Sunday May 15, 2022
https://www.facebook.com/Encountertexoma/videos/1183523325743455
LET’S REVIEW: “Standing in Grace” 1. God is Full of Grace 2. God’s Grace always gives us hope. 3. You can grow in grace
“Vision Empowering Grace.” 1. Remember where God brought you from. 2. Dedicate Your life to God. 3. I give God Veto power in my life.
“Sustaining Grace.” 1. God knows your pain. 2. You need to talk to God about your pain. 3. Receive God’s answer.
TODAY WE’RE TALKING ABOUT SERVING GRACE
Romans 15:14-16- “I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them. Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God’s grace, I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles….”
“God’s grace has enabled me to serve you as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
IS SERVING GRACE JUST FOR PAUL
1 Peter 4:10- “Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is appropriate for] good stewards of God’s multi-faceted grace [faithfully using the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God’s unmerited favor].”
OUR GREATEST EXAMPLE OF SERVING IS JESUS CHRIST!
John 13:3-5, 14,15 “Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. / And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”
THESE GUYS NEEDED TO SEE AN EXAMPLE OF SERVING!
Matthew 20:20-28- “When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
THE GREATNESS OF SERVING IS EMPOWERED BY THE GREATNESS OF GRACE!
JESUS CAME FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH!
SERVING LIKE JESUS:
- Serve Willingly
Exodus 21:1-6- “These are the regulations you must present to Israel.
“If you buy a Hebrew slave, he may serve for no more than six years. Set him free in the seventh year, and he will owe you nothing for his freedom. If he was single when he became your slave, he shall leave single. But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife must be freed with him. “If his master gave him a wife while he was a slave and they had sons or daughters, then only the man will be free in the seventh year, but his wife and children will still belong to his master. But the slave may declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I don’t want to go free.’ If he does this, his master must present him before God. Then his master must take him to the door or doorpost and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will serve his master for life.”
WHAT MOTIVATED THE SERVANT TO STAY? LOVE
WHAT MOTIVATED JESUS TO SERVE? LOVE
Galatians 5:13-14- “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
I don’t have to serve, I get to serve!
GOD HAS GIVEN EACH OF US SERVING GRACE. SERVE WILLINGLY!
2. Serve Humbly
Philippians 2:5-8- “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:3-4- “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”
If I’m going to humbly serve others, I’ve got to be thinking of others!
GOD HAS GIVEN EACH OF US SERVING GRACE. SERVE HUMBLY!
3. Serve Faithfully
Matthew 25:14-30- “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! ’ “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
When Jesus talks about me, I want him to be able to say “faithful servant!”
(Verse 29) – “To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance.”
“To superabound, have in excess, greatly surpass, excel. The word shows the generosity of God’s grace, giving assurance that faithful use of one’s talents and gifts set’s the stage for one’s advancement.” (Pastor Jack Hayford)
GOD HAS GIVEN EACH OF US SERVING GRACE! SERVE FAITHFULLY!
CONCLUSION: WHY IS THIS MESSAGE GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN OF OUR CULTURE?
2 Timothy 3:1-2- But you need to be aware that in the final days the culture of society will become extremely fierce. People will be self-centered lovers of themselves (Men and women will look out only for themselves) and obsessed with money. They will boast of great things as they strut around in their arrogant pride and mock all that is right. They will ignore their own families. They will be ungrateful and ungodly.
The Aramaic can be translated “rejecters of grace.”
LET’S BE RECEIVERS OF GOD’S GRACE!
Romans 12:9-11- “Let the inner movement of your heart always be to love one another, and never play the role of an actor wearing a mask. Despise evil and embrace everything that is good and virtuous. Be devoted to tenderly loving your fellow believers as members of one family. Try to outdo yourselves in respect and honor of one another. Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord, keeping your passion toward him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of the Holy Spirit and let him fill you with excitement as you serve him.”
WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYING TO YOU THROUGH THIS MESSAGE?