“Serve” 12-19-21

Overview

Called to Serve

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" Joshua 24:15 is more than a plaque on a wall—it is the orientation of every Christian life. Peter puts it this way: "Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received" 1 Peter 4:10. A steward manages what does not belong to him. The grace of God comes to us in many forms—what Paul calls the manifestation of the Spirit "for the common good" 1 Corinthians 12:7—and every believer who confesses Jesus as Lord has received at least one such gift. These gifts are not always static; God in His sovereignty can equip us in fresh ways for the moments and people He sets before us. The purpose, however, is constant: to serve.

Here is the surprising twist. The God we are called to serve is the God who serves us. Paul declared in Athens that the true God "is not served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything" Acts 17:25. He is not lacking; He is the Giver. And Jesus Himself said, "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" Mark 10:45. At the cross, the supreme servant bore our sin; in the empty tomb, He overcame death for us. Every breath, every heartbeat, every promise of eternal life—all of it is given.

This reorients everything. Our culture trains us to be consumers, constantly evaluating whether others have served us well enough—did the food come quickly, was the voice on the phone friendly enough, do they deserve five stars? But Peter continues: "Whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 4:11. God gives so that we may give. He has served us with His grace so that we, in turn, reflect the servant heart of the One we follow.

So consider today's encounters—family members, neighbors, coworkers, the tired clerk at the register, the repair person at the door. Will we see them transactionally, as people who exist to serve us? Or relationally, as people God has placed in our path so that we might serve them? Service may be as simple as a kind word or a glass of water, but it flows from our identity as baptized children of God. We do not draw purpose from our work, our income, or how well others perform for us; we bring purpose into every relationship as servants of the King who gave His life for us. As Advent draws to its close and we await the Lord's coming again, we repent, we pray, we grow by His grace—and we serve. Imagine an army of the church, freely giving because we have so freely received. The world will not remain unchanged.

Transcript

Would you open your Bibles please with me this morning to first Peter the fourth chapter 2s

for our study? 7s

If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, please find that on page 207. 9s

Page 207. 15s

First Peter, the fourth chapter. 18s

Growing up, there was a plaque at our home. 22s

It was right at the very entrance of the home. 26s

There was the screen door and then the door and then the plaque. 30s

You very quickly in the entrance way were turned to the right. 36s

But as you entered into the house, there was no way to miss the plaque. 41s

The plaque said, 49s

For me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 50s

That great passage from the book of Joshua. 57s

As I've reflected on that, that was a wonderfully placed portion of Scripture. 61s

Because everyone that entered into the house, whether it was family, whether it was friends, 70s

whether it's neighbors, whether it's coworkers, whether it's people that are there to repair something, 75s

they would see that plaque. 83s

That plaque of call to serve the Lord, characterized then the home. 88s

It was a witness that this home was a home of Christians. 96s

This home was one that emphasized the service of the Lord. 103s

God is sovereign. 113s

We are subject to Him and we are called to service, aren't we? 115s

And that service takes a whole host of shapes. 121s

Look at me, please. 128s

At verse 10 of our text, first Peter, the fourth chapter, Peter writes this, 130s

like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received, 137s

whoever speaks must do so as one speaking, the very words of God. 149s

Let's break down this incredible verse. 158s

Like and notice the qualifier, like good stewards, what's a steward? 162s

A steward is a manager of that which doesn't belong to Him. 168s

So as not only being a steward, we are called to, as managers, we are called to be good stewards, 173s

good managers of what the manifold grace of God. 181s

The various forms of the grace of God and here Peter limits it and points it to giftedness. 187s

Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. 199s

So managing then the gifts of God in a good way, the manifold expression of the gifts of God, we are to serve, to serve one another. 212s

For me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 228s

The manifold gives. 237s

Therefore, for four places in Holy Scripture that talks about spiritual gifts. 241s

These are gifts that God equips the church with. 248s

These are gifts to be used for the proclamation of the gospel and the building up of the church. 252s

First Corinthians, the 12 chapters says, to each is given the manifestation of the spirit for the common good to each. 260s

If you proclaim Jesus Christ, the Savior and Lord, you've got at least one of the spiritual gifts. 273s

