Why serve?

Serving the local church matures our view of the Church and our responsibilities to it - Mark 10:35–45 - “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it…”

Serve because the local church is an embassy of God’s kingdom

Look at verses 43-45. The rulers of the Gentiles embraced authority and expected their subjects to equally embrace their authority. Jesus taught his disciples that greatness comes from serving. Not only did Jesus teach this to his disciples, but he modeled servanthood. As followers of Jesus, we are a ambassadors for Christ and our church is a spiritual embassy. We serve the kingdom of God because Jesus served the kingdom of God.

Serve because the local church is a family

1 Corinthians 12:18–20 - “But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.”

1 Corinthians 12:27 - “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”

Maybe you need a verse that specifically says Christians are a family.

Ephesians 2:19–22 - “You are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

If the local church is a family, we serve our family because we love them, because we are committed to them and because we value the relationships in our family.

Serve because our devotion to God’s people reflects our devotion to Christ.

1 John 3:11–24 “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is…”

Serve because the local church is NOT a small business that has customers

Ephesians 4:11–16 - “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

How do we serve the church well?

Prioritize assembling together - Hebrews 10:24–25 - “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.”

We stir each other up to love and encourage each other by assembling. When we do not prioritize gathering together, the opportunity for our greatest spiritual encouragement actually becomes a moment of great spiritual discouragement.

2. Practice hospitality toward one another

3. Share the gospel weekly

4. Disciple another believer. Ephesians 4:11–16 - “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

This is one of the most important ways to serve our church. Because Christians struggle with sin. We wander spiritually. We have blind spots. False doctrine and false teachers are all around us. Biblical illiteracy is high. Spiritual warfare is real. The world is attractive and sacrifice is hard. Christian mutual edification is essential.

In 2022, American evangelicals were polled on fundamentals of the Christian faith. An evangelical was defined as believing the Bible is the highest authority, salvation is through Christ alone, and we have a shared responsibility to advance the gospel.

48% said God changes based on different circumstances.

65% said people are born innocent in God’s eyes.

56% believe said that God accepts the worship of all religions including Islam.

43% said that Jesus was a good teacher, but wasn’t actually God.

26% said the Bible is not literally true.

Of course, none of this is possible unless you know Jesus Christ as your personal savior. Today is the day of salvation.