Chapter 28

Serving God

Sections

1. Preliminary Instructions and Insights
   1. Be Prepared to Serve God
      • We are called to serve God and Jesus Christ
      • Be willing to do God’s work
      • Ensure that you are ready to do God’s work
      • Live a godly life in readiness for doing God’s work
      • Consecrate yourself to serve God . . .
      • . . . Be holy and set apart
      • Note: The purification of the priests and Levites for consecration and preparedness for God’s service
   2. Be Devoted to God’s Work
      • Devote yourself to God’s work
      • Serve God only – do not serve anything or anyone else . . .
      • . . . Seek to please God rather than people
      • Put God and Jesus Christ before everyone else
      • Put God’s and Jesus Christ’s interests before your own interests and other matters
      • Give up your life to live for God and Jesus Christ . . .
      • . . . Be willing even to endanger your life
      • Be willing to give up everything – even life’s most basic and dearest things
   3. Reasons to Serve God
      • He is our God, who has done great things for us
      • We are God’s and Jesus Christ’s servants
      • God cares for his servants . . .
      • . . . God rescues his servants
      • Your work for God will be productive
      • You will be rewarded for your work . . .
      • . . . You will be rewarded particularly in the afterlife
      • Whoever does not produce good “fruit” will be cut off from God and Jesus Christ
      • Further warnings and consequences regarding not doing God’s work
      • Note: Do not work for things that do not satisfy or do not last – and so are in effect meaningless
   4. Being Guided by God
      • To be guided by God, live a godly life
      • Ask God to guide you (as in troubled times)
      • God and Jesus Christ’s will can even be understood through godliness and prayer
      • Other sources of godly and wise guidance
      • Note: In the OT, inquiring of God was at times done through an intercessor . . .
      • . . . and it sometimes involved the use of lots

2. Doing God’s Work
   1. Do God’s Work – the Best You Can
      • Do God’s work
      • Do the work assigned to you . . .
      • . . . Carry out God’s will
      • Work hard at God’s work . . .
      • . . . Endure associated persecution and hardships
      • Do quality work which bears “fruit” – “fruit” that will last
      • Persist at the work
      • Complete the work you have been given
   2. Do the Work through God
      • Apart from God and Jesus Christ we can accomplish nothing
      • Pray to God for help in the work – and ask others to pray
      • Do God’s work through God and his power
      • Do the work by faith and in God’s “name” . . .
      • . . . Do God’s work in the “name” of Jesus Christ
      • Serve God through the Holy Spirit
      • Note: Commit to God whatever you do
   3. The Manner in Which to Serve God
      • Serve God in holiness and righteousness
      • Serve God with humility
      • Serve God with all your heart
      • Serve God with zeal . . .
      • . . . but zeal must not be misguided
      • Be strong and courageous, as God is with those doing his work
      • Do not be afraid as you do God’s work . . .
      • . . . Instead, fear God and serve him faithfully
      • Further points on the manner in which to serve God
   4. Working with Other Believers
      • Serve each other
      • Do God’s work together
      • Encourage each other in doing God’s work
      • Keep each other informed about the work and associated challenges
      • Note: Churches send out workers, to aid the spread of the gospel and for other work . . .
      • . . . The practice of workers going out in pairs
   5. Spiritual Gifts
      • God gives each of his people a spiritual gift, through the Holy Spirit
      • God’s people are given different spiritual gifts
      • The various spiritual gifts . . .
      • . . . Examples of the Holy Spirit enabling believers to speak in other languages and to prophesy
      • Make good use of spiritual gifts, using them appropriately
      • Use your spiritual gift to build up the church
      • Further instructions about spiritual gifts
      • Other insights concerning spiritual gifts

 ➜Major headings in: 28. Serving God (and all of Unit F)

Pray for persecuted Christians