God tells us to find a church where we can serve.
iii. Our first church we attended (Wedgwood Baptist) in Ft. Worth was filled with Seminary students…there was a two year wait to be a Sunday School Teacher.
iv. A mission was being started so we went with the mission because it opened up lots of opportunities for service.
v. Church services are not spelled SERVE-US but SERVICE. This is because we are to serve others, not ourselves.
vi. The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, “Who is going to meet my needs” and asks, “Whose needs can I meet.”
i. Just as the first passage mentioned, you won’t earn God’s approval by doing good things, but you will fulfill your destiny as you allow God to work through you.
ii. This passage in Philippians is one that shows the tension between the Position we hold with God (Saved), and the Practice we must live (Work).
1. Do you remember the principle of Position and Practice? (review if there are nods)
iii. The better word for “work” would be “produce the results of your salvation.
1. Work out: Katergazomai: produce, bring about results, accomplish.
a. Not Ergo – which means “to work”
b. It doesn’t say “work to earn or attain”
2. It is God who is at work…to work for: Energeo: to be operative, be at work, put forth power.
3. To will: Thelo: to will, have in mind, intend, to be resolved or determined, to desire, to wish, to love, to like to do a thing.
iv. In other words, the service we do, God places in our hearts and lives
1. He not only calls us to serve, but He places in us the PASSION to serve
2. He gives us the very will, desire, love for doing so.
v. If you don’t have the desire to serve, it may be because you are looking to meet your own needs first.
1. Your needs are only met when you meet someone else’s.
2. The more you try to meet your own needs, the more frustrated you will get.
3. But when you empty yourself to meet someone else’s needs, you will find your needs met as well.
i. This is the means by which you will find the heart of God for serving others.
ii. Love to serve: How many times have you heard someone say, "I took a job I hate in order to make a lot of money. So someday I can quit and do what I love to do."
1. I pity that person.
2. Let me let you in on a secret. I would do this ministry even if I was not paid one penny to do it.
3. This is my passion. It brings me life. I get life when others get life.
4. My last church I did mostly administrative stuff. There wasn’t much life in that part of it, but it was a chance to learn & grow in ministry.
5. Later in that ministry, I started to teach a bible study. I found my passion again.
6. I treasured that time. I wanted that . I remember saying to God, “ I would love to do this all the time!” Guess what. God answered that prayer!
7. I now say NO to admin tasks. I say yes to what brings others life, because it brings life to me as well.
i. 2 Timothy 1:9 “It is He who saved us and chose us for his holy work, not because we deserved it, but because that was His holy plan”
1. God redeemed you so you could do His holy work.
2. You are not saved BY service, but FOR service.
i. She “stood up and began to serve Jesus” using her new gift of health.
1. We are blessed to bless others.
2. A non-serving Christian is a contradiction in terms.
3. Romans 7:4 “Now you belong to him…in order that we might be useful in the service of God.”
i. . One day Jesus was walking down to go to Jericho and some blind men start yelling at him. And the Bible says this (Matt. 20:30-32): “Two blind men shouted ‘Lord, have mercy on us! Jesus stopped and called them. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’.”
ii. Now I want you to circle the word “stopped”.
1. Jesus stopped.
2. If you want to be used by God, if you want to serve God, you must be willing to be interrupted.
3. Would you write that down? You must be willing to be interrupted.
4. Most of Jesus’ ministry and most of Jesus’ miracles were interruptions.
5. You think about it. All the people he healed – the blind man, the lame man, the sick people, the paralyzed man, the dead child – all of them were interruptions.
6. His first miracle? Interrupted at a wedding.
7. He second miracle? Interrupted on the way to Galilee. It says, “Jesus stopped”.
8. You ought to go study the stops, and study how many times Jesus stopped in ministry.
9. Almost every miracle Jesus did, He did it because He let Himself be interrupted.
10. Almost all the ministry He did, He did it because He allowed Himself to be interrupted.
a. I know I struggle with interruptions. I am sure you do to.
b. But God wants to show us that it is in the interruptions that we will get to see Him work the most.
c. To deal with interruptions in this way means we must be focused upon God and His plan, and be MORE interested in God’s pleasure than our own.
d. It requires that God be in charge and you be dead to your desires.
i. If you think about it, the times when God uses you the most will be when He “stops you” on your way to something important.
ii. There is nothing more important than be available for God’s use in service to others.
iii. All of our agenda’s are a waste if we ignore the tug of the Spirit of God as He prompts us to minister and serve.
iv. What is it that keeps us from being available? Self-centeredness.
