*Recap of*
*Be Inspired by His Word Bible Studies Thursday 7th March 2019*
*By Sister Leah Adepeju*
Topic: *Serving*
Text: Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Luke 15:25-32 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/luk.15.25-32.KJV
Today we will be studying on the Topic Serving.
In our own word, what do we understand by Serving?
To serve, from my perspective, is to render service within our capability to people or organisation. It can be a voluntary or paid service or help or assistance whichever applies but it should not be done grudgingly.
Moving on to the Bible portion for study today.. this was a parable that our Lord Jesus told about the prodigal son. The focus mainly is on the brother of the prodigal son. The brother you could tell was into the service he was rendering in his father's vineyard. But one of the statements he made when his brother returned can make us see him as someone rendering eye service. He practically went to ask the one of the workers of his father what was happening when the worker welcomed his prodigal brother.
He didn't stop there. He went to his father and said "Lo these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killed for him the fatted calf".
I know some will say he was only asking what he thought he deserved. Yes we could say he was jealous. We could say he was doing eye service. Because he expected more from his father.
Like I mentioned earlier, serving can be voluntarily or paid for. But in my time in this life I have seen people both in voluntary and paid service exercising their duty with so much eye service it is very hard to actually know the nature of such people.
Life is a life of serving.. as believers we are saved to serve. Many of us wonder, why do we often hear the slogan 'we are saved to serve?' The coming of Jesus to this world was not just an act of love but an act of service. He came voluntarily so you and I can be saved. He stooped to the lowest level of being a man here on earth, going through all pain and shame with humiliation. Coming from a mother who was not married just so we can be saved.
He had the power to stop Pilate and all His accusers but He chose to serve in love so He could take the keys of death and destroy death so we can have victory. Hallelujah!
Serving in life should not be done just because of reward.
That is one thing the brother of the prodigal son voiced out - all these years of serving you, you never told me to kill a calf and merry with my friend.
I know some people believe that the only service where they ought to serve as if they were serving God is within the walls of their church. The Bible says whatever you find your hands doing, do it well (Col 3:23, Eccl 9:10). Whatever service you find yourself at, do it as if you were doing it unto God.
I will start with our primary service which is our home. Some of us will leave our homes in disarray and be the best of the best at work. You have failed in your primary service. Husband, serve your wife; wife, serve your husband; parents, serve your children; children, serve your parents as you will do it unto the Lord.
Some parents believe that their children must listen to them yet they as parent will never listen to their children. How will you get an opinion of someone if you fail to listen to them because you are the chief commanding officer over them?
I love this slogan about Team, it says there is no "I" in the word 'team' so to be a team we must work together. You cannot rule a place if you fail to listen to those who are your junior. It may work for a while but the end result is disaster.
I remember back in secondary school we had to call our immediate seniors Senior-A or B..
Some let it enter their heads. In fact I heard of seniors that were terrorising junior students, like if the juniors heard their names they would start shaking. I remember my first night in the hostel.. my immediate senior asked someone to call the new girl out, yes I came out and she got her torch flashing it in my eyes. It was dark and I said can you please dim that light as it is affecting my eyes. She and her mates burst into laughter, wao!! This one is "butty" as in 'I am posh'. Well I was kind of sidelined to be untouchable until they knew the kind of person I was.
Years after we left school and ended up meeting in other spheres of life. Who would have taught you could be of help to that senior or junior? I remember one of my juniors contacting me from Dublin Ireland some decades after school and she was like "I like you from school days you hardly beat juniors instead you made friends do you know you were one of my favourite seniors?" I am not saying this to flatter myself. But just to show to us that in life no position is permanent. You might be serving under certain authority now, do whatever you do unto the Lord.
Another part of serving that people get twisted is in the church. Some will only serve well when their pastor is around. That is when they will be counting the chairs, counting the wall if possible arranging and rearranging envelopes. Walking up and down especially if they are ushers so pastor can see them working.
Bros and Sis, If you embark on such service you are a chameleon. You are not serving pastor but God. Every day you serve when pastor is there or not Jesus is there and He can see the intention of your services.
Some will join choir so they can serve with their voice just to impress or get spouse. Hello.. why? If you are not called into music ministry and you are only serving to slay on Sunday and sing so you can find wife or husband the priority is misplaced, honestly. Serve unto God not man.
When I was in the choir one day we did a seminar. And they were asking what will make you know that indeed the church can feel your song, as in, anointing is flowing. Many were saying all sorts. Then someone said when they stand up and wave their hands and when you see them getting into the song. I was like, in my opinion when you minister in songs you do not entertain. You sing unto God as the spirit of God gives you utterance. The fact that people are jumping and shaking to the beats doesn't mean they are ministered to in any way. People can start shouting and jumping and still leave empty handed.
