Impact Series #4
Commitment to Serve
Iliff and Saltillo UM Churches
November 10, 2002
Commitment to Serve
I Peter 4:10-12
Eccl. 9:10
INTRODUCTION: In our impact sermons we have been talking about Commitments that will change your life. First was the Commitment to Jesus Christ, next was the Commitment to the Church, and last week’s message was the Commitment to be an Example. Today is the Commitment to Serve. Many Christians only have a vague idea of what is involved in “Serving God.” Someone said that it is true that most people would like to “serve” God --but in an ADVISORY CAPACITY only!”
How many of you know people like that? Not YOU, but OTHER PEOPLE?
A Commitment to Serve. How is it for you? Is it in an Advisory Capacity only? Is it even a commitment?
STORY: Johnny had trouble pronouncing the letter “R” so his teacher gave him this sentence to practice at home.
“Robert gave Richard a rap in the rib for roasting the rabbit so rare.”
A few days later the teacher asked him how he was doing with his sentence and to say it for her.
He quickly rattled off the sentence. “Bob gave Dick a poke in the side for not cooking the bunny enough!”
Johnny did all he could to avoid using the letter “R”. Many of us at times do the same thing to avoid the Commitment to serve the Lord, especially if it is not easy for us to do--if we feel inadequate for the task or afraid.
At the beginning of Chapter 4, Peter talked to these Christians about living for God. He said, Jesus did not live his earthly life just for his human selfish desires but rather for the will of God (v. 2) and he says, “You have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do--living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry” (v. 3).
He is speaking to people who previously didn’t have even a VAGUE IDEA of what it meant to SERVE God. They had previously lived very self-centered, destructive lives. He is telling them the importance of living a different lifestyle--one that would count for something in the light of eternity. One that would be productive and point other people to Christ.
This scripture is just as applicable for us today. What can we get out of this scripture this morning? How can we apply it to our lives this week?
1. GIFTED--You have been given a gift by God to use in His service. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? A lot of people will say, “I don’t have any gifts or talents.” This is not scriptural. There are many references in scripture that show that we have each been given one or more gifts in order to serve God effectively. Sometimes we DON’T RECOGNIZE them because they have not been developed. Sometimes we DON’T COUNT THEM as a gift of God because we think “Oh, that’s not very “SPIRITUAL.”
(See: Ephesians 4:7,8
Romans 12:6-8
I Corinthians 12:4-11
I Corinthians 12:28-30)
I remember telling someone years and years ago “I do better in music but I don’t do very well in art.” She said to me, “well, you have developed your music ability but maybe you haven’t developed your artistic talent yet.”
Come to think of it, that was true. Then over the years I signed up for some art classes. In our Commitment to Serve, we’ve got to be on the LOOK OUT for ways that God has gifted us--Don’t discount any gift as unimportant or say, “Oh, that’s nothing.” You have been entrusted with one or more gifts and it is your responsibility to find out what it is, to polish it up, develop it and use it for His glory.
2. IDENTIFYING GIFTS--How can we know what abilities we have individually been given? First of all we need to pray about it, study the scriptures, think about what it is you can do or would like to do along with getting feedback from others. Sometimes people will say, “You’re really good at this...You ought to do this....
You might “try out” some ways of serving God by volunteering for some short term things.
Sometimes we let all of the “what ifs” stop us. What if I fail?
What if I don’t like it?
What if I...?
Concerning our gifts and abilities we can begin to identify them by asking ourselves these questions:
1. In what ways am I especially blessed by the Lord?
2. What advantages do I have which others may not enjoy?
3. What is there about my particular situation that can be turned to good advantage in the local congregation? In the community? In my family?
4. What do I possess that can be used in the work of the congregation--time, money, a phone, a car, an education?
5. What things do I get special satisfaction or fulfillment from doing? What you feel that time just flies by? You look at the clock and it is 4:00 p.m. already?
6. What things just come “naturally” for me?
7. If I had THE OPPORTUNITY to learn, what would I like to learn? (I said to Walter this summer, I would like to work on an Art Degree)
When you think about these questions, you are going to come up with some answers. Once you find out or at least get a little INKLING of what you think your gifts are, then what do you do? You’ve got to find out where these gifts fit into the local church or the community.
Ask these additional questions:
1. What things need to be done within the local church. Is there already a ministry that I could plug into?
2. What things are being done inadequately or not at all? Does a ministry need to be started? Could I start it?
3. What problems exist? How could I contribute to the solution?
4. What kinds of things could I do on my own as an individual to contribute to the spiritual health of the congregation? We have individual ministries and congregational ministries. Where could you be a self starter? Too often we stand back and wait to be ASKED to do things.
Charles Kingsley said, “Have your tools ready and God will find you work.”
Someone else said, “Find a need, and fill it.”
"God said to me, "I am going to evangelize China, and if you will walk with me, I will do it through you."
---from the testimony of J. Hudson Taylor
"It’s time we stopped staring up the steps and started steadily stepping up the stairs!"
Heard from Wilbert W. Welch, Chancellor of the Grand Rapids Baptist College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, in a sermon at Stevens Point, WI (1987)
Our scripture in Eccl. 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”
3. You Are GOOD TO GO--You have already been commissioned. Jesus said, “GO and make disciples of all nations...”
Service, Rendered to Christ: FOR SALE
FOR SALE
One Cross, - almost new. Top heavy. Cramps my style keeping up with the world
One Talent, - slightly shelf-worn. Unused for several years.
One Bundle of Seldom Used Opportunities, - Among these, church attendance, personal witnessing.
One Badly Used Influence, - Buyer needs to repair it and use it more carefully.
These items may be seen anytime in the basement of my home. Corner of Careless Avenue and Neglect Street.
Signed, Careless Christian
You don’t have to wait until you can serve PERFECTLY. Make a Commitment to Serve and Start where you are. The important thing is to serve FAITHFULLY (v. 10) and Peter says, “administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”
You are not pointing people to YOURSELF--you are not saying look how perfect I am, look how holy I am, look at ME--no you are pointing people to the Lord. No matter how imperfect you are scripture says, “I CAN DO all things through Christ which strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
I am not going to worry about my imperfections--I’m going to faithfully serve--and at the same time I’m going to continue to DEVELOP my gifts--I’m committed to serve him. I am ALREADY Commissioned. I am GOOD TO GO.
CONCLUSION: You are released for ministry--every one of you. I am releasing you. The church is releasing you. Pray about what God wants to do in your life and what he wants you to do.
How do I know that you are released for ministry? Scripture says, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
Make the decision to be Committed to Serve. Begin to seek the Lord and identify your gifts. Begin to look for opportunities to use them. Don’t worry about your inabilities. Be faithful with your abilities. Develop and polish up the things that need it. He will add to what you already have. You can do all things through Christ. Without Him you can do nothing. How many will make a new Commitment to Serve???
Let us pray:
