IN HIS SERVICE
When you die, what do you want your tombstone to say?
Do you want it to say, “He died with the most toys?”
Do you want it to say, “She had a street named after her?”
Do you want it to say, “She came to church every week?”
Do you want it to say, “He accomplished much in his life?”
Do you want it to say, “He was a great hunter?”
Do you want it to say, “She was a great cook.”
Do you want it to say, “He died rich”
Or do you want it to say, “I told you I was sick.”
A lawyer’s widow was cleaning out the attic and found two bags of money directly over the bed where the lawyer passed away. She was heard to exclaim, “Oh my, he was trying to take it with him, only he should have put it in the basement.”
I don’t know about you, but when I die, I want to be able to stand in the presence of Jesus and look back over my life and see that it counted for something.
I want to have a life of significance.
I want to be able to look back and see that my life made a difference in the lives of other people.
Listen, if you want to be happy, satisfied and fulfilled in this life, you’ve got to pour yourself into the lives of others.
Pour yourself into the lives of God’s people and I guarantee you this, you will be significant.
All the monuments, trophies and achievements of this world are nothing in comparison with the reward of being significant in God’s Kingdom.
You want to be great in God’s Kingdom? Then learn to be a servant.
LEARN TO BE A SERVANT
Look, some of you have been couch potato Christians far too long.
You’re on the bench, on the sidelines, out of the game.
You know as much about the Bible as I do, yet week after week you get fat on the Word of God and then waddle out the front doors until it’s time to come back and eat again.
I don’t know if it’s because of lack of discipline, lack of motivation, selfishness, lack of direction or what, but this I do know, YOU’LL NEVER BE CONTENT UNTIL YOU BECOME SIGNIFICANT in God’s Kingdom.
You want a cure for depression? Go in the Name of Jesus and help other people.
You want to be happy? Go Name of Jesus and help other people.
You want to have meaning in your life? Go Name of Jesus and help other people.
BE SIGNIFICANT – GET INTO HIS SERVICE!
In our Bible reading this week we’ve been reading about Joseph.
(How many of you kept up with our Bible reading program this week?)
You read the true account of how Joseph was a model of service.
Wherever he went, he served and he was blessed in his service.
The Bible doesn’t say this explicitly, but you can read between the lines and see the footprints of the Devil in Joseph’s life. The Devil knew that Joseph was anointed by God and he did everything in his power to destroy him.
Joseph’s brothers began to hate him and thought about killing him until the oldest brother Ruben stepped in to save him. Instead of killing him, they sold him into slavery. Their own brother. But what the Devil and the brothers meant for evil, God meant for good. Joseph began to serve in Potipher’s house and there the Lord blessed his service.
The Devil again came against Joseph and through the lust of Potipher’s wife he was accused of rape and thrown into jail. But what the Devil and Potipher’s wife meant for evil, God meant for good. Soon Joseph was elevated to the chief prison administrator under the warden and there the Lord blessed his service.
He interpreted the dreams of his cell-mates the Pharo’s baker and cupbearer and eventually he was called before Pharo to interpret his dream and he was appointed the second in command in Egypt. Why? Because he was anointed by God and God blessed his service.
Genesis 41:
Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt.
47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully.
48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it.
49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.
50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
51 Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household."
52 The second son he named Ephraim and said, "It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering."
53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end,
54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.
55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph and do what he tells you."
56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt.
57 And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world.
You read the account of how Joseph was reunited with his brothers during this famine. He was significant, his life had purpose and meaning because he had faith in the Lord and he served the Lord with all his heart. Joseph not only saved his own family, but he saved all of Egypt and the surrounding nations as well. Talk about significance!
Listen, God rewards faith and service. They go hand in hand. Look at your bulletin cover – what does it say. “Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only.” James 1:22
You are a soldier in God’s army. You’ve been hand picked by God to serve at His pleasure. You are a servant of the Most High God, and when He gives you an assignment – do it with all the might and competence you can muster – give it your very best effort. Don’t give up and don’t give in, cross the finish line with determination. “Be ye doers of the Word.”
