A Call To Service
By Ian Biss 3/10/02
Intro. . .
A little girl had been trying for months to learn the art of tying her shoes. She finally grasped the knack and was able to do it by herself. Her parents expected the child to be delighted, but were surprised by her disappointment. Her father asked why she was crying. She sobbed, "I just learned how to tie my shoes." He said, "That’s wonderful, Honey, but why are you crying?" She replied, "Because now I’ll have to do it all by myself for the rest of my life."
* "The Sermon on the Amount," Heidi Husted, Preaching Today, Tape 122
You who are in Christ are like this little girl in that, now that you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior, you have the responsibility to serve Him. This body of believers exists solely to serve the Lord our God.
It is now your responsibility to minister just as you have been ministered to. But how, what does God want from me, how do I know I am doing what Jesus wants me to do.
Jesus made three very clear commands while He was with us in his humanity. If your life is surrounded by His teaching in these commands you will be serving Him.
Get your pens out, and write these verses down. They are the life-blood in the life of a servant.
Read Texts, Matt 22:34-40; John 13:34-35; and Matt 28:18-20
The Great Commandment, The New Commandment, and The Great Commission respectively.
Our purpose as God’s body here at CGBC is to serve God is the way He has called us to serve Him. It’s not always clear exactly what you should be doing or how you should be doing it, however there is something you should be doing as a member of the body of Christ. You have purpose in Christ, this church has a purpose in Christ.
Now I know this church has a mission statement that is probably as old as the church, and I the end results of that mission have not changed. The mission has not changed. But the approach to accomplishing that objective has changed. You are not the same person you were 10, 20, or more years ago. Conemaugh is not the same borough it was 10, 20, or more years ago. Time marches on yet, God’s plans are timeless.
His desire to fulfill His word is the same now as it has been from the beginning that He created. And He has given you everything you need right here in His word.
I. The Great Commandment, Matt 22:34-40
II. The New Commandment, John 13:34-35
III. The Great Commission, Matt 28:18-20
Conclusion
We as God’s church in Conemaugh must together strive, to find God’s purpose for us, so that we may be obedient to Him in fulfilling His call to serve Him, One another, and Our neighbors.
You can make a difference, you must make a difference. God is counting on you to make a difference.
After an ocean-churning storm, thousands of starfish were washed ashore. A little boy was walking along the beach and throwing these marooned fish back into the water. A more sophisticated man was watching the small savior and felt it was his duty to point out the futility of such an endeavor. He called this boy’s attention to the thousands of starfish that lined the beach. He commended the little guy for his compassion but quickly noted, "What you’re doing is great, but frankly, it’s not going to make much of a difference." The little sage picked up another starfish and said, "Maybe not," as he threw it back into the surf, "but it sure made a difference for that one." The difference one person can make often seems minuscule in comparison with the need at hand, but what you’re doing may make a big difference in the life and eternity of one person.
* "The Greatest Sermon in History," Bill Hybels, Seeds Tape Ministry, Jan. 16, 1994
God has a ministry for you and for this church, so let’s make it a priority to be prayerfully seeking to find that ministry God is calling this group to fulfill.
