Order of Service
Theme: Service that is pleasing to the Lord stems from closeness with the Lord.
Text: Luke 10:38-42
Here’s a thought: Gary Chapman explains, “God longs to have a relationship with us. Our part is simply to receive His love.”
A committee was once assigned to tour a great factory to judge its efficiency. They were shown the various departments where many large machines were whirring and making a great deal of noise. They were led to a much smaller room. Everything was very quiet here. One of the men said, “This isn’t very important; nothing doing here.”
The guide smiled, “Oh, but you misunderstand, sir. This is the most important room of all. This is where all the powercomes from to run the rest of the factory.” So, too, as we serve Jesus … the “quiet room” is the “power room.”
Let’s take a look at the “power room” in Luke 10:38-42:
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” NIV
We can serve out of:
Duty
When we become more focused on the work that needs to be done than the One for whom we work, our attitudes gradually shift from compassion to comparison to complaints.
I wonder if Jesus would have said anything to Martha if she had not complained to Him about her sister, Mary. It appears that Jesus noticed throughout His visit that Martha was busy and distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She was doing a good thing. Martha, after all, shouldered the responsibility for entertaining and feeding the guests while Mary left her to do the work by herself. Maybe Jesus would have left Martha alone if Martha would have left Mary alone. How many adjustments do you think the Lord sees that should be made in our lives before He speaks to us about them?
Jesus had much more to say to the disciples in John 16:12-13:
12 I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. NIV
Sometimes, I want to overload people with information and insights I have gathered. There were times when I went on and on lecturing my kids even when they could not absorb any more. I had to look for teachable moments. Jesus was the Master Teacher with His disciples. The Holy Spirit is our Master Teacher as we follow Jesus today. He has a perfect sense of timing when imparting another truth. He knows when we are teachable and when we are stubborn. He does not lecture us when we refuse to listen; He just quits speaking. On the other hand, He speaks His words of life into our souls when we are ready to obey.
The Apostle Paul contrasts giving out of duty with giving out of a relationship in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8:
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. NIV
Paul instills within the Corinthian church the understanding that their giving will reap eternal rewards. They would reap the rewards one day as they had given or sown. Paul hoped this would adjust their motivation from duty to joy. He knew their rewards would multiply, and they would enjoy serving and giving so much more along the way!
God wants His people to serve not out of drudgery but joy.
Are you ready to listen to the input of the Holy Spirit directly and indirectly through other people? If you are, get ready to grow and progress.
Is there someone in your life who is making poor choices yet is not open to correction? Hold your peace while you pray for them.
Are you tired and frustrated with how others are not doing their part? It is time to rest and re-examine your motives for serving.
We can serve out of:
Duty
or
Relationship
The Lord extends an invitation in Matthew 4:19, “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” NIV
Note the order in what Jesus says to Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. He did not say, “Be fishers of men so that you can follow me.” Instead, He started with an invitation to a relationship, “Come, follow me.” It started with walking, talking, and “doing life” together. Jesus promises that out of this closeness, these two will naturally become fishers of men. The Lord is not a cruel taskmaster, demanding that we do good things to earn the right to have a relationship with Him. He promises His followers that He will change us as we grow in our relationship with Him.
The Lord responds to hunger and temptation in Matthew 4:4 by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3:
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’“ NIV
The word “word” in the New Testament comes from one of two Greek words: logos or rhema. Logos refers to the written word of God or Jesus Himself as the revelation of God to the world. Rhema refers to the specific, God-breathed word given to a particular person for a specific time and place. Jesus uses the word “rhema” in Matthew 4:4 as He resists the devil’s temptation to satisfy His hunger while fasting for forty days and forty nights by turning stones into bread. We tend to live at the level of bread, where we focus on satisfying our physical desires with little regard for our souls and spirits. Jesus reminds us that not only do our bodies need nourishment, but so do our souls and spirits. Where do we find this food for our inner person? Through a relationship with the living God, who calls us into communion with Himself and speaks to us daily.
Gary Chapman explains, “God longs to have a relationship with us. Our part is simply to receive His love.
Even though I regularly read and meditate upon the logos word of God (the Bible), I tend toward feast or famine when it comes to feeding upon the rhema word of God. Sometimes, I get so busy that even though I appear to accomplish much in the physical realm, I could be more productive in the spiritual realm. I might be checking off many items from my “to-do” list, but I do not depend upon His spoken word to energize my soul and spirit. In this state of mind, I can become tense, impatient and ready to snap at anyone who annoys me.
It is remarkable and disturbing to watch a chicken get its head cut off. You can step back and watch for a few minutes as it runs around, flopping and flapping its wings in a frenzy. Once a chicken has its head cut off, it can run as long as two football fields before it finally dies. Amazingly, “Mike,” the headless chicken, lived for 18 months after having his head cut off while being slaughtered on September 10th, 1945 (http://www.uselessinformation.org/headless_chicken/index.html). Likewise, our lives can be a flurry of activity even though we may not be attached to and directed by our head, Jesus Christ.
