So it is with us. In many ways we all look alike - well except for that guy who always wears a hat! We are here to do something. We are each here to serve, to preach, to save, to witness, to minister to others . . . to do something with our life - for God. God made us to make a difference. The shape that God has made us includes all our abilities, our personality, our passions, experiences and background. We are created to serve. We are saved to serve. We are gifted to serve. We are shaped to serve. We are commanded to serve God back. He wants us to grow in Him; give back to others and to Him and to glorify Him. This tells me we each have a purpose. That purpose is to love and to serve God. Our uniqueness in the way we look, think and feel is not for our own benefit. Our purpose in life is to be and do what God made us to be and to do.

This is called "ministry". First Peter 2:9 says that, as believers, we are each ministers. I know many people do think of a pastor, priest or youth worker as the ministers and the ones who do ministry. It is not just those of us in those particular roles. It is also the one who teaches in schools or Sunday School, or Wee Celebration, or serves on a ministry team. It is also the one who wears the police uniform, the business suit, the nurses’ and doctors’ scrubs, the everyday sweats. The minister is you. The minister is the one sitting beside you. That is what the “priesthood of all believers” means. I like what Rick Warren says in one of the chapters from this week’s reading in The Purpose Driven Life, “Your call to salvation includes your call to service. They are the same. Regardless of your job or career, you are called to full-time Christian service. A ‘non-serving Christian’ is a contradiction in terms.” If we are believers; we are called to salvation, and we are all called to serve Jesus Christ.

Now the good news is that God not only created us for service. God also gave us a model. God came to earth in the human form of Jesus, and said, "This is how you do it. I want you to watch Me - and do likewise." We were created to be like Christ. And what did Christ do while He was here on earth? He served. In the Matthew I read earlier, Jesus says, “Your attitude must be like My own, for I did not come to be served, but to serve." Our attitude must be like Jesus’ attitude.

One thing serving like Jesus and having an attitude like His means is being available. One day Jesus walked the road to Jericho. Further in that same chapter in Matthew we are told that, "Two blind men shouted 'Lord, have mercy on us!’ Jesus stopped and called to them. 'What do you want me to do for you?'"

You see, Jesus stopped. He made Himself available. He asked what they needed Him to do. He served. If we want to be used by God; if we want to serve God, we must be willing to be available. Servant hearted people don't procrastinate. We must be willing to stop, and to step out and say "OK, God what do You want me to do?" Then, say, "OK, let's do it!"

Now I know, a lot of us say “I'd like to be used by God. I'd like His power in my life. I'd like to serve God, BUT. . .” I would like to spend the next few minutes on some of those “Buts” or barriers, that keep us from being available and serving God?

One of the biggest barriers to serving God is thinking that God has not given me any gifts. This thinking says: “I have nothing to offer. What good could I possibly be to God?” Because God created us, part of what makes up our shape includes the spiritual gifts God gives us when we claim Him as Lord and Savior. The spiritual gifts, along with our abilities, personality and all our experiences provide our shape in serving Jesus Christ. As I tell each new member class, there is One Spirit, One God, but a variety of gifts and a variety of services and a variety activities. I was not the first to say this. You can read about what the Apostle Paul said of them in First Corinthians 12:4-13 and other passages.

There are several ways or method to learn what your spiritual gifts are. Now Rick Warren acknowledges a somewhat limited usage and place for a tool called spiritual gifts inventories. However, we, here at MPC do find them quite beneficial. Often when I meet with people to go over their completed inventory there is at least one “Ah-hah” moment. These can be affirmations of what other people have been telling you what they have observed or experienced about you and your passions for ministry. This tool can be a spring board affect to experiment in a certain ministry or service area. Another method is to just try a ministry area. You may learn you have a real passion for working with Junior High children - or hospital visitation. Or you and leadership may mutually agree you need to move on to another ministry area. But move on we must. The point is we are to uncover, or discover, what the spiritual gifts are that God has given to us.

The purpose of our spiritual gifts is to equip us for the work of ministry - that is to edify the church, to up-build and support the church, body of Jesus Christ...for God’s glory. We were made for the body of Christ. Undeniably, the body of Christ is the place where God grows us up. And along with identity and joy, personal and spiritual growth are by-products of spiritual gifts.

You might be saying: Hey, I volunteer and do stuff around here - isn’t that enough? That’s great! Don’t stop! When you see a need or someone who needs help and you are there and can help, please just volunteer and help. Every job is important. Every ministry is key. If the toilet in a restroom is stuck and overflowing, and you happen to know how to stop the water, don’t stop to reflect if this is your spiritual gift. Just fix it. And we will all be so grateful! And we will all benefit from your effort. Elder Scott Campbell shared with Session a few meetings ago a concept from author Rory Noland on volunteering versus serving through spiritual gift: “The difference between someone volunteering because they see the need and someone applying their spiritual gift in the same area is an obvious excitement and satisfaction. By the very biblical definition of spiritual gifts, all Christians are called to fill a need. When a person is called to serve in any area of the body of Christ, their passion and joy will far exceed that of a volunteer’s.” God shaped us that way.

