Praise the LORD!!!
Our call to service!
Matt. 20:28
"just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
We as Christians are called to serve, not just our fellow Christians, but our fellow man, meaning all of mankind!!! This doesn't just mean in catering to their needs physically, but spiritually as well. This is not a small task to say the least, but it is a very important one. Let's take a look at some of these ways of service.
Most all of you have heard of 'outreach,' the act of helping those around you through acts of charity and witnessing. This is a very important point of service for the CHURCH (when you see me capitalize it like this, I mean the CHURCH as JESUS formed it, not that of the four walls we worship in!) Going out into the community and touching other peoples lives at the point of their most basic of needs. Whether it be food, clothing, shelter or anything along these lines. Then there we have witnessing to their spiritual needs, through many differing means. This includes going into the jails, hospitals, retirement homes and homeless shelters, or anything along these lines where there are those suffering 'spiritual malnutrition.' You most likely know as well as I do, that witnessing can take many shapes and forms and is not location dependent. It can be done anywhere there are people, for there is always someone around that is in need of hearing about JESUS and HIS redeeming works for us! You could even find this true with the walls of our churches. For many times there are those whom aren't saved as of yet, that have felt the stirring of their hearts and have gone to seek out the LORD but not quite found the message that they were seeking. (This could be due to the fact that many churches of today don't preach the GOSPEL message, but life lessons on how to handle life as a Christian instead. I could go on about this, but will save it for another day.) So be alert for these opportunities of service no matter where they may arise!
Now lets talk about the internet. How many of you use it to serve others for the KINGDOM of GOD? I've heard a few people lately saying that they were going to stay off line because they felt there were following GOD in their time online. This could be true if you spent most of your time playing games or looking for the best shopping bargains. Not though if you spent it witnessing to others or in fellowship with fellow Christians. Or maybe in reading some good Christian literature or Bible study. There are many very good free Bible study programs online and thousands of great christian sites to glean wisdom and understanding. Yet so far this hasn't touched much on service though. Service online could encompass visiting a prayer room or christian chatroom, or what is now being called 'social evangelism.' Where one seeks out those that are hurting and in great need of someone to talk with on matters of grave concern to them. Finding those that fit this bill isn't that hard, it just means going to those sites where they may be and seeing to what people have to say and then enlisting them in a conversation. No jumping the gun and rushing in with fire and brimstone preaching, but listening and showing a compassionate heart. Showing the person that there is love in your heart for them and that you truly care about that which they're going through. Love them as CHRIST has loved you and treat them with respect and a tender heart. This is showing a servant's heart in a person's time of great need!
I see many online that all they do is post endless list of preaching and teachings as to the fallen nature of others. This isn't showing the servant's heart or the love of CHRIST for all of mankind. It is the puffed up pride of the flesh and that which will lead only to their being judged by the SAVIOR as a goat and not a lamb. Yet, even in some of these can be seen the cry for someone to show them love, but one must look long and deeply to see through the veil that they have covered it with. A veil of false righteousness and piety, pride and haughtiness. These much like the Pharisee and Sadducee must be handled in a different manor. One more of servant and pupil then as one fully knowing the truth and seeking to guide them instead of being led by them. Many of these though should be left to the well seasoned Christian, for many along these lines are very well versed and have spent many an hour in their beliefs. Opening the doorway for one lesser skilled to fall into the adversary's trap themselves, instead of helping another be freed from captivity. So I warn against taking these one, unless totally led by the LORD to do so.
The last part of this is perhaps the most important, yet the least looked at. Our LORD gave HIS life so we could be ransomed from the price of our sins. This a total giving of self and holding back of nothing. Can we go to this point in our service to the LORD and all those around us? The answer is we must! If we are to truly take on the likeness of our SAVIOR. We must be willing to give our very existence so another my live on. Paul spoke that he would go to the point of being damned if but his people would realize the truth of the GOSPEL. This is truly a servant's heart and an example we should closely examine. Are we each willing, not but for a loved one, but for a total stranger or even an enemy, to lay our salvation on the line, so they could take our place in heaven? This my friend is totally in line behind JESUS' giving HIS life for each one of us! Can you and will you go to this point to have a servant's heart? That is what it means to be CHRIST-like, to be a Christian inside and out!!!
Other verses to study: Luke 12:41-48, 16:1-13; Rom. 12:3-8; 2 Cor. 4:1-6; Col. 3:18-24; 1 Peter 4:7-11
Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!
Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org
GOD bless and good day,
Rev. Marshall Barth
Vine of CHRIST Ministries
Vine Ministerial Network International
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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