Working

The Joy of Serving

Matthew 20:25-28

 

What do you believe about God? What you truly believe will be conveyed by what you actually do! Those who see God’s glory and greatness the most will do the most for God. Throughout this series I want us to think of working for Christ as our theology with legs. What I mean by that is that in our serving, we apply our belief about God into action. If we don’t think much of God, we will do little or nothing for God. If we love Christ and have a great deep relationship with Him, we’ll serve with joy for His glory. Working is the product worship, the Word, witnessing, and welcoming. It’s the overflow of our hearts’ desire to please God!

Jesus leaves us with an example in Matthew 20:25-28

25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Being a servant to God and man is countercultural! It’s the powerful movement of the Holy Spirit that causes any of us to put others before ourselves. J.O.Y.- Jesus, Others, than Yourself.  

Matthew 22:37-39 “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Mark 1:17 “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

Jesus has called us to a powerful work (Matthew 20:25-28, Matthew 22:37-39, Mark 1:17)

Christ is not on the throne begging for us to serve Him. He doesn’t need us! We need Him! We serve not to earn our salvation. According to Ephesians 2 that is by grace through faith. We serve because we’re in awe of His forgiveness, His mercy, His grace upon us. We serve because we love Him! We don’t serve to be saved, we serve because we are saved!

Acts 17:24-25 “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”

Jesus gives us the privilege to work (Acts 17:24-25)

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” The last part of verse 20 is a promise to us! The same promise to God’s servant Joshua in Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Jesus gives us a promise for our work (Matthew 28:20)

I want to give Gretta Holloway some time to share with you a ministry that I’d love to see our church adopt in order for us to being a working church. This ministry structures us into an intentional direction to do the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. I want you to really pray about how you can be involved in this ministry and other ministries within the church.