That’s what I want said of Klamath Assembly of God, that they are “doers of God’s Word!”
OK, but what’s in if for me pastor?
I’ll tell you what’s in it for you – blessing and benefit!
Luke 1
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.
22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home.
24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth was beyond child bearing years and was barren. They had longed for a child, but were never able to conceive, yet after Zechariah’s time of service he received blessing.
It’s a Kingdom of God principle that God brings blessing during and after obedience and service. Think of the 10 lepers; it was during their act of obedience of going to show themselves to the priest that they were healed.
What’s in it for you? God’s blessing and benefit.
So, where is your treasure? Is it in pursuing after money, achievements, endless recreation and trophies?
Listen to the words of Jesus in Luke 12:
29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.
30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
35 "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,
36 like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.
37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.
38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.
Search your heart – where is your treasure?
Listen, part of my job description is to prepare you for service Ephesians 4:
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
How many of you were thinking on your way to church today, “I wonder what Pastor is going to make us do today?”
I like it when you think that way, because that means I’m doing my job. Some of you are uncomfortable with what I’m asking you to do. Listen, I want you to know that I have your best interests at heart. I am for you 100% I want you to succeed in God’s kingdom, and when a pastor is doing his job right, you’re going to be moved out of your comfort zone over and over again. Why? Because it’s the price for reaching unity and maturity and attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ, that’s why!
If you haven’t figured it out already, as your pastor, I’m trying to lay a foundation in your life. I’ve called you to be doers of the basics of the Christian faith – Bible reading and prayer.
Today, I’m stretching you to become significant through service in God’s Kingdom.
Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in 1st Corinthians 3:
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.
14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
14 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
Do you really want to show up in heaven with nothing to show for your life? Do you want to be like this guy Paul describes who is saved, but only as one who escaped through the flames loosing everything he thought was important in life?
Why should you serve the Lord 100%? What’s in it for you?
Listen to What Paul says in Colossians 3 and ask yourself does this describe me?
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Most Christians like the first part of 1 Cor 15
57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. That’s it, they sit there in their pews perfectly satisfied to let nothing move them. But they fail to take to heart verse 58 which says: Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
This is not a verse for bench sitters – it’s a verse for “Doers of the Word.”
When we get to heaven, I want to take as many people with me as possible, but I just don’t want to take group who barley gets in by the skin of their teeth. I want to take a highly decorated battle tested army. I want to stand beside you as we take off our crowns and cast them at the feet of Jesus in worship.
If you are not currently serving the Lord in some capacity you are in danger.You are in danger of becoming stale. You are in danger of missing out on blessings. You are in danger of experiencing spiritual decline. You are in danger of moral failure.
59 Jesus said to a man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." We always have an excuse for why we can’t serve the Lord – don’t we?
60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Listen, church, don’t get distracted from your service to Jesus. Follow him, and follow him with all your heart, mind and soul. Do your job, and do it to the best of your ability. Don’t let the enemy stop you. For in everything you do, do it as unto the Lord.
Altar call:
I want everyone to spend the next 10 minutes filling out this Talent Survey. I will use this Talent Survey to help find an assignment for you in this church. I want you to be significant, so fill it out prayerfully, thoroughly and completely, then after you finish, I want you to bring it up to the communion altar. I want you to put it on the communion altar as a symbol of surrender to the Lord. Then I want you to stand or kneel around these altars and seek God. If you’ve been a Christian bench-sitter, I want you to ask God for forgiveness. Then I want you to rededicate yourself to God’s work and service. If you are already giving God 100%, then I want you to thank him for the opportunities he’s given you to serve and ask him to help you become a more dedicated and willing servant. Just spend a few minutes in dialogue with the Lord.
After you’re done praying, you are dismissed.
