Sometimes in life we confuse our purpose with our job. However, today’s sermon is to help you understand the differences so you can know that your identity in Christ is not determined by your job title. With that in mind, you will be able to fulfill your God-given purpose by doing all your work as unto the Lord!

SERIES TEXT

Ephesians 3:16-20, “16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

TERMS

  1. PURPOSE: The reason why were created and exist.
  2. WORK: Activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose. Some work results in paying paid, other work doesn’t. Example: A mother will perform her duties as work in the family, but will not be paid. However, just because she get paid at her job and not in the family, it doesn’t mean one form of work is better/great than the other.
  3. VALUE: The regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.
    • Remember “value,” doesn’t equal “money” in God’s Kingdom. Meaning, you may be doing valuable work but not making the kind of money that reflects that, like being a parent.
    • Also, not everyone who how has made a million dollars has brought value into the world, ex., “pornography, pet rock, etc.”
  4. FATHER-FILTERED: How God allows everything in our lives for our ultimate good, Romans 8:28. Example, how water (your life’s events) run through a filter (God’s ultimate plan) to benefit His purpose. This doesn’t mean evil itself is good, it just means in a world of evil, God works through it for His glory.
    • Paul wrote four of his letters in jail, Ephesians, being the most heavenly, came while his earthly life suffered.
    • God used my girlfriend cheating, to bring me to marry Nancy.

SERMON SCRIPTURE

Ephesians 2:8-10, “8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

APPLIED TERMS

  1. PURPOSE: You purpose is to know and love God, Jeremiah 29:11-13.
  2. WORK: Whether paid or not, you are to do all your work as unto the Lord, Colossians 3:23.
  3. VALUE: The Christian should re-order the value structure of their lives to be, (1) Following God’s commands, (2) Doing the best for their family, and (3) Making money in the most enjoyable way corresponding to their abilities, Ecclesiastes 2:24-26.
  4. FATHER-FILTERED: Whatever situation the Christian finds themselves in they should always strive to, (1) Do their best unto God, (2) Serve their family, and (3) Make money by being a help to others. Biblical examples would be Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon.

TWO KINDS OF EMPLOYMENT

  1. DREAM JOBS: These are the kind of jobs that you love to do.
  2. IN-BETWEEN JOBS: The kind of jobs you may not like, but you need to do them so you can get to your dream job.

GOD’S HEART FOR YOUR PURPOSE

  1. Remember you are His workmanship created to do good things, Ephesians 2:10.
  2. No matter what work you do, He will give you the strength to do it, Philippians 4:13.
  3. Your identity is not in what you do, but in who He said you are, 1 John 3:1.

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work,” 2 Corinthians 9:8.