It appears that Martha learned her lesson and made the adjustment. Let’s look in on a later gathering at the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus in John 12:1-3:
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. NIV
Jesus enjoyed the company of these three friends, so He chose to have dinner with them in the last week before His crucifixion. Martha is serving again, but this time she says nothing about Mary’s “laziness” and “irresponsibility.” Instead, Martha uses her serving gifts with joy, simply enjoying the presence of Jesus. This time, she serves out of relationship and not out of duty. This time, she does not compare herself with anyone else, knowing her place is where she is most fruitful and effective.
Do you know where you are most fruitful and effective? If you don’t, it is time to try some new experiences and ask for feedback from others.
Do you feel energized when you serve? Chances are you are using the gifts that God has given to you.
Have you found the rhythm of serving and solitude, soaking in the Lord’s presence and reaching out to others?
The Question That Changed My Life
by David Ryser
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=26827&forum=35
A number of years ago, I had the privilege of teaching at a school of ministry. My students were hungry for God, and I was constantly searching for ways to challenge them to fall more in love with Jesus and to become voices for revival in the Church. I came across a quote attributed most often to Rev. Sam Pascoe. It is a short version of the history of Christianity, and it goes like this:
Christianity started in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution; it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and became an enterprise. Some of the students were only 18 or 19 years old - barely out of diapers - and I wanted them to understand and appreciate the import of the last line, so I clarified it by adding, “An enterprise. That’s a business.” After a few moments Martha, the youngest student in the class, raised her hand. I could not imagine what her question might be. I thought the little vignette was self-explanatory, and that I had performed it brilliantly. Nevertheless, I acknowledged Martha’s raised hand, “Yes, Martha.”
She asked such a simple question, “A business? But isn’t it supposed to be a body?”
I could not envision where this line of questioning was going, and the only response I could think of was, “Yes.”
She continued, “But when a body becomes a business, isn’t that a prostitute?”
The room went dead silent. For several seconds no one moved or spoke. We were stunned, afraid to make a sound because the presence of God had flooded into the room, and we knew we were on holy ground. All I could think in those sacred moments was, “Wow, I wish I’d thought of that.” I didn’t dare express that thought aloud. God had taken over the class.
Martha’s question changed my life. For six months, I thought about her question at least once every day. “When a body becomes a business, isn’t that a prostitute?” There is only one answer to her question. The answer is “Yes.” The American Church, tragically, is heavily populated by people who do not love God. How can we love Him? We don’t even know Him; and I mean really know Him.
I stand by my statement that most American Christians do not know God - much less love Him. The root of this condition originates in how we came to God. Most of us came to Him because of what we were told He would do for us. We were promised that He would bless us in life and take us to heaven after death. We married Him for His money, and we don’t care if He lives or dies as long as we can get His stuff. We have made the Kingdom of God into a business, merchandising His anointing. This should not be. We are commanded to love God, and are called to be the Bride of Christ - that’s pretty intimate stuff. We are supposed to be His lovers. How can we love someone we don’t even know? And even if we do know someone, is that a guarantee that we truly love them? Are we lovers or prostitutes?
I was pondering Martha’s question again one day, and considered the question, “What’s the difference between a lover and a prostitute?” I realized that both do many of the same things, but a lover does what she does because she loves. A prostitute pretends to love, but only as long as you pay. Then I asked the question, “What would happen if God stopped paying me?”
For the next several months, I allowed God to search me to uncover my motives for loving and serving Him. Was I really a true lover of God? What would happen if He stopped blessing me? What if He never did another thing for me? Would I still love Him? Please understand, I believe in the promises and blessings of God. The issue here is not whether God blesses His children; the issue is the condition of my heart. Why do I serve Him? Are His blessings in my life the gifts of a loving Father, or are they a wage that I have earned or a bribe/payment to love Him? Do I love God without any conditions? It took several months to work through these questions. Even now I wonder if my desire to love God is always matched by my attitude and behaviour. I still catch myself being disappointed with God and angry that He has not met some perceived need in my life. I suspect this is something which is never fully resolved, but I want more than anything else to be a true lover of God.
So what is it going to be? Which are we, lover or prostitute? There are no prostitutes in heaven, or in the Kingdom of God for that matter, but there are plenty of former prostitutes in both places. Take it from a recovering prostitute when I say there is no substitute for unconditional, intimate relationship with God. And I mean there is no palatable substitute available to us (take another look at Matthew 7:21-23 sometime). We must choose.
We can serve out of:
Duty
or
Relationship
Service that is pleasing to the Lord stems from closeness with the Lord.