Built For Purpose

FOUNDATION SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

PART 1: CONTEXT — Why Paul Had to Say This
The City: Ephesus
Major Roman hub in Asia Minor
Center of Greek culture, philosophy, and idol worship
Home to the Temple of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders)
Hotbed of occult practices (Acts 19:19 — 50,000 pieces of silver worth of magic scrolls burned)

Key Truth: These believers came out of DARKNESS into LIGHT.
The Crisis: Jew vs. Gentile

Ephesians 2:11-13 — Gentiles were considered:
Outsiders
Without covenant
Without hope
Without God in the world

But NOW in Christ — they've been brought NEAR by the blood.
Key Truth: You are not second-class. You are not Plan B. You are God's intentional design.
The Language: Poiēma (Masterpiece)

Greek word:Poiēma (ποίημα) = workmanship, masterpiece, work of art
In Greek culture, this meant:
A work of art by a master craftsman
A poem by a skilled poet
Something intentionally designed with precision

Key Truth: You are not random. You are not mass-produced. You are GOD'S MASTERPIECE.
PART 2: THE DOUBLE CREATION — From Poieō to Poiēma

Creation #1: Genesis 1-2 (The Original Design)

Genesis 1:26-27 — God created humanity:
In His image
With intimacy (walked with God in the garden)
With authority (dominion over creation)
Without shame, fear, or separation

Key Truth: You were designed to walk with God, carry His image, and rule with His authority.
The Break: Genesis 3 (The Marring of the Masterpiece)

Sin entered the world and produced:
Shame — "They knew they were naked"
Fear — "I was afraid"
Hiding — "I hid myself from the presence of the Lord"
Separation — They were driven out of the garden

Romans 5:12 — Sin entered through one man and spread to all.

Key Truth: The masterpiece was marred. Every person born after Adam was born into brokenness.
Creation #2: Ephesians 2:10 (The Restoration)
Ephesians 2:8-10 — By grace, through faith, you are saved AND re-created.
2 Corinthians 5:17 — "If anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation."

The word "new" (Greek: kainē) = new in QUALITY, not just time.

Key Truth: God didn't repair the old you. He CREATED a new you in Christ.
PART 3: IDENTITY IN CHRIST — You Are God's Masterpiece

Psalm 139:13-16
"Fearfully and wonderfully made"
Fearfully (Hebrew: yare') = with reverence, awe, trembling care
Wonderfully (Hebrew: palah) = distinct, set apart, extraordinary

"Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed"
God saw you BEFORE you existed
He wrote your days in His book before you lived them

Key Truth: You are not an accident. You are God's intentional creation.
Jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you."

Key Truth: God knew you, chose you, and called you BEFORE you were born.
What You've Recovered in Christ:
The intimacy Adam lost → You have access in Christ (Hebrews 10:19)
The authority Adam forfeited → You carry in Christ (Luke 10:19)
The identity Adam marred → You've recovered in Christ (1 Peter 2:9)

Key Truth: You are God's finished masterpiece in Christ.
PART 4: PREDESTINED PURPOSE — God Prepared Works Beforehand

Your Purpose Was Prepared BEFORE You Were Born
"Prepared beforehand" (Greek: proetoimazō) = to prepare in advance, to predetermine

Key Truth: God didn't wait to see how your life turned out. He prepared your works BEFORE you were born.
Romans 8:28-30 — The Process
1 - Foreknew — He knew you before you were born
2 - Predestined — He set your destiny in advance
3 - Called — He invited you into relationship and assignment
4 - Justified — He made you righteous in Christ
5 - Glorified — He released His glory through you

Key Truth: Your struggles don't disqualify you. God prepared your works BEFOREHAND.
You Are Called to WALK in It

"Walk" (Greek: peripateō) = to live habitually, to conduct one's life

Key Truth: Your purpose is not a one-time event. It's a continuous movement.
PART 5: THE EMOTIONAL ARC — Grief, Masterpiece, Assignment

1. The Grief: You've Been Living Beneath Your Design
Some of you have been:
Shrinking back when God built you to step forward
Hiding when God created you to shine
Playing small when God designed you for MORE

Key Truth: You are not too broken, too far gone, or too messed up. You are RE-CREATED.
2. The Masterpiece: You Are Poiēma

Everything the enemy told you was lost—Christ recovered it.
Intimacy → Restored in Christ
Authority → Recovered in Christ
Identity → Rebuilt in Christ
Assignment → Prepared beforehand

Key Truth: You are the finished product of what God intended before the foundation of the world.
3. The Assignment: Now Step Into What Was Prepared

ACTIVATION: Write down what God built you to carry.
Set aside 30 minutes this week. Ask God:
"What did You build me to carry that I've been avoiding, ignoring, or delaying?"