Service...For the Purpose of Godliness
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life • Sermon • Submitted
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Two Streams of Service
Two Streams of Service
Organic
Organic
Intentional
Intentional
Every Christian is Expected to Serve
Every Christian is Expected to Serve
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
God’s Word has no place for spiritual unemployment or spiritual retirement or any other description of a professing Christian not serving God.
God’s Word has no place for spiritual unemployment or spiritual retirement or any other description of a professing Christian not serving God.
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 144). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
Motivated by Obedience
Motivated by Obedience
“You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.
then you shall investigate and search out and inquire thoroughly. If it is true and the matter established that this abomination has been done among you,
Deuteronomy 13:4
If two angels were to receive at the same moment a commission from God, one to go down and rule earth’s grandest empire, the other to go and sweep the streets of its meanest village, it would be a matter of entire indifference to each which service fell to his lot, the post of ruler or the post of scavenger; for the joy of the angels lies only in obedience to God’s will.
If two angels were to receive at the same moment a commission from God, one to go down and rule earth’s grandest empire, the other to go and sweep the streets of its meanest village, it would be a matter of entire indifference to each which service fell to his lot, the post of ruler or the post of scavenger; for the joy of the angels lies only in obedience to God’s will.
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 145). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
Motivated by Gratitude
Motivated by Gratitude
“Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
Do you remember?
Do you remember?
What has God ever given anyone that could compare with the salvation He has given to you as a believer?
What has God ever given anyone that could compare with the salvation He has given to you as a believer?
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 146). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
What will make us grateful?
What will make us grateful?
Motivated by Gladness
Motivated by Gladness
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
The person who can’t serve the Lord with gladness contradicts with his heart what he professes with his lips.
The person who can’t serve the Lord with gladness contradicts with his heart what he professes with his lips.
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 147). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
What compares to serving God?
What compares to serving God?
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Motivated by Forgiveness, Not Guilt
Motivated by Forgiveness, Not Guilt
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.
He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
The heir of heaven serves his Lord simply out of gratitude; he has no salvation to gain, no heaven to lose; . . . now, out of love to the God who chose him, and who gave so great a price for his redemption, he desires to lay out himself entirely to his Master’s service. O you who are seeking salvation by the works of the law, what a miserable life yours must be! . . . you have that if you diligently persevere in obedience, you may perhaps obtain eternal life, though, alas! none of you dare to pretend that you have attained it. You toil and toil and toil, but you never get that which you toil after, and you never will, for, “by the works of the law there shall no flesh living be justified.” . . . The child of God works not for life, but from life; he does not work to be saved, he works because he is saved.
The heir of heaven serves his Lord simply out of gratitude; he has no salvation to gain, no heaven to lose; . . . now, out of love to the God who chose him, and who gave so great a price for his redemption, he desires to lay out himself entirely to his Master’s service. O you who are seeking salvation by the works of the law, what a miserable life yours must be! . . . you have that if you diligently persevere in obedience, you may perhaps obtain eternal life, though, alas! none of you dare to pretend that you have attained it. You toil and toil and toil, but you never get that which you toil after, and you never will, for, “by the works of the law there shall no flesh living be justified.” . . . The child of God works not for life, but from life; he does not work to be saved, he works because he is saved.
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 148). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
“You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.
“If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
“For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 148). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 149). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
Motivated by Humility
Motivated by Humility
So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
“You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.
“If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
“For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.
“If I have to serve, I want to get something for it. If I can be rewarded, or gain a reputation for humility, or somehow turn it to my advantage, then I’ll give the impression of humility and serve.”
“If I have to serve, I want to get something for it. If I can be rewarded, or gain a reputation for humility, or somehow turn it to my advantage, then I’ll give the impression of humility and serve.”
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 149). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
They may desire the recognition of applause, public acknowledgment, appreciation via social media, assured results, honor for their example, or, most subtle of all, development of a reputation as holy, sacrificial, or exceptionally spiritual.
They may desire the recognition of applause, public acknowledgment, appreciation via social media, assured results, honor for their example, or, most subtle of all, development of a reputation as holy, sacrificial, or exceptionally spiritual.
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 149). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
Motivated by Love
Motivated by Love
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
What act of service do you do that you do NOT enjoy?
What act of service do you do that you do NOT enjoy?
Every Christian is Gifted to Serve
Every Christian is Gifted to Serve
Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual Gifts
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Regardless of your theology of spiritual gifts, the two most important points about them remain those given in , namely, (1) if you are a Christian you definitely have at least one spiritual gift, and (2) God gave you that gift for the purpose that you serve with it for His kingdom.
Regardless of your theology of spiritual gifts, the two most important points about them remain those given in , namely, (1) if you are a Christian you definitely have at least one spiritual gift, and (2) God gave you that gift for the purpose that you serve with it for His kingdom.
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 151). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
In fact, in addition to the study of Scripture, the best way to discover and confirm which spiritual gift is yours is through serving.
In fact, in addition to the study of Scripture, the best way to discover and confirm which spiritual gift is yours is through serving.
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 152). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
...find a way to defeat the temptation to serve only when it’s convenient or exciting.
...find a way to defeat the temptation to serve only when it’s convenient or exciting.
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 152). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
Serving is Often Hard Work
Serving is Often Hard Work
for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.
More Application
More Application
Worship empowers serving; serving expresses worship. Godliness requires a disciplined balance between the two.
Worship empowers serving; serving expresses worship. Godliness requires a disciplined balance between the two.
Worship then worship-empowered service.
Worship then worship-empowered service.
You are expected to serve and gifted to serve, but are you willing to serve?
You are expected to serve and gifted to serve, but are you willing to serve?
“If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
The Gospel of Christ creates Christ-like Servants
The Gospel of Christ creates Christ-like Servants
Whitney, Donald S.. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (p. 156). The Navigators. Kindle Edition.
“For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.