“Designed by God, Empowered to Serve” (Part 2)

From Salvation to Service Sermon Series

“Designed by God, Empowered to Serve” (Part 2)

KEY PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 12:4–11(NASB)

Gracious and Eternal Father, today we gather in this sacred space with hearts full of gratitude. We thank You for every sermon preached, every soul saved, and every life transformed at 1019 East Broad Street. This building has held our tears and our triumphs, our worship and our witness, and we give You glory for it all. As we stand on the threshold of transition, we invite Your presence among us. Let this final service be filled with holy remembrance and divine anticipation. We are here to give thanks and to step forward in faith. And everyone says, Amen. Please be seated.

TITHE and OFFERING

The worship team will lead us in song as we collect our tithes and offerings. Ushers, please pass around the offering plates so we can collect our tithes and offerings.

PRAYER FOR TITHE and OFFERING

Gracious and Sovereign Lord, look down from Your heavenly throne upon Your Church, Your people, and the flock of Your pasture. As we present our tithes and offerings before You, may these gifts be received with favor and be employed for the exaltation of Your name and the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen!

WELCOME

Welcome, everyone, to our last Sunday Worship Service. Let’s celebrate Jesus and give God the praise, glory, and honor for His faithfulness to this church. Please stand up, greet the people around you, and tell them that Jesus loves them. Our first-time visitors, please stand so we can see you. We also welcome all who join us online.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Wednesday Night Bible Study Connect at 7:00 p.m. is canceled due to our relocation to the new church. Corporate Meeting—Starting this Sunday, we will meet at the new church at 9:00 a.m. for our Corporate prayer meeting. I encourage all of you to please join us during our Corporate Prayer Meeting at 9:00 a.m. at the new church. 

DECLARATION of FAITH in GOD

Let us stand and say the Declaration of Faith in God together. Please remain standing as we pray.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

Let’s pray. Grant, we ask You, Almighty God, that Your Word may bring forth in us the fruit of good living. Let Your Holy Spirit accompany Your Word with saving power to our souls to the honor and praise of Your name, through Jesus Christ our Lord, we pray. Amen! You may be seated.

SERMON INTRODUCTION

One of the ways you can tell that a concert pianist is serious about their craft is by the piano they choose. Rather than selecting any instrument, they often play on custom-made pianos that are finely tuned to their touch, with keys responsive to their unique playing style and emotional expression. This precision enables the pianists to deliver a performance that truly resonates, hitting the intended notes with clarity, impact, accuracy, and precision.

SERMON EXPOSITION 1

You have been custom-made by God, and God made you with you in mind—with your own set of fingerprints that nobody else can have but you. And so, to spend your life trying to be somebody else is to miss the point of your custom-made design by God. God takes credit for your design because God takes credit for your purpose. Isaiah 43:1 says, “God made you, He formed you and will keep you for His purpose.” Ephesians 1:4 says that “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.”

God created you for a purpose, and He has chosen you for a purpose. Let’s look at Psalm 138. The Psalmist says this in verse 8 of Psalm 138, “The Lord will accomplish what concerns me.” Not only has God made you for a purpose, but God is also [Watch This] determined to fulfill it. Far too many Christians today are walking through life with the wind of resistance pressing against their purpose. Flip one chapter over in Psalm 139 and look at how specific God is regarding you and me. In verse 14, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works.” I don’t care what anybody else says about you, because God says you have been uniquely crafted, and God did not miss a beat. If you are ugly, you are God’s ugly. You are not a mass production; you are custom-designed by God to hit the mark of your calling with spiritual accuracy and precision.

Verse 15 says, “My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret. And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my formless substance; And in Your book were written All the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” God has not only ordained your existence, but He has appointed the length of your life—each day fashioned by His hand. There is no such thing as luck, chance, or mistakes in God’s economy.

God’s blueprint for your life was drafted before the dust took shape. In other words, before your name was known, your purpose was assigned to your name. It is good enough to know that God has crafted you, but if God is so good, He can craft you and know you when there is no you. God did not make you an off-the-rack Christian. You are not just hanging out there with everybody else. God created you intentionally and deliberately—with your name written into His design. You are a custom-made saint. You are a custom-made believer. You are a custom-made church. And so, to step outside of God’s purpose for your life is to step into a version of yourself that God never designed, never intended, and never blessed.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION 1

Before builders construct a building, they must first understand the building’s purpose – because the building’s intended use determines its Form, Fit, and Function. The Form speaks to the building’s aesthetic design, structural framework, and three-dimensional layout. The Fit reflects how well the building integrates with its environment, systems, and intended users. The Function defines the building’s role—what it is meant to do and how it will serve.

