A COMMITMENT TO SERVICE (1 PETER
SERIES: THE COMMITMENTS DISCIPLES MAKE, PART 5
GCEFC: NOVEMBER 9, 2008
INTRODUCTION
1. This morning is our final installment in the series The Commitments Disciples Make.
2. We’ve looked at 4 commitments every disciple should make if serious about their calling.
a. A disciple makes a commitment to the Word of God. Understanding that the Word of God is our source of spiritual truth, our spiritual compass, and our spiritual food.
b. A disciple makes a commitment to prayer. Communication and fellowship with the living God.
c. A disciple makes a commitment to community. Recognizing that disciples grow within a community of other growing disciples.
d. And last week we saw that a disciple makes a commitment to spiritual transformation. A disciple doesn’t permit himself to be molded into the world’s image. But is transformed by the renewing of his mind through the Word of God.
3. Today we close our series as we look at the fifth commitment disciples make—A commitment to service.
A. SERVICE IS EXPECTED
1. Some things in life are truly optional. I can take up golf if I like. Or I can watch it played on television. Or I can do neither—it’s my choice.
2. I can travel to places I’ve never been. Or I can stay at home and watch the Travel Channel. Or I can do neither—it’s my choice.
3. I can vote in an election. Or I can choose not to vote and then complain about who gets elected and who does not.
4. But some things in life, though technically optional—are really not meant to be.
a. A mom or dad can choose not to provide for their children. In fact, some parents choose this route. But this is not meant to be optional—parents are expected to provide for their children.
b. Some people choose not to obey the law. Some of them get caught and some do not. But it’s expected that everyone will obey the law. It’s really not meant to be optional.
c. Some Christians choose not to serve. They decide to let others do the serving. As the saying goes: The world is full of willing people—some willing to serve—the rest willing to let them.
d. But service is not meant to be optional. Service is expected.
5. The Word of God concurs that service is to be expected from everyone. No one has the privilege of opting out of service. Everybody does something—nobody does nothing.
6. GAL 6:10 indicates 2 broad avenues of service: Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
7. Addressing believers, it says that as we have the opportunity, we should be involved in serving 2 groups of people. Those within the family of believers, and those outside it.
8. And there’s a priority to service. We first serve those within the family of believers. Then we extend beyond it. It’s not either/or. It’s priority one—then priority two.
9. Our Mission Statement includes the expectation of service—Impacting the world through service. We impact the world of believers and of unbelievers through our service to both.
B. SERVICE IS FOR ALL
1.
Our passage today (1
PET
2. First we see that no one is exempt from service. EACH ONE should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.
3. Each one is a very complicated Greek expression that scholars have determined as a result of intense research and study to mean: EACH ONE! That is—everybody!
4. And we see that everyone is qualified to serve. Each one should use WHATEVER GIFT he has received. It doesn’t matter what gift one has, one is to use that gift to serve.
5. Every believer has at least 1 spiritual gift given by the Spirit of God at conversion. A spiritual gift is a God-given ability for serving that glorifies God through its use.
6. We know from 1 COR that just as the human body is made up of many parts that do different things…. the Church is also made up of many parts that do different things.
7. The different parts of the Body are the different people in the Body who have different spiritual gifts that function in different ways.
8. According to V10, when each person in the Body serves according to his own unique giftedness, then the grace of God is administered in its various forms.
9. This makes perfect sense. God uses each one of us, who have something unique to offer, to express his grace to the world in its various forms.
C. SERVICE HAS TWO BROAD CATEGORIES
1. The spiritual gifts are listed in the Bible in 4 main places. If you can remember the numbers 4 and 12, you can probably find them.
2. 4 as in 1 Peter 4 and Ephesians 4. And 12 as in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12.
3. But here in 1 Peter 4:11, it seems as if Peter was left out of the loop when it came to listing spiritual gifts—because he only seems to be aware of 2 of them.
4. V11: In 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.
5. But rest assured Peter is well-informed. He simply gives the 2 broadest categories of service. Service can be broken down into 2 main categories—speaking and doing.
6. Now I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking of the perennial dichotomy between saying and doing. Between talk and action. Between walking and talking. Between well-said and well-done. Talk is cheap. All talk and no action.
