Excellence in Service

Please open your Bibles this evening to Eccelesiates chapter 9 verse 10 and hold your place there.

Also open your Bibles to Colossians 3:23-24

When we come to the Word of God, we should understand that this book in its entirety is one Book.

It is the Word of God. And being such it is His book.

This Bible that I hold in my hand is made up of 66 individual books, at least how we have divided it in our English translation.

And certainly there are various topics and messages contained in this book but as we look at the Scriptures what we come to find out, because God Himself is the Author these subjects are woven throughout.

Perfect in their beginnings, subject and exposition.

Meaning, I can search and find my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ throughout the pages of Scripture both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. What I discover about Him is not just confined to the pages of the Gospel records or even the New Testament.

The Bible tells us that the Lord taught His disciples this blessed truth. We find these words in Luke 24:27 “27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

And on the other occasion to those that doubted, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39)

In the Old Testament we find the promises of God and the precepts of God. In the New Testament we find the application and outworking of the promisees and precepts of God’s Word.

What we discover is that the Old Testament is expounded in the New Testament and applied.

What we find in the New Testament is explained to us and lived out whereas we see the same truth at the very least in seed form in the Old Testament.

This being God’s Word, there is symmetry all throughout. There is profit all throughout.

Even as the Apostle Paul taught Timothy,

II Timothy 3:16,17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

There is much to be gained for knowing and applying the Word of God. Searching the Scriptures, both the New and the Old Testament.

Even better is when we are studying and meditating and delving into the Scriptures to make the connection between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Notice our text here in Ecclesiastes chapter 9, the Bible says,

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”

I would like to preach on this subject this evening, Our Excellence in Service to the King.

Let’s Pray

Illustration: Henry Kissinger, in his book The Whitehouse Years, tells of a Harvard professor who had given an assignment and now was collecting the papers. He handed them back the next day and at the bottom of one was written, "Is this the best you can do?" The student thought, "no," and redid the paper. It was handed in again, and received the same comment. This went on ten times, till finally the student said, "Yes, this is the best I can do." The professor replied, "Fine, now I'll read it."

What we are dealing with here is our Excellence in Service to Our King.

We just read in Ecclesiastes chapter 9 and found that Solomon, the preacher gave the admonishment for us to labour in the fullest while we are able.

And here in the NT we find its companion passage in that speaks concerning this matter of excellence in service.

Let’s read together here in Colossians chapter 3:23, 24 which states, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”

I. The Scope of Our Excellent Service

This first point is probably the most vital, as we think about and consider our excellence in service to our King.

What is the scope of our excellent service? What does it cover?

At what times am I under the watchful eye of the King in my service to Him?

I believe the Scriptures give us the answer right here, notice what the Bible says,

“Whatsoever ye do...”

When we see this phrase I believe it shows us undoubtedly that all four realms in which we operate we ought to have excellence in our service to the King.

We think first of all about our:

A. Service to the King at Home

This is perhaps the most challenging of all places to have excellence in our service to the King.

You see, our families are in great need for each of us to Serve the King of Kings in excellence.

In our homes, our family members are witnessing what it is that we say, what we do, and how we do it.

And this goes not only for our immediate family but also those that we have frequent and infrequent contact with.

They will discover what your priorities are in life. In others words, they will see what you spend time doing.

They will make note of how you respond to situations around you and situations that involve others.

They will see whether or not you live the same within the walls of the home as well as when you leave the home.

Not only will they see what we say and what we do, but are we doing it in excellence.

In other words, how are doing what you do.

I want you to understand this evening that we are teaching those around us

B. Service to the King at Work

When we begin to think about this idea of excellence in our Service to the King, we shall soon discover that one of the greatest mission field you and encounter is our workplace.

I am reminded of the Apostle Paul, the Bible says labored with two individuals in the New Testament that would have a profound impact later on influencing a man by the name of Apollos.

In Acts chapter 18 and verse 1 we read these words, “1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 2And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.”

But then in verse 18 we read this, “And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow”

Though the Scriptures do not tell us specifically of Priscilla and Aquila’s Salvation, no doubt it was Paul who faithfully laboured at work and as the Bible says reasoned in the synagogues and these two recieved the Lord Jesus as their Savior.

Because of this we find Priscilla and Aquilla’s help in Paul’s labors, the labors of other local churches and we find that these two end up influencing Apollos the Bible contends was a mighty preacher in the Word of God.

No doubt, as we think about this we must come to the conclusion that Paul labored in excellence at his temporal work we gave validity to His testimony because he endeavored not just to get by but in excellence in His service to the King.