A hospital building is going to be a lot different from a school building. A school building is different than a church sanctuary building. The distinctions are profound: a hospital demands precision and specialized infrastructure. A school building requires accessibility and a precise learning flow. A church sanctuary evokes a sense of God’s presence, and a worship-centered design. And so, before God made you and ultimately saved you by His grace, He determined for you what your purpose was going to be, and God designed you to achieve that purpose for His glory.  God did not create you for your own sake—He created you for His divine purpose.

SERMON EXPOSITION 2

One hallmark of human maturity is a deepening awareness and appreciation of one’s physical body. In the same way, spiritual maturity in Christ leads us to a deeper understanding of the Church, which is the Body of Christ. Please turn to 1 Corinthians 12 in your Bibles. I would like to focus on a few key words. Paul says in verse 4, “varieties of gifts.” In verse 5, he says, “varieties of ministries.” And in verse 6, he says the “varieties of effects”. Because we are custom-made and designed by God, we are all different.

God’s creative intent is reflected in our differences—our preferences, appearances, and emotions because when God created you and then transformed you through salvation, He did not produce uniformity but instead created variety. God created us with a variety of ministries. Not everyone will accomplish everything to the same degree. Why? Because we are all different. There are running shoes, dress shoes, loafers, and combat boots. All are designed for the feet, but all have a different purpose and intended use. You don’t go in a Marathon with combat boots or hiking shoes on your feet because while they are still shoes, the purpose for which the combat boot is made and designed is not the same purpose for which the running shoes are designed and made.

A specialized shoe is designed to fulfill the purpose for which you are wearing it, to move you from where you are to where you are supposed to go. What God is saying is that He is wearing you, and He is wearing every believer. [Watch This] God has crafted and designed every single believer here today to wear, based on where God wants you to go – maybe to a particular church or a group of folks who need to hear about your testimony.

In the book of Acts, chapter 17, verses 24–28, it says God even determines where you will be born. The fact that you were even born here is no coincidence. The fact that you even come to church here every Sunday is no mistake. There is no such thing as mistakes in the Bible. God does not miss a beat. And so, no one here has the right … has the right to resist God’s creation of them. To say God, you did well everywhere else, but here, you made a mistake? A perfect Being makes no mistakes. And if a perfect Being makes no mistakes, guess what? You are not a mistake.

SERMON EXPOSITION 3

I would like to focus on two things in these verses. He says there is a variety, and then He said, but the same. That leads him to discuss spiritual gifts. Verse 7 says, “to each one.” Each one means you are included, and there are no exceptions. “To each one”, to every Christian, He says, “is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” [Watch This] When God saved you, He saved you for a reason. A spiritual reason. A reason that happens together with the purposes of God for your life. An eternal reason. God saved you for more than just raising a family; that is certainly a legitimate reason. God saved you more than to work a job from 8 to 5; that, too, is a legitimate reason. God did not save you to sit—He saved you to serve. God saved you to serve His kingdom and His church.

Verse 7 says God saved you for the common good. Common good emphasizes that these gifts are not for personal elevation or private benefit, but to build up the entire body of Christ—the benefit you would bring to the rest of the body, the church community. Watch This – the purpose of your gift is to build up the church, the body of believers, and give spiritual help to other believers. Your spiritual gifts were not given to you by God for self-display or self-gratification. That is the meaning of the common good. For the benefit you would bring to the rest of the body. If that is not being realized, then there is a missing piece in your life, and making more money won’t fix it. Changing jobs won’t solve the problem because these are not the fundamental issues.

The fundamental issue is for you to fulfill your design and your purpose. And so, with that in mind, God says, “I have spiritually equipped you to serve Me.”  This is not about your talents, and it is not about your natural abilities – it is about the spiritual empowerment God has placed within you for His calling and purpose. He says in verse 7, to each one [each believer] is given the manifestation of the Spirit. What is this manifestation of the Spirit? Let’s go a little deeper.

SERMON EXPOSITION 4

This manifestation of the Spirit, or what we call spiritual gifts, is a God-given and empowered ability to serve Him in a way that benefits others. 1 Peter 4:10-11 says that God has given each of us the ability to serve one another “for the glory of God.” A spiritual gift is about God being glorified through Jesus Christ. Verse 7 says, “the manifestation of the Spirit.” It is not a manifestation of your human will. It is not a manifestation of just natural talent. You don’t have to be a Christian to be talented. Non-Christians are talented. Atheists can be talented. That is not what Paul is talking about. He is talking about something that God does through you and me that can only be explained supernaturally.

 SERMON APPLICATION 1

You may have the gift of singing. You may possess a voice so beautiful it moves the crowd at church—but if you are not singing under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, that gift cannot fulfill God’s purpose. And that is why worship music today in the average church has sunk to such a low level. Worship has become a stage for performance rather than a sanctuary for God’s presence. Musicians believe that talent and technique are enough—that once they have mastered the sound, they have secured the Spirit. Let me be clear—God does not need our music. God desires our praise and worship.

SERMON EXPOSITION 4 CONTINUES

Here is my question for you. What are you doing for God that only God can get the credit? What are you doing that is beyond just something natural? If God is not doing anything through you that ministers to others that goes beyond the natural, then it is not the manifestation of the Spirit. It is not the manifestation of the supernatural because the verse says it is a manifestation of the Spirit, which means the Spirit pulls this off through you.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION 2

There are many types of batteries. Just yesterday, while we were working at the new church, one of the members asked me for a battery to fix a malfunctioning smoke detector. And it got me thinking. There are [Double-A batteries], [Triple-A batteries], C, and D batteries. There are batteries for cars and watches. Each battery is designed for a specific purpose. You cannot put a C battery in your car and expect your car to start. You know why? Because a car demands a different kind of power—a power that matches its design and function. The Spirit knows exactly what kind of power you need to fulfill your assignment. The Holy Spirit is the One who empowers every believer —for your ministry, your season, and your journey. We all draw from the same Spirit. The Scripture says we manifest different gifts, different ministries, and different effects. That means your power source is tailor-made [custom-made] for your kingdom’s purpose!

SERMON APPLICATION 2

God has made all of us different, but we are all united in our devotion to God. God says it is for the profit of all. There is a corporate dimension to your salvation. We live in a country that prides itself on individualism. You pull yourself up by your bootstraps. God says that you are a conduit Christian, and not a cul-de-sac Christian. God has gifted you from the time of your salvation to the time of your death for ministry. You heard me say this before – every Christian is a minister, whether ordained or not. You are a minister because God has gifted you for ministry.

My question is, what is the ministry that God has called you to? And if God has called you to a ministry in this church or somewhere else, God will supernaturally enable you to do it? [Watch This] God never calls what He does not supply. Ok? In Exodus 4:10–12, Moses said, ‘I can’t do this. I can’t talk. I stutter when I speak.’ God said, ‘Who made your mouth?  Jeremiah said, ‘I am too young.’ God says, I am going to put my words in your mouth. God will not give His supernatural manifestation to folks who are going to debate and argue about how and when to use it.

SERMON EXPOSITION 5

The Bible declares that we are to serve the Lord with gladness. Ephesians 6:6 says, ‘ not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” Serving God from the heart. What does this mean? Over and over, the Bible says, in the Old Testament, when God called His people to serve Him, He stirred their hearts. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart.

Many men lie often when they say to a lady, You know, I love you with all my heart.’ That is a lie, ladies, and take that statement with a grain of salt. In the Bible, the heart is described as the essence or core of one's being. What does the heart do? It beats. Why does it beat? It beats to pump. It pumps life into everything else. When the heart stops, everything else stops because the heart provides the pump that allows life to flow through everything else. Because of the heart, you are alive.

Proverbs 27:19 says, “The heart is so central to your being that it is a reflection of who you are as a person.” If I want to see who you are, let me see your heart. Show me your heart is what the verse says. We all do things, and our hearts are not in them. There is no life there, no motivation, and we are just going through the motions. Many of you will go to work tomorrow with your body but not with your heart because you hate to go to sleep and wake up early in the morning. Whenever the Bible talks about serving God, it means serving God from the heart. Proverbs 4:23 says, “out of your heart flows the springs of life.” If you want to be alive, [get in touch] with your heart. If you want to stop living this boring, dull, and empty life, [get in touch] with your heart.

