Level Up 2 - Serving

Intro

We are in a series called Level Up

This series is all about Spiritual Disciplines

Last week we talked about Bible reading

Today we are looking at Serving

Every message in this series is seeking to answer the same three questions:

Why is it important?

Biblical Example?

How can I do it?

Before we do any of that though, we must first understand what serving is

When I am talking about serving I am saying: perform duties or services for (another person or an organization).

Serving can be as simple as helping someone perform a mundane easy task, or as complex as doing something every week with someone or with a group

Why is it important

The first question we must ask ourselves is a very practical one, why is serving important?

Why should I care about serving?

Serving puts faith into action

James 2:18 ESV

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

James the brother of Jesus tells us that you can see faith by the works that we do

You can claim all day that you believe in something

You can claim all day that you love Jesus

But if your actions aren’t backing it up it’s just worthless talk

Serving is action

We talk a lot, but serving is what backs up what we are all about

The old saying goes “actions speak louder than words”

Think about it this way

About 8 years ago there was a big push to save the sea turtles

I personally love sea turtles and so I was all on board with the sentiment behind it

You even had celebrities talking about how we need to save the sea turtles - it was a big hit

I remember being at summer camp during that time and everyone at camp was all on board with saving sea turtles

The problem - no one was doing anything to save the turtles

We were all talk, but no action

Except one girl

She cared about the sea turtles and started making bracelets out of plastic bags

Plastic bags was a huge problem for sea turtles because in the water they look like jellyfish - turtles favorite food - but the turtle couldn’t digest the plastic and would end up dying

Because of this, she decided to turn the waste of a plastic bag into something beautiful

She gave the bracelets to anyone that would take one, and was asking all the leaders to bring her plastic bags so she could make more bracelets

Everyone at camp was claiming save the sea turtles

But only Kaitlin was actively doing something about it

Serving is what proves the words we are saying

It takes our faith and puts it into action

You can claim to love Jesus, and believe in Jesus, to see him as your Savior and as your Lord

You can talk the talk all day!

But do you actually believe it?

Because if you believe it your actions will change

What you do will change

Jesus says this about our words

Matthew 7:21 ESV

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Many people claim Lord Lord looking to Jesus

But Jesus said not everyone who does will enter heaven

Who will? Those who declare it, believe it, and do something about it

Your faith, without works, is dead

You can claim a lot of things, but if you’re not doing something about it it’s just lofty talk!

Biblical Example

The next question should be who should I serve?

If serving proves our faith, who should I serve?

When talking about serving and to serve Jesus tells us a parable that sums it perfectly

This is the parable of the Good Samaritan

It’s one that is pretty famous, you’ve probably even heard me talk about it

In it Jesus is asked by a man of the Law, how can I get to heaven, the response becomes:

Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength

Love your neighbor as yourself

When the man heard this he asked Jesus who is my neighbor, to which Jesus tells this parable

Luke 10:30–37 ESV

30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Serve your neighbor

Jesus tells this parable to show us that we are meant to serve our neighbor

More specifically anyone who is in need

The historical context here is that Jews and Samaritans hate each other

The path they are taking was to get from Jerusalem to Jericho. The thing that makes this path special is that typically to get to from Jerusalem to Jericho you would have to travel through Samaria

But the Jews and Samaritans hated each other so much they would take a path that was damage and would wind through the mountains to avoid each other

So while one man is traveling on the path he is beat up and mugged

Jesus said both a priest and Levite pass the man, two Jews that should help the man, yet they didn’t

But a Samaritan who is a total enemy to the Jews stopped and helped the man, going far and above anything he needed to do

Jesus uses this parable to look at the man who asked Him a question and says which was a neighbor to this man

The man clearly answers, the one who helped him, and Jesus said go and do the same

This is clear for us as well

We are to serve and help anyone who is in need

That means the people that we don’t love

The people that are weird

The people that are weak

The reason Jesus told this parable is to show that you are meant to serve people because you love God

Again further showing that you are to put your faith into action

How to serve

If we are to serve because it puts our faith into action, and we are to serve our neighbors then the final part is how do you serve?

What are ways that you in your life today can serve people?

Do what you can

The way you serve people is gonna look different for each person

For some of you the way you are going to serve is by giving money to the church, or different mission organizations

For some of you serving is going to look like serving at a serve team at REVO or giving time at a non-profit or something else

For some of you serving is going to be very simple things like listening to something your parents tell you to do

Don’t think that just because you’re young you can’t serve people

Listen to what Paul tells Timothy

1 Timothy 4:12 ESV

12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

Paul looks at Timothy a young leader in the church and tells him to not let anyone discount what you can do just because of your age.

But instead to set a standard for everyone

Just because you are young doesn’t mean you can’t help people and serve people

That doesn’t mean you can’t serve at church, serve at home, or serve in any other capacity

Instead you should be the one setting the example for others to follow

You should be using your abilities and giftings to serve

Romans 12:6–8 ESV

6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Paul tells us that we all have different abilities and giftings

We are all good at different things, and this came from God the Father

So use your gifts to serve others

Use the abilities that you have to bless others

Conclusion

You are called to serve!

Not serve when you get older, but to serve right now

Jesus’ calling to love your neighbor applies to you right now

He didn’t save love your neighbor when you get out of school, he said go and do the same (loving your neighbor)

Don’t discount what you can do just because of your age

Use your age and your abilities to serve others

So that in that way those you are serving can see your faith, and see Jesus.

Go and serve

Let’s pray