Created, Redeemed and Called.
II Timothy 1:9
He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
1. God created us.
Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Isn’t it cool to know that you and I have been create by God.
Not just by an average god, but we have been created by an All Powerful, All knowing and All Present God.
The Alpha and the Omega.
The Great I am – Exodus 3:14
We don’t serve a created god, but our God created us.
In this world today many people serve gods that they created, but we serve the God who created us.
[Psa 139:13-16 NIV]
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
We are not an accident, we are not an oops, we are not a I wish I never had you, but we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
God created you and I for a purpose.
Jeremiah 1:5 – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Now there is a challenge. God created us for His purpose, but the fall of man separated us from God.
It put a spiritual wall of separation between man and God.
Now the good news is that you and I can have that relationship redeemed by the Blood of the Jesus.
2. God has redeemed us by His Blood.
Redeem:
- Compensate for the faults or bad aspects of.
- gain or regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment.
Redeemed:
- having been paid, recovered, bought back, or exchanged for money or other goods.
- (in Christianity) having been saved or delivered from sin or its consequences
[1Pe 1:18-19 NIV]
18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Event though the fall separated us from God, we can have that relationship restored by the Blood of the Lamb.
The fall of man separated us from God, but God offers redemption through the Blood of Jesus.
God wants to have a relationship with us, so we can carry out His purposes for our lives.
II Timothy 1:9 gives us a good understanding of why God has saved us.
II Timothy 1:9:
He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
I like the fact that purpose and grace are in the same sentence here.
God saved us for His Purpose by His Grace.
God has redeemed us for His Purpose by His Blood.
God has called us for His Purpose by His Grace.
That takes me to my last point.
3. God has a calling on each one of our lives.
Tell your neighbor “You are called.”
Jeremiah 1:5 – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
See God has always had a purpose for our lives, even before we were born, but sin separated us from being able to fulfil that purpose.
Now that you and I have been redeemed we can fulfill that purpose.
Not only did God create us, not only did He redeem us, but He also called us.
Tell your neighbor one more time “You are called.”
Now here is the cool thing, God has given you and I gifts to carry out that calling.
1Pe 4:10 NIV] 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.
You and I should be willing to use whatever gift God has given us to serve people and make an impact on a hurting world.
You and I should be willing to use whatever gift God has given us to model God’s grace in its various forms.
Let me share this with you. I have shared it before, but I would like to share it again. As you and I pursue the call of God and use our giftings we become a model of God’s Grace.
Paul even talks about God’s Grace in [1Co 15:10 KJV]
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which [was bestowed] upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Paul is saying the Grace that God placed upon my life was not in vain because I put in work for the Lord.
The David Guzik commentary put it like this:
God directed His gracious work towards us when we only existed as a fact in God’s knowledge. Just as a couple lovingly plans for a baby before the baby is born, so God planned for us.
The only way that Paul was able to do this work was because of the Grace of God.
It is important to know that Grace was not given to us because our works deserved it, but we have been given Grace so we can carry out the work.
Let me say it again:
It is important to know that Grace was not given to us because our works deserved it, but we have been given Grace so we can carry out the work.
You and I can carry out the call of God upon our lives through the Grace of God.
Paul is saying God gave me Grace to carry out His Work and that Grace wasn’t in vain because I put in work for the Lord.
Petrol
The Corinthian Church was also challenged not to receive the Grace of God in vain.
II Corinthians 6:1
[2Co 6:1 KJV] 1 We then, [as] workers together [with him], beseech [you] also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
[2Co 6:1 NIV] 1 As God's co-workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain.
Wouldn’t be a bummer to have the Grace of God upon our lives and choose not to model it.
God has placed Grace upon our lives, so we can model it.
Tell somebody close to you “I am a model,”
God has called you and I for a purpose and I encourage you to pursue that call and be a model of God’s Grace.
How can we be a model?
Well as we step out and pursue God’s call upon our life, we can model God’s Grace through our life.
We shouldn’t receive grace and sit back in the corner with it.
We should be willing to be a model of God’s Grace by pursuing His call upon our lives and putting in work by using our talents and gifts.
The best way I can explain to you and I about being a model of God’s Grace is to use an illustration that I used before.
Then I will come in for a landing.
It is like when you and I go to Markham’s, they have models.
Those models stand in the front of the store to show you how the clothes will look on you. They are not all standing the same way.
Some are standing like this, some are standing like that, and some are posing like this, and some are posing like that.
Also, if you notice none of the models have the same gear on as the next model.
One has this outfit, another has that outfit, one has this suit, and another has that suit.
Well so it is with you and me. We all have been given different gifts that we can use for the honor and glory of God. When we use our different gifts, we can model God’s Grace in various forms.
It is only by the Grace of God that you and I can be used for the Glory of God.
So, when you and I step out and begin to use our gifts, we are modeling the Grace of God in that form. We say like Paul if it wasn’t for God’s Grace, I wouldn’t be able to do what I am doing for the Lord.
Tell your neighbor “I am a model. “
Tell the person behind you “I am a model.” Tell the one in from on you. “I am a model.”
Tell your whole row “I am a model.”
Stand up on your feet and tell everybody in here “I am a model,”
What are you modelling?
You are a model of God’s Grace.
You may model God’s Grace in the form of singing.
You may model God’s Grace in the form of teaching.
You may model God’s Grace in the form of business.
You may model God’s Grace at home.
You may model God’s Grace at work.
You may model God’s Grace in the form of a university student.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be in the church house where we put in work for God.
(When you walk across the stage and get your degree, walk like you are modelling God’s Grace)
You are simply modeling that if it wasn’t for the Grace of God, I wouldn’t be able to do what I am doing but thank God for His Grace.
That is why I can sing. Let me model for you.
That is why I can run a business. Let me model for you.
That is why I can be a father. Let me model for you.
That is why I can do what I do. Let me model for you.
Ek is ‘n model, deur die Genade van God.
Grace was not given because our works deserved it, but we have been given Grace so we can work.
This morning I would like to encourage someone to step out and begin to use your talents and gifts for the Lord.
There are many places that we can use our talents and gifts, but this morning I would like to focus on using them in the house of the Lord.
We have several ministries you can get involved in.
It would be nice to see some new faces in areas of ministry in our church.
- We have Childrens ministry.
- We have ushers.
- We have sound.
- We have Music.
- We have V.E.T.I. – which is our Bible school.
- We have administration.
There are so many places that one can get involved and be good stewards of using our giftings and talents for the Lord.
I wanted to stop by and encourage someone to be a faithful steward of the gifts and talents that God has given you.
Let’s pursue God’s call upon our lives and be a model of God’s Grace, so we can make an impact on a hurting world.
We have been Created, Redeemed and Called.
Illustration from Juan Carlos Ortiz.
Watching a trapeze show is breathtaking. We wonder at the dexterity and timing. We gasp at near-misses.
In most cases, there is a net underneath. When they fall, they jump up and bounce back to the trapeze.
In Christ, we live on the trapeze. The whole world should be able to watch and say, “Look how they live, how they love one another.
Look how well the husbands treat their wives. And aren't they the best workers in the factories and offices, the best neighbors, the best students?”
That is to live on the trapeze, being a show to the world. What happens when we slip? The net is surely there.
The blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, has provided forgiveness for ALL our trespasses. Both the net and the ability to stay on the trapeze are works of God's grace.
Of course, we cannot be continually sleeping on the net., If that is the case, I doubt whether that person is a trapezist.
Wow. That is heavy.
Bottom line. God provides the Grace; I do the work.
Let’s not sit in the grace of the net Sunday after Sunday, but let’s put in work by the Grace of God so we can model God’s Grace and make an impact on a hurting world.
[1Co 3:9 KJV] 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, [ye are] God's building.
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