Welcome one and all to Redemption Church! We are not a mega church, but we are the mighty church of Jesus Christ. You who are joining us online, you are the mighty church of Jesus Christ. You who are with us in-person, you are the mighty church of Jesus Christ. My name is Chris Fluitt and I am glad to share the Word of God with you this evening.

Happy Palm Sunday to everyone. This is the day we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. This week we will remember the crucifixion and burial of Jesus; next Sunday we celebrate His resurrection. I want you to join us for a powerful Easter service next Sunday.

Born for This

We are in the 4th and final week of our sermon series – Born for this.

Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

Do you know your WHY?. In week 1 we told you that you were born to KNOW GOD & LOVE GOD. In week 2 we discovered that we were FORMED FOR HIS FAMILY.  In week 3 we told you that you were CREATED TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST.  Christ is the prototype, the original purpose for all humanity.

If you were to take all we learned in the first 3 weeks of this series and you were to accomplish it, you would have an amazing dynamic life. Your life would be filled with amazing purpose, and you would be a better Christian, spouse, parent, friend, and citizen. Yet God still has something specific He wants us to learn in order to fulfill our purpose.

Today I want you to know that you were Shaped to Serve.

Shaped to Serve

People come in all shapes and sizes.

Some are tall and some are short.

Manut Bol & Muggsey Bogues

Manute Bol is the tallest player in NBA history at 7ft 7. (George Muresan was also 7ft 7)
The shortest player in NBA history is Muggsy Bogues at 5ft 3.

At one time these two men were on the same team, and it was quite fun to see.

Manute and Muggsy remind us we are all kind of different, but they were able to play on the same team.

Shaped to Serve 

You are unique. You have a unique voice print, eye print, fingerprint, heartbeat, and chemistry. Your brain is unlike anyone else’s brain. The sound your heart makes when it pumps blood is distinguishable from every other heartbeat.  There is a reason your phone’s camera can see your face and unlock the screen – you are one of a kind.

You were made in God’s image and let me tell you there is no one like our God.  He is One of a kind. No one has hands like God, a voice like God, a heart like God, a mind like God.  This one-of-a-kind God made you one of a kind.

No one in the future and no one in the past is like you.  They estimate 121 billion people have lived on planet earth, and there is only 1 you.  You are more than 1 in a million.  You are 1 in 121 billion.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. God himself knit you together within your mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:14) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. (Psalm 139:6)

This amazing creator made you. You may have heard it said that God does not make junk. Please believe it.

God never copies nor clones.  He never pushes “Control C” and “Control V.”  God never pushes copy paste.

Every snowflake is an original art piece.
Every mountain range is a brand-new delight.
Every sunrise and sunset are different; they seem to hit your heart differently as you view them.

Our unique God has made everything uniquely, including you.

God has shaped you to serve, and your shape is unique.

Your SHAPE is Unique

God has the same purpose for everyone… He purposes everyone to know Him and to love Him… purposes everyone to be apart of His family… purposes everyone to become like Christ… and purposes everyone to serve, BUT HOW YOU WILL SERVE IS UNIQUE.  Your shape is unique.

I would like to say something before we go any further. STOP TRYING TO BE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. Be the YOU God created YOU to be.

We waste years of our lives trying to fit in when God made you to stand out!

You are not supposed to be like everyone else. Your shape is unique.

Don’t try to be like the businessperson down the road.
Don’t try to be like who you perceive to be the “cool kid” in school.
Don’t preach like anyone else. Don’t sing like anyone else. Don’t play like anyone else.
Don’t be a retread, be a trailblazer.
Don’t be a copy, be a brand new original.
Let your ideas flourish.
Let your talents, abilities, and giftings be on display.

Somebody say, “Your Shape is Unique!”

Do you know your SHAPE?

SHAPE: Spiritual gifts, Heart, Ability, Personality, Experiences

These 5 areas determine your unique shape in service.

Let’s start with Spiritual Gifts.

What are giftings? You may not know your giftings because you discount your gift. You may mistakenly think “everyone is good at it,” but they are not.  You have a gifting that not everyone has. God has uniquely gifted you in various ways.

A gifting is a gift.  It is something that comes very easily for you. Almost as if you have been designed by the creator to accomplish it.

Beyond gifting, the Bible teaches us of God’s Spiritual Gifting.

A Few Truths About Spiritual Gifts

1. Only believers have spiritual gifts. 1 Cor 2:14
2. You can’t earn or work for a spiritual gift. Eph 4:7
3. The Holy Spirit distributes the gifts and operates within us. 1 Cor 12:11
4. I am to develop the gifts God gives me. Rom 11:29
5. It’s a sin to waste the gifts God gave me. 1 Cor 4:1-2 and Mt 25:14-30
6. Using my gifts honors God and expands me. John 15:8

Scripture gives us a list of Spiritual gifts. The Spiritual gifts are for the family of God, the Church. Paul instructs to eagerly desire God to use us in the gifts.

I have a list of these gifts from scripture in my notes I will post online, and I will also provide printed copies for you here today.