Serving God almighty shouldn't be according to how the congregation take it.
To be honest God will not put you in a position He believes you cannot execute it no way. He calls the unequipped and equip them. That is the way God works. So serving shouldn't be by the spotlight of ordinary man. Let God give you a service and put you in the spotlight.
We must know that God will work in a way when He sees what we have as intention.
As husband or family, serving is also by showing each other respect and love. If you go about demanding respect, who are you please, the King of kings or what? I always say respect is earned, its not demanded.
You cannot be the one to tell people you must respect me, they will see the attribute of the one that should be respected in you and respect you.
Serving in a work place is another one. Some people will gang up against their boss at work or fellow colleague. You do not gain anything from ganging up against anyone whatsoever.
Many of us will speak in tongues, pray for fire and thunder. But the thing is if you fail to serve God in all capacity it's like an empty vessel.
You cannot pull someone down and expect to go up, even if you go up you cannot be there forever, no.
You do not serve God by pulling anyone down. No wonder many people are unable to preach Christ because their life style stinks. People see them and they are like, if this is what born again is like I don't want to know the God they serve. That is because what they do they don't do it unto God.
Years ago I worked in a place with a multinational. And I was a lead worker there. Once I became a lead worker all the Christians of same ethnicity as mine wanted extra favour. But I am not the one who encourages favouritism. I just don't believe that it is right in any organisation. One of my colleagues once things doesn't go her way she starts saying "Lord Jesus this people don't know you," blah blah blah, and another will begin to become racially abusive. It took the wisdom of God to even deal with each working day, it was like a mad house so manic.
But one day as I got to work I was in my office I had forgotten I was at work I was singing praises. And I got so into it.. I didn't know a Muslim junior colleague had entered my office. I didn't notice till she got so close to me and she called my name. It startled me back to reality.. And she was like "Oh my God you have such a beautiful voice I knew something was different about you." I just brushed it aside.
Yet my fellow believer was the one giving me so much headache like she will practically be cursing in prayers. I always wondered, God please is this how we should live among people we ought to bring to light? That lady could cause the most gentle human being to lose their temper. But she believed she was doing right. She was never in agreement with anyone. That got me to reflect on myself always. The way I treat my colleagues and other work related things. It helped me build my work ethics focusing more on God almighty as I render my service.
I tell you.. Brothers and sisters our service to God should be seen in our daily living. How you serve God should be seen in your home. Don't go out fishing Bible scriptures if you are not practising it in your home or life. Don't go out telling people they are going to hell if you yourself have no attribute of the one going to heaven. Don't be a boss that just tells your employee do this do that yet you do not show them how to. Remember you are sowing a seed.
As pastors, don't go about telling members serve God like this and that or start encouraging them to do eye service just because they want to please you. It is wrong. Being a people pleaser is not a true service. It is misconceptions.
If you do not take anything from this studies this evening I will appreciate if you take the understanding of serving in all capacity seeing God as the chief, the boss, the leader, the general, the HR, the main examiner and not the physical man you report to.
My prayer is God will enlighten us more. We will not just serve to do it as eye service we will do it unto God.
Do you know that if you do your job serving God through that job no matter how much you get paid you get satisfaction? Some people think more money is what brings satisfaction. It is you pleasing God in that thing if you truly have the Holy Spirit when you please God you feel that satisfaction and when you displease Him your spirit is in so much disagreement.
Let us pray.
Say father I thank you for your word you have sent to me today.
Lord forgive me in anyway I have made my service in any capacity all about me in Jesus name.
Lord help me to serve henceforth unto you alone not just to the physical being I need to report to in Jesus name.
Lord in my family in any way I am doing a disservice due to hurt, selfishness or whatever it may be, forgive me in Jesus name.
Lord let my life of service unto you be a channel of salvation to many who come in contact with me in Jesus name.
Peradventure you are here and you are yet to make Jesus your Lord and Saviour and you want to live a life of service but unsure, today is an opportunity to ask Jesus to rule and reign in your life.
Say father I come to you today and I ask that you forgive my sin as I confess this day to you, come henceforth and rule and reign in my life. Henceforth lead me in all my service physically and spiritually in Jesus name.
Lord we thank you and worship you for what you have done in our midst. Lord eternal we thank you for your word. Lord we don't want to be teachers, readers or listeners alone, we want to be doers of your word, help us to do your word daily and live a life of true service henceforth in Jesus mighty name.
*Amen.*
