Excuse me for being so observant. I’ve noticed something lately as I have looked around the church for inspiration. Volunteerism seems to be on the low side, yet membership seems to be growing. What’s this mean? It means not enough people are volunteering for God’s service.
Now I could go into a number of reasons why Christians aren’t volunteering and a number of reasons why some have quit there volunteering positions. This would gain us very little if anything.
So instead of being all negative and pointing fingers, I decided to write, “Why I serve!”
I find out that when I reach out to other people, I start realizing some of my purpose. I have found out that when I am going through things, one of the greatest things I can do is serve somebody else going through something else. There is always somebody who’s got it worse. A lot of times when you serve other people, the things in your life just begin to dissipate because you’re reaching out to other people.
Why are we the church that we are -- why do we do the things that we do? Why do we go out and reach out as a Mission both locally and internationally? Why do we nurture the body of believers in Christ?
Joshua 22:5
Be careful to obey all the commandments and the Law that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all of His ways. Obey His commandments, be faithful to Him. Serve Him with all of your heart and all of your soul.
Romans 7:6,
But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by so that we should serve in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
I like how God tells us here that we can serve Him in the here and now. We don’t have to serve Him in the old sense of forms and rituals and mere activity, just mere spiritual activity.
Colossians 3:23-24,
Whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord not to men. Knowing that from the Lord you will receive a reward of inheritance
One of the great ways to live life is to discover that really in my job, in my school, in my home, with my family, I’m doing it all as unto the Lord. Whatever vocation I’m functioning in, whatever place that God has me in, when I serve, when I work, when I sacrifice, when I give, when I do these things, I’m doing it as unto the Lord.
Have you ever been around somebody who does something because they have to? We don’t want anybody to serve us because they have to. And the Bible tells that we’re not to do it that way but we’re to do it out of responsibility of what the spirit wants, out of the responsibility of what Christ has done for us, out of the responsibility of serving one another, out of the responsibility of the grace of God, the mercies of God.
There is a responsibility within the family of God to serve one another, and to do it in the right spirit.
Can I ask you a question? Are you still glad that you’re serving the Lord? Will people know that you’re still glad about serving Him?
Have you ever seen someone that wants a job and they go for an interview and in that interview they want a job so bad...please, please, please hire me, please hire me.
Interviewer: Well, I don’t have a position for you.
Job Applicant: Please!
Interviewer: Well I know you have some real incredible skills and your resume is high level, but I only have a really low position.
Job Applicant: Please!
Interviewer: It’s not real high paying.
Job Applicant: Please!
Interviewer: Okay, but the only job I’ve got is sweeping, you are going to have to sweep the warehouse.
Job Applicant: I’ll take it! I’ll take it!
Okay you’re excited. You’re excited!! Woo, Hoo!
The first day on the job they’re early, kind of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Good morning! Like 5 o’clock, waiting on the boss to get there. He gets there. You’re just sweeping around the parking lot, you’ve been out trimming the trees, you’ve re-roofed the house, I mean you’re just into it. You’re like so excited about having the job.
Boss walks in, good morning boss, what’s up?
Can you stay a couple of hours?
I’ll stay all night! I’m in! Man they’re so excited about the job.
BUT... a year later.
You’re all bummed out, boss walks in, “hey, can you stay an extra 5 minutes?”
No!! Aghhh.
It’s like we use up our gladness. We are no longer glad about the opportunity. We’re no longer glad about this possibility in our life.
It’s the same with a volunteer opportunity; I’ve seen people do that. Join the Traffic Ministry, the first week in they’re just singing, smiling like they’re the only ones out there. One day, someone almost hits you, or some other negative thing happens. The next day and it’s like...
Aghhh!
It happens! It happened to me. Guess what? It happens to everyone.
I do not believe that’s purpose, I do not believe that’s the plan of God for our life. For these things to happen in a home, in the church, in our workplace, ask yourself, why do we serve?
I’ve done some searching and I just went through some things. You know, I thought about why do I serve?
From the moment I stepped on church property to right this very minute. God was teaching me it’s not about serving for a position; it’s about serving for our Savior.
It is about serving Him. It is never about being seen. He didn’t die on a cross to elevate all of us. He died on a cross to elevate the message of His life and His good news. Our church has always been a place of serving; our church culture is serving. We don’t need a lot of titles and a lot of that kind of stuff. We have to believe the main thing is Jesus Christ and let’s get Him to everybody we can. Everything else is a minor issue.
I want to serve because of what Jesus did on the cross. I want to serve Him in my life. I believe He’s worthy of it; I believe He deserves it. And I want to be dedicated to it and I want to surrender to Him that I can serve. We’re not perfect, we’ve got issues; ultimately the cross will transform you and can change your life to be the servant that Jesus wants you to be. Why do I serve? Because all of the forgiveness Jesus has given me has just been amazing.
Amen?
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