Go! And Serve: You Are Not Saved to Sit — You Are Saved to Serve - Ephesians 2:8–10
Today, we continue our 'Go! And…' series with a vital message: "You are not saved to sit — you are saved to serve."
The Christian life is not a spectator sport.
We are not called to sit back, to be passive, or to simply admire what Christ has done.
We are called to be His hands and feet in a broken world.
We are called to move — to live out our salvation in acts of love, service, and obedience.
So let us open our hearts to hear, and our lives to obey.
1. Saved by Grace, Saved for Purpose
Ephesians 2:8–10 (NLT): "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
"God saved you by his grace when you believed..."
Paul reminds the Ephesian believers that salvation is solely by grace (Greek: charis, meaning undeserved favour).
Not by works, lest anyone should boast!
But verse 10 shifts beautifully to purpose:
We are God’s masterpiece (poiema — think of a carefully crafted work of art!), created for good works that God prepared beforehand.
We are saved from sin, but we are also saved for service.
Salvation is not the end of the story — it is the beginning of a life lived for God's glory.
Imagine being rescued from a shipwreck.
You are not saved to stay floating in the water—you are saved to get on the ship and serve among the crew!
Christianity is not a cruise ship; it’s a battleship!
John Piper said, "Grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the enabling gift of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon."
Friends, if you think grace is a licence to be lazy, you have misunderstood grace!
Grace empowers us to live, to move, to serve!
John Piper’s words strike straight at the heart of the Gospel's transformative power.
Too often, people think of grace as little more than a divine “get out of jail free” card—a passive pardon with no expectation of change.
But Piper reminds us of the biblical reality: grace is not just pardon; grace is power.
It is God's active gift enabling us to live holy, God-glorifying lives.
The Apostle Paul said it this way in Titus 2:11-12 (NLT):
"For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God."
Grace saves us and it sanctifies us. Grace forgives our past, empowers our present, and secures our future.
Praise God that through Jesus Christ, we receive not only the mercy that pardons but the strength that transforms!
Where are you serving?
How are you using the gifts God has given you?
2. Christ, Our Model of Service
Mark 10:45 (NLT): "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Jesus calls Himself the Son of Man — the glorious heavenly figure from Daniel 7 — yet He humbly stoops to serve.
He gives His life as a ransom (Greek: lutron — the price paid for redemption).
The highest becomes the lowest.
The King serves the subjects.
And He calls us to the same path.
Charles Stanley, that faithful shepherd of God's Word, wisely said, "God blesses us so that we might bless others. His gifts are meant to be shared, not hoarded."
And how true that is, dear friends!
Every blessing we have — our salvation, our spiritual gifts, our time, our talents, our treasures — they are not simply for our comfort or pleasure.
They are entrusted to us to be poured out in service to others, just as Christ Himself was poured out for us.
The Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 9:11 (NLT): “Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.”
When we hoard God's blessings, we forget the heart of the Gospel — the self-giving love of Jesus.
When we share what God has given, we glorify His name, we meet real needs, and we point hearts to the Saviour.
Let us, then, be conduits of grace, not containers.
Let us be rivers of blessing, not stagnant pools.
For we are saved to serve, blessed to bless, loved to love — all for the glory of our risen King, Jesus Christ!
Church, a faith that hoards is not a faith that honours God!
A saved soul is a sent soul!
Is your life marked more by serving or by being served?
3. Equipped for Every Good Work (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work."
Paul tells Timothy that the Bible (Greek: theopneustos, literally "God-breathed") is sufficient.
It prepares and equips us — not merely for knowledge, but for action.
Bible study is never meant to be an academic exercise alone.
It is meant to fuel and guide Spirit-empowered service.
Imagine a soldier who only trains but never goes into battle.
Training is vital, but it must lead to action.
Tim Keller’s words, "The gospel is not just the ABCs of the Christian life, it is the A to Z," are a powerful reminder that the Good News of Jesus Christ is not something we move beyond once we believe—it is the very foundation, fuel, and future of our entire journey with God.
So often, people imagine the Gospel is simply the doorway into faith.
But the Gospel is not just where we start; it is where we live, where we grow, and where we finish.
The Gospel shapes our salvation, our sanctification, and our ultimate glorification in Christ.
Every act of obedience, every step of faith, every moment of repentance, every breath of worship—it all flows from the Gospel.
It is Christ crucified, risen, and reigning, dwelling within us by His Spirit.
Brothers and sisters, never graduate from the Gospel! Never outgrow your need for it.
The Gospel is not merely the introduction to our life in Christ; it is the abundant, eternal life we live every day, by grace, through faith.
Jesus is not just the beginning of our story—He is the Author, the Sustainer, and the Perfecter of our faith.
What "good work" is God preparing you for today?
4. Gifted to Serve
1 Peter 4:10(NLT):"God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another."
Peter writes to a suffering church, reminding them that each believer has a spiritual gift (Greek: charisma).
These gifts are not decorations — they are tools for ministry.
The Holy Spirit sovereignly equips every believer.
None are left empty-handed!
