Why Volunteer, Serve, or Join a Ministry Team?
(This article is one of a series of articles entitled “Why Volunteer, Serve, or Join a Ministry Team?” My hope is that these articles will inspire you to serve faithfully and/or help you, as a leader, cast a vision for serving and helping others find their joy in serving as well.)
Reason One: We Are Created for Good Works.
We are saved by grace and not by our own good works or righteous good deeds. Most people are familiar with this concept and fully agree with this verse:
Ephesians 2:8-9 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.
But we must read on. After we are saved by grace what are we created to do?
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork (his workmanship), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
God knew exactly what He was doing when He created you! He had a purpose and an end in mind. God designed you; he wired you for these good works and he wants you to walk in them. As his workmanship, God gave you gifts, passions, talents and even experiences (good and bad) that have prepared you to accomplish all the good works he has planned for you.
Can you imagine that?
- Before you were even born, God had divine assignments for you.
- God knew then that today he would have a specific work for you.
- God has certain people for you to meet, to influence, and to love.
- God has certain contributions for you to give others.It’s on your divine “to do” list.
If you are not walking in your created purpose, you are not doing what you were created to do.
You are like the fastest racecar ever designed and created that sits in a garage all week, only to be driven to church once a week, a mile down the road, by a sweet ninety-year-old granny.
If you were that car you would be miserable. That’s not what you were created for! You were created to run; a high-performance racecar prepared for winding racetracks competing at extremely high speeds!
You were not created to do nothing. You were not created and filled with the Holy Spirit of God to sit around on the couch in your underwear, watching TV, and eating hamburgers!
Get up and walk in your created purpose!
Good Work or Grievous Work?
King Soloman wrote in Ecclesiastes 2:17, “So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Contrast that verse “the frustration of the meaningless work” with the truth in Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
What a great way to live!Good Work rather than Grievous Work.
As you live out divine assignments, truly utilizing your gifts and serving others, you will never say “this life is meaningless.”You will say, “my life is full of meaning, purpose, potential, and passion”.
A Master Creation Being Used!
Theres nothing better than to create, make, or design something and see it being used or enjoyed by others.On the other hand, if no one enjoys, uses, or benefits from what you have created it can be very disappointing.
How do you think Christ feels when we don’t do what He created us to do?
We are not working the way we were designed or created to work.Is it His fault that we won’t work?Did He do something wrong or make a mistake when He created us?I don’t think so.
I believe a skillful creator, who knew what He was doing, created us.We have been designed and created to do the good works of Christ.If you are not walking in good works, it’s not because you are broken or inadequately made.It’s because you are choosing not to do what you are created to do.
- Not only where you are created by God to do good works, but you are also fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit!
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
- You are enabled by Christ and working with his strength rather than your own.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
- You’ve got the green light to go!Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
Your Created Purpose is Part of God’s Eternal Purpose
Ephesians 3:10-11 His (God’s) intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
How is this newly revealed manifold wisdom of God going to be made known to all the principalities and powers in heavenly places?Through You!The Church.
Ephesians 3:20 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…
God can do much more than we can imagine or even think about asking.This is true and amazing, but more amazing is the fact that He can do it according to the Holy Spirit working in us.
Ephesians 3:21 …to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
To God be glory!
Where?In the Church
How?In Christ Jesus
For whom?All Generations
For how long?Forever and ever.
Your Created Purpose Brings Glory to God
1 Peter 2:12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Why do your good works bring Glory to God?
For one, people will know that these good works can’t come from you.This could only be God working through you.
But the main reason is that you are fulfilling the Good Deeds that God created you to do.
It’s per his design and the master creator gets all the glory for all you are able to accomplish!
You have a created purpose!Our goal is to help you walk in your created purpose.
I want to see you sing your song before you go to your grave.I want you for fulfill your created purpose and bring God all the glory he deserves!
That’s why you need to begin serving others.That’s why you need to volunteer.That’s why you need to join a ministry team.
Pastor Scott Moore
08-23-23
Believers Church of Statesboro
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