Dear Friends,

 

We’re in the third week now of our five-week sermon series called, “Claimed: Wildly Loved by God!”. The first week we heard how God claims us – how God created us as we are, full of value and worth, and claimed us as his own. Then last Sunday we heard how not only God created and claimed us, but he loves us, without condition, beyond our comprehension. And now today, understanding we are created, claimed, and loved by God, we learn how, or are reminded how, through God’s Holy Spirit, we are equipped with unique gifts to serve and love God. Again, like last week, remembering just how much we are unconditionally loved by God, knowing and understanding that these gifts from the Holy Spirit that we’ve each been created with, then compels us to use them to serve, love, and uplift those around us. This is God’s purpose for us always – to serve and love him while serving and loving others.

 

In his book, Dangerous Wonder, Mike Yaconelli writes, “I am convinced that what characterizes people who know Jesus is not their lack of sin, but the presence of a radical, wild, mysterious calling from God upon their life.”

 

God has a plan and a purpose for each of us. We weren’t saved from a life of sin to simply and only sit in a church pew on Sunday mornings. Christ died for us so that we could tell others that Christ died for them, while loving and serving them in any way we can. While sharing that common goal, each of us has been equipped and prepared differently for unique purposes.