[1 Corinthians 12:4–11 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

1 Corinthians 12:28 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.

Romans 12:6–8 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers]

SHAPE: Spiritual gifts, Heart, Ability, Personality, Experiences

Heart = passion.  Gifts are what you are supernaturally good at… passion is what you LOVE to do.  The reason you enjoy somethings and dislike somethings could be because God has given you a particular unique shape. Some things really interest you and fascinate you, and other things bore you. Some things energize you and some things drain you.

Scripture says, “everything flows out of the heart” (proverbs 4:23). If we all had the same heart, we would all do the same exact things. Because God diversifies our hearts, everything gets done.  I have a heart to go do things.  You may have a heart to plan and administrate. Our hearts are different by design so that everything gets done.

A man named Nehemiah heard news of the struggles in a far away land and His heart was stirred. Nehemiah sat down and cried and decided I will go and help the land of Israel.

Does God still move on the hearts of people?

Pawel Nabialek

A Fort Worth police officer heard about the struggles of the far away land of Ukraine. His heart was stirred. Tears flowed from his eyes and Pawel decided he would go help the people of Ukraine. It was more than an emotional decision, it was Pawel operating in his unique shape.

Your heart is unique. Sometimes you feel what no one else feels. You feel like crying… don’t look around and see if others are crying – THEY DON’T HAVE YOUR HEART! Stope trying to copy paste what everyone else is doing. Let your heart uniquely shape your service.

SHAPE: Spiritual gifts, Heart, Ability, Personality, Experiences

Ability. There are abilities that you have sharpened and grown through hard work and consistent effort over time. Giftings come easily, but abilities take calendar time. 

Your abilities shape you.  They teach you discipline as well as give you skill. Your growing abilities mean you are able overcome challenges. Your growing abilities mean that you are more usable today than you were yesterday.

A lot of things we call giftings are abilities that have been cultivated. You hear Rick Nolan play that guitar, but only Rick knows how many hours of practice he has put into his skill. Because of Rick’s ability he is able to serve us in worship.

Personality. Your personality is unique. Some of us enjoy a predictable routine and others enjoy variety. Some prefer a group while others like to be a lone ranger.  Some of us are morning songbirds and some are night owls.  You may be an introvert and I may be an extrovert.

You have heard the saying opposites attract.  The greater our differences, the greater the potential for growth. 

We need each other’s differences. Your spouse is probably different from you. That is a good thing.

If you were exactly alike, it would be boring.
If you were exactly alike you would have fewer strengths.

View people differently. The person that is very different from you is an asset and not a setback.

Paul says we are all different members of the body of Christ. Some are hands, some are feet, some are our ears, some are our eyes… It would be messed up if we were all hands.

Your personality is part of your unique shape.

Experiences. Your experiences shape you. Both the good and painful experiences shape who you are.

You have wisdom to share that has been earned through experience. Often we parade our good experiences but hide our bad experiences. God can use your bad experiences for good.

“Pain is the megaphone of God” – C.S. Lewis (The problem of Pain)

Some of your most painful experiences are times when God has been the loudest. It is in the pain that we realize how much we need God and our brothers and sisters.  It is in our pain we realize, “Jesus went through this very struggle.”

Sometimes we have shameful stories. Stories we try to keep hidden. We could not ever imagine sharing these shameful stories. We think, “They’ll probably kick me out of the church if they ever find out.”

We have a God who redeems. He redeems everything! Do you know what shame looks like when God redeems it?

When the drug addict tells you how God redeemed his shame it looks like a testimony.
When the hypocrite tells you how God redeemed them from their foolish ways, it looks like victory.
When God redeems that story you always hid, suddenly you stand in front of cameras, microphones, and anyone who listed and say, “Look what God has done.

You don’t have to hide. Your experience has made you uniquely qualified to minister.

To the young girl who had an abortion. Let God redeem your story.
To the young boy who tried to hurt himself because he felt unworthy. Let God redeem your story.
To the one who filed for bankruptcy.
To the one who has been divorced.
To the one who has sinned.
To the one who has lied, cheated, stolen…

Let God redeem your story. It’s all a part of your shape.

 

Ephesians 2:10 (New Century Version) 10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.

God made you to do good works. You know what we call good works?

Good Works = Ministry

Do you know that God has made you to minister to others?

But I am not a preacher… When you say things like this it is you denying your God given shape and trying to be like someone else.

But I am not a singer… That may not be your shape, but you have your own shape, and you should pursue it.

But no one wants anything I have to offer?  God wants exactly what you have to offer. Offer it in service.

God created you to do good works.  You!  I am talking about you. I am not speaking to your church or your pastor.. I am talking about you.

This is what you are born for.

Born for this

There is a God shaped hole in our world. There is a void that only God can fill.

There is also a YOU shaped hole in the world.  There is a need that you are uniquely shaped to fill; to serve.

There is a Redemption Church shaped hole in our community. God has uniquely shaped this body to serve right here.

Have you discovered your shape?  Are you serving? Do you realize that God has purposed you to minister to others.

You have a God given purpose. Are you walking in it?

Do you know and love God?

Are you a part of the family of God?

Are you becoming more like Christ?

Have you embraced your shape for ministry?

 

We are going to come and pray today.  I will gladly pray over any need… but I really desire prayer to fill this place that says, “Jesus please use me.”