Living Beyond Myself
Part 3
Experiment—just jump in!
“So here’s what I want you to
do, God helping you: Take your every day, ordinary life—
your sleeping, eating, going-to-work and walking-around life—
and place it before God as an offering.
(It’s a living sacrifice)
Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.
(It’s your real act of worship)
Don’t become so well-adjusted
to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.
Instead, fix your attention
on God. You’ll be changed from the
inside out.
(You