Another barrier to being used by God is perfectionism. You know: "When it's all just right, when things settle down, when I have my act together, then I'll serve." The writer of Ecclesiastes (11:4) says, "If you wait for perfect conditions, you'll never get anything done." You see, real servants, Christlike servants, do the best they can with what they have for Jesus Christ today.

You know, if God only used perfect people, in perfect situations - what would get done in this world? Nothing, zip, zero! Not to burst anyone’s “self-perception” bubble, but....We are all a bunch of misfits. We all have weaknesses. We all have faults. We all have failures. We all have handicaps. But guess what? God uses us all. Why? Well, God doesn't use perfect people because there aren't any. God uses normal people. God uses us. Thankfully, right here at Moorpark Pres, many of you have decided not to wait for perfect timing to open your home. The dinners for 8 at 7 (now at 6:00) would never have gotten of the ground - or into homes. The sixteen small groups for this Lenten Series with over 200 people in small groups, mostly meet in imperfect homes, facilitated by imperfect people. Why? Because normal, ordinary, average, imperfect people said, "My house isn't perfect, and I'm not perfect, my schedule is not perfect. I don't perfectly know the Bible, but I can - and will - do this!" And guess what? You do! And God is blessing it. So God says, "Don't wait for perfect conditions." They won’t come. So go ahead and start serving while things are not perfect.

There is another barrier or a common trap many of us fall into which prohibits us from being available to God. It actually stops us from serving, before we even get to the starting point. That trap is thinking: “I have to know more about the Bible before I can serve in the church. Well, we don’t say: I can’t play baseball because I don’t know anything about it. Or, I can’t plant that plant because I don’t know anything about planting. No. We get in there and start doing and at the very same time, amazingly, we learn about whatever it was we didn’t know about. It’s the same with knowing, or not knowing, enough about the Bible. Read it, meditate on it, be in a regular small group that goes through and studies the books of the Bible. And at the same time, be serving God.

Perhaps it is especially because life is not perfect and we are not perfect, that God so wants us to serve. God has much with which to work! That must be a great motivator for God. I believe we each have our own motivators that God places in us. We all know that comparisons and criticisms or even guilt can be motivators to doing certain things. But I am speaking of good motivators to being available to God. Here are a few good and positive motivators that could keep us serving for a lifetime: Wanting family to be involved - together; wanting to spend time with other believers; getting to know other people; wanting to help others; wanting to use some physical activity and energy; wanting to put brain power to good use as well as hands and heart; putting to use one’s creative ability together with getting to know other people. There are many other motivators that each of us can tap into. And tap into them we must.

Finally, I know that some of you are saying, "Well, you know, a church this size, it doesn't need my help." Are you kidding? There are always more needs to be met than people willing to get up off their seat and say, "I was shaped to serve Christ in this time and place." Have you ever wondered why you are here at Moorpark Presbyterian Church? I'll tell you why. You are here because God knows you have something to give back. He did not bring you here just to sit and soak and enjoy. Although that may have been the initial reason. He brought you here to serve. And He knows that you have something: background, talent, skill, ability, contact, network, interest, passion, hobby, a spiritual gift God gave you for use in this particular church.

There is also the possibility that perhaps God is calling you to stretch in your comfort level or step out of that zone altogether. As I said we have sixteen small groups for this Lenten series. Has God placed it on your heart to step out of your current small group to facilitate the growth of others who want to be in another group. Perhaps God is wanting you to get involved, grow the gifts given you, so you can be surprised by Him.

There is no apology to be made in saying to you that the most important thing you will ever do with your life, after claiming Jesus as your Lord and Savior, is serving God in ministry. It is far more important than your career. It is far more important than your hobbies or anything you can think of.

God brought you here, where you can find serving possibilities. The fact is, God wants to use you, to work through you. To help you grow. If you are visiting here from your own home church, God wants the same for you in that particular church. How will you let God fulfill His purpose in and through you? Where will your passion, experience, background, and heart and Spiritual gifts be put to God’s purpose right here?

So glad you asked. . .

On the patio a Ministry Fair has been set up for you to enjoy, learn about different ministries and needs areas here at MPC. Another reason this Fair is being provided is for you to be challenged by God. This fair is available between services and during the Sunday School hour. You may enjoy it with your family. There will be someone from the different ministry areas staffing the tables or booths, to answer any questions you might have. You will have the opportunity to sign up right away OR take information home with you to think about and pray about serving.

Just like the football, baseball, soccer, we all are made for something specific. More importantly, we are uniquely designed for God’s purpose. God has shaped you for serving. How will you grow, give back to and glorify God?