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Importance Of Services

 
"THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BEING A CHRISTIAN"──Saved To Serve
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. We have seen throughout this series that the Christian is truly
 blessed...
 a. "A person reborn"
he is provided the opportunity to live a new
 life
 b. "Belonging to the Lord"
he is God's special child
 c. "Living by faith"
he walks with God
 d. "Consecrated to God"
he has been set apart to live a holy life
 e. "Guarded by the power of God"
he is not alone in his struggle
 against the powers of Satan and the evil world in which we live
 
2. But with blessings come responsibilities...
 a. There are obligations that come with our new opportunities
 b. There are duties that come with our new calling
 
3. Indeed
the Christian has been called to serve God...
 a. We have been "Saved To Serve" - cf. He 9:14; 12:28
 b. It is only "reasonable" we be expected to serve God - Ro 12:1
  c. Each person has a ministry (service) we are expected to fulfill 
 - Co 4:17; 2 Ti 4:5
 
[Thus the concept of "servitude" or "servanthood" is a significant part
of what it means to be a Christian. That our service to God might be
more acceptable and fruitful
consider...]
 
I. THE GREATNESS OF SERVANTHOOD
 
 A. BEING A SERVANT OF GOD IS A GREAT HONOR...
 1. The title of "servant" was what many great men in the O.T. 
 were called
 a. Abraham
Isaac
Jacob - Deu 9:27 ("Thy servants")
 b. Moses - 1 Kin 8:53 ("Thy servant")
 c. Joshua - Josh 24:29 ("Servant of the Lord")
 d. Caleb - Num 14:24 ("My servant")
 e. Job - Job 1:8 ("My servant")
 f. Isaiah - Isa 20:3 ("My servant")
 g. The prophets - Jer 7:25 ("My servants")
 2. New Testament writers referred to themselves as "servants"...
 a. James - Ja 1:1
 b. Paul - Ro 1:1; Ph 1:1
 c. Peter - 2 Pe 1:1
 d. Jude - Ju 1
 e. John - Re 1:1
 
 B. JESUS CAME TO SERVE...
 1. He was foretold to come as the "Suffering Servant" - Isa
 52:13-53:12
 2. He "did not come to be served
but to serve" - Mt 20:28;
 Ph 2:7
 3. Even as our Lord and Master
He exemplified the servitude He
 desires of His disciples - Jn 13:12-17
 
[What an honor
if God were to look upon us as "His servants" as He did
these great men
including His own Son
Jesus Christ! He will
if we
put into practice...]
 
II. THE CONCEPTS OF SERVANTHOOD
 
 A. IT INVOLVES ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE...
 1. In a slave-master relationship...
 a. The slave knows no law but his master's word
 b. He has no rights of his own
 c. He is the absolute possession of his master
 d. He is bound to give his master unquestioning obedience
 2. Does this describe our relationship to Christ?
 a. It should
especially in light of 1 Co 6:19-20
 b. We have to come to Jesus on HIS terms
not our own - Lk 6:
 46; Mt 7:21
 
 B. IT INVOLVES ABSOLUTE HUMILITY...
 1. Otherwise
absolute obedience is not possible
 a. When we have a humble opinion of ourselves
we are 
 receptive to the idea of complete obedience
 b. For example
consider Paul's self-estimation - 1 Co 15:
 9-10; Ep 3:8; 1 Ti 1:15
 2. Does this describe our relationship to Christ and His Will?
 a. Jesus said it should! - Lk 17:10
 b. But if we murmur or complain about what Jesus tells us to
 do
can we really be considered "servants"?
 
 C. IT INVOLVES ABSOLUTE LOYALTY...
 1. Since we become servants FREELY
it should be expected that 
 we:
 a. Are to be loyal to Him first - cf. Ga 1:10
 b. Do not consider our own profit or preference important
but
 that of the One we freely serve!
 2. It is amazing how any can claim to be servants of the Lord
 Jesus Christ
while:
 a. Complaining about having to do the will of God
OR...
 b. Being negligent or slothful in carrying out His will
 3. Yet some act as though they are being forced against their own
 will!
 a. They don't "have to" serve the Lord Jesus...
 1) Of course
the alternative is not very inviting
 2) If we don't serve Jesus
by default we serve Satan
and
 are destined for hell!
 b. But God by His grace has offered salvation
and how dare we
 ever grumble or complain that He calls us to life of
  service in grateful appreciation!
 
[That we not be negligent in our service
be aware of some...]
 
III. HINDRANCES TO SERVANTHOOD
 
 A. SERVICE TO THE WRONG MASTER...
 1. Jesus warned we cannot serve both God and Mammon - Mt 6:24
 2. Serving the wrong things will render us fruitless - Lk 8:14
 2. Paul illustrated we can only serve the one we obey - Ro 6:16
 
 B. PLACING LIMITATIONS ON OUR SERVICE...
 1. Some limit how
where
and when they will serve
 a. As Moses tried to do - Exo 3:10
11
 b. Many will serve God
but only when convenient
 2. Some limit who they will serve
 a. As Jonah tried to do - Jon 1:1-3
 b. Many will serve God
but not when it means serving others
 (especially people we don't like)
 
 C. POSSESSING CERTAIN ATTITUDES...
 1. Such as sluggishness and laziness - cf. He 6:11
12; Mt 25:26
 2. Such as ingratitude - cf. 2 Co 8:9; Ph 2:5-7
 a. Which often comes when we forget how graciously we have
  been served
 b. We like service with a smile; are we willing to give
 service with a smile?
 3. Such as pride or self-centeredness
 a. As when self-pity affected Elijah - 1 Ki 19:13-18
 b. As when some preached Christ out of envy - Ph 1:15-18
 c. As when some seek for recognition
praise - Mt 6:1-4
 -- Humility and unselfishness are basic prerequisites for
 servanthood - Ac 20:19; Ph 2:3-4
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. The Christian has been "Saved To Serve"...
 a. Called to serve God and the Lord Jesus Christ
 b. Called to serve his brethren and those in the world
 -- It is a noble calling
one that we should accept with humility
 and gratitude
 
2. If one chooses not to serve God...
 a. Then they remain a slave to sin - Ro 16:16a
 b. And the end of such slavery is eternal death - Ro 6:16b
 
3. But when one chooses to serve God...
 a. Their servitude leads to righteousness - Ro 16:16c
 b. And the end of such service is eternal life - Ro 6:22
 
May what the apostle Paul wrote of the brethren in Rome be true of all
of us today...
 
 "But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin
yet you
 obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were
 delivered. And having been set free from sin
you became slaves
 of righteousness." (Ro 6:17-18)
 
Have you been set free from sin
that you might serve Jesus Christ? 
- cf. Ro 6:1-7

－－《Executable Outlines》