Pulling in the same direction: Serving.

Read John 13:3-15

The newly born church described in the book of Acts was a vibrant and growing church. It was growing because all were continually proclaiming Christ and being an example of unity to unbelievers.

If our desire is to do Church God’s Way, we must all pull in the same direction or we must be commited to do several things. Last week, we learn about the need of pulling together in the area of evangelism. Today, we’ll learn about another area of commitment: service! The church cannot grow unless we do evangelism and unless we are all willing to serve.

Every Christian that does not serve becomes a weight that the church has to carry. “¡El que no sirve, no sirve!” (the one who does not serve is useless) is a common church saying.

God has given us the tools (gifts and talents), not to keep them as decoration in our garages, but to use them in service. There are three things this church expects from its members: talents, time, and money! The first two, talents and time, have to do with service.

In a Church God’s Way, all must serve or pull the rope of service together. Why? Let me give you two main reasons and how to serve:

Serving must characterize the believer.

It is an imitation of Christ.

A disciple is someone that imitates the example of his teacher. Jesus, the teacher, gave his disciples an example to imitate: “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” ()

Becoming a servant is what the Jesus did when he became man:

Philippians 2:5–7 NASB95

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

Phil 2:5-7

Most people want to be served, but Jesus came to serve: (no slide)

Mark 10:45 NASB95

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

When you serve, people will see Christ in you.

When you serve, people will see Christ in you.

It shows humility.

It shows humility. Mat 20:25-28

In the world, bosses expect others to serve them. The mother of two of His disciples wanted to see them in authority positions. She came to Jesus asking Him to seat them at His left and right. When the other disciples found out, they got angry with them. None of them wanted to be servants, but bosses: “All wanted to be chiefs, but no one wanted to be Indian!”

Jesus took advantage of the situation to teach them that in His kingdom things are the opposite: if you want to be on top, you be must be willing to descend to the bottom of the scale.

Matthew 20:25–27 NASB95

But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave;

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching The Servant Role

The Servant Role

In Journey to the East, Hermann Hesse described the activities and relationships of explorers who were sent on a difficult mission by a certain order. A servant, Leo, cared for their every need: prepared the food, washed their clothes, and was at their beck and call. In terms of protocol, he was the lowest of the least. As the mission progressed, Leo’s adaptability and spirit proved invaluable.

The servant’s worth became more evident when their ship was wrecked and Leo was missing. Trying to proceed without him proved impossible. Eventually one member of the party made his way back to headquarters, where he met the leader. And, lo, it was none other than Leo! Though assuming the role of servant during the expedition, in reality he was their leader. Hesse was saying: real leadership has more to do with service than with status.

Mat 20:25-27

Among unbelievers, the great are served; but among believers, the great are servants.

Among unbelievers, the great are served; but among believers, the great are servants.

Even the great apostle Paul did not see himself as a boss, but as servant. He asked the Corinthians: “What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed...”

Pride makes us expect others to serve us, but humility makes us to serve others!

Serving Christ means serving others.

Serving Christ means serving others.

We are ministers of Christ.

Erroneously, most believers think that the term “minister” applies only to pastors. According to the Bible, every believer is a minister (diakonos), a servant. Christ has made us His ministers; as Paul expresses it in his letter to the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 3:6 NASB95

who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

2

2 Corinthians 6:4 NASB95

but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,

The duty of a servant is to serve his master. We’re servants of Christ; therefore, we must serve Him. But how can we serve Him?

Serving His Body, we serve Him.

Although serving others does not determine our salvation, Jesus made clear that, on Judgement Day, serving others is something that will be seriously evaluated or expected of those who claim to know Jesus:

Read

Doing it to them is doing it to Christ; serving them is serving Christ.

On theses verses, serving is expressed as feeding the hungry, showing hospitality, visiting the sick and those in jail.

Teach your students as you are serving Christ; the babies you care; the floors you clean; the coffee you serve; the music you play; the songs you sing; etc.

Serving others is expected of the sheep!

Serving must be done with good attitude.

Ephesians 6:7 NASB95

With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,

Not expecting reward from man.

Col 3

Colossians 3:23–24 NASB95

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

These verses tell us three things about our service:

The first one has to do with our attitude: it must be done with good will... (without murmuring, without complaining, not to be seen by men)

The second one is about the quality of our service: we must seek excellence in what we do.

Seeking excellence in our service.

“do your work heartily, as to the Lord rather than for men”

Most of the time, we do our best for the company we work for, but not for the church we serve.

Christ gave it all for us, He gave His life to redeem us (to buy us at the slave market from our previous owner ).

Everyone likes that things be well done. Don’t you? What makes you that you will please a God that is perfect with mediocre service?

God deserves the best of our time, the best of our energy, the best of our creativity, and the best of our efforts.

Let’s give our best to the Master!

And the third things is that if we serve God we should expect rewards from man.

Not expecting reward from man.

That has been the fall of many believers! They start well serving God, but, little by little, they forget who they serve ans start expecting reward from the church or the pastor.

Continually remembering who we serve will help us to maintain a good attitude:

Ephesians 6:7–8 NASB95

With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

Eph 6:7-8

The reward will come from the Lord, the just employer.

If every member of this church serves the Lord with good attitude, giving his best to the Lord, He will rewards with growth and the joy that serving Him produces.