Ilife, Part 4

We’re in a series right now talking about purpose, and why we live, and how we find meaning, and why we’re on this planet, and why we’re alive, and how do we answer some of the large questions in our life. Some of those deeper questions and just the menial things so I want to talk for a few minutes just where we can find some purpose.

I want to talk about why I serve...why I serve. Last week we talked about why I reach. Now this series has two sides to the coin. It has one side that I believe that these 4 things that we are talking about: reach, serve, give and build, I believe there are 4 things that can help you as an individual find purpose and meaning in why you’re alive. I find out that when I reach out to other people, I start realizing some of my purpose. I have found out that when I am going through things, one of the greatest things I can do is serve somebody else going through something else. Because how many knows that there is always somebody whose got it worse? Can I have a good amen? A lot of times when you serve other people, the things in your life just begin to dissipate cause you’re reaching out to other people. It’s the same way with giving and building.

And so, one side of the coin is we believe it speaks to us individually but then the other side of reach, serve, give and build it tells you the reason why we make the decisions here at the church. Why we are the church that we are -- why do we do the things that we do -- why do we go to the Varsity -- why do we go out and reach out into Peru -- why are there coaches that are getting a part of Upward Sports, give of their time to be a part of that -- why, because we believe those 4 things: reach, build, give, serve. They’re how we make decisions here as a community of faith, so we want you to know these things. So let’s talk for a few minutes about "why I serve."

Father, we just love you so much -- let’s all bow our heads and let’s pray -- Father, I just love you so much, I thank you for what You’re doing. I pray right now in the name of Jesus that You would help us to understand and to discover everything that You have for us. Lord, I thank you that Your Word is alive and that Your Word is truth and Lord, You will speak to our life. Father, we have found out that one of the great ways to discover our purpose, our meaning, why we’re here, to be more fulfilling in life, to not feel like we are wasting away, Lord it’s beginning to serve. Lord, You’re the ultimate Servant, You are our suffering Servant, but not only were You our suffering Servant, You’re our soon coming King. So Lord, we just love you so much, in Jesus’ Name. And everyone said amen. Turn to your neighbor and say, Jesus is here and literally anything can happen. Turn to your other neighbor and say, Jesus is here and anything can happen. Turn around and give someone a high five and let them know they’re in the right church.

Let me give you some scripture right up front that’s going to help you recharge, I believe, your desire to serve. I believe the scriptures that are going to help you serve in the season and the world that God has you in. Joshua chapter 22 verse 5, be careful to obey all the commandments and the Law that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all of His ways. Obey His commandments, be faithful to Him. Serve Him with all of your heart and all of your soul. Serve Him with all of your heart and all of your soul. Matthew chapter 6 verse 24 another scripture -- really, if you want to just park it at Psalm 100 we’re going to get there and you can read the scriptures up here. There’s a lot of scriptures I’m going to give you. Matthew 6:24, know man can serve two masters, no man can serve two masters. For he will either hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. That speaks about there comes a time in your life when you have to make a choice about who you’re going to serve. Then Romans 7:6, what I like about this scripture is it helps us to understand that we can serve God in the newness of His plan for us. That there’s an opportunity that God gives us to serve. And it’s a serve that’s pleasing to Him. It tells us in Romans 7:6, but now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by so that we should serve in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. I like how the Bible tells us here that we can serve God in the here and now. That we can serve Him right now, with the help of His Spirit. We don’t have to serve Him in the old sense of forms and rituals and mere activity, just mere spiritual activity. Just things we should do, things we have to do, things we are forced to do. I feel like if I don’t do this, I’m not going to have little checks in heaven and little gold stars in heaven. No, the Bible says there is a serving of God where it’s out of the true spiritual heart of man.