Use Somebody
Ephesians 2:10 NIV For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
I. God has a call for every person. It’s indispensable for the Christian life
The Call to Salvation
I Timothy 6:12 NIV - Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
I Peter 2:9 NIV - But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
The Call to Self Denial, & sometimes Suffering
I Peter 2:21 - To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
This is not popular amongst people today. We live in a self preservation society.
SELFISHNESS - devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others
Am I willing to put others first? (Mark 9:35) “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
There’s 2 types of Christians:#1 Christians who are selfish & consume & always want to know what’s in it for them, #2 Christians who are selfless &contribute & always want to know what they can do for somebody else. We need more #2′s
Tertullian: “He who lives only to benefit himself confers on the world a benefit when he dies.”
Matthew 16:24 - Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
Romans 8:16-18 - The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
3. The Call to Serve
Isaiah 6:8 - Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
The Big Idea: In the world, greatness is determined by how many people SERVE YOU; but, in God’s kingdom, greatness is determined by how many people YOU SERVE.
We accompany God on His mission. We are not called alone.
John D Rockefeller said, “I believe that the rendering of useful service is the common duty of mankind, and that only in purifying fire of sacrifice is the dross of selfishness consumed and the greatness of the human soul set free.”
Salvation call us to “Come unto Him”, But service calls us to “Go”
Matthew 28:19-20 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
II. When We Serve we live beyond ourselves
•“In my view, people are never closer to living out the teachings of Christ than when they are adding value to someone else’s life. And people who are far from God are rarely more impacted than when they see 21st-Century Christ-followers behaving as Christ behaved.” ~Bill Hybels
•Our nation is fueled by service. The basis of capitalism. Providing of a service
1. Serving others is your ultimate calling.
(John 13:14) “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.”
(Mark 8:35 NLT) “If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life.”
•God will not look you over for your medals, or your degrees, or for your diplomas, God will look you over for your scars of service.
2. Serving others brings absolute fulfillment.
(Hebrews 6:10 NLT) “He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other Christians.”
(John 13:1) “It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.”
•The Value of serving on a Sunday / It’s a BIG DEAL / changing a life
(Matthew 25:21) “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things so; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!”
•Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s, once appeared on the cover of their annual report dressed in a knee-length work apron, holding a mop and a plastic bucket. Here’s how he described that picture: “I got my M.B.A. long before my G.E.D. At Wendy’s M.B.A. does not mean Master of Business Administration. It means Mop Bucket Attitude.”
“This is a story about 4 people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did. Somebody got angry with that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody would not do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.”
Are you content to let Somebody Else serve?
(Luke 18:29-30 GW) “I guarantee this. Anyone who gives up
anything for the kingdom of God will certainly receive many times
more in this life and will receive eternal life in the next world to
come.”
(Luke 6:38 Message) “Give your life away and youʼll find your life
given back. But not merely given back. Given back with bonus and
blessing.”
What Now?
(Titus 3:8) “I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
”Do all the good you can, In all the ways you can, To all the souls you can, In every place you can, At all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, As long as you can.” John Wesley
(Proverbs 3:27-28 Message) “Never walk away from someone who
deserves help; your hand is Godʼs hand for that person. Never tell your
neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.”
3. I must seize the opportunity & Participate
(Galatians 6:10) “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good
to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of
believers.”
(Colossians 4:5-6) “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders;
make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be
always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how
to answer everyone.”
(Matthew 9:35-38) “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
What can you do in your everyday life to help someone? What can you do here on a Sunday to serve ? •"become the glove into which Christ inserts his divine hand."
•You don’t have to be a seminary graduate, or a college graduate, all you have to be is you and willing.
•I am asking you this morning, step out and make a commitment to be a part of what God wants to do in our Church.