A.W. Tozer said, "The Church is not a religious country club; it is an army equipped for spiritual warfare."
The church is not a place of comfort without calling. It is not a sanctuary for the self-satisfied; it is the training ground for soldiers of Christ!
Ephesians 6:12 (NLT): For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
We are enlisted in a spiritual battle — not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of darkness
If we treat the church as a club, we will grow complacent.
But if we see it rightly, as the command centre of God's mission, we will be equipped, armoured, and emboldened to fight the good fight of faith.
As the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:3, we are called to "endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus"
May we rise, not with swords of steel, but with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and march forward proclaiming Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords!
Church, you were not gifted to be idle; you were gifted to be effective!
Have you unwrapped your spiritual gifts?
5. Serving with the Right Heart
Philippians 2:3–5 (NLT): "Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”
Paul paints the stunning humility of Christ, who "emptied Himself" (Greek: ekenosen) and took the form of a servant.
True service is humble.
True greatness is measured by how low we are willing to stoop in love.
When you wash dirty feet, no one asks about your title.
Servants are remembered not for how high they stood, but for how low they bent.
Francis Chan said, "Lukewarm people call 'radical' what Jesus expected of all His followers."
How true this statement is. In a world where compromise is often celebrated and comfort is often pursued above commitment, the genuine, wholehearted devotion that Jesus calls for can seem extreme — even to those who profess His name.
But the reality is that what many today label as "radical Christianity" — sacrificial love, unwavering faith, obedience at any cost — is simply normal, biblical Christianity.
Jesus said in Luke 9:23 (NLT), “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”
That’s not optional. That’s the normal expectation of a disciple.
As believers, we are not called to be lukewarm; we are called to burn brightly for our Saviour, to live lives marked by passionate, costly, joyful obedience. Jesus deserves nothing less than our everything — because He gave everything for us.
So, Church, let us not settle for half-hearted faith. Let us not call “radical” what should be normal. Let us simply be faithful followers of the One who is worthy of all our love and all our lives.
Church, Jesus expects not half-hearted service but full-hearted surrender!
Is your service fuelled by love for Christ or by the desire for recognition?
Gospel Presentation:
Let me be clear:
Service does not earn salvation.
Service flows from salvation.
Jesus Christ, the perfect Servant King, died on the cross, bearing the wrath of God for our sins.
He was buried, and on the third day, He rose again, defeating sin, death, and the grave.
He now offers salvation freely to all who repent and trust in Him.
Salvation is a free gift — but once received, it demands our all.
Call to Action:
Believer — where are you serving?
What are you doing with the salvation that has been entrusted to you?
If you are not serving, today is the day to say, "Here I am, Lord, send me."
If you are not yet saved, come to Christ today.
Repent of your sin.
Trust in Him as your Saviour and Lord.
Benediction:
Church, you are God's masterpiece.
You are His workmanship.
You are saved by grace — and you are sent by grace.
So go!
Go and serve with joy.
Go and serve with passion.
Go and make a difference, until the whole world knows that Jesus is Lord.
Communion Reflection: The Servant King
As we come to the Communion Table, let us pause to remember the supreme example of service and sacrifice:
Our Lord Jesus Christ.
On the night He was betrayed,
Jesus gathered His disciples — not to celebrate His greatness,
but to kneel and wash their feet.
The King became a Servant.
Then He took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying:
"This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19, NLT)
And after supper, He took the cup, saying:
"This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you." (Luke 22:20, NLT)
At Communion, we remember the cost of our salvation:
The broken body,
The shed blood,
The Servant King who gave His all so that we might live.
Reflection:
As we come to the Lord’s Table, let us not come lightly.
Let us come with humble hearts, remembering:
We are saved not by our works, but by His work.
We are saved not because we served Him, but because He served us.
Invitation:
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ,
If you have repented of your sin and trusted in Him as your Lord and Saviour,
You are invited to share in this sacred meal.
Exhortation:
And as you take the bread and the cup,
Resolve anew in your heart:
"I am not saved to sit — I am saved to serve."
Prayer before Communion:
"Lord Jesus,
Servant King,
We remember Your sacrifice.
We marvel at Your humility.
We thank You for the body broken for us, the blood shed for our salvation.
As we partake, stir our hearts afresh to live lives of service, love, and surrender.
In Your holy and precious name, Amen."
Communion Meditation: The Servant’s Table
Behold the table,
not set in splendour,
but marked by sacrifice.
Behold the bread,
the body broken,
the hands that washed feet now pierced for our sin.
Behold the cup,
the blood poured out,
mercy flowing from a heart of perfect love.
This is the table of the Servant King,
who stooped low to lift us high,
who bore the cross to bring us life.
Come with wonder,
come with gratitude,
come with hearts bowed low and spirits lifted high.
Remember His service.
Rejoice in His sacrifice.
Renew your surrender.
For we are not saved to sit—
We are saved to serve,
in the power of the One who served us first.
Final Benediction:
Church, you are loved by the Servant King.
You are saved by His sacrifice.
Now go —
Serve in His strength.
Shine His light.
Show His love.
Go, and may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God the Father,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
Amen.
