“Let’s Stop Talking And Start Helping!” (We Are Saved To Serve pt. 2)

Pastor Jim Lowe III

Sunday Morning,  9:30am Stream

10/16/22 (3rd Sunday Message)

 

hashtags:

 

#guidinglight #pastorjim

#service #heart

#willpower #surrender

#love  #showinglove

#loveofGod #loveofChrist

#repentance #serving

#forgiveness #Godworks

#savedtoserve

 

 

{All scriptures are NIV84 unless stated}

 

Romans 12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

 

Last week, we talked about Paul.

 

Paul was urging us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices.

 

Holy AND Pleasing.

 

We established that Paul was talking to believers.

 

 “Therefore I urge you BROTHERS.”

 

He was talking to those who are part of the body of Christ.

 

He was talking to those who knew the faith.

 

Not outsiders…

 

Offer yourselves as holy and pleasing!

 

A living sacrifice!

 

Meaning that we aren’t living for ourselves.

 

 Not doing exclusively what we want.

 

 Not making decisions without praying about it.

 

 Before considering that new job.

 

  the new house.

 

  the new relationship.

 

  anything of major importance.

 

 Do you at least pray about it?

 

It also means we don’t live for others.

 

God wants to be first in our lives.

 

He wants to be number 1.

 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

 

You are not your own.

 

You were bought at a price.

 

Our salvation wasn’t free.

 

Christ paid for our salvation with HIS life.

 

“Jesus paid it all.”

 

We are not our own.

 

We should honor God with our bodies?

 

What are we doing with our bodies?

 

Galatians 5:13

13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

 

From last week:

The Life Of A Christian Is Defined By 2 Things:

1. Our Relationship With God

2. Our Ability To SHOW Love To One Another

 

One of these is internal.

 

One of these is external.

 

Matthew 22:35

35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

 

ALL the law and prophets hang on these two commandments.

 

One is for YOU.

 

The other is an action for SOMEONE else.

 

We as believers have to get BACK to loving and serving in ACTION.

 

Action…action is something you DO.

 

And that action involves SOMEONE else!

 

One of these is internal.

 

One is external.

 

What We DO On The Outside Will Show What’s Really Happening On The Inside!

 

 

Matthew 12:33

33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

 

A tree is recognized by its fruit.

 

Apple trees produce apples.

 

Orange trees produce oranges.

 

Pecan trees produce pecans.

 

That’s how you recognize the tree.

 

Luke 6:45

43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

 

Bearing fruit is an action.

 

What is in you will come out in your fruit.

 

If God Is In You, You Will Bear Good Fruit!

 

It doesn’t mean that every day will be perfect.

 

It doesn’t mean that all fruit will be perfect.

 

But do you bear more good fruit than bad?

 

Can others identify your tree by your fruit?

 

You Can’t Say You Love And Not Show It!

 

If people can look at your fruit and recognize if you’re Godly or not…

 

 do you not think God can do the same thing??

 

God judges by your fruit also!

 

Matthew 25:14-30 tells the story of the talents.

 

The man called his servants together and gave him something.

 

These people were considered SERVANTS already.

 

These servants were GIVEN something.

 

The man with the 5 put his money to work.

 

So did the person with 2.

 

The person with the 1 did nothing.

 

When the master came back.

 

 He settles accounts with his servants.

 

The one with the 5 said “Master I did something!”

 

Matthew 25:21

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 

 

The master had a relationship with his servants!

 

The two who were considered Good and Faithful were the ones who did something.

 

Then the person with the 1 who did NOT do anything tells his master a good story on why he didn’t do anything with it.

 

He didn’t work.

 

He didn’t do anything.

 

Verse 26

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!

 

No matter what the reasoning is.

 

God expects us to act.

 

God expects us to do something with what he has given us.

 

Matthew 10:8

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

 

Freely you have received…freely GIVE.

 

Giving is a form of love.

 

 It is a form of serving.

 

What Will God Say To You?

 

Are you the good and faithful servant?

 

 Or are you the wicked and lazy servant?

 

The servant attempted to appeal to the master’s heart.

 

God you know my heart!

 

When mom or dad told you to do something.

 

 and you don’t…because you were laying up being lazy.

 

When mom and dad come back…can you tell them they know your heart?

 

Your faith requires action.

 

Your faith requires work.

 

James 2:14-17

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

 

James says your faith requires work.

 

Salvation is more than just believing in God.

 

James 2:19

19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

 

There is more to it than belief.

 

Even the demons believe.

 

What makes you different?

 

Your works…

 

Without Works, There Is No Difference

 

And what does God do as a result?

 

Matthew 25:30

30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

EVEN the servant will be judged and THROWN OUT because they refuse to work.

 

Because they refuse to do something.

 

Are We Good And Faithful Servants, Or Wicked And Lazy?

 

This is what a believer is about.

 

SHOWING the love of God through and action.

 

SHOWING the love of God through serving.

 

We Should Live The Gospel At All Times And When Absolutely Necessary Use Words!

 

 

 

 

Spiritual Gifts Test:

https://giftstest.com/test

 

Contact Us:

info@guidinglight.org

 

 

 

 

We’ve got to get to serving.

 

If you are faithfully coming and NOT serving…

 

 we need you.

 

If you are not faithfully coming and not serving…

 

 we need you to come AND serve.

 

If you are faithfully watching online and ABLE to come to church.

 

 it’s time to come on back.

 

 we need you.

 

Galatians 5:13

13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

 

Freely you have been given…

 

Freely you have to give back.

 

We Aren’t Saved Just For Ourselves.  We Are Saved To Serve Others!