And here's the thing. 279s

Spiritual gifts can be quite fluid. 281s

Oftentimes spiritual gifts are portrayed as being static and fixed. 284s

That when God distributes the gifts to us, well, that's it. 289s

There can be a continuity certainly in terms of giftedness. 295s

But also there's a great fluidity in terms of giftedness. 300s

And so we're God in God's sovereign divine will can bestow gifts for the moment for the situation that he calls you to minister. 303s

We are there for them to be open to all the gifts for what purpose. 317s

To serve, to serve. 326s

Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. 330s

Service takes many shapes. 345s

But here's the thing. 353s

There's a twist to this service. 356s

There's a twist about service. 362s

Ancient date. 370s

Athens Greece. 373s

It really was the center of architecture and art and schools of philosophy. 376s

And it was also a center of idolatry. 384s

It was also a center of idolatry. 390s

It was a bounded in Athens. 391s

In fact, it was oftentimes said that it was easier to find a God in Athens than a man. 395s

It was a bounded. 405s

The Apostle Paul addresses this in Acts 17th chapter. 407s

Scripture says, Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. 411s

For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, 419s

I found among them an altar with the inscription to an unknown God. 425s

What therefore, you worship as unknown this I proclaim to you. 431s

The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, 437s

does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands as though he needed anything. 444s

Since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. 453s

So the Apostle Paul sees an unnamed God there and he uses it as a springboard to witness. 460s

Notice how God is described here. 469s

He doesn't need anything. 474s

Since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. 476s

He doesn't need anything, he gives. 483s

God is not dependent upon us for anything. 487s

That's dependent upon us. 495s

God is not lacking. 497s

God is absolutely complete. 502s

God is the giver. 509s

The giver. 517s

Turns out. 520s

Turns out that the very one that we are subject to, the very one that we are to serve. 522s

The very one that we are subject to, the who is sovereign, who we are to serve. 533s

Serves us. 542s

What did Jesus say in Mark 10? 546s

He said, for the Son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. 547s

Jesus came not so that we would serve him. 560s

Jesus came in order to serve. 564s

And the supreme example of service as the Lord Jesus Christ takes our sin upon him at the cross. 569s

He serves us. 577s

Jesus born to serve us. 580s

Jesus born to take our sin to redeem us to buy us back to pay the penalty for our sin that we could never ever pay to serve us by being raised from the tomb overcoming death. 583s

Jesus says, I didn't come to be served. 599s

I didn't come to be served. 602s

I came to serve. 604s

He provides everything to us. 608s

We've talked about it in the past. 612s

Every breath, every blink, every beat of the heart, he provides everything. 614s

He sustains your life this very moment and he has provided for your salvation into all of eternity. 621s

The giving God then reorient us. 632s

Now what do I mean by that? 640s

The other evening, we decided to do a little takeout. 645s

We were traveling here and there. 651s

We called, they said, I'm sorry, we're real short handed. 652s

It's going to be about 45 minutes. 655s

That's fine. 657s

We pulled up. 660s

That was about 10 minutes early by the time we got there. 661s

Almost to the minute, almost to the minute. 665s

When they said it would be done, out comes a person running the bag out to our vehicle. 668s

Very, very friendly. 678s

She said, I'm sorry, if you had the weight. 680s

And then she said, you'll be receiving a survey. 684s

If you could fill that out and let us know how we're doing, 690s

sure what it appreciated. 695s

Remember thinking to myself, she's asking me to evaluate how quickly she ran and how kind she was. 700s

It happened also in the Carber pair shop. 719s

Got contacted. 723s

Fill all I always deal with. 724s

Nice guy. 726s

You said, you're going to receive a survey. 727s

If you could fill it out, it's really, really important. 729s

My management looks at all of these. 731s

And then, you know, if something is the matter, if we could rectify it, 734s

because the manufacturer then is going to also send you a survey on that, 739s

I've known him for years, for years. 744s

Called the service center, told a different issue. 749s

First on the phone, very, very, very helpful answer to my question. 756s

And at the conclusion, at the conclusion, he said, is there anything else that I can serve you with? 760s

He says, is there anything else I can do for any other question that you have today? 769s

