Growing Broader Through Ministry Series

Introduction:

A. One day, some church members were working at their church workday and a teenage boy they didn’t know was working with them to fulfill some court appointed community service hours.

1. The teen asked the man who was working next to him, “So, what bad thing did you do that caused you to end up working here?”

2. The man simply replied, “I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just serving here at the church because I love God, and it’s a good thing to do.”

3. Unfortunately, I think that many people, old and young, have the attitude that “no one serves unless they have to.”

4. Too many people look at serving in the church as a punishment, rather than a privilege, but nothing could be further from the truth.

5. Ultimately, there is no greater privilege, and satisfaction than serving for the Lord.

B. Today’s sermon continues our sermon series on becoming a Healthy Church.

1. So far we have learned that healthy churches grow deeper through discipleship.

a. We learned that discipleship requires the commitment and devotion of our hearts and lives.

b. We must put God first in all things, and we must strive to obey God in every way.

2. Last week we learned that healthy churches grow warmer through fellowship.

a. We learned that fellowship is more than eating together or socializing with each other, rather it is the expression of genuine Christianity among the members of God’s family.

b. We learned that we are all in the Christian race or on a mountain climbing expedition and that we need each other if we are going to make it to the end.

c. I challenged us to make a list of those people we are going to make an extra effort to encourage and be in touch with. I hope that each of us made the list and are working at it.

3. Today, we want to explore the idea that we will be a healthier church as we grow broader through ministry.

a. Today, I want us to look at several verses about serving, and see what message God has for each of us about serving in ministry?

I. The first thing God wants us to know about serving is that: We are created to serve.

A. Paul stated it well in Ephesians 2:10, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

1. You and I were made by God, we are His workmanship, His masterpieces!

2. And by the way, anytime we’re tempted to become discouraged about who we are, we need to remember that God is the master craftsman.

3. God designed you and me for a specific purpose, and constructed us for that purpose.

4. We are ideally suited for the role in which God has cast us.

5. God intends for our lives to make a difference, to make a contribution to His kingdom, and He has given us what we need to fulfill that purpose.

B. Do you remember that when God first called Moses to lead God’s people out of slavery in Egypt, Moses balked.

1. Do you remember why he did that? Moses didn’t have a very high opinion of himself. He didn’t think that he was much of a speaker. And maybe at that time, he was right.

2. Obviously, a man who was going to rally several million people to leave their Egyptian masters would need to be quite an orator.

3. A man who was going to stand before the Pharaoh and convince him to voluntarily release his slaves would need to have quite a way with words. Right?

4. So Moses said to God (Ex. 4:10), “Oh Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

5. But look at what God then said to Moses (4:11-12), “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

C. In other words, God said: “Moses, trust me. I know what I’m doing. I have a plan for how you are going to serve me. I have formed you for that plan. Your birth into a specific Hebrew family, your natural abilities or lack of them, your training and upbringing in Pharaoh’s court – even the sin of murder that forced you into exile for 40 years – all of these are the process by which I was shaping you, preparing you to fulfill your role in my plan. Yes, my purpose for your life will require everything you have, but it will require nothing that you lack.”