When we first became Christians one of the blessed truths we came to know was that God had planned this all along for us. He lovingly planned to save us before He laid the foundations of the Earth. Yet, not only was it His plan to save us but also that we would know the joy of doing great works which He stored up for us.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.(Ephesians 2:10 ESV)
You see, God graciously planned special and noteworthy things for each of us to do in our lives. These are specific works that He designed for YOU and no one else. So, how do we know what these works are? How do we find out God's specific plan for our lives? One thing is for sure, it doesn't matter how many Bible searches you do, you won't find a chapter and verse with your name and mission spelled out. So, how is it that we come to know these "good works, which God prepared beforehand"?
I believe that the reason Paul didn't spell it out in the very next verse in Ephesians is because the people in the Ephesian church already knew the answer to this question. So to find the answer we've got to look at a letter that was written to some people struggling with this...Let's look at the book of Hebrews.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.(Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV)
What we find in this text from the Book fo Hebrews is simple: In order to be stirred up to "love and good works" we must "not neglect to meet together".
Community is a neccesity if we're going to walk in the good works God has planned for us. Surely, the works He's planned for you are not the works He's planned for me, but He's made it so that we need each other in order to find out what they are. Isn't that amazing!?! And no wonder that is the case, because the works you are called to do are NOT for you anyway. They are for others! God wants us to be servants of one another!
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:(1 Peter 4:10 ESV)
The bottom line is that if you are not involved in the church community you're never going to know what God's plan for your life really looks like. And if you never know what His plan looks like, then your not going to experience the blessing of living it. Join a Home Fellowship, invite brothers and sisters from church over to your homes often, serve in the church, this is the life God wants you to live.
Ken Hendricks
Worship Pastor
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