EQUIPPED FOR SERVICE
John 9:1-11
INTRODUCTION: Those of us who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior honestly believe honestly believe that He saved us to do good works. Ephesians 2:8-10. Those Christians who chose not to take their time, their talents, and their finances to do service for the Lord confess several things: 1. They do not understand who God is. 2. They do not understand why they are here. 3. They do not understand God’s great purposes in this world. Today however we will not be talking much about those people: today we want to talk about those who do understand who God is.
- KNOWING GOD!
Those who do understand why they are here. To those who do understand God’s great purposes in this world. To those who count it a privilege to be involved in God’s plans. Our God is the divine Creator of this universe: John 1:1-5. We are here primarily to worship and glorify the living God. We are here to serve Him and be a reflection of Him here on the earth: Revelation 4:11. Our God is building a great kingdom so that in the ages to come He will have us to point to as a demonstration of His grace toward us in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 1:3-10.
2. KNOWING GOD AND HIS PLAN!
Until a person truly knows who God is, until he understands why God has made him as he is, and until he understands what God is up to in this present world he will never be motivated to serve God: Hebrews 11:6. We as Christians should be very motivated to do God’s will: Hebrews 13:20-21. Our God never calls anyone to serve Him who He Himself does not take the responsibility to equip him to do. God has prepared us for service in three ways: 1. At our conception, God already knew the works He had in mid for you to do for His glory. God made you the special person you are for His glory: Jeremiah 1:4-5; 1 Corinthians 4:7. 2. At the moment of conversion, God gifted you with spiritual gifts for service to Him: Romans 12:3-8. 3. God has been busy equipping you for service for those good works which He prepared in advance for you go do all your life by the experiences He has put you through: 1 Corinthians 1:3-7. Our God means for us to learn from our life experiences: Ephesians 5:14-17.
3. KNOWING GOD AND HIS PLAN AND REDEEMING THE TIME!
Joseph is a prime example of using or redeeming the time: Genesis 50:14-21. Just as in Joseph’s life, so in all our lives our God is working in us to move us to do His good will: Philippians 2:13. Now the question is: “What are you doing with all the equipping God has put into your life? Matthew 25:14-30. We must remember that our God has the power to turn our obedience in small things into the ability to do greater things for Him: Matthew 14:15-21.