I WAS MADE FOR HIS PLAN

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

PRAY

STORY

GOLF CLUBS

New Clubs… and it is about time, I was given my old clubs which worked

But the thing is, is that I am 6,7…

I could hit the ball straight

But I had ZERO DISTANCE

But when I got clubs that actually fit me

That were made for me

GAME CHANGED… IM HITTING THE TOUR NEXT WEEK

Thing about my old clubs is that

THEY WORKED, BUT IT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO BE USED HOW I WAS USING THEM.

So many of us are going through life, doing a job that MIGHT WORK, might pay the bills, or we are in a relationship that is working but if we are honest, somehow, somwhere deep down you just know that this is not what you were made for.

This is when we often find ourselves JUST GETTING BY

This will always lead you to more questions.

WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR?

WHAT AM I MADE FOR?

WE WERE NOT MADE TO JUST GET BY

BUT TO THRIVE

But HOW DO WE DO THIS?

TONIGHT I WANT TO START A NEW SERIES

I WAS MADE FOR THIS

Next few weeks, look at:

WHAT IS THIS?

TITLE: I WAS MADE FOR HIS PLAN

THE FIRST THING YOU WERE MADE FOR WAS HIS PLAN…

YOU WERE MADE FOR HIS PLAN

WE ALL WERE

Colossians 3:3 NLT

3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

YOUR REAL LIFE IS HIDDEN IN CHRIST

WHEN WE see this word hidden it’s easy to think that it is something that we need to go FIND.

OUR LIFE IS HIDDEN IN CHRIST… SO WE NEED TO GO SEARCH IT OUT, RIGHT???

BUT THE THING THAT I RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT I CANT WAIT TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT THE WORD HIDDEN THERE…

THE ORIGINAL GREEK FOR THE WORD HIDDEN in this passage

IS THE WORD KRYPTO

WHICH IS AMAZING… LIKE THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE

WHEN I SAW THIS, IT BLEW MY MIND…

BECAUSE THE WORD KRYPTO

DOES NOT MEAN OUR LIFE IS HIDDEN FROM US!

ITS HIDDEN FROM THEM!

THE WORD KRYPTO MEANS IN SAFE KEEPING… NOT INVISABLE, NOT HIDDEN AWAY

So what that means is,

that no matter WHAT happens in our physical life’s,

no matter what stupid decisions we make,

no matter how hurt we get,

no matter how messed up we seem,

no matter how far we feel from our REAL LIFE. IT IS IN SAFE KEEPING,

WHAT AM I SAYING!?

THERE IS NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO DISTROY THE LIFE THAT GOD HAS FOR US… IT IS ALWAYS THERE, WAITING FOR US, NOT HIDDED FROM US, BUT IN SAFE KEEPING FROM THE WORLD.

YOUR LIFE IS SAFE WITH JESUS

YOUR REAL LIFE, TONIGHT IS FOUND IN JESUS…

Your real life is Gods plan for your life…

The question is

How do we GRASP Gods plan for our lives?

HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT IT IS?

P1: HIS PLAN WAS FIRST

Eph 2:10 NLT

10 …He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

2 Tim 1:9 NLT

9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. (YOU WERE MADE FOR THIS)

He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

Jesus has a plan

No matter how crazy it looks out there

No matter how crazy it seems in here (point to mind)

God has a plan for your life…

And the best part is that this plan has been there since the beginning

Crazy Thought:

YOU BEING BORN INTO THIS WORLD

WAS YOU BEING BORN INTO THE PLAN AND CALLING THAT GOD HAS HAD FOR YOUR LIFE SINCE THE BEGINNING

When God saw creation… He saw Jesus, and through his story he saw your story.

You see GODS PLAN WAS FIRST!

