Serve Like Jesus

Ephesians 4:11–16 (NLT)

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

15Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

The More Iron Is worked the More It Is Worth

F. B. Meyer explained it this way: “A bar of iron worth $2.50, when wrought into horseshoes is worth $5. If made into needles it is worth $175. If into knife blades it is worth $1,625. If made into springs for watches it is worth $125,000. What a ‘trial by fire’ that bar must undergo to be worth this! But the more it is manipulated, and the more it is hammered and passed through the heat, beaten, pounded, and polished, the greater its value.” (Our Daily Bread, February 23)

1. I serve like Jesus when I am ARMED for ministry

The Five Fold Ministry Gifts are given to Arm God’s People for ministry

Ephesians 2:10 “10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Job 10:8 “8 “Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me?”

To Serve like Jesus you must be in SHAPE

Spiritual Gifts Heart Abilities Personality Experiences

1 Peter 4:10 “10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

Matthew 20:28 (LB) Jesus said, “Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.”

2. I serve like Jesus when I am AVAILABLE

God doesn’t call the qualified, God qualifies the called

Don’t be Kawhi Leonard (great player not available)

Matthew 20:30-32 “30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.”

Don’t put off to tomorrow what you can do today

Proverbs 3:28 “28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow”— when you now have it with you.”

Obstacles that prevent you from being available

1st Barrier: SELF-CENTEREDNESS

Philippians 2:4 “4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

2nd Barrier: PERFECTIONISM

If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.

Ecclesiastes 11:4 (NLT)4Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.

3rd Barrier: MATERIALISM

Luke 16:13 “13 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.””

3. I serve like Jesus when I am GRATEFUL

John 11:41-42 “41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.””

Let your face know that you are saved

Let your face know that you are glad to be in His Presence

Psalm 100:2 “2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.”

From all the people in the world, God chose you to serve Him at this moment!

What a privilege

2 Timothy 1:9 (NLT) 9For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

Things that keep you from being Grateful

1st Barrier: COMPARING

Luke 18:10-14 “10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.””

2nd Barrier: JUDGING

Romans 14:4 “4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

3rd Barrier: WRONG MOTIVATIONS

Matthew 6:1 “1 “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

4. I serve like Jesus when I am FAITHFUL

John 17:4 “4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”

1 Corinthians 4:2 (NLT) 2Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:2 (LBP) 2Now the most important thing about a servant is that he does just what his master tells him to.

1 Corinthians 15:58 “58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Hebrews 6:10 “10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”

Matthew 25:21 “21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”