Each Day I’ll Serve

Introduction

The thoughts of this morning’s lesson flow out of my part in the different speakers’ meeting that the Southside Church in Pasadena had this week. They had several guys come back who have been in their preacher training program. In fact, John Banning is the 15th young man to serve in their little program. I was the fifth. That tells you it was some time ago. And they invited a few of us back to speak. And so I took a sermon that I had preached here a while back, and sort of that sort of evolved into something. And then what it evolved into, I said, well, I need to present that at Decker Prairie, and so that evolved into something else. And so that builds on what we talked about last week.

This lesson so helped me as we talked about that great statement that Jesus makes. I will build my church. And the more I thought about that this week and read Mike’s summary, and sometimes his summaries is better than the sermon that I preach. And he adds a few little things in there that make it interesting too. And so I thought about that even more. And I thought about just how privileged we are to be a part of his group of people, his ecclesia. How privileged and blessed we are to be involved in this that is so reliable and invincible. And a part of being a part of this is truly extraordinary. And as I thought about that and what I preached at Southside, their topic was each day I’ll do, and that’s why Jesse saw that and led the song.

These were the five topics that were covered during the meeting. Each day I’ll pray, read, sow, serve, and stand. And I had the topic of service. Each day I’ll serve. And so that’s what I want to talk to you about for a few moments this morning. As I suggested, this evolved into something even different for y’all. And as I thought about this topic, I thought about I’m talking to people about the surrender of two things that are very precious to them, very precious commodity. These two things, these two commodities, are very important to people in our time. And they are the commodities of time and energy. When we talk about serving the Lord, each day I’ll serve on top of that. We’re talking about the investment of two things that you hold very dear and you tried to hold on to as much as you can.

1. They Are Not Mine: The Earth Is the Lord's

They are that precious. Your time and your energy. And we’re unwilling to part with those things unless we have good reason to do so. We are very stingy where those things are concerned, unless we see the value in doing so. And I tell you, one of the things we need to do is to watch our perspective about this, because one of the things that we do in regard to these two very precious commodities is we look at them and say, they’re mine. They belong to me. I get to decide how I expend them. And if that’s your attitude, I want to first deal with that this morning. And I want to tell you might need to change your perspective, especially when you look at the fact that we are created beings, and our creator says the earth is the Lord’s.

Now that sort of represents the whole globe, doesn’t it? The earth is the Lord’s and all it contains. The world and those who dwell in it. And you couple that with the fact that in him we live and move and have our very being. Our very lives existing is dependent upon him. He is our creator. He is the one who has endowed us with this time and energy of our bodies, magnificently so created us, that we have the capabilities that we do with these human casings that he’s given our souls. That we are merely stewards. We’ve got to get over this idea of they belong to me, they are mine. No, we are his. The world and everything in it belongs to him. The world. And those who dwell in it.

2. Have This Attitude Which Was in Christ Jesus

So this idea of they belong to me, they are mine, is not consistent with what the scriptures are telling us our existence is all about. Furthermore, this attitude that they belong to me, they are mine, is not consistent with the example of the one that we claim to serve. If we are truly Christian, we need to adopt his attitude. Philippians 2 and verse 5. Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God, a thing to be grasped or to be held on to. But he took upon himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man, and humbled himself, and was obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

We read going onward in Philippians chapter 2 and verse 5. This was not the attitude of the Lord. He surrendered, as he talked about in his prayer, the joy that he had with the Father before the world was, the glory that I had with thee before the world was. He anticipated going back to that relationship with his Father in heaven. He surrendered all of that. He didn’t say, Oh, this is mine, all of this belongs to me. He surrendered that for us. And that’s really the point that’s being made in Philippians chapter 2 and verse 5, when it says, Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus. He didn’t hold on to what was his.

Something that was a fight or a battle, and he experienced that same fight and conflict, not to mention the frailties of human weakness, and then he died, being put to death by his adversaries, though he had done no wrong, rejected by those that he tried to teach and help. And he endured all of that. And by the way, it’s not like he was living in a palace when he came to earth. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Bartholomew asked in John chapter 1. I mean, he lived in a despised, dirty town. It’s not like he grew up in the palace in Jerusalem among the kings, though he was a descendant of the kings. He grew up in Nazareth. That despised and rejected root Isaiah prophesied about.

And he endured all of that to save those who had transgressed his will. Hundreds of thousands, millions, who would violate the Creator’s will. He would die for them. And be light to them and save them. And so when we start looking at, okay, Christ calls me to activity and action, and we stand back and say, nope, don’t have time for you, Lord. This is my time. This belongs to me. That’s not the attitude of Jesus. We’re not imitating him when we do that. You have been bought with a price, Paul argues in 1 Corinthians 6. Therefore, glorify God in your body. And in that context, he talks about us being the temple of God. He talks about the fact that the body was not made for immorality.

