R720 The Absolutes Of a Purpose Driven Life, Pt.4

God has an encouraging word for you and me today, through the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton, with a simple question, can I buy you a Coke?

Or perhaps insert your favorite drink in there. Dr. Don will explain it in just a moment as he wraps up the absolutes of a purpose-driven life. You can discover this message and more on our website, TEWOnline.org.

Now, Dr. Don Wilton. And I'm going to say to you that I truly believe that God could use today as a very significant day in your life. I've entitled our message today, Can I Buy You a Coke? I want to just ask you a question.

When last did you buy somebody else something to drink? I want you to turn with me in your Bibles to Luke's Gospel in chapter 22. Here's what the Bible says. I'm in verse 24.

Would you look at me for a moment? I want to say to this congregation, wherever you are today and wherever you find yourself, that we are not like that. And if we are, we ought to be a people who are far less concerned about who is the greatest than may I buy you something to drink.

Well, let's see what happened here. Verse 26. Instead, the greatest among you should be the young like the youngest, the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves?

Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials and I confer on you a kingdom just as my father conferred one on me so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Simon, Simon, Satan has asked permission to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.

And when you have turned back, that you may buy someone else a Coke. My prayer is that God would teach me more and more every day that the greatest thing that I can do in life is to be about the business of offering someone else something to drink. I want to submit to you today, my friends in Christ, that this time of worship is going to be a time of intense personal examination. If you open your heart and you ask the Lord to speak to your heart, he's going to do that. I promise you he's going to do that. He's going to bless you. He's going to bless you like perhaps never before.

I'm most cognizant of the fact that there are literally hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of our people that spend the majority of their lives more concerned about buying someone else a Coke than they do paying for one themselves. If I'm going to be able to understand what it is that God wants me to do, and if Don Wilton is going to be able to understand how it is that I'm going to be able to serve the Lord according to his purpose, I submit to you that there are four affirmations that I need to make. If you'll beg my pardon, I'm going to personalize them because I believe that this applies to me. Affirmation number one, I am created to serve God. The older I've become and the more I study God's word and the more I'm around a people like you that have taught me so much, the more convinced that I have become in my heart that I was created by God with one purpose in mind and that was to serve him. In Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 10, Paul said this, he said, God has created us for a life of good deeds which he has already prepared for us to do. That's the purpose for which I've been created.

And that is my affirmation number one. I come back to a fresh understanding as I understand these 40 days of purpose and as I grapple with that sense of purpose in my own life, I come back to that foundational issue that I'm created to serve God. Number two, I'm saved to serve. Not all people have been created by God, but not all people have accepted God's salvation in Christ Jesus.

There are literally millions upon millions of people who have said no to him. I cannot understand why, I don't particularly understand why it is that the Lord Jesus would look down upon a wretched sinner like me, but I do want you to know that I know that Jesus Christ, because of his shed blood upon the cross, saved me from my sin. And the reason he saved me was in order that I might serve him and fulfill his purpose for my life. That's what the Bible teaches. Jeremiah said this, the prophet said this in Jeremiah chapter one and verse five. He said, it is he, it is God who has saved us and chosen us for his holy work.

Not because people like you and me deserve it, but because that was his plan. God's plan for the redemption and for the salvation of mankind was that we would serve him. That's why he created us and that's why he sent Jesus Christ to die upon the cross for us so that we would serve him.

There's a third affirmation that I must share with you this morning. Not only am I created to serve, not only am I saved to serve, but I am called to serve. I have shared with you my testimony.

You've read about it in great magazines and articles and you've heard it in this pulpit and you've received it on tape. You might say to me, well, pastor, what does it mean to be called? I believe that God calls all of us to serve him.

No one's exempt from that. Some people might look at me and say, well, you know, I wasn't called to become a missionary. I wasn't called to be a preacher.

I wasn't called to play the organ like Brian Daly does. I believe that God calls each one of us to be servants, to minister in his name. He saved us, Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 1, 9. He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own divine purpose. God has set us apart and he has called us to serve him with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind. Peter put it like this in 1 Peter 2, 9. He said, you were chosen to tell the excellent qualities of God who called you. You mean me?

That's right. God's defined purpose for me is that I'm not only created to serve him. I'm not only saved to serve him. But I'm called to serve him. He's issued that call to me and to you, to every person who knows and loves the Lord Jesus. Paul put it like this in Romans 7 and verse 4. He said, now you belong to him in order that we might be useful in the service of God.

Wow. Well, there's a fourth affirmation. Let me remind you what the first three are. I am created, I am saved and I am called to serve.

But there's a fourth one that's very important. I am commanded to serve him. I'm commanded to serve him. Some of the people that I just admire most of all are people who have been in the service. You know, we use that phrase, have you been in the service?

And we know what we mean by that. Have you served your country? And some of the greatest heroes that I've ever met are people who have served as medical personnel, doctors and nurses and in the Peace Corps and the military. And we could just go on and on.

