Service

Encountering the love of Jesus causes you to turn away from living for yourself and to begin living for God. Paul writes, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Living for God means using everything you have to serve his purposes instead of your own, and one of the best ways you can serve God is through your gifts.

While all people are formed by God with unique skills and characteristics (Psalm 139:14), disciples of Jesus receive unique gifts reserved for his people — the gifts of the Spirit. Like all gifts from God, spiritual gifts are not meant to be used selfishly but in service to God and for his glory. Peter writes, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace … in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:10-11). Jesus calls you to leverage your spiritual gifts for the advancement of his glory.

God has given you gifts so that you can serve the church and the world. Whether you have the gift of teaching, serving, leading, or evangelism, your gift is not for your acclaim, but for others’ encouragement and God’s glory. Serving the church advances God’s mission because the church is God’s vehicle for accomplishing his mission. The early church knew this, so as the gospel spread rapidly throughout the land, they appointed gifted servant-leaders to care for the needs of the church (Acts 6:1-7). This is why Paul writes, “Let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Galatians 6:10).

You are called to serve because Jesus first served you. When Jesus’ disciples were jockeying for a high status in the kingdom, he said to them, “But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43-45). In evangelism, we declare the gospel. In service, we display the gospel. Jesus calls us to do both: to speak the message of the gospel and show lives transformed by the gospel.