You Gotta Serve Somebody

By Jay Pearson

I want to start this sharing by answering a question, one we’ve all asked ourselves one time or another. Why are we here on this earth? I said I would answer this question and here is my answer. We are put on this earth to serve.

Let me make another statement for you to check out. It is always your responsibility to prove what you accept as truth. It’s my responsibility to prove before I speak. There are only two things in existence. Those two are the Creator and the creation. You will serve one or the other.

Luke 16:13:
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon

You will serve one or the other.

Romans 1:18:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Romans 1:25:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

YOU GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY……………….

Let us back up now and look at mankind’s first commission from God to serve. After God created man in holy spirit image (Gen. 1:27) he then formed man of the dust, his fleshly body and breathed into him the breath of life, living soul (Gen. 2:7). He then took man and put in his service.

Genesis 2:15:
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

Man was told dress it and keep it. The Lord then told the man what he could eat to sustain his life. He also told him the consequences of disobeying his instructions.

Genesis 2:16,17:
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

We know how the fall went down, dieing he would die. And we know now God’s plan of salvation; accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and believing God raised him from the dead you shall be saved. The Lord Jesus Christ has called us to service.

Part of that service is to witness and declare Jesus just as he was sent to declare his Father. You can read about that call and command to serve in Matthew 28:18-20, John 17:18-20, Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:46-49, Acts 1:7, 8. We’ll look at the first two sections of these scriptures below.

Matthew 28:18-20:
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

John 17:18-20:
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

It’s very plain that we have been called to serve the Lord.

Here below are a couple of examples of self-service.

Genesis 3:6:
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Romans 1:25:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Here are a couple of examples of godly service.

John 15:12:
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Romans 12:1:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

There are only 2 things in existence, the Creator and the creation. You will serve one or the other. Which direction is your service going to be today? Will you respond to situations with service toward God or will you respond with retaliation, unbelief, calculated aggression, or self-serving satisfaction not serving the Lord? By considering your ways and think of who you are serving you can take the right path to obedience.

There are also outside influences, those who wish to distract you from your service to the Lord.

Romans 16:17,18:
17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

You gotta serve somebody. You can serve yourself and also serve others contrary to the Word of God, these choices are all in the same basket of disobedience. Or you can serve the Creator, God almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I love the quote from Joshua “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” That's were we stand in our house. How about your house? A good question to ask ourselves as we go from task to task in our daily lives is: Who are our efforts serving? The Creator or the creation are your recipients of your efforts and worship.
YOU GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY……………….

Psalm 100:1:
1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

It’s our choice.
YOU GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY……………….

 

"Gotta Serve Somebody" by Bob Dylan, performed by Mavis Staples

 

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Presented 2 October 2016