He said, don't even very kind. 773s

Thank you so much. 775s

He said, you're going to be receiving in the mail a survey. 776s

Could you let us know about our service? 782s

Now we understand why companies do this makes sense, right? 789s

Because what company wants to be known as where the company that offers lousy service? 795s

Right? Nobody wants to be known for that. 801s

But so I've thought about that. 806s

There is this conditioning that goes on constantly with us, doesn't it? 808s

This constant conditioning in which we are to evaluate how we are being. 817s

Served. 832s

Why? It's this conditioning in which we are, we are cultivated to be consumers. 835s

In everything. 846s

Did we serve you well today? Did we run out the bag of food as quickly as you were anticipating today? 850s

Were we friendly enough on the phone today? How did we serve you today? 856s

Is there any way that I can serve you? 860s

And every day we hear it, every day it's in our inboxes to where we sit back and say, 864s

You know, I wonder if she could have run a little faster with the food to the car. 873s

And while she was certainly chipper, was she chipper enough for five stars? 878s

Why come to think of it? Did she serve me to the level that I should be served? 888s

Were cultivated to be served and to see others as the servants of us. 902s

God turns us. 925s

He turns us from there. 930s

Look with the police at verse 11. 933s

Halfway through Peter writes, 939s

Who ever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies. 942s

So that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ, 951s

to Him be long the glory and the power forever and ever. 957s

Amen. 964s

God the giver empowers us to receive His word. 965s

So that we might be a people that give. 974s

God gives so that we may give. 981s

God has served us and serves us with His grace. 990s

So that we will be a people that not only serve Him in the glory of heaven, 999s

because He has opened up heaven for us that expression of His grace and love as He puts it on display. 1008s

But also so that for all of the days this side of heaven, 1017s

we might be a people that reflect the servant heart of the one that we follow. 1022s

For me and my house we will serve the Lord. 1031s

What are our expectations today? 1039s

Specifically what are our expectations in terms of relationships, 1049s

the interchanges that we will have today with family members, 1056s

with neighbors, with work associates, tomorrow. 1062s

What's our expectation of the exchanges that we will have today? 1068s

When perhaps we're rushing out to do some last minute or maybe first minute, 1073s

Christmas shopping. 1078s

With the person who's on the other side of the register, tired. 1081s

What are our expectations? 1087s

You see, we see the interchanges and we see the individuals that God, 1090s

by His grace, puts in our path today. 1100s

We'll see them as people to whom we serve or we see them as. 1104s

Do you want a five star? 1115s

Because I'm an evaluator today. 1119s

How do we see each other? 1126s

Do we see the other as one who is to give to us and we are in the receiving mode? 1132s

Or do we see the other as the one that we have the privilege to serve? 1142s

And that service can be as simple as a kind word. 1156s

That service can be as simple as to the repair person. 1164s

Can I give you some water? 1170s

That service can be as simple or in depth as of whatever the Lord leads, 1173s

but it's the mindset where we see the other, 1180s

not transactionaly where we say, 1185s

now we're going to have a transaction here. 1189s

But we see them relationally where we live out who we are as servants of the most high king, 1194s

the Lord Jesus Christ who has served us by giving His life, 1207s

dying and rising for us. 1214s

See that gives us purpose. 1217s

That gives us purpose in every single relationship. 1219s

We don't get purpose out of our work. 1224s

We don't get purpose out of the amount of money that we make. 1227s

We don't get purpose out of that. 1232s

We bring purpose to our work. 1234s

We bring purpose to our relationships. 1238s

We bring our identity as baptized child of God. 1241s

We bring our purpose as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1248s

The left vent about ready to be shelved today. 1261s

All the blue back on the shelves, 1267s

be back in about a year. 1271s

But all of how glorious the season is. 1276s

And soak up the last few moments of it. 1280s

Before the glory and wonder and joy of Christmas comes, 1286s

soak up the contemplative quietness of advent. 1289s

As we live the advent life, 1299s

as we live in the in-between time, 1303s

waiting for the Lord to come again. 1307s

As we've studied, we repent, 1310s

we pray by God's grace we grow. 1315s

And we serve. 1320s

Do you see the picture of an army of the church serving? 1330s

Hmm. 1345s

Will the world be different? 1348s

You bet. 1352s

You bet. 1355s

We receive from him. 1360s

So we give. 1365s