Serving
Read this if you want to know why and how we should serve God & other people
Q: What does it mean to be 'In ministry’?
A: Ministry = Serving.
1. Jesus taught by example
Philippians 2:7 ~ But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant …
--> Jesus CHOSE to be a servant:
You & I are made in the image of God.
(Genesis 1:26-27, 1 Corinthian 11:7)
So if the King of kings CHOSE to be a servant - so should WE!
Further reading
Matthew 4:10 / Luke 4:8
Matthew 12:18
Mark 10:45
Luke 22:27
2. Jesus taught His disciples to serve others
On four separate occasions.
In four different places.
Let’s look at ALL FOUR TEACHINGS, to understand how IMPORTANT serving is:
#1 AT JERICHO
Matthew 20:26-29
26But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom (= the price paid to set us free) for many.
29And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.
#2 IN THE TEMPLE
Matthew 23:11 & 24:1
23:11 ~ But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
24:1 ~ And Jesus went out, and departed from the Temple …
Jesus was speaking here to the Scribes & Pharisees:
Many people - then & now - are motivated by: ego / money / power.
But Jesus made it clear that our MOTIVE SHOULD be to SERVE.
#3 AT CAPERNAUM
Mark 9:33-35
33And He came to Capernaum: and being in the house He asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way (= on the road)?
34But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
35And He sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be FIRST, the same shall be last of all, and SERVANT of all.
#4 AT THE LAST SUPPER
John 3
Verse 5
5After that He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet,
and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded (= which was fastened around His waist).
--> When a guest arrived at a house - it was the servant’s job to wash the guests' feet.
Verses 14-15
14If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
15For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Jesus taught by example.
Like parents teaching their children how to behave / how to eat properly etc.
Verse 17
17If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
If we only look after ourselves --> we’ll focus on our own problems, which can then depress us.
But if we help & serve OTHER people --> we’ll be HAPPY!
Further reading about Jesus teaching His disciples to serve
Mark 10:42-44
Luke 22:24-26
John 12:26
Further reading about serving making us happy (and vice versa)
Exodus 23:25-26
Deuteronomy 11:13-17, 28:45-47
2 Chronicles 30:8
Job 36:11
Isaiah 56:6-7, 65:13-14
Malachi 3:17-18
3. The early church knew how to serve
Philippians 1:1 ~ Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ …
2 Peter 1:1 ~ Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ …
James 1:1 ~ James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ …
Revelation 1:1 ~ The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass …
Jesus calls us to be counter-cultural:
The world says success = having servants e.g. in a posh house / upmarket hotel.
But God says success = being servants!
Further reading
Acts 20:18-19
Romans 1:1, 6:22, 12:10-11, 16:1-2
2 Corinthians 4:5
Galatians 5:13
Philippians 2:19-22
Colossians 1:7, 4:7 & 12
1 Thessalonians 1:9
Titus 1:1
Hebrews 13:2
1 Peter 2:15-16
Jude 1
Revelation 2:19
4. The Israelites in Egypt
When reading about this time in the Bible, we tend to focus on the 'Three P's':
Plagues
Passover
Parting of the Red Sea
Q - But why did God want Pharaoh to release the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt?
A - So that they could SERVE HIM:
Exodus 8:1 ~ And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
Further reading
Exodus 4:23, 7:16, 8:20, 9:1 & 13, 10:3, 11 & 24, 12:31
Leviticus 25:55
5. Following Job's example
Job 1:8 ~ And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered My servant Job,
that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth (= turns away from) evil?
--> God called Job ‘His servant’.
--> Do we think that God says ‘My servant ..... (your name)’ ?
Maybe.
But if not - what do we need to change in our lives?
Further reading
Numbers 12:7-8
Job 2:3, 42:8
Jeremiah 43:10
6. It's our duty to serve
Luke 17:7-10
7But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by (= immediately), when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat (= to eat)?
8And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup (= prepare my supper), and gird thyself (= get yourself ready),
and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not (= I don’t think so).
10So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:
we have done that which was our DUTY to do.
--> If we don’t serve:
It's like being a medical doctor or nurse - but never treating anyone.
We’d be neglecting our duty!
Further reading
Matthew 24:44-51
7. We should also serve God because we're grateful to Him
1 Samuel 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.
The most valuable thing we could ever have is eternal life:
Billionaires would pay huge sums of money to live forever.
But as believers, God’s GIVEN us eternal life for FREE --> so we should WANT to serve Him in thankfulness!