7. But this is a false dichotomy. There is value in both. But you would expect this to come from a preacher, wouldn’t you? But we’re on safe biblical grounds here.
a. PRO 25:11: A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
b. EPH 4:29: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
c. The Bible is the WORD of God. Words are what is said. Words are what is spoken.
d. 1 THESS 4:18: Therefore, encourage each other with these words.
8. Some forms of service involve mostly what we say. Words can be a valuable ministry in itself. Otherwise I’m wasting a lot of time each Sunday by preaching.
9. But other forms of service are more action oriented. They’re more about doing than they are about speaking.
10. But notice what is common to both forms of service.
a. When it comes to speaking, it should be done as if one is speaking the very words of God. That is a huge responsibility.
b. Whether you’re preaching, teaching, leading a Growth Group, leading a discussion, evangelizing, encouraging or exhorting. It’s extremely important to make sure that what you are saying is a reflection of what God has said!
c. And when it comes to serving (those action kinds of things), we must be careful to do what we’re doing with the strength God provides.
d. In other words, God is intimately involved in our service. Whether it’s a ministry of speaking—or a ministry of serving. They both are to be done in the wisdom, power, and grace of God. Otherwise we’re on our own.
e. And in the end, they are both to be done: so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. The end result of our service is that God is honored, praised, and glorified through our service.
D. THE EXPRESSION OF OUR SERVICE
1. So what do we know so far? We know that every believer is called to serve. Each one serves primarily by using their unique spiritual giftedness by God.
2. Of course, our service isn’t limited to this. We also serve just by being available to offer a hand. To help those who are in need. Whether the expression is directly related to our spiritual gift or not.
3. We serve both inside the church family of believers and outside it as well.
4. There are 2 broad categories of service. There are the speaking oriented categories. And there are the action oriented categories. Both are important. Both are necessary.
5. Both are to be exercised with God’s oversight and enablement. Both are meant to bring praise and honor and glory to God through Jesus Christ.
6. Now at some point questions are raised: So what is my unique enablement for service? What has God given me that through it I can serve? What is my spiritual gift?
7. We are all indebted to Pastor Rick Warren for development of an acronym that answers these questions. He says that most of the good ideas he has came from someone else anyway and that’s it’s okay to use them.
8. In order to determine how you can best serve, you should ask the question: What is my ministry S.H.A.P.E.?
9. The believer’s most effective service potential is realized when they serve in harmony with the way God made them. The way they’ve been wired for service.
10. The S in S.H.A.P.E. stands for SPIRITUAL GIFT. If you’re a true believer, then God through his Spirit has given you at least one spiritual gift to use in service.
a. You’ll need to find out what your spiritual gift is. How do you do that? Several ways.
b. Ask those you respect what they think your spiritual gift is. They just might know.
c. Experiment with different ministries. You may discover how God gifted you.
d. Look for affirmation from other believers when you serve. It’s an indication.
e. Consider the areas of service that you especially enjoy and find fulfilling.
11. The H stands for HEART. This refers to your areas of passion. People are rarely effective at what they don’t enjoy or feel passionate about.
a. When we serve in areas of passion, we’re much more likely to be effective.
b. So consider those areas of ministry and service where you have enthusiasm and passion. Those are probably the areas you should be serving.
12. The A stands for ABILIITES. This refers to our talents and natural abilities. These were given to us at physical birth rather than at spiritual birth. Talents are not the same as spiritual gifts. But our talents and abilities can be used to serve others and they should be.
13. The P stands for PERSONALITY.
a. Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert. Whether you’re a stickler for details, or you wouldn’t know a detail if it bit you. Whether you can’t see the forest for the trees, or you can’t see the trees for the forest.
b.
Whether you tend to be more emotional or more
cerebral. All temperaments are used effectively in God’s service. Remember—the
Body has many parts.
14. And the E stands for EXPERIENCES.
a. All of us have been shaped by our experiences. Whether they were pleasant experiences or not so pleasant. They have all gone into making us who we are today.
b. Those very experiences can be used to help others. Both our pleasant experiences and our painful experiences God will use in our desire to serve others.
CONCLUSION
1. If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ. If you’ve chosen to follow him as Lord. Then I trust you have made and continue to live out these 5 commitments.
2. A commitment to the Word of God. To Prayer. To Community. To spiritual Transformation. And to Service.
3. These commitments will provide the framework and environment in which we can:
a. Renew our calling as a disciple.
b. Call others to discipleship.
c. Grow in community through obedience to God’s truth.
d. And impact the world as we journey through life.