That’s not God’s purpose and its design. A lot of people go that direction. But that’s not his purpose and design. The body is not for immorality but for the Lord. And the one who joins himself to the Lord, verse 17, is one spirit with him. That means, like the previous verse, we have that attitude in ourselves that Jesus had. We are one spirit with him. So, again, when we look at these two things that we sometimes don’t want to surrender for the Lord, remember to whom they belong. And remember that the only way that we’re even able to contribute in this way is because we were bought with a price. We were redeemed by the precious blood of a lamb without spot and without blemish. And if you understand that, then you will have the attitude that Paul had.

3. I Will Most Gladly Spend and Be Expended

And this is the attitude that I want to encourage in us when he said to the church at Corinth, and marvelous context here, because the Corinthians are now restrained in their affections toward Paul. And they are embracing the influence of false teachers and not respecting Paul. They’re questioning his character and his genuineness. He who fathered them in the gospel, it’s really ludicrous when you think about it. How the Corinthians could turn on Paul in this way. And yet he still affirms. As he comes to the conclusion of that epistle where he is reasoning with them, he says, I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. Now that reminds me of what Paul says in Romans chapter 5 about hardly for a righteous man would one dare to die.

But Christ died for the ungodly. Paul is imitating the attitude of Christ. Here are people who are rejecting him, who owe their very salvation, mostly to the Lord, but also to him who taught them and followed them in the gospel. They’re rejecting him. And what is his attitude? Willingness to die for the ungodly. He said, I will most gladly spend and be expended. I mean, it’s not just, hey, I’ll sacrifice some time and energy for you. I’ll give you all I got. I will spend and be expended for your souls. That’s the attitude that we need to develop about our service to Christ and his people. Even if we’re ill-treated. Even if we suffer hardship for doing so. Instead of an attitude of stinginess that might be reflected because these are the way these commodities are valued in our culture.

4. Equipping of the Saints for the Work of Service

And so as we talk about service, I think of Ephesians chapter 4, verses 11 through 16, when Paul is talking about this grand design for God’s people, his ecclesia, his church. And he gave the church everything it needed for survival and growth to flourish. And that’s what he’s saying in Ephesians chapter 4. It’s all based on these one things. One Lord. One God and Father of all, one Spirit. This one body he describes in Ephesians chapter 4. One faith. One baptism. As he talks about the very foundation of what this invincible establishment is all about. He says, God has equipped it with everything that he needs. He gave, he gave apostles and prophets, and those things were instrumental in its infancy. And the whole foundation is built upon the work that they did.

He had said earlier in Ephesians chapter 2. He gave evangelists and pastors and teachers. Why did he give all of these persons who could instruct? He says in verse 13, for the equipping of the saints. Wait a minute. Do you see the next phrase? For the work of service. He’s equipping his people, his ecclesia for service, for the work of service, and the outgrowth of that is the building up of the body of Christ and growing into the likeness of the Son of God, verse 13, the fullness of the stature that belongs to Christ. And he says, look, I want you to go on to maturity, to not be children, tossed to and fro, speak the truth in love, grow up into all aspects into him who is the head.

And then verse 16. He summarizes all of this before he goes into the specifics of our walk as a Christian in verse 17. He says this. I heard so many sermons on this verse growing up. I can remember, like it was yesterday, Don Trurex drilling this verse in us. From whom the whole body being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies. And if we haven’t gotten it already, he’s going to elaborate on it, according to the proper working of each individual part. He’s already said, every individual supplies. And each part properly works, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. And he doesn’t talk about any exemptions. This is his design for everyone who serves in his body.

5. Every Joint Supplies: A Place for You to Serve

You’re here. Do you see yourself here? The proper working of each individual part, this sermon doesn’t leave out anybody. I try not to preach any sermon that leaves somebody out. But you’re included in this. Every joint supplies. Paul would further elaborate on this in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. That there is a place for every one of us, regardless of your talent and abilities, the circumstances of your life, whether you are the least talented or the most talented, the least knowledgeable or the most knowledgeable in the congregation. There is a place for you to serve. And that’s what 1 Corinthians 12 is all about. And in the context of that dispute that was going on about miraculous spiritual gifts, I’m a tongue speaker, so that makes me a special Christian.

