Serving at Church

Yesterday I preached about the importance of serving your church family. There are many Biblical arguements as to why one should get involved in this endeavor. One, the church is a family and every family member needs to do thier part to make the household run smoothly. Just about all of us had some chores to do in our family. We are in the family of God and it's part of our responsibility. The Bible says the church is Jesus' body and each part needs to do it's special work. What would happen to your body if the heart, or the lungs did not do it's part? The same is true for the church. Such are two of the arguments as to why a Christian needs to serve in a local church.

Then I asked myself why do I serve the church? What motivates me? Well, if you were cynical you might be saying "It's your job to serve the church. You are getting paid for it. It's your chosen profession." (Well, we might talk about that later, did I choose it or did God choose me? That's another topic). Even though this is my job I am confident to say that if I had another profression I would be involved in helping out my local church family. So again I ask, "Why?" What motivates me?

As corny as it may sound and after some self-examination I believe I serve God simply because He serves me. His love for me motivates me to love others. His work toward me motivates me to work towards others. And at the risk of diminishing the value of the cross (which is the highest value ever alongside the resurrection), it's Christ work in me, that continues in me that motivates me to work for him. Christ set me free from sin but he has done so much more than that, he gave me his righteousness too (The double cure!) and every day he has me growing in that righteousness. That's what motivates me to serve the church.

The one big idea I have learned in growing in righteousness is that righteousness is aout giving right as much as living right. The more I give God's love away to others and build up in His church the more righteous I become. At least, that's what I see Paul teaching in Corinthians and Ephesians.

We Americans love to collect (cards, cars, books, you name it). God loves to give. We are not to be cauldron's of God's love, but conduits of God's love.

That's why I serve God's family. Why do you serve God's family? Do you see Christ's love as one act on the cross or as Christ living in you? Or both? In the end I would say don't let guilt motivate you to serve, let God motivate you to serve. (Don't I sound like a preacher?=)

Have Yourself Committed,

Kirk