As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to serve others. Christian service is not just about volunteering at church or participating in community service projects. It's about living a lifestyle of serving others, just as Jesus did.
In Matthew 20:28, Jesus said, "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Jesus' mission was to serve others, and He calls us to do the same.
Christian service is not just about what we do, but about who we are. It's about having a servant's heart, being willing to put others' needs before our own, and being humble and willing to learn.
In Philippians 2:3-5, we read, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus." This passage reminds us that Christian service is about valuing others above ourselves and looking to their interests.
One of the most important ways we can serve others is by sharing the Gospel with them. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus gave us the Great Commission, saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Sharing the Gospel with others is one of the most important ways we can serve them.
Another way we can serve others is by meeting their physical needs. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus taught us that serving others is the same as serving Him. He said, "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me." Meeting the physical needs of others is an important way we can serve them.
We can also serve others by using our spiritual gifts. In 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, we read, "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues." Using our spiritual gifts to serve others is an important way we can build up the body of Christ.
As we serve others, we must remember to do so with humility and a willingness to learn. In 1 Peter 5:5-6, we read, "Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you." Serving others with humility is essential to building strong relationships and effectively serving others.
We must also remember that Christian service is not just about what we do, but about who we are. In 2 Corinthians 3:18, we read, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." As we serve others, we must remember that our ultimate goal is to be transformed into the image of Christ. [Read: 1 John 3:2]
As we serve others, we must also remember to prioritize our relationship with God. In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus taught us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. He said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Prioritizing our relationship with God is essential to effectively serving others.
In addition to prioritizing our relationship with God, we must also prioritize our relationships with others. In Ephesians 4:32, we read, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Prioritizing our relationships with others is essential to building strong, healthy relationships and effectively serving others.
As we serve others, we must also remember to be faithful in the little things. In Matthew 25:21, Jesus taught us that faithfulness in the little things is essential to being faithful in the big things. He said, "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'" Being faithful in the little things is essential to being faithful in the big things.
We must also remember to serve others with a cheerful heart. In 2 Corinthians 9:7, we read, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." Serving others with a cheerful heart is essential to building strong, healthy relationships and effectively serving others.
As we serve others, we must also remember to be patient and not grow weary. In Galatians 6:9, we read, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Being patient and not growing weary is essential to effectively serving others.
Finally, as we serve others, we must remember that our ultimate reward is in heaven. In Matthew 25:34, Jesus taught us that our ultimate reward is in heaven. He said, "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'" Our ultimate reward is in heaven, and we must keep our eyes fixed on eternity as we serve others.
May we seek to serve others with humility, kindness, and a cheerful heart. May we be faithful in the little things and prioritize our relationships with God and others. May we remember that our ultimate reward is in heaven, and may we keep our eyes fixed on eternity as we serve others.
May God bless and guide you today, and may you experience His presence and power in all that you do. May you seek to serve others with humility, kindness, and a cheerful heart. Remember we served God because we loved Him.
Amen.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Isaiah 6:8 KJV