Discipline of Service

Happy Sunday. Today we continue our study of spiritual disciplines. Thus far we have looked at Bible study and prayer. Today we will look at the discipline of service.

Service is helping others and there are unlimited ways to serve. Many of them perhaps unique to you. Over the years, I've seen people serve by teaching Sunday school or driving a church van or building ramps for those with mobility issues. Coaching ball, cutting grass, cooking meals, maintaining machinery, running a sound system, helping at vacation bible school.

The list is endless. In Indiana, I was fortunate enough to be part of a tableau of the crucifixion of Christ. There were well over a hundred people in costume. An older lady in our church volunteered to make costumes for each one.

Year round she swed and created and maintained. It was indeed a discipline that was most helpful for the kingdom of God. I recall her family coming to visit her one time and there were bags of fabric all over the house and they were thinking that she'd lost her mind. They didn't know that she was using her gifts.

I know a man that served his country as a Marine. And when someone died in his community, he would go to the house and offer to shine shoes for the family members who would be attending the funeral. That's the discipline of service. It doesn't just happen.

It must be something you decide to do, a result of a discipline. Hebrews 13:16 tells us, "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." Every act of service pleases God. It really doesn't matter how grand or how small that act is.

Do you recall these words from Matthew 25? This section of scripture is about judgment day. And Jesus separates the sheep and the goats, the saved and the unsaved. Here Jesus lists acts of service in this section of scripture.

I begin at verse 34. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, "Come, you who are blessed by my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, you gave me food, an act of service. I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink.

An act of service. I was a stranger, you welcomed me. An act of service. I was naked, you gave me clothing.

I was sick, you took care of me. Acts of service. I was in prison and you visited me. Again, a spiritual discipline.

Before Jesus sent his disciples out into the world, he said this according to Matthew chapter 10, "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. And whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous. And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.

Let me repeat verse 42. A small act of service. And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward. My wife was featured in a newspaper article years ago.

We were involved in the funeral of a young person at our church and the whole community lined up for the funeral visitation. The family stood in the front of the sanctuary and for hours they greeted those who came by to pay their respects. A local newspaper reporter was present and she watched my wife bringing bottled water to the family members every so often because they couldn't leave the line. She wrote an article about it.

I thought about Matthew 10:42. A cup of cold water. Service makes a big difference. We serve others not to glorify ourselves but to glorify God.

Matthew 5:16 tells us, "Let your light so shine before others that they see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven." That's what happens when we serve. God gets credit. Serving is one of the reasons that we were created.

Ephesians 2:10 makes that clear. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them. The other day in my morning prayer time, I was reminiscing about people that I have known in the churches that I have pastored over the years. The ones who come to my mind first are the servants.

Those disciplined enough to serve others. Churches would not make it if it were not for people with the spiritual discipline of service. Thank God for servants. They indeed change the world.

What can you do? Pray with me. Lord, as I thought about those saints, I thank you for every act of service. For the meals that were shared, for the children that were taught, for the snow that was shoveled, for all the things that I have seen people do over the years because they love you.

It makes a huge difference. Thank you for giving us abilities. All of us can give a cup of cold water. Help us to do what you call us to do and to be disciplined enough to serve others.

In Jesus name I pray. Amen. God bless. Thanks for joining me today.