Resurrection Life of Jesus Church
ARE YOU SERVING JESUS?
RLJ-1884
CHARLES M. THORELL
OCTOBER 30, 2022
WHAT IS SERVICE?
Everything we do on earth is in service to something or someone. Frankly, much of what we do benefits just ourselves. When we serve ourselves, we start with survival, followed by pleasure, greed, control, or a need to dominate others.
What does it mean to serve Jesus? In the previous message we learned the Son of God associates love with obedience. You can dress, act, and talk the part of being a Christian, but none of these things actually prove your love for Jesus. The relationship between love and obedience is proven through what you do.
Your purpose in life is to KNOW, love, and serve God.
Serving Jesus is a demonstration of your love for Him through service to others. Matthew 22:34-40
Jesus’ answer to the lawyer’s attempt at trickery summarized what service looks like:
1. Love God.
2. Love your neighbor.
Loving God with all your heart and loving your neighbor is the essence of serving God.
THE WAY OF LOVE
Love is patient and kind. It is not envious, boastful, filled with pride, disgraceful, selfish, prone to violent anger, or malicious. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5
It does not celebrate wrongdoing, but rejoices in virtue. verse 6
Divine love overlooks the faults of others, has a disposition to believe in good motives, holds on to possibility, and does not complain in the midst of adversity. verse 7
Love helps you overlook imperfections and exercise hospitality without murmuring. 1 Peter 4:8-9
Pay forward the love, grace and forgiveness given to you by God. verse 10
Your words should reflect well upon the Lord. Any service you perform should be to the best of your ability. As an ambassador for God, nothing you say or do should bring reproach upon the Lord. verse 11
THE GLORY
We receive heavenly gifts for two purposes – to serve others and to bring praise to God. If you haven’t realized it by this point, serving isn’t about you, it’s for God the Father to receive glory. Matthew 5:16
How does God receive glory when we serve? The transforming power of Jesus Christ is on display when you trade selfishness for selflessness. It validates your faith when you direct all success and admiration towards the transforming power of Jesus in your life.
Our actions are defined by the way we think. Luke 6:45
God has not told us to serve Him as though He needs anything. God already has everything in the universe. What do you have of value? Your free will. What He wants is for us to willingly come to Him in love and service. Acts 17:24-28
Jesus established Himself as the preeminent example of what it means to serve. He did not come to earth to be served with the glory He had in heaven. He took on human form and gave His life as a payment for the sins of mankind. Mark 10:43-45
Jesus washed the feet of His disciples to show that they were to serve one another instead of jockeying for position within the Kingdom of God. John 13:4-8; 12-17
Jesus said the path to serving God is to follow Him. John 12:24-26
SERVING GOD
What does it mean to serve God? It’s not complicated. You don’t have to go to a foreign mission field. You can serve the Lord by following the teachings of Jesus which are built upon the following two commandments:
1. Love the Lord your God with every fiber of your being.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
The apostle Paul admonished that love should be genuine, we are to avoid ungodliness, and cling to all that is good. Romans 12:9
Love each other as family members. Show mutual respect. verse 10
Be diligent in everything you do. Be like Jesus; He recognized the value of time and used it wisely. verse 11
Rejoice in the hope of eternal life that lies before you, patiently enduring the hard times, and persevere in prayer. verse 12
If you have the means, provide basic necessities to those in need, displaying warmth and kindness in your hospitality. verse 13
JESUS POINTS THE WAY
Jesus provides a clear picture of service. It is a love without partiality that is empathetic to the needs of others. Matthew 25:31-40
If you neglect an opportunity to serve someone, isn’t that the same as neglecting your relationship with Jesus?
A large part of the Bible is dedicated to the discussion of service to God.
Everything we do is in service to something. You can serve yourself in your pursuit of money, pleasure, and power, or you can focus your life on finding ways to serve God. The choice is yours to make.
BUILD YOUR HOUSE
You show that you love Jesus by the way in which you obey His commandments, by the work you help establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and by the way you act towards your neighbor.
Do you choose to uphold God at home, work, and every other place? Are you making Jesus visible in everything you think, say, and do? Matthew 7:24-27
You serve the Lord when you serve others.
Remember, it’s not so important how you begin your life after salvation, but how you finish it!
Do you have an ear to hear with?