C. Service to the King in the local Church

One person wrote this, “Every church is filled with willing people—some willing to work, and others willing to let them.”

I want you to understand this evening that we are not just discussing laboring in the local church. Although that is important. Unfortunately those that labor are few. But what I am discussing is laboring in excellence.

We need not only laborers, but we ought to labor in excellence; doing the best we have the ability to do for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Not only should we be laboring in excellence in our service to the King at home, at work, in the local church but fourthly as citizens of this country, state and city.

D. Service to the King as Citizens

Christians ought to be the finest citizens in Hampton, VA. We ought to be excellent in all that we do for the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am reminded the passage in Romans chapter 2 where the Lord is dealing with the hypocrite. And this he states concerning this, “21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.”

In other words, those that were the recipients of God’s Holy law, and those that had taught God’s Holy Law transgressed the very things they were supposed to stand for. And the World saw this and the Bible says that God’s name was blasphemed because of it.

Today you and I as citizens of this great country ought to be excellent in all that we do as citizens. Just because everyone uses the Walmart parking lot to dumb their trash… we should not be found in that way.

Just because everyone else uses the loopholes of the law for personal gain, does not mean that we should.

Just because the lost world knows how to cut corners and get away with it, does not mean that we as citizens ought to do the same.

Well we see not only the scope of our excellent service but secondly,

II. The Measure of Our Excellent Service

How are we to measure our excellent service?

Again, the Word of God gives us the answer. Really this should be the motto of our everyday lives.

The Bible says, “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men...”

There is 3 parts to this as we will see.

The first is the

A. Heartily

As we look at this word, we can see easily the root word ‘heart’ in this word heartily.

But we should understand as we look at the underlying greek words we would discover the idea here is that our excellent service out to come out from our hearts.

This speaks to reality of our service that we are not just being drug along in it, but that we are doing it from the heart.

The Bible says in Ephesians 6:6-7 “6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:”

Not only should our excellent service flow from within, but secondly, and most importantly, it ought to be

B. As to the Lord

This is true Jewish idiom is put in opposition to the third component, “and not unto men.”

Our difficulty in excellence in service has to do with the fact that our focus in our excellent service is upon men more than God.

We are too concerned with the eyes of men and not enough concerned with the eyes of our Lord.

The Bible states over and over again that you and I must have before us this thought that our time here on this earth is to serve the Great King.

When I go to work on Monday, I am in service to the King.

When I go home Monday afternoon, I am in service to the King.

When I go out shopping with Shannon, my life is to be in subjection and service to the King.

When I come to the church house to labor, or go out Soul-Winning with Spencer it is in Service to the King.

Our lives will be tried as Christians with through the perspective of what I have done in this body in service to the King,

The Bible states in II Corinthians 5:9-11 “9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”

I cannot stress it enough for you and I here tonight that you and I ought to look at all that we do and particularly what we are doing in relation to this local New Testament Church and ask the question, Is this, what I am doing done in Excellence?

Well we see not only the Scope of Our Excellent Service, The Measure of Our Excellent Service but lastly, the Bible tells us of:

III. The End of Our Excellent Service

What is the end of Our Excellent Service?

Notice with me what the Bible says, “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”

We like to mention the “reward” and think about receiving something. For i do not know of a person who does not enjoy receiving gifts.

But the greatest end of our excellent service is Christ Himself.

This phrase is peculiar. Because in it it does not speak of a particular temporal object like you and I would expect, but rather it speaks of an identification with Christ Himself; this is the eternal reward of glory with the King.

Oh yes we could sing of heaven being our home. We could talk of streets of Gold, a sea as glass, giant gates of singular pearls. We could speak of the untold beauties and magnificent wonders that eyes have not seen nor ear has heard of the wonders which our God hast prepared for us that love Him.

But my friend the greatest end of our excellent service is the King Himself.

Think of it, of all the splendor that one’s mind could possibly imagine, what greater treasure could there be then to know and to say, I have given all for the King of Kings.

To behold Him one day in purity and know that we gave all we could.

Well as we close, I wonder this evening if we find Our Service to the King Is In Excellence, knowing the scope of our Service to King is our total lives, knowing secondly the measure of our Excellent Service is as unto the Lord Himself, not unto men, which provides not only the instruction but the central motto and heart in all that we do… which also directs us toward the best that we can do And lastly maybe we ought to be encouraged this day that One day, we will be recompensed by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the reward of Inheritance.

Let’s Pray.