1 Corinthians 9:16, Paul says, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.” He says in Romans 15:20, “It is my ambition to preach the gospel.” Where the word “ambition” means passion. Paul says, “It is my passion to fulfill what God has called me to do.” Acts 13:36 says, “After David had fulfilled the purpose of God in his generation, he fell asleep.”

 SERMON APPLICATION 3

If I told you that you had five years to live, and your family doctor could guarantee it, you are not going to make it beyond five years. The wheels would start turning. You know why? Because you only have the time to do what matters the most to you. You will begin to focus on the things you want to accomplish.  Every day you go without having God supernaturally manifest Himself through you in accomplishing the ministry He wants to accomplish through you is a wasted day. And wasted days lead to wasted weeks. And wasted weeks lead to wasted months. Wasted months lead to wasted years. Wasted years lead to wasted decades. And wasted decades can result in a wasted life.

If your headstone were to bear witness to the work God accomplished through your life—from the moment of your conversion to the hour of your departure—would it have anything worth engraving? And if something were written, would it tell a story worth reading? Would it reflect a life surrendered, a mission fulfilled, and a legacy that pointed others to Christ Jesus?

SERMON ILLUSTRATION 2

I want you to picture your funeral service. In our new church at 6119 W River Road, Elyria, Ohio, you are on the stage lying in your casket. We have come to say goodbye to you—to honor your life, remember your impact, and release you into the everlasting arms of our faithful God.

We read the program about your life, and our program sheet says that John Doe or Jane Doe was born this year, this month, died this year, and was converted this year, this month—your birth, conversion, and death.

When we write the dates of birth and death, there is a dash in the middle. “John Doe — 1942 – 2025.” There are two dates. One beginning, one end. But between them is a simple dash. Allow me to relocate the dash. When you were converted, saved, when you died, dash. It is all about the dash. When you were converted, when you die, the issue is what did you do with the dash? Most of us are concerned about how long we are living. That is a natural concern of life. But when it comes to eternity, it is all about the dash. What good is living fifty years if it was a wasted fifty years?

If there is nothing heaven can use in that dash, if the Holy Spirit never could get your attention long enough to use you in that dash. When you are living out the expression of the Spirit in your life for the ministry God has called you to, when you are living that out, the problems you thought were problems don’t become much of a problem anymore. You know why far too many Christians today are walking around so unhappy? Because we are living for the wrong things, and since we are living for the wrong things, they are making us so sad and disappointed, we are unhappy with everything.

FAITH APPEAL, CALL to ACTION, and ALTAR CALL

In closing, I will leave you with a question that demands your answer and response: What will you do with the time you have left? If you have been saved and redeemed by the blood of Jesus, then you have been cleared for takeoff. But some of us have been grounded far too long and have been sitting on the runway. It is time to take off. It is time to rise. You were not saved to stay grounded—You were saved to ascend—so rise and walk in the purpose of God. My prayer is that you and I will not waste this flight. We will serve and we will finish well.

God has numbered your days. Whatever you are going to do for the glory of God and the advancement of His Kingdom, you need to get around to it. Not next month. Not when it is convenient. Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Don’t delay for better timing. God says, “Right now.” Because only one life will soon be past—and only what is done for Christ will last forever. May God bless you with strength for the journey and grace for the assignment!

If you are here and you are not a Christian, you just need someone to show you how. Come to the front, and we will show you how to receive eternal life today. Is there anyone here who is not a Christian? We can fix that right now. We can show you the way to everlasting life, and it doesn’t cost you anything; it is free because it is by grace. Is there anyone?   

BENEDICTION [CLOSING PRAYER]

Let’s stand on our feet. May God give you a great day as you ask Him to show you how He wants to manifest Himself through you. Let’s pray together. Father God, I have challenged Your people through Your Word to think about what they are doing with their lives. The clock is ticking, and don’t give them peace until they pursue what You have placed them for here on earth. I pray that You will help us to understand Your Word clearly and also to understand the gift that You have given to us. May we take our gift and put it into service for Your glory, in the name of Jesus, we pray and ask, and everyone says. Amen.

God bless you. We look forward to seeing you next week at 10:30 a.m. at the new church.