It's a tremendous thing there. And those who identify with serving in the service identify with the way in which the service works sometimes. You can just picture the scene. Here you are standing in that desert.

Maybe you're in headquarters, I don't know. The warning comes out, the issue comes from battalion commanders. We need to see all the following from the same squad. And so you gather together. Commanding officer walks in and you all snap to attention and he says, men, he says we've got something that has to be done. Let me tell you what this mission is. This mission is to go behind enemy lines. I want you to know that this is one of the most difficult undertakings that we've ever undertaken.

Here's exactly the way the battle plan is going to be mapped out. I want you to know that I've gathered you here because this is your training. You've prepared for a moment like you and there are 30 of you here. What we've been told is that we only need six of you. And I want to tell you before I ask you to volunteer that it is all mostly certain that the six of you who volunteer for this mission will probably never come back. And so I need six volunteers and without missing a beat, he says you, you, you, you, you and you.

And six men step forward, not questioning the ideology of volunteerism. Friend, when you give your heart and life to Jesus Christ, there is a sense in which you put on God's battle fatigues. You're trained in God's army.

He puts you in special forces. He allows you to go through valley and dale to refine you, to make you what you are. And the time comes frequently where God says, I have a job for you to do and I command you to do it.

And we look at ourselves in our comfort zones and we say, but God, you don't seem to understand. It doesn't suit me right now. The timing is just not perfect enough. Lord, I just don't think that I'm capable of doing this.

I think you need to go to somebody else. There is something singularly significant and precious about the command of God. Please forgive the interruption. We'll be back with the rest of today's message from Dr. Wilton in just a moment. But right now in this day and age, it's difficult to have the courage and to be salt and light as followers of Jesus Christ should be. We have resources that will help you in that. A wonderful book and a wonderful message from Dr. Wilton on our website right now at www.tewonline.org.

That's www.tewonline.org. Here's how to stand strong with these great resources. Now back to today's teaching with Dr. Wilton. Listen to what the word of God says. Matthew 20 and verse 28. Your attitude, Jesus said, must be like my own. Jesus said, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve and give my life. Here are the four affirmations God has put in my heart. Number one, I'm created to serve. Number two, I'm saved to serve. Number three, I am called to serve. And number four, I am commanded to serve.

At your service, Lord, you have spoken. So the question is this, why? Why am I created and called and saved and commanded to serve him? Well, there are a number of reasons. First of all, because I am uniquely made.

That's why. Now I've got an announcement to make here this morning. I am uniquely made. I promise you there's nobody else quite like Don Wilton.

Now you don't all need to be saying amen and writing me notes and I'll get that from my sons later on. I'm just going to tell you as a matter of interest, there is nobody like Don Wilton. But I'm also going to tell you that there's nobody like Derek Parks.

Not another one. Trey Gowdy, there's not another single person like you. Bill Adams, there's not another single person like you.

I could go up and down the aisle here today, men and women alike, and I could look at each one of us and I could make the same statement. Go and talk to Kevin Miller. Kevin Miller's got 54 children, I think, when last I counted. I tell you, among his 54, he's got three that were born the same time. Triplets, they called. You could go to Kevin Miller right now and say to him, Kevin, let me ask you something. Are your three triplets all identically just the same? I promise you, I know what he'd say.

Go to Jack and Christina Cleland. Boy, they got two little bundles there, two boys. Twins, go and ask them, are your boys exactly the same?

They'll tell you, absolutely not. Why? Because every one of us has been uniquely made. Paul put it like this in Ephesians 2 10.

I love this. He said, we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works. I love that quote in our book by Ethel Waters. God doesn't make junk. Boy, I was so blessed when I read that.

Psalm 139, the psalmist put it like this. You made all the delicate inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex. Your workmanship is marvelous. When I read that, I just wrote down something and I wrote it down.

I'm going to read you what I wrote. I wrote, my body is a wonderful complexity handcrafted by God, knit together in minutest detail, designed to serve him. Why must I serve God? Because I'm uniquely made. But second of all, because I'm uniquely gifted. We are uniquely gifted. Every one of God's creation. That's why we need to serve him.

We are uniquely gifted. 1 Corinthians 2 14 tells us, whoever does not have the spirit cannot receive the gifts that come from God's spirit. Paul said in Ephesians 4, he said, Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us. In 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 7, a spiritual gift is given to each one of us as a means of helping the entire church. Do you know that when I hold back on serving God, I hurt you.

I deny you an opportunity to have something to drink. Why must I serve the Lord? Because I'm uniquely made and I'm most certainly uniquely gifted. But there's a third reason why, because my heart is speaking to me. That's why I must serve the Lord. I love Proverbs 27 verse 19. As a face is reflected in the water, so the heart reflects the person.

