How Can I Help My Church? Series

How can I help My Church?

1 Peter 5:1-4

Introduction

What do you call a chicken crossing the road?

Poultry in motion.

What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t work?

A stick.

Where do you find a dog with no legs?

Right where you left him.

What do you call cheese that isn’t yours?

Nacho cheese.

What do you call a man who falls into an upholstery machine?

Fully recovered.

What do you call a Christian who isn’t serving?

A contradiction.

You and I have been redeemed for a reason. Another way to say it is that we’ve been saved to serve, you and I have been mobilized for ministry. That is why a Christian who isn’t serving in some way in through the church is a contradiction, because to be a follower of Christ means you are a servant of Christ. Today from this passage in the book of 1 Peter we want to take this passage and apply it to a larger theme of servant-hood, and answer the question “How can I help my Church?” this is a message on serving.

Read Scriptures: 1 Peter 5:1-4

I. Help your church by Serving willingly.

Vs. 2a “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;”

I am not a preacher because this is what I choose to do, I could have chosen to do a thousand things, but God chose me to preach, I am called by God to preach. Since I know that this is my calling then I serve willingly. I am not fighting to surrender; I am freely and willingly serving.

So many are useful to this church to advance the gospel but they are not willing, they refuse. Why?

Some of you may feel unworthy and inadequate; some of you feel that it will cost you too much. Some feel like it will require too much of a sacrifice.

On and on the list could go, but the scripture is clear. If we have been called to serve, or if we have talents and abilities to serve we must not reject His call. The scripture says, “you are willing, as God wants you to be;”. It is God’s desire for you that you surrender you life to Him, you talents and your abilities to be used by Him in His service. You surrender willingly, not because you are forced.

II. Help your church by serving eagerly.

Vs. 2 “but eager to serve”

I love to watch someone who is fairly new to the church, and they are a fairly new believer, the first opportunity they get to do something in the church for the Lord, you can see that eagerness they have. They get here early, they stay late to help clean up. They are eager to serve. They can’t wait to get after it.

How do we get to the point in our Christian lives where we loose that eagerness to serve. Because I also see the flip side of that person that is eager, with that person who does some type of service because no one else will do it.

Usually the act of service is done without any heart felt sense of service to God, because quite frankly I don’t feel called to do it, I know it needs to be done, but no one else sees the need so I guess I’ll have to do it again.

The scripture says that all of us, not 20 percent of the people doing 100 percent of the work, but all of us be eager to serve.

Not because I am obligated to it, or any other reason, but because I want to have an impact in the kingdom for eternity. “but be eager to serve.”

III. Help your church by Serving as an example for others.

Vs. 3 “not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

This is what really hurts the church. When we serve as an example, we are not preaching one thing, and then doing another. If I am going to be an example, then my walk will match my talk, and my talk will match my walk.

Titus 2:7 “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness.”

If I am going to be an example for others then I need to truly be a person of integrity. Integrity means that you are the same person when no one is looking.

In other words if I claim to be a good Christian on Sundays to everyone at the church, but when I get home I curse out the dog, I view pornography, I drink till I can’t stand up. That is not a person of integrity that is a true genuine hypocrite.