Service

INTRO

We are striving to become more godly

The way to become more godly, more spiritually minded is through exercise

The exercise of service

DISCUSSION

Expectation to Serve

Saved to serve (Heb 9:14; 2 Tim 2:21)

All to serve

Men (Ti 2:7)

Women (1 Tim 2:9-10)

The whole church (Ti 3:8, 14)

Areas to Serve (Ti 3:1)

Serving in the home

Caring for children—many roles of service—educator, counselor, doctor, nurse, defense attorney, prosecutor, judge and jury (not executioner), herder, chauffeur, ball coach, and professional wrestler

Husbands and wives need to serve each other—seems natural for women, but men, serve your wife. Get off the couch. Ask her how you can help her.

Serving in the church

Serving in a public capacity--elder, deacon

Serving the afflicted (1 Tim 5:10), sitting with the aged while the primary caretaker can run errands or even come to services (Bob Potter)

Willingness to Serve

Sometimes pride or laziness hinders are service

Exercise because it takes effort to overcome our unwillingness to serve

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life)

Not every act that may be done as a discipline need be done as a discipline. I will often be able to serve another simply as an act of love and righteousness, without regard to how it may enhance my abilities to follow Christ. There certainly is nothing wrong with that, and it may, incidentally, strengthen me spiritually as well. But I may also serve another to train myself away from arrogance, possessiveness, envy, resentment, or covetousness. In that case, my service is undertaken as a discipline for the spiritual life.

When we don’t “feel like” serving, we should go serve—train ourselves to overcome self-centeredness or fear or w/e holds us back

What should motivate us to serve:

Gratitude 1 Sam 12:24 “Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.”

Gladness Ps 100:2 “Serve the Lord with gladness: Come before his presence with singing.”

Forgiveness (2 Cor 5:14-15)

Humility (Jn 13:12-16)

Love(Gal 5:13 “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”)

Missionary in Africa was once asked if he liked what he did.

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life Motivated by Love

“Do I like this work?” he said. “No. My wife and I do not like dirt. We have reasonably refined sensibilities. We do not like crawling into vile huts through goat refuse.… But is a man to do nothing for Christ he does not like? God pity him, if not. Liking or disliking has nothing to do with it. We have orders to ‘Go,’ and we go. Love constrains us.”

EXHORTATION

Many areas in which the Lord calls and expects us to serve. Are you willing to serve?

Lk 22:27 “For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.”

Make me a servant Lord, make me like you

For you are a servant, make me one, too.

Make me a servant, do what you must do

To make me a servant, make me like you.

To love my brother, to serve like you do.

I humble my spirit, I bow before yo.

And through my service, I'll be just like you.

So make me a servant, make me like you.

Open my hands Lord and teach me to share

Open my heart Lord and teach me to care,

For service to others is service to you.

Make me a servant, make me like you.

Are you a servant of the Lord?