You have the gift of prophecy, but I have tongues. And so that made me better. And as Paul is addressing all of that, he says, wait a minute. Whatever miraculous gift that you might be able to wield, it is by origin from God. It does not come through you. Its origin is as a God, actually, that’s unified. And the gifts, though they are a variety of gifts, they are for the purpose of unity. They are not for the purpose of dividing you or making one think he is better than the other. It’s for the, again, the equipping for the work of service in the body of Christ. It’s a unified purpose that these gifts have. And he says, look, you have all come into the body by one Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12 and verse 13. So what is this disunity about? Well, because I’m important to the body because I’m the hand. Or because I’m the foot. And Paul says, the hand needs the foot and the foot needs the hand. And he talks about the physical body and in likeness of the spiritual body and says, all the members need each other. One can’t say to the other, I have no need of you. And then he says, and I love this part when he talks about God gives more abundant honor to the member that lacks. The weaker members are necessary. So let’s say you’re very old and feeble, and you cannot supply a significant role in leadership, like perhaps you once could. May not even be able to teach a Bible class.

You know, as I think about Brother Bill Edder in the hospital. He can’t supply in the local church what he once did. But that does not mean that the role that he now serves is insignificant. You see, God gives more abundant honor to the member that lacks. The weaker members are necessary. And I think that’s what he’s describing. Someone who can’t contribute, perhaps by a lack of ability or a lack of circumstances or just the advance of age. You can’t contribute like some other young dynamo can. And we look at some young dynamo, oh, they’re really important in the body of Christ. And God says, no, everybody is. The joint that everybody supplies is important. So do not minimize your role in the local church. And so what he is telling us is that your part.

You’re not off the hook this morning. Your part is necessary. God gives more abundant honor to the member that lacks, and he says, let me tell you about how this body operates. There’s a concern for all the other parts of it.

And you know, if there’s a certain part of your body that’s that’s ailing, even if it’s just, you know, you hurt your toe really bad. You don’t ignore that. I mean, if that thing’s swelling or needs some other kind of attention, you’re going to get it elevated. And you’re going to take care of that thing. That’s a part of your body. And that’s what Paul, that’s the illustration he’s using. And you have a role to supply in the body. And then he goes on from that discussion in chapter 12 to flow into chapter 13. We often use it to talk about marriage, and it certainly has a relevance there in every other relationship, but he’s really talking about how brethren are treating one another, and he says, love does not seek its own.

6. Each Day I'll Serve: Pursue the Likeness of Christ

And this was what was not happening in Corinth. They were all about themselves. And so, how do you see your role in the body? Do you see the work of service to which he has called you? Are you supplying your part? And when I thought about my task to talk about that at Southside, what does that look like? Each day I’ll serve. And we talk about service in the kingdom. I think the first thing that comes to people’s minds is what we’re doing right now. We’re assembling. And that is a big part of our service. And it’s very exacting. Well, it’s a few hours a week anyway. But in our fast-paced world, and the fact that you’ve got to do so much time and preparation. You know, you’ve got to do some grooming.

Let’s hope you do anyway. And then we’re going to assemble twice on the Lord’s Day if we can get that done. And then on Wednesday night, sometimes there’s gospel meetings. And so we talk about assembling. And some people really struggle with that. They can’t even commit to that. If we see them once a week, they will have done well. And so we talk about that. You need to be assembling with the saints, and we can talk about all the reasons why that is so. You’re a part of the body, like we just described in 1 Corinthians 12. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. If one member rejoices, all the members. We have. And one of the greatest arguments for the reason why we need to assemble is we’re in this together as a church.

You are not the Lone Ranger. You are not on an island. This is not just about me. It’s about us. We’re in us. And that’s what he’s saying in Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12. You’re in us. It’s not a me. And the reason why people so struggle with this in our time is again, it’s all about me. I just don’t think you can go to heaven like that. Unless you understand that being a part of this ecclesia, this church, it’s about an us. And sometimes, a good many times, me has to be set aside for the us. But this lesson’s not about assembling. It’s like, oh, you’ve got a few good points then. Well, maybe. But you know, I think that would take care of itself.

If we would get something else right about our service. If we would get this right, I don’t think assembling is going to be a problem for us anymore. If we see that my role in the body is that each day I am to pursue the image of Christ likeness, have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ. And I’ll tell you, that doesn’t just come by, if I read that verse five times, I’ll have it. It’s going to require some ongoing work and consideration as to what his attitude was and how that plays out in my circumstances. But if you get people pursuing, growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, taking those qualities of 2 Peter chapter 1 add to your faith.

Virtue or moral excellence, knowledge, godliness, patience, brotherly kindness, love. If these qualities are yours and are increasing, you see, there’s still some more room for growth in all of those. You’ll not be unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If we get people, and this isn’t just a Sunday-Wednesday thing, is it? If we get people daily pursuing growth in the likeness of Christ, assembly’s going to take care of itself. And I’ll tell you several other things will flow out of that. You’re going to pray every day. You’re going to spend parts of your day, every day, in communion with God. And if you’re not doing that, may I suggest you are not understanding your role that you’re supposed to be supplying in the body and most likely failing in point number one.

