The Purpose-Driven Life #4 - You Were Shaped for Serving God

The Purpose-Driven Life #4:

You Were Shaped for Serving God

Thesis: To stress the necessity of being God’s servant and to examine what is involved.

Introduction:

(1)   Do you want to be great?

(2)   If so, do you know how to go about becoming great?

(3)   Jesus taught:

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- 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” (Matt. 20:26-28, NIV).

(4)   Let us look at ways to be God’s servant:

Discussion:

I.                   First, you must accept your assignment.

A.    Consider:

1.      You were created to serve God.

-          “God has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do” (Eph. 2:10b, TEV).

2.      You were saved to serve God.

-          “It is he who saved us and chose us for his holy work, not because we deserved it but because that was his plan” (1 Tim. 1:9; TLB).

3.      You are commanded to serve God (cf. Matt. 20:28).

B.     Common words describing a servant in the NT:

1.      Doulovj –

a.  BDAG - one who is solely committed to another

b.  Thayer’s - one who gives himself up wholly to another's will

2.      Diavkonoj –

a.  BDAG - one who gets someth. done, at the behest of a superior,  

     assistant to someone 

b.  Thayer’s - a waiter, one who serves food and drink

II.                Second, you must think like a servant.

A.    Servants think more about others than themselves.

- “Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand” (Phil. 2:4, MSG).

B.     Servants think like stewards, not owners.

-    “The one thing required of such servants is that they be faithful to their master” (1 Cor. 4:2, TEV).

C.     Servants think about the work, not what others are doing.

-    “We will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original” (Gal. 5:26, MSG).

D.    Servants base their identity in Christ.

-    “You may brag about yourself, but the only approval that counts is the Lord’s approval” (2 Cor. 10:18, CEV).

E.     Servants think of ministry as an opportunity, not an obligation.

- “Serve the Lord with gladness” (Psa. 100:2, KJV).

III.             Third, you must act like a servant.

A.    Real servants make themselves available to serve.

-    “No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him” (2 Tim. 2:4, NASB).

B.     Real servants pay attention to needs.

-    “Whenever we have the opportunity, we have to do what is good for everyone, especially for the family of believers” (Gal. 6:10; GWT).

C.     Real servants do their best with what they have.

1.      We are all “wired” differently (cf. Matt. 25; 1 Cor. 12).

2.      Further, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done” (Ecc. 11:4, NLT).

D.    Real servants do every task with equal dedication.

- “Do it with all their heart” (Col. 3:23)

E.     Real servants are faithful to their ministry (cf. good & faithful servant – Matt. 25:23).

F.      Real servants maintain a low profile.

-    “When you do good deeds, don’t try to show off. If you do, you won’t get a reward from you Father in heaven” (Matt. 6:1, CEV).

Conclusion:

(1)   True greatness comes by being God’s servant.

(2)   Are you His servant today?