Refining Our Acts of Service
a. We fellowship better together Philippians 2:4 Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Ecclesiastes 4:10a If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.
b. We grow better together Ephesians 4:13 Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Acts 5:42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
c. We serve better together 1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
d. We worship better together Psalms 34:3 Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together Matthew 18:20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them
e. We reach out better together Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Luke 10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.
Acts 2:42-47 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
1. Serving together brings vision - Gods vision - Fall short of His vision - Lose sight of the joy - Open our eyes, leaves us in awe of God Acts 2:43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. (ESV) - Motivation Acts 5:42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. (NIV)
Do we see God’s work serving together? - possible to see God’s work and not recognize Him - “I was just lucky” - crediting ourselves - when we do that we fail to see God at work, we fail to give God the credit - possibly He’s not at work. Matthew 13:58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. (ESV)
What do I see God doing? - Are you recognizing that God is at work in your life and around you? e.g. Campus Escape Room
2. Serving together brings unity Acts 2:44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. (ESV) - On the same page - critical for the health of God’s church
Philippians 2:2 Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. (ESV) Psalm 133:1 (King David) Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! (ESV)
e.g. Campus Mission Trip With whom am I serving? How do we demonstrate unity among one another?
3. Serving together brings generosity Acts 2:45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. (ESV) - To be a healthy church means that we will be a giving church
Definition of generosity - Readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected. - kindness toward others
Romans 15:27 For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. (NIV) - Peter and John were at the temple in Acts 3 and met a crippled man. Acts 3:6 (Peter) “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (ESV
e.g. Outstation Campus What am I giving? To whom am I giving? Am I giving at all?
4. Serving together multiplies Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (ESV) Acts 2:47 And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (ESV) - Not because of individual efforts
e.g. Church Does my service lead me to share my faith with others?
Conclusion: Are we serving together in such a way that: - we see God’s vision? - we experience greater unity? - we give to others generously? - we share the gospel clearly and often? |
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