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Pastor Rob Carlson:
"Ministry: You were Shaped for Serving God" (40 Days of Purpose)
Pastor Rob Carlson • Sunday, October 24, 2004

1st Purpose: Worship: You were Planned for God’s Pleasure
2nd Purpose: Fellowship: You were Formed for God’s Family
3rd Purpose: Discipleship: You were Created to Become like Christ

My 4th Purpose in life is to serve God by serving others.

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)--We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Job 10:8 (NIV)--Your hands shaped me and made me.

Spiritual Gifts 
Heart 
Abilities 
Personality 
Experiences 

1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)--Each one should use whatever gift he’s received to serve others.

Matthew 20:28 (LB)--Your attitude must be like My Own, for I did not come to be served, but to serve...

Learning to Serve Like Jesus

1. Serving like Jesus means being available.

Matthew 20:30-32 (NIV)--Two blind men... shouted, ‘Lord, have mercy on us!’ ... Jesus stopped and called them. ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ He asked.

Proverbs 3:28 (TEV)--Never tell your neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.

1st Barrier: self-centeredness
Philippians 2:4 (MSG)--Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

2nd Barrier: perfectionism
Ecclesiastes 11:4 (NLT)--If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.

3rd Barrier: materialism
Luke 16:13 (NIV)--No servant can serve two masters... You cannot serve both God and money.

2. Serving like Jesus means being grateful.

John 11:41-42 (NIV)--Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard Me. I knew that you always hear Me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here...’

Psalm 100:2 (KJV)--Serve the Lord with gladness.

2 Timothy1:9 (LB)--It is He who saved us and chose us for His holy work not because we deserved it but because that was His plan...

1st Barrier: comparing and criticizing
Romans 14:4 (GW)--Who are you to criticize someone else's servant? The Lord will determine whether His servant has been successful.

2nd Barrier: wrong motivations
Matthew 6:1 (CEV)--When you do good deeds, don't try to show off. If you do, you won't get a reward from your Father in heaven.

3. Serving like Jesus means being faithful.

John 17:4 (NIV)--I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do.

1 Corinthians 4:2 (TEV)--The one thing required of servants is that they be faithful...

1 Corinthians 15:58 (MSG)--Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for Him is a waste of time or effort.

Hebrews 6:10 (NLT)--He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other Christians.

Matthew 25:21 (NIV)--'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things so; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!

*Scripture is quoted from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.
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