1. The Bible says, “Forget yourself long enough to lend a helping hand.” (Phil. 2:4)
2. Whenever you see a need right in front of you, guess what?
3. You see the number one enemy of compassion is busyness.
a. We just get too busy! And because I’m so busy, I don’t have time to serve.
b. I’ve got my agenda, my plans, my dreams, my goals, my ambitions.
c. You know what the problem is?
i. We hang this [Pastor holds up a “do not disturb sign”] on the door of our heart, “Do Not Disturb.”
ii. We do it all the time. We say, “do not disturb”. “Don’t disturb my heart. I’ve got my goals. I’ve got my safe little life going here, so don’t disturb me for the needs of other people.”
d. And as a consequence, we never experience the joy of giving our lives away to others.
v. What will be your excuse when you stand before God:
1. I was too busy. I had my own goals. I was preparing for retirement. I was traveling. I was working.
2. These will be excuses that God will cut right through…I created you , saved you, called you and commanded you to live a life of service
i. If we leave a job for someone, then no-one does it.
1. Do you know the name of the person who cleaned the church this week, who is watching your children in the nursery, taught you a Bible Study, raked the parking lot, cleaned the windows, vacuumed the floor, emptied the trash, greeted you at the door or handed you a bulletin?
2. Someone gave someone a ride today to church here, someone else checked on a member who was home-bound.
3. Each of these people are doing these acts of service because God has put in their heart a desire to make a difference.
4. They didn’t wait for someone else to do it. They got busy and decided to make a difference. Won’t you?
i. I am reminded of an usher who was just doing his humble task in a church some 50 years ago. Two teenage boys tried to come into a church service at night, but it was packed and they couldn’t find seats. They turned decided to leave because they couldn’t find a seat. But that usher said, “Come on, guys. I’ll find you a seat.” And that usher personally escorted them down to the center and set them in the middle and found them two seats. That night both of those boys accepted Christ and became Christians. One of them was Billy Graham who has now led millions of people to Christ.
ii. Do you think that usher had a job from God?
1. We have no idea of the significance of small acts.
2. So never belittle small things because it’s all important. R
3. Real servants do every task with equal dedication because they know it all matters.
4. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing something important that is well known or if you’re doing something important that’s not well known. It’s all important.
iii. Don’t mistake anonymous with insignificant.
iv. Don’t mistake anonymous with insignificant or even unnecessary.
v. Just because it’s not known doesn’t mean it’s unnecessary.
1. Unnecessary – the stream that ran through the town story?
2. There are no insignificant ministries in a church.
a. We had a web team in my last church. The first time we got together, I shared with them that their work would be responsible for helping people find Christ and to help members know what is going on so they can be more effective Christians. 30% of that church’s visitors came as a direct result of the web site.
b. A fellow named Walter was in charge of keeping the grounds looking good. He had a team of 4 or 5 guys that tried to spruce up the grounds. People would drive by the church and say, “Gee, that looks inviting and attractive.” It would prepare the way for visitors to feel welcome.
c. The person who cares for children in our nursery may have a direct effect upon whether that child’s mother or father might actually respond to Jesus Christ, because they felt so safe leaving their child there, they were able to devote their attention to the message and the worship service.
i. Jesus said, “No servant can serve two masters.
1. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Lk. 16:13).
2. Now would you circle the word “cannot”?
3. He didn’t say, “You should not serve both God and money.” He said, “You cannot serve both God and money.”
4. You’ve got to decide whether you want to be rich or you want to be blessed.
5. I’m telling you, you have to say, “What’s number one in priority in my life?”
6. You cannot serve both God and money (success, houses, cars, possessions). It’s impossible.
7. You see, you get so busy taking care of things; you don’t have time to take care of people.
a. A pastor friend of mine said once, “the worst thing about buying a bunch of stuff is that you have to spend a bunch of time and money maintaining it.”
b. Will you stop chasing your tail? Will you simplify?
c. Will you die to your desires?
This morning, we have asked some hard questions. Are you running from God because you want to run your own life? Are you running from the purpose He has for your life…because you don’t want to give up control? How foolish! God’s plan is 10,000,000 times better than anything we have for ourselves, and will make us much happier.
Jesus came to this earth and died for you and me…and in light of that…will you still say NO to Him? If you are ready to stop running and to say yes, I am up here to pray with you and for you. In a moment we will be having a ministry time, where you can slip out of your seat and come forward for prayer. Lots of people do it here. You don’t have to worry about feeling foolish. If you are ready to walk with God, then no embarrassment will matter, no fear will matter, no pride will matter. You may be feeling that uncomfortable feeling and that you have a burden you want free from. Jesus can lift it. Come forward for prayer.
Some others here are struggling with finding their place of service. God has a place for you. And it isn’t just at the buffet table. You wont’ be truly satisfied until you are giving your time and talents to God for His kingdom. Won’t you let me pray for you to find out what that is? This time is your time, to respond to God and to commit yourself more deeply to Him. Won’t you do it? Don’t wait. Let’s stand and sing.