Just think about that. As my face is reflected in the water, so my heart reflects the real inner most me. No wonder God said, serve the Lord with all your heart. My heart is speaking to me. I can't explain that.

I can't explain that to you. It's something about the joy of serving, of giving. It's something about the joy of walking up to the Coke machine with not one dollar, but two dollars in my hand. It's something about the joy of being more concerned that I give somebody else to drink than I do about taking a drink myself. My heart is just speaking to me.

I can't explain it. A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of playing golf with a man who I had never met before. I'm told that he's one of the biggest commercial developers in the nation. Very fine man, and I got to meet him and play a round of golf with him. I'd never met him before, didn't know him at all. When we got to the ninth hole, we stopped and we just all went to get ourselves something to drink and some chips and sandwich, whatever like that. And as we walked up, this man got up and he got out a piece of paper because it was a country club and he started to sign. I grabbed his hand.

I said, no, sir, let me pay for this. And folks, he didn't know me from a bar of soap. He knew who I was. He knew I was a pastor and First Baptist Sponberg, but we'd never met before.

So there's no background here. Okay. And he looked at I said, please let me get this. And he said, oh, absolutely not.

No, I'm going to pay for this. And I looked at him and I said, my friend. I don't know you all that well, but I cannot imagine how many times you've bought someone like me something to drink.

Would you allow me to buy you something to drink today? And I handed over my measly 10 or $11, whatever it was, and we went back and had a ground and right near the end. He lent over to me and he said something that blessed my heart. He said, you know something, pastor? He said, I have given millions upon millions of dollars to people. But you will never know what it meant to me.

That you bought me something to drink. Why? Because I'm uniquely made, I'm uniquely gifted. Because my heart is speaking to me and number four, because I'm the only one who can use my abilities. I'm the only one who can use my abilities. Nobody else can do that. Because it is impossible for somebody else to become you.

Here's what I can do though, in so far as I'm able to do. My responsibility with Sam, with all the ministry team, you can ask every minister who's come onto this staff. I tell every one of them, my number one job, my number one responsibility is to enable you to be the fullest expression of who you are. My job is to make it possible for Sam Davis, for Steve Skinner, for Kent Holt, for Britt Dillard, for Sal Barone, for every... It is my job to empower you and to make it possible for you to be the fullest expression of who Sam Davis is.

Why? Because he is uniquely made. He is uniquely gifted. His heart is speaking to him and he is the only one who can do what God has given him to do.

Thank you, brother. That's why. Just think about it.

Just think about it. First Peter 4, God has given each of you some special abilities. Be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings.

Moses said to the Israelites in Deuteronomy chapter 8, remember the Lord your God for it is he who gives you the ability to make wealth. So what action must I take? What must I do about it? If I have affirmations and I know why these things happen, what must I do about it? Three things I must do. Number one, take stock. I must take stock of my giftedness, of my abilities. We can help you with that, by the way, through place ministries in our church.

It's not only a lot of fun, it will revolutionize your life. I need to take stock. Paul said in Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 17, don't act thoughtlessly, but try to find out and do whatsoever the Lord wants you to do. In Romans 12 and verse 3, Paul put it like this. He said, try to have a sane estimate of your abilities. We should be relentless as God's people in trying to determine, take stock of our giftedness, of our abilities. Number two, I need to accept who I am. If I'm going to serve the Lord, not only must I take stock, but I need to accept who I am.

And nobody else like me, nobody else like you, nobody's going to be able to do it. Romans 9, Paul put it into such a wonderful description. He said, what right have you to cross examine God? The pot has no right to say to the potter, why did you make me this shape?

Surely a potter can do what he likes with the clay? Or further in Galatians chapter 6 and verse 4, be sure to do what you should, for then you will enjoy the personal satisfaction of having done your work well, and you won't need to compare yourself with anybody else. Number three, understand the joy of servanthood. I want to ask you a question today.

When last did you buy someone else? What a powerful message, a call to action for all of us, not just in the simple things, but in the large things perhaps the Lord has spoken to you about giving your life to him. You've heard Dr. Wilton as he's been preaching.

Now as he steps into the studio, open your heart to what he wants to share next. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ? Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now? Dear God, I know that I'm a sinner, and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross. Today I repent of my sin, and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus' name. My friend, I welcome you today into the family of God.

This is exciting news. If you just gave your life to Christ or rededicated your life with Dr. Wilton, Dr. Don wants you to have some free resources if you call us at 866-899-WORD right now. 866-899-9673. Or meet us online as well at tewonline.org. You know, I'm so glad that we've been able to share together by means of radio today. You just mean so much to me in how thankful we are for the word of God together. You can call right now and connect with me at 866-899-9673. Did you get that? 866-899-9673.

Call and connect with me right now. What a wonderful time of biblically based teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. There's more on our website, tewonline.org. The place to sign up for the daily encouraging word devotion as well, that's tewonline.org.