There's Significance in Serving
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
There's Significance in Serving
There is a correct order of events for this happen
Many have the order
Many have the order of events wrong
Many try to work or be good in order for God to accept them.
Paul says in Ephesians 2:9 that if we could work so God would accept us, we would simply brag about it!
That in itself is a sin!
We cannot be saved by working or serving others, as good as it might be.
We find the correct order in
We are saved first, then we do good works
How are we saved?
God pursued us even with all the sin in our life
God was merciful to us and showed us grace rather than wrath
God stirred our heart to believe in Christ
When we believe in our heart and confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, we are saved
The Philippian jailer said to Paul and Silas,
Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Salvation is what God does, not what we do!
Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
The question then is, “why are we saved?”
We are His (God’s) Workmanship
Workmanship means we are God’s Creation
Alexander Graham Bell sent the first message by telephone in 1876.
He said, “Mr. Watson, come here, I need you.”
The telephone was Bell’s creation, designed to enable a message from one person to another when they were a distance apart.
Steve Jobs created the iPhone
The Chinese discovered gun powder thousands of years ago that could make manificent fireworks.
When you prepare a meal, you create something with a purpose. It is your creation.
When God created us, He did so with a purpose in mind.
When God saved us, He did so with a purpose in mind.
What are we created for?
Verse 10 tells us
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
We are designed by God
We are designed For God
We are designed to be used by God
If we are created in Christ Jesus for good works, how are we to do them?
What are we to do?
Where are we to do them?
When are we to do them?
Paul addresses these and other questions in the remaining chapters.
First we must be saved
Second, we must have God’s Power
Paul said in
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
How is this done?
Verse 18 is key: Be filled with the Spirit
This is spiritual breathing
When we are filled with the Spirit, what is produced?
The fruit of The Spirit is
Third, we are to maintain our relationships the way God wants
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Unity in the Body of believers
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Make Family Relationships Honoring to Christ
Husband/Wife
Wife/Husband
Children/Parents
Parents/Children
Slave/Master (Employee/Boss)
Master/Slave (Boss/Employee)
Conflicts in our relationships will quickly hinder our effectiveness for Christ
Fourth, we need to use the Spiritual Gift God has given us
What is a spiritual gift?
A spiritual gift is something God gives us. It is His choice what the gift will be.
Often it is what a person loves to do, but when they become a Christian, their motivation for what they do is different.
When we use our spiritual gift, we will reach more people for Christ than trying to be good at something we aren’t good at.
Example: A person who has the gift of mercy, will care for a person who is really struggling, hurting. This person would not do well trying to be an administrator.
An administrator would tend to be tough on a person going through difficulty, were as a person with gift of mercy, would be more tender, gentle and encouraging.
A person who has the gift of teaching, would prefer to spend more time studying. They want to help another person learn something.
A person who has the gift of evangelism, will find a way to share the gospel with any person they meet.
A person with the gift of service will look for ways to serve or help another person. They would not likely be interested in Administration.
A person using their gift will point a person to Christ more effectively doing what they are good at.
What are the gifts of the Spirit?
Ephesians 4:11-13
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
Romans 12:3-8
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
I Corinthians 12:4-11
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
…13:3
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way.
The Way of Love
13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
Pauls says a spiritual gift is worthless without L-O-V-E
Fifth, we need to use the protection God provides
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.