God Calls Us To Service
Speaker: Pastor Delroy Bryan (24.Sept.17)
Matthew 25:31-46
Introduction:
The highlighted passage is a popular one, it is a parable that speaks to service, it speaks of the sheep and the goats. When the word ‘service’ is mentioned it can leave a negative thought in the minds of many; it can be thought by many to be belittling oneself. There is often resistance to offering service to others.
Service in the kingdom of God is a good thing, it is honorable and desirable to God. I believe that on his return Jesus will ask of us the following:
1. What did you do with Jesus, the Christ ?
2. Are you numbered among the sheep or the goats?
3. What did you do with the talents bestowed unto you?
This passage emphasizes how important service should be to each of us and what we should be doing in God’s kingdom. When we sign up in the army of God, we signed up to serve. We are not saved by works but by grace through faith, however there is an expectation that we must serve in the kingdom, we have been saved to serve.
We have to be the hands, feet, hearts and mouths of God. God is doing His work through us. We must see ourselves as vessels through which God works.
1. God has called us to LOVING service
- God will judge us based on how we respond to those in need. Did we carry out loving service?
- Will you offer caring service in the face of human need?
- If we are to be counted as sheep, then there is an expectation that we will be people who offer loving service to those in need.
- So many of us are selfish and not given to helping others.
- Our God is love hence he expects that we, His children, the church must be loving as well.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
- As Christians we cannot be uncaring, our service must be out of a loving and compassionate heart.
2. God has called us to SIMPLE service
- God has called us to practical simple acts of service that we all can accomplish despite our education, social status, finances or training.
- We are not called to do the impossible.
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Matthew 25:35-36
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
- Let us not take the attitude that these acts are not for each of us but for the “big bodies”, each of us has to do our part.
- The service we are called to do is not difficult, though it will come at a price to us at times.
- We must avail ourselves to serve, if not we do not please God.
3. God will judge us based on our service
- The sheep are identified because of their obedience to God, because of
their willingness to serve the needs of others around them.
Matthew 25:37-41
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
- The goats are identified because of their unbelief in God or their pretence regarding the things of God. They are identified because they care only for themselves. They did not help others and didn’t even recognize the missed opportunities.
Matthew 25:44-45
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
- God will indeed bless us for our loving service in His kingdom, no matter how small we feel the deed is, no matter how seemingly insignificant. Every little thing we can do to serve is counted as much to God.
- As the songwriter says “Little is much when God is in it”. God sees even the little things we do in service to Him.
Challenge: Are you doing your part to serve? Will you be counted as a sheep or goat?
Scripture References:
Matthew 25:31-46
John 3:16
1 John 5:3
Isaiah 58:7-8
Philippians 2:4-5
TM CSCOC 2017