The Greatness of Serving
Basics • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 2 viewsWhat do you think about serving? Perhaps no other core value that we have seems so mundane and boring. But here in 1 Peter 4, we see that service is actually a gift received from God's grace to be used for His glory. How do we think about serving in this way? How does this affect how we serve and use the gifts God has given us?
Notes
Transcript
We are in a series called Basics. Going back to the basics—looking at our core values—the dynamics of a Christian life, and follower of Jesus.
just a few more weeks.
and it’s not complicated. Today’s value that we are covering…you will see in this text.
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Today we cover what may be the most non-glamorous value we have here at FMC...
A value that is often behind the scenes...
and that is the value of serve creatively… “utilizing our unique gifts to serve others.” (1 Peter 4:10)
let’s look at that verse again
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
verse 11
11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
definition:
Service....— utilizing our unique gifts to help others...
-- is work done for others or God …for God’s glory
Serving: (what we learn)
1. everybody has a gift (look at verse 10 again)
1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
sometimes we think—well I am not gifted. I don’t have a gift. (like a spiritual Eor)—but no—each of you is urged to use the gift you have recieved. The Bible assumes you have a gift.
you have a gift to share with the world—in order serve to God and others.
so you are gifted!
you are needed. that’s what Peter says—that’s what Scripture says. both within the body of Christ, the church—both the people and organization, but in your lifestyle—at home, in the world, at work.
God has gifted you to serve—work done for others or for God
2. these gifts are from God. (vs. 10)
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
in other words—you have received it---from whom? God
we are stewards—meaning we don’t own them—we manage them
and these gifts are actually various forms of God’s grace in your life. the gifts God has given you to serve—are God’s grace flowing into your life. we often think of grace as God’s favor He gives us through Christ for our sins to be forgiven—but that grace keeps flowing in its blessings from to empower us for these works of service
as He pours that grace into you—you pour it into others (display/demonstration?)
this is a manifestation of God’s grace (God’s gifts)…so you aren’t just serving, or speaking—you are displaying God’s grace to a watching world.
this doesn’t mean that you don’t develop the gifts you have been given—you do develop them. you are steward.
but if we have received these graces—then it’s not about us.
3. there are really only 2 spiritual gifts…gifts of serving, and gifts of speaking.
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Yes—there are bigger lists in Scripture 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12—gifts of wisdom and knowledge, encouraging, mercy, healing leadership, teaching, knowledge, prophecy, tongues, giving, serving.
but you can break all of those down to 2 gifts. It’s not complicated. to gifts of serving and gifts of speaking.
and the fact that speaking is mentioned alongside serving—reminds us that we speak as an act of service not to lord it over people
4. we are called to serve in the context of suffering and the End. (vs. 7)
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
it’s interesting that in light of the end—Peter says to pray...
look at verse 8 again
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
and then verse 9
9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
and then verse 10-11 to serve and speak.
if we knew the end was coming—what would we do?
build a bunker, hoard toilet paper, hunker down…but Peter says to serve.
look at verse 1.
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.
one of the best prescriptions Peter reminds a suffering church is to serve others and God. this doesn’t mean that you don’t take time to process and grieve, that’s important—but serving and using our gifts is so important—dare I say therapeutic and necessary.
5. how or why we serve matters -
without grumbling (Ephesians 6:7) -
to the glory of God (vs. 11)
11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
service is not about us—it’s about God, and serving from the heart.
what would it look like if everything we did…everything we spoke was for the glory of God?
Challenges to serving: look at how practical this list is...
Gift Envy…sometimes we look around and see other followers of Jesus serving and think “I wish I was blank…I wish I had the gift”… “Their gift is needed way more than mine.” remember the 1st point—you have a gift from God. You are unique in that gift God has given you.
Gift Ignorance...Don’t know our gifts - in which case, I would encourage you to ask God to show you (we have received it and try…trial and error) Don’t assume. believe that God can give you the grace you need for a specific gift at all times.
