Created to Serve

Introduction

What is the purpose of an automobile? This is not a difficult question to answer. We know that an automobile is for transportation. We are reminded of that purpose when the car breaks down. Having a great sound system means little if the car will not take you from one place to another. Having an A/C system that makes you wear a sweater in the car will not matter if the car is not able to fulfill its function. When the car breaks down, the color, the bells and whistles do not matter because the car cannot fulfill its purpose.

What about human beings? What is a person’s purpose in this world? There is both a specific and a general answer to that question. The specific answer is a reflection of personality, talents, and motivation. No one person can do everything. We need the variety of personality, talents, and motivation to make our world function. But the general answer is found throughout scripture. Every person is to reflect the Creator. The general answer is lived out in the specific. The person who farms reflects the Creator as he works. The writer reflects the Creator as she works. The counselor reflects the Creator as he assists others. The mother who reads to her child at night reflects the Creator as she raises her child.

We get confused about purpose. We get distracted. We know that a car is for transportation but we buy a car many times for the extras to make the transportation better. We may even boast about our car but take away all the bells and whistles and you discover the purpose. We get confused about purpose of living. We get distracted by all the bells and whistles. We get distracted by the stuff and lose sight of our purpose. Ask the person who is dying of cancer how important it is to have stuff. Ask the person whose marriage is falling apart how much a plasma tv means. Ask the person who boasts that their child has a great job how important that job is when their child walks away from God.

We are on this earth for a short time. Let us not lose sight of our purpose. Let us not get distracted or confused. We are here to reflect the Creator and to help us realign ourselves with that purpose we are here to worship. We are here to say to God and to each other that we want to live out this life pursuing the purpose that God has for us.

Alive

I have attended and conducted a number of funerals. I am not trying to be trite about such experiences but this is one thing is true. The reality of death is present at a funeral. I believe in the resurrection. I believe in seeing loved ones again. But the finality of living on this earth is finished. We recognize at a funeral that life as we know it is over. With the completion of life, so ends purpose. The deceased can no longer do what he wants or intended to do.

That is part of the reason for tears. The end of life signals the end of living; the end of fulfilling purpose. It has been said at funerals about the one who has died that he or she died too early, that his or her life was such a waste, that he or she lived a good long life, or that he or she had no regrets. All signal our view of the deceased person’s life. In fact at the end of life we want to be able to say about the one who died “he or she lived with purpose and meaning in this world.” It isn’t possible to say that about everyone who dies.

Paul says in Ephesians 2 that sin brought death. Everyone of us were dead because of sin. Every person who has ever walked the face of this earth has been spiritually dead because of sin. Following the will of Satan brought death. Walking around, sucking air into lungs, experiencing what this life had to offer but dead nonetheless. Spiritual zombies because our real purpose was not being lived out.

But God breathed life into us. For some through the shroud meaningless living we caught a glimpse of Jesus. And God took us from the meaninglessness of death and gave us life. This is grace. We reached out to grab the hand of Jesus and God took our hand and brought us into real life. But notice verse 6. God didn’t only give us real life he brought us up to heaven to sit with Jesus. We are here not there so what is Paul’s point?

This is the only time that such a statement is made. But there is something similar in Romans 8:30—“And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” None of us have been glorified yet. Glory speaks of being with God. Paul’s point in both places is that it is a done deal. For those who have been brought out of death into life the result is only a matter of time. We will sit with Christ in heaven. The certainty cannot be taken from us. Paul is speaking of confident assurance.

Then in that triumphant statement of verse 8, Paul declares the reality of our spiritual life. Our salvation is from God. Nothing have we done. Nothing could we do. Salvation is God’s gift to us. But he doesn’t end with reminding us of what God has done for us. In verse 10 he speaks of purpose. We are created for good works. Created to reflect the Creator. The Creator planned for us to do good things before we were given life. Our purpose is found only in the Creator who made us for good works.

So What?

We get distracted and confused about our purpose. As Christians our purpose is to reflect the character of God. To do good works suggests a couple of things. First, that we are to bring good not evil to this world. Our lives are to be lived recognizing that a well lived life has brought good to this world not evil. Why add to the evil? Why live selfishly so that revenge, retaliation, and regret follow? The world says if you get hurt then hurt them back. That doesn’t bring good to the world but increases evil. There is no life in that thinking and action only more death. The world says find as much pleasure as you can in this world. To do this means to think of self and not of others. This adds to evil in the world for selfishness ignores others and treats them only as objects to be used for our gain. This is not what we were made to do.

Second, to be created for good works means that we learn to do for others. We call this serving and over the next several weeks we are going to talk about what it means to be a servant in this world. But for now, serving others is intrinsic within good works. To add good to this world means that we think less of what we want and more of what others need. This is the basis of serving. Our vision as a congregation is that of serving others—the poor, those in transition at the college level, our neighborhood, missions. What is your purpose? To do good works. You were created for this. Do not confuse your purpose with all the bells and whistles. A car was made for transportation. You have been raised to be seated with Christ. Live serving. This is God’s will for you.

Follow Jesus

If you’d like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.