Further reading
Joshua 24:14-18 & 31
Isaiah 41:8-9
Luke 1:74-75
'Grace' and 'What happens when we die?' messages on WholeCounselofGod.com
8. Further reading about serving God
Exodus 40:13-15
Deuteronomy 6:13, 10:20, 13:4, 34:5
Ezra 5:11, 6:18
Nehemiah 9:35-36, 10:29
Psalms 2:11, 78:70, 86:16, 89:3, 90:16, 102:21-22 & 28, 105:26 & 42, 113:1
Psalms 116:16, 119:65, 124-125, 135 & 140; 134:1, 135:1, 143:2 & 12, 144:10
Isaiah 41:8-9, 44:1 & 21, 49:3
Jeremiah 30:9-10
Ezekiel 20:40
Daniel 7:27
Zephaniah 3:9
Luke 1:54-55
Hebrews 3:5, 12:28
Revelation 7:3, 15:3
9. When we serve other people - we actually serve God
Matthew 25:31-40
31When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory:
32And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
34Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35For I was an hungred (= hungry), and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me.
37Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed Thee? Or thirsty, and gave Thee drink?
38When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? Or naked, and clothed Thee?
39Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee?
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the LEAST of these MY BRETHREN, ye have done it unto ME.
Further reading
Matthew 18:5 / Mark 9:37 / Luke 9:48
Hebrews 6:9-10
10. But if we don't serve other people - we're not serving God
Matthew 25:41-45
41Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink:
43I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not.
44Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee?
45Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it NOT to one of the least of THESE, ye did it NOT to ME.
--> It’s vital that we serve other people!
11. Servant-leadership inspires confidence & loyalty
The elders gave this advice to King Rehoboam (Solomon’s son):
1 Kings 12:6-7
6And King Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
7And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a SERVANT unto this people this day, and wilt SERVE them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants forever.
Some politicians, business leaders etc. only look after their own interests: they neglect serving the public / their employees - that’s why people distrust them.
But when a leader genuinely seeks to serve others, people will instinctively follow them.
Queen Elizabeth II, Abraham Lincoln & Harriet Tubman are inspirational examples of servant-leaders.
Further reading
Genesis 40:4
12. Before God allows anyone to lead a ministry - He first checks if they'll serve others
God appointed JOSHUA to lead the Israelites.
But ONLY AFTER Joshua had served Moses:
Joshua 1:1-2
1Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister (= Moses’ servant), saying,
2Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
--> Notice also that God called Moses ‘My servant’.
Further reading
Exodus 24:13
Joshua 1:13
In 1 Kings 19, God told Elijah that ELISHA would take his place:
Verse 16 ~ … Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room (= to take your place).
Verse 21 ~ …Then he (= Elisha) arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him (= served Elijah).
Elisha served Elijah.
When Elijah was taken up to Heaven - Elisha took his place. (2 Kings 2)
Q - What can we learn from Joshua & Elisha?
A - If we want to LEAD, we first need to SERVE.
13. Serving God should have first place in our lives
Isaiah 49:5 ~ And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be His servant ...
--> God created us (see the 'Creation' message on WholeCounselofGod.com) ,,,
... so what’s the point of focussing our lives on anything other than serving Him?
--> Serving God & other people is the whole point of us existing!
Deuteronomy 10:12 ~ And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him,
and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
This means giving Him TOP PRIORITY in how we use our:
Time
Money
Energy
Sometimes we don’t know what to do.
But if we put serving God (and other people) first, we’ll ALWAYS make the right decision!
Further reading
Joshua 22:5
1 Samuel 12:20
1 Chronicles 28:9
2 Chronicles 31:20-21
Psalm 100:2
14. But we also need to strike the right balance
Between:
Serving God.
Receiving from God.
Luke 10:38-42
38Now it came to pass, as they went, that He entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house.
39And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard His word.
40But Martha was cumbered (= overwhelmed with cares) about MUCH SERVING,
and came to Him, and said, Lord, dost Thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her (= tell her) therefore that she help me.
41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful (= full of cares) and troubled about many things:
42But ONE thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that GOOD PART (= what is better, to her advantage), which shall not be taken away from her.
Martha worried about the practical points of service.
But Jesus said it was more important to spend time with Him.
--> We should put our personal relationship with Jesus AHEAD of our service.
Otherwise we’ll soon become burnt-out & dried-up!
It’s like a child's swing: the higher we swing one way --> the higher we can swing the other way.
The more we TAKE IN from God by:
Reading the Bible.
Praying.
Reading good Christian books.
Listening to / watching Bible-teaching messages.
--> The more we can GIVE OUT to others.
15. We also need to spend time at home with our families - and serve them
A. God gave King Solomon the vital job of building the Temple.
B. But Solomon - the wisest man on earth - also made sure the workforce spent enough time at home:
1 Kings 5:13-14
13And King Solomon raised a levy (= conscripted) out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
14And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses (= shifts): a MONTH they were in Lebanon, and TWO MONTHS at home.
--> That’s a good pattern to follow.
16. Q - What will we do in Eternity?
A - Serve God
Revelation 7:15 ~ Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple …
Revelation 22:3 ~ … and His servants shall serve Him.
Further reading
Revelation 19:10, 22:9
Whenever we serve on earth - we're training to serve God in Eternity.
Just like trainee pilots learn to fly in a simulator - before they’re allowed to pilot an aircraft.
--> So let’s put everything that we have into serving God & other people!
Amen