Gift Narrow-mindedness — we sometimes think too narrowly with how our gifts can be used—should be in the church gathering but also a lifestyle “both and) (embrace both/and) we need both people to serve within the church regularly during our gatherings but also a lifestyle of giving and serving in our marriage, with our kids, our friends...
Gift platforming — serving may seem boring so we want the attention. we post on social media how we are serving…we want to use our gift to build our name…rather than Jesus’ name. Remember—we have received them from God—they are graces because of what God has done on the cross. every gift matters—and even the least exciting gift can make a huge difference.
and this motivation of serving is not the only wrong motivation mentioned in Scripture
25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
we don’t serve to somehow earn God’s favor either—we serve out of what He has done!
Gift burn out…we have over-extended ourselves in a season or multiple seasons of service. But remember God’s grace is pouring into you.
Examples of people serving in our church and community:
think of our church…every time we gather on a Sunday morning as a church family, there are countless ways that people are serving...
—I think of our custodians—people like Doug Schwartz who fix all sorts of things in our church building...
—I think of our weekend custodians—people like Jan Balsiger and Radar Smith who make sure everything is clean…and who make coffee
it’s amazing how coffee and clean toilets really sets the atmosphere for worship...
I think of those who serve in our children’s ministry on a Sunday morning…loving on our children—it doesn’t always feel glamorous to do these things—it feels like service…some days you may help and think “we just survived”…but it makes a difference...
I think of who who have served in a particular area for years, Sunday after Sunday, week after week, month after month, year after year, faithfully planting seeds to the glory of God. we have seen kids come to faith in Christ through the faithful loving service of our teachers and helpers.
I think of those teachers in our adult Sunday morning Sunday School classes—who not only teach God’s Word faithfully—but who organize times of connections, who care for one another, who love each other
I think of those who serve on our funeral meal committee—we have a group that makes a meal for the family after a funeral so that the family can fellowship together during a difficult time…that’s not always easy because funerals come when they come—it’s unpredictable. but think of the difference it makes.
I think of those on our Team Hope—Brianna’s Hope team who walk with those going through addiction and recovery.
I think of those in the tech area—there’s a little room back there—these guys are sweating…to the glory of God
greeters—hospitality—ushers
professional hanger-outers—who look for new people after the service
I think of those who of you often will take a meal to someone hurting—you just feel led to do it—or send a card or gift card—or reaching out to someone. or you may go over and mow the law or trim bushes for someone in need.
of course service happens more than just in our church family.
many of you serve our community and county in various roles…in the school, in government, at the factory.
at home...
some of you have hosted people from other families or even other countries—practicing the loving gift of hospitality—that is an act of service
what would it look like if we have a church family culture of serving creatively to the glory of God? and not just that accepting service from others (that can be just as difficult as serving)
and service doesn’t have to be mundane or boring—we have the word “creative—serve creatively—how can you utilize the unique gifts God has given you as an act of service?
i want to invite Mike forward—and just read some passages about our amazing Lord and Savior Jesus
—He is not just our model—but the reason—what He has done for us that empowers us to serve...
Jesus…think of the incredible ways Jesus’ life was marked by service…and how it changed the world
b/c in our own strength we cannot serve
—washing his disciples feet
1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
another time…the disciples were fighting about who is going to sit at the places of honor in Jesus’ coming kingdom…and look at how Jesus responds:
25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.
26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus took on the ultimate form of service...
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
We want to end our service but praying for the start of the school year...
we have a group of people that serve tirelessly—our teachers, staff, and administrators—(public, private, homeschool, college, daycares) so if that’s you would you stand. stay standing
I also want to invite our coaches to stand too, athletic department.
I also want to invite our students to stand—students, what would it look like if you approached this school year—as an act not just of learning—but service? that I am going not just to learn (which is worship) but to serve others—my classmates, my teachers, all to the glory of God? putting their needs before my own? How would that change.
and how can we serve those in need around us?
(2nd service - students will come in)
pray that we would all serve to the glory of God
Final verses:
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.