We often think that God GIVES US OUR PLAN AFTER WE BELIEVE

No he SAVED US when we believed, but his plan for us has been there for us waiting for us from the moment we took our first breath…

YOU SEE

THE PLAN COMES BEFORE THE MAKING

WRITE THIS DOWN

GODS PLAN FOR MY LIFE CAME BEFORE THE MAKING OF MY LIFE

We are recently doing house renos -

before I made the shelves I had a plan FOR shelves

GOD DID NOT WING IT WITH YOU

GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU

IT IS NOT LIKE YOU WERE BORN

AND GOD SAID “WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THIS PERSON”

God knit you together in your mothers womb with a plan

OUR PLAN CAME BEFORE OUR MAKING…

YOU WERE MADE WITH A PURPOSE

YOUR PLAN WAS THERE BEFORE WE BEGAN

Far too many people walking around asking

what is my purpose?

When we should be asking

What was his purpose!?

His purpose in making me.

SO the question changes from

WHAT IS MY PURPOSE?

to WHAT WAS HIS PURPOSE?

And his purpose is JESUS

Eph 1:9-11 NLT

New Living Translation Chapter 1

9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

THE THINGS OF JESUS IS GODS PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.

GODS PLAN WAS FIRST

P2: MY BELEIF IS SECOND

Eph 2:8-9 NLT

Two things I love about this

God still had a plan for us, even before we believed

OUR BELIEF IS POWERFUL

ROLLERCOASTER STORY

YOUR BELIEF IS THE CATALYST TO THE PLAN OF GOD BEING OUTWORKED IN YOUR LIFE.

HIS PLAN FIRST, OUR BELIEF SECOND

I love that is says in this verses that

“GOD SAVED YOU BY HIS GRACE, WHEN YOU BELIEVED”

AND THAT WORD SAVED in the New testament Greek, most of the time when it is used it is the word SOZO

SOZO means to make well, to save from harm.

And so often when we read about being SAVED, it is this word SOZO. And we think Saved, salvation, which is true yes but even more we are made fully alive, we are fully healed.. we are taken from harm… and saved from our circumstances

Difference in being taken with all of your stuff from one place to another and being made an entirely new creation.

HE MADE US A NEW CREATION

YOUR BELIEF IS THE CATALYST TO THE PLAN OF GOD BEING OUTWORKED IN YOUR LIFE.

There is such an amazing picture of this in Acts 16:29-34

CONTEXT

Paul Silas in prison

Praising

Earthquake

Prison doors open

Guard Tries to Kill Himself

Acts 16:29–34 The Message

29 The jailer got a torch and ran inside. Badly shaken, he collapsed in front of Paul and Silas. 30 He led them out of the jail and asked, “Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved, to really live?” 31 They said, “Put your entire trust in the Master Jesus. Then you’ll live as you were meant to live—and everyone in your house included!” 32 They went on to spell out in detail the story of the Master—the entire family got in on this part. 33 They never did get to bed that night. The jailer made them feel at home, dressed their wounds, and then—he couldn’t wait till morning!—was baptized, he and everyone in his family. 34 There in his home, he had food set out for a festive meal. It was a night to remember: He and his entire family had put their trust in God; everyone in the house was in on the celebration.

Felt like he had NOTHING LEFT.

And asked him how to be saved,

AND IN ONE MOMENT EVERYTHING CHANGED. ONE CONVERSATION

Because he was not only saved from danger,

but told about the Savior who loved him

The Plan that God has for his life

And in his simple belief, everything changed.

HIS ONE DECISION TO BELIEVE - (JUST LIKE MY DECISION)

Lead to his SOZO, to his being made will, healing and saving

BUT IT DOESN’T STOP THERE

But not only that, ALSO to those around you.

OUR BELIEF IS POWERFUL

Thats why its important

Coming to a service, with expectation, is powerful!

When we walk in here full of expectation and belief in what God is going to do, it CHANGES the environment.

DIDN’T NEED TO KNOW HOW

I love that he didn’t need to know how the miracle happened to place his belief in christ. Simple Trust

We are such critics in this day and age.

NOWADAYS WE NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING BEFORE WE CAN PUT OUR TRUST IN ANYTHING

It is exaughsting

If you wanted to understand it all before you take a step into belief in Jesus you would never Believe IT!

YOUR BELIEF IMPACTS BEYOND YOUR UNDERSTANDING

I THINK ABOUT THE YES THAT PASTORS MATT AND JILL HAVE GIVEN

IT HAS IMPACTED BEYOND THEIR UNDERSTANDING

THEIR BELEIF HAS CHANGED MY LIFE

I AM A TESTIMONY OF THE BELIEF OF OUR PASTORS!

WHO WILL BE A TESTIMONY OF YOUR BELIEF.

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO IMPACT THE WORLD AROUND YOU BY SIMPLY BELIEVING IN THE PLAN THAT GOD HAS FOR YOUR LIFE.

BELIEVING THAT YOU WERE MADE FOR THIS.

YOU WERE MADE FOR THE PLAN OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE.

THIS IS WHY WE DO THIS SERVICE

ITS TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE WORLD AROUND US FOR JESUS!

BECAUSE IT NEEDS HIM!

YOUR SIMPLE BELIEF IN JESUS IS POWERFUL AND MATTERS.

Our belief in Jesus goes beyond our understanding

OUR BELIEF IN JESUS GOES BEYOND THESE FOR WALLS

Because of his Plan and Because of our Belief

WE HAVE A FUTURE!

P3: OUR FUTURE IS THIRD

Eph 2:10 NLT

10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so THAT we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

SO WE CAN DO

NOT SO WE CAN SIT

SO WE CAN WAIT

SO WE CAN JUST SURVIVE

SO WE CAN JUST GET BY

SO THAT WE CAN DO!!!!

THERE IS A FUTURE OF GOODNESS AHEAD OF YOU

ITS TIME TO GET OUT THERE AND START DOING!

EXODUS SCRIPTURE

Exodus 14:13–16 NLT

13 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14 The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” 15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! 16 Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground.

“Stay Still let GOD DO ALL THE WORK”

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

WE NEED TO GET MOVING!

THERE IS GOOD WORK THAT HE HAS PLANED FOR US!

The question I have is:

WHAT IS THE GOOD WORK!?

If you continue in the story of God’s chosen people there came a time where the presence of God made itself visible through a cloud, and the cloud would move and set.

Israelites followed the cloud

MADE THE COMMITMENT

BEING ABOUT THE THINGS OF GOD

LET GOD BRING ABOUT THE WORK THAT IS AHEAD OF YOU

IT WAS NOT ALWAYS THE EASIEST

BUT IT WAS ALWAYS THE BEST

Our lives might not always be the easiest but it WILL BE THE BEST WITH JESUS

BECAUSE YOU WERE MADE FOR HIS PLAN

YOU WERE MADE FOR HIS WORK

YOU WERE MADE FOR THIS

YOU WERE MADE FOR THE THINGS OF GOD

CAN YOU STAND

Paul Encouraging Ephesian Church

KEEP WALKING

What is your next step into the things of God

Maybe it is saying YES to Jesus

Maybe its making the commitment to keep coming every week

Maybe its as something simple like praying more

Or something hard like being around different people

NOTES:

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

God has done everything so that he can have a future with you.

We believe, he saved us, he healed us, he called us into relationship SO THAT WE CAN DO THE GOOD THINGS THAT HE PLANNED FOR US TO DO

SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN IMPACT!

Hard question:

What does your impact in your life look like right now?

What do you think God wants you to be known for when you are no longer here?

What are you doing to produce those things?

WHAT CHANGES CAN WE PUT INTO MOTION TONIGHT THAT WILL LEAD TO OUR FUTURE!?

Reading Every Morning

Taking more Time for yourself

Finally taking a step to seek professional help

Changing your friend group

“MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS”

What on earth am I here for?

CALL

His Plan

My Response

Our Impact

What is your Response? Here tonight.

Declaration of Faith is POWERFUL

Related Media

Related Sermons