Text: Ephesians 2:8-10
Title: I am saved to serve
Introduction
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
We are saved to serve.
Here is a picture I had to help us see we are saved to serve
A trash bin and a recycling bin
Before salvation we are all in the trash bin
All have turned away they have together become worthless. There is no one who does good not even one.
All of our righteousness is like filthy rags.
All these verses are like stickers on the trash bin.
If I never get out of the trash bin there is no possible hope for me
The wages of sin is death.
But In salvation
God takes me out of the trash bin…and puts me in the recycling bin.
Everyone who is saved is being recycled to do good works for God.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
We are being recycled for God's service
He recycles me so I can do the good works he has prepared in advance for me to do.
Where there once was no hope - hope has come
This recycling for service to God can be radical
Leave your country
Change your name
Changing your occupation
Title: I am saved to serve.
I want to share 2 thoughts from Ephesians 2:8-10
1. Salvation is God's gift to me. Serving is my gift to God.
A. Salvation is God's gift to me
Read verses 8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Explain. Salvation is a gift from God . It is not earned or deserved.
You and I can never pay the price for our salvation
Because The price for our salvation is perfection
Instead Salvation is freely given to everyone who believes that Jesus paid the price for their salvation
Our Salvation comes before our serving.
In other words Salvation is not conditional on you serving
The thief on the cross
It's only conditional on you receiving.
Salvation is not the reward for your serving.
Your serving is the reward for your salvation.
Before I was saved I wasn't qualified to serve God. Before I was saved I wasn't interested in serving God
But now that I am saved I am qualified to serve God.
What must I do to be saved.
We are saved through faith and that not of ourselves it is a gift of God.
Do you believe that
salvation is God's gift to you?
2. Serving is my Gift to God.
We are saved to serve.
V10 makes that clear
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Again we don't serve to earn our salvation
We serve so we can enjoy our salvation
Romans 12:1
Therefore I urge you brothers in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship.
Peter's mother in law
Mark 1:30-31
Simon's mother in law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.
She was healed so in return for her healing she served.
We love him because he first loved us
Your service is your gift to God
What you did for the least of these you did it for me.
Faith without works is dead.
The heart behind it.
What are the different Areas of service
Serving in the church
The church is the body of Christ
When you serve in the church you are manifesting the work of the spirit.
In the church you are Serving other believers
Serving in the community
Volunteer.
2. In Salvation I boast about God. In serving God boasts about me.
1 Cor 28:31
He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are-so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God- that is our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore as it is written: Let him who boasts boast in The Lord.
In serving God boasts about me.
Well done my good and faithful servant.
While he was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, why this waste of perfume. It could have been sold for more than a years wages and the money given to the poor and they rebuked her harshly.
Leave her alone said Jesus Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you and you can help them any time you want but you will not always have me.
She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world what she has done will also be told in memory of her. Mark 14:3-9
We boast about our children
Other instances of God praising people
Job.
The woman who gave the coin.
Jesus in Revelation
The church at Philadelphia
Practical application
2Tim2:21
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay. Some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.
If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy useful to the master and prepared to do any good work.
You and I have a part in what role God might use us
If a man Cleanse himself.
Define noble purposes and ignoble purpose.
Cleanse yourself of wrong purposes.
You are an article for noble purposes.
You are gold and silver to God. You are God's treasure.
You are not born to be clay and wood.
What it means.
You put things in the trash bin!
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own.
What are some of the things you put in the trash bin
1. Excuses
I'm too busy
I'm not qualified
I'm not smart enough
I'm not saved long enough
What might God be recycling me for?
Altar Call