Because that’s what it involves. Jesus was in constant communication with the Father. And if you want to talk about some concrete ways, whether you can ever preach a sermon or qualify to do that, or ever serve as an elder or qualified to do that, only a handful of people will ever serve as shepherds. Have you ever seen a congregation where 50% of the group were elders and elders’ wives? It doesn’t happen. We’re lucky to have two or three or four. Everybody doesn’t serve as an elder. But you know what? Every single person, regardless of your circumstances, talent, or abilities, every single person can pursue the likeness of Christ. And every single, and grow in it. And every single person, you know what can pray for other parts of the body?

You know, you don’t have to leave your home or even your bed to do that. You can pray for others. And you need to be doing that every day. You know, I’ve told you before, and I think this is important. Every day do something that is completely selfless. Whether it be in your relationships in your home or towards some other brother or sister in Christ, do something every day that is selfless because we live in a very selfish culture. And you can pray for them. I know you can do that. Every day make intercessory prayer, praying for others a part of your life. Why? Because I’m a member of the ecclesia. I’m a part of the body, and I’ve got a part to supply. And prayer’s an important part.

And other deeds, hey, it might just be a text message. Isn’t it great that you can encourage somebody by just typing out a few little things on your phone? A Facebook message. A text message. Encouragement made easy in the 21st century. You can do something. And I say, what else you can do? And you don’t have to be a preacher to do this or an elder or Bible class teacher. You can be a young person and do this. And that is, in my circumstances, in school or wherever I am on my job, I’m going to be a light for the Lord. I’m going to show people how a Christian talks. I’m going to show people what it means to be loyal to Jesus Christ. I don’t have to be in your face about it to do it either.

I can just refrain from a lot of things that other people are doing. I can make my speech pure. And you know, we need to think about that. I’m going to be a beacon of light for the Lord. When we leave this place tomorrow, whatever it is that I’m doing, I’m going to be a beacon of light for the Lord. I’m going to demonstrate that in my behavior. And I’ll tell you how else we’re going to do that is we’re going to be people of joy. If I’m going to wear a frown on my face all the time, that’s not going to be much of a beacon, is it? How’s that Christianity thing going for you? Well, I’m absolutely miserable. And you’re going to rejoice when you realize all it is that you have to be thankful for.

Conclusion

Now, what we have here is a recipe, a five-part recipe, where you can serve every day. That’s significant. Each day I’ll serve. Can you do that? Your circumstances aren’t my circumstances, but whatever they are, whatever your day looks like tomorrow, you can confess the Lord. You can pray. You can think about godliness and what it means to your day. And what brotherly kindness means and what love means in the way you’re interacting with people that particular day. And you can say, wow, I know the plan of salvation. I better rejoice. I can count my blessings and name them one by one and be thankful. Some concrete things you can do. Well, okay, no, but you’re still asking me to devote some time that maybe I’ve not devoted yet.

I’ve been a little stingy about that with my time and my energy because you know I get tired, and as I get older, I get tired a lot faster. So you’re asking me to surrender. Why should I do that? Why should I do more than I’ve ever done? I’ve already talked about some things this morning that you’ve been holding out on God a little bit. Maybe a lot. Why should you do better? Why should you walk out of here be different today? Well, the fact is, our God is worthy. And He doesn’t deserve stingy from us. He’s worthy. And I’ll tell you what else we do. When we when we choose serving Him, and this does involve our assembly and what we’re doing today. And I’ve got to tell you, I felt a lot better last week than I did this week.

Just a lot better. But here we are again. You know, Lord willing, next week, I think I’m going to feel better than I feel today. Next week. And that’s the way it is. Some weeks are better than others. But you know, as we keep doing this week after week and day after day, as we keep serving the Lord, and our salvation is nearer to us than when we believe, we are advancing his cause in the world. And that’s what it’s all about. One group of saints ages and goes on to meet the Lord, and another younger set replaces them, and they continue to advance the cause of the Lord. And we do that day after day after day, and we should not lose heart in doing it.

For in due time we reap if we do not grow weary. And he remembers what we’ve done. You know, it doesn’t matter whether I see and get to applaud or not what you’ve done. That’s what the great thing about Hebrews 6 and verse 10. The fact is, God sees it all. Nothing escapes his notice. And when he knows you took the time to pray for your brother, that brother may not know you prayed for him or sister. They may not ever know it. But God does. And the way that we’ve ministered to the saints, he does not forget. And it may not get noted from the pulpit, it may not be put on the PowerPoint slide. You may not receive praise from all the congregation as you supply your part, but I’ll tell you what.

God will know that you did it because you’re his.