Discovering Significance Series

(The following message has drawn from Rick Warren’s message “Shaped for Serving

God”)

Does your life hold significance?

Does your life bear importance in this world?

As we conclude this series entitled ‘The Call’… that is the question I want to help settle

this morning..

Significance - The quality of having importance or intended meaning (Encarta

Dictionary)

Potential illus (any one of three below)

1. In the opening clip from the film THE EMPEROR’S CLUB": Kevin Cline portrays an

instructor of Western civilization in a prestigious private school. In the opening scene

he begins his first day of class introducing a quote by a figure who had made a great

conquest in earlier centuries… and invited the students to find what they can about

him. But as they begin flipping through their books… he adds… they won’t find

anything. That despite his conquest of an ancient land… noting is known of him.

Why… he proposes?

> Because AMBITION WITHOUT CONTRIBUTION IS INSIGNIFICANT.

2. For three weeks, Elvis’ album of greatest hits has been the number one album in

the nation, 25 years after the guy died! Now in spite of enormous success, Elvis was,

according to friends, an unfulfilled and unhappy man. He died of obesity and drug

dependency at 42. And 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.” Elvis didn’t have a clue where to begin to look. In a sense, he was

lost.

3. Saw program on the tragedy that can accompany welfare… unique is that it was

focused on children raised on welfare provisions.

> Essentially…. The second great question of human existence…significance… was

often left unanswered.

Of course it’s not just an issue of employment or economics. Many who are well

employed can feel the same quiet question: Do I have significance?… a unique

contribution to make?

If the enemy of our souls can’t keep you from the security of

discovering God loves you… he’s equally intent to keep you from

knowing your significance…. that God includes you in His purposes.

> There’s bad news for the enemy… God has significance for you…

2

Eph. 2:10

"For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good

works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

You were created for significance…. to offer a unique contribution for the

purposes of God.

1 Peter 4:10 (LB)

“God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use

them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of

blessing."

Each of us… not just those in the front row… have been given special attributes

by God… favor in some special gifting….through which His grace to the world can

come.

> You have been given the potential to have significance…. and it lies in how

your gifts are used to serve others.

Simple truth is that: “My significance involves serving God by

serving others.”

Now the Bible has a word for this, it’s called “MINISTRY”.

… an often misunderstood word. When I say the word “minister” most people think of

priest, pastor. They think of somebody who wears those funny collars, or a robe, and

talks like [close to microphone, in a deep voice, drawing out the word] “GOD”, and you

know, that kind of stuff!

But in the Bible the word “service” and “ministry” are the same word. And in the

Bible “servant” and “minister” are the same word. The Bible says that every person

who receives the life of Christ within them is a minister.

Now, not every believer is a pastor, but every believer is a minister.

Ministry simply means using my shape to help somebody else in the

name of God. Any time you use your talents, your abilities, your background, your

experiences to help somebody else, you know what that’s called? Ministering. And

you know what you are? You’re a minister.

So all of us are called to ministry.

1. I’ve been created for ministry!

"For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which

God prepared in advance for us to do." Eph. 2:10

2. I’ve been saved for ministry!

"It is He who saved us and chose us for his holy work, not because we deserved it

but because that was his plan long before the world began..." 2 Tim. 1:9 (LB)

3

Not saved to survive… or sit… but to SERVE.