SUNDAY SERMONS

 

What Can I Do to Help?

(Spiritual Gifts – Service and Helps)

Let me illustrate how gifts work together in a church. At a potluck after church, suppose someone dropped a plate full of BBQ (some BBQ Ribs and sliced beef and sausage and baked beans) on the floor in the fellowship Hall.

This is how people with different gifts would respond.

Gift of prophecy - That’s what happens when you’re not careful.

Gift of service - Oh, let me help you clean it up.

Gift of teaching - The reason that it fell was because it was too heavy on one side.

Gift of exhortation - Next time, maybe you should let someone else carry it.

Gift of giving - Here, you can have my BBQ plate.

Gift of mercy – Don’t feel too bad. It could have happened to anyone

Gift of administration – Roy Lee, would you get the mop? Tom, please help pick this up. Tee, could you get him another plate.

We’ve all been gifted differently and so we act differently, and we serve differently.

Based on our gifts we see each situation differently … but each reaction responds to the immediate needs.

 

The Gift of Helps or Service attaches spiritual value to the accomplishment of physical tasks within the body of Christ.

It is the ability to demonstrate love by meeting practical needs.

"What can I do to help?"

I.                 Service as demonstrated by Deacons.

Acts 6:1-4  In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.  2  So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.  3  Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them  4  and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

a.           The widow's needs weren't being met but the Apostles needed to focus on praying and the ministry of the Word so they delegated the work to seven chosen men.

b.  The Greek word used to describe the responsibility of these seven men is the verb from which the noun, 'deacon' comes from.

c.   Deacon means servant.

d.  We all should serve but a deacon or someone with the gift of service has a natural pull in the direction of wanting to be useful in just about any capacity for the benefit of the kingdom.

We are in a place where our two deacons are unable to fully serve as deacons.

Leo Mullins is physically unable to serve being confined to a nursing home. Leo served the body here at Bethany faithfully for many years. Bur his health does not allow him to be here with us.

As we all know, Steve Bates is our only other deacon. Steve is heart broken that his health issues have temporarily sidelined him. I have assured Steve that we all understand his situation and will prayerfully and patiently wait for him to return to good health and God’s service.

I have been asked about electing additional deacons. We shouldn’t do that until someone recognizes and demonstrates the call to be a deacon. And is willing to serve in that capacity.

e.  It is not about being recognized for their service; they are willing to work behind the scenes without anyone knowing what they're doing.

f.     Their joy comes in knowing they've been able to help someone.

 

II.              What are the problems that come with the Gift of Service or Helps?

a.  A person with the gift of serving or Helps can become so focused on the task that they fail to see the finish line.

Luke 10:38-42  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 few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

b.  If Jesus just randomly showed up at your door, How many of you would start cleaning house?

c.   That is what the gift of Service or Helps does.

d.  That is NOT a bad thing!

e.  We have some great servants here at Bethany!

f.     But sometimes we need to keep our eye on the ball!

g.   Let me give you an example …

 

Say some church is having a Revival with a fellowship meal following the revival service. As the invitation time comes… People start leaving the service to prepare to serve the meal. It is a good thing to prepare the meal …

But is it the BEST thing?

It is the best thing that the Holy Spirit move unhindered and convict lost sinners to come to Christ.

 

Martha is upset … her mind is on sweeping, and changing bed sheets and cooking and going to HEB to get groceries …she is running around the room spraying foo-foo spray and she gets overwhelmed … She tries to tell Jesus what to do!

 

"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 few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

h.  She is focused on the good but is missing the best!

i.     She has access to the King of Kings but her focus is on the tasks at hand.

 

III.          Service and Helps will not save you!

Matthew 19:16-21  Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"  17  "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments."  18  "Which ones?" he inquired. Jesus replied, "'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony,  19  honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"  20  "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"  21  Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

 

One of the witnessing methods used some years ago said … If you were to die today and you found yourself in front of God and He asked you, “Why should I let you into Heaven?”

How would you answer Him?

Would you tell Him how you were a Preacher? or a Deacon? or a Sunday School Teacher?

Would you tell Him how much money you gave to the ministry?

Would you tell Him how many 9x12 casserole pans you have?

 

Why should God allow you to enter Heaven?

What do you LOVE?

 

I LOVE JESUS! He is my Lord and my Savior! I do what I do because I love Jesus. I preach because I love Jesus and I want to used my gift to reach as many people for Jesus as possible!

 

a.  It is easy to focus so much on what you do in exercising the gift of service or helps that you forget why you have this gift.

b.  You were given this gift to demonstrate that God cares about everyone!

c.   The exercise of your gift of Service or Helps allows activities to happen which enable the church to reach the lost!

 

IV.         How do we TEST for the gift of Service or Helps?

Luke 10:29-36  But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"  30  In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  31  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  32  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  33  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  34  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.  35  The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'  36  "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

a.  Jesus ended this passage with the question, “36  "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

b.  I would ask which of these three “Had the gift of Service or Helps?”

c.   Obviously … The Good Samaritan… Right?

d.  It depends on his relationship with God.

e.  This was probably a desire built into his DNA… it was who he was!

f.     We don’t know anything about what happens to him from this point….

g.   If he accepted Christ this desire would probably be his primary gift.

h.  Can you imagine a Christian with this kind of desire to serve and help?

i.      This gift is defined by what is done to exercise this gift.

j.      It is marked by what you do!

How have you benefited from those who have the gift of service?

How have you showed them that you appreciate their service?

Let's not forget to honor those who have given their all in service to the Lord.

 

A pastor told of a woman in his church that had the spiritual gift of service. Over and over she was used in situations that brought great honor to the Lord.

There was a woman in the community with eight children. The terrible news came to this mother that her husband had been killed in a trucking accident in another state. She was not only devastated by grief, but she was panicked as to what to do with her eight children while she went to identify the body and make arrangements to bring her husband back home for funeral services. That’s when Jodi sprang into action.

Jodi arranged for the eight children to be taken care of in the homes of church members. She made sure the woman was taken to the airport and got on the right plane, since she had never flown before. When the grieving widow arrived home a couple of days later, she was picked up at the airport and taken home. Upon arriving home, the grieving widow could not believe her eyes. The house was cleaned from top to bottom, all the laundry was done and put away, and there were eight pairs of little shoes completely shined and ready for the funeral service.

The pastor preached the funeral service. Two weeks later the woman and the eight children started attending the church. Soon after that the mother accepted Christ as her Savior and had all eight kids in church. Why? Because a Christian lady with the gift of service.

What happened is that that church experienced God at work through a woman exercising her spiritual gift. When she exercised her spiritual gift, God was glorified and the Good News of Jesus Christ was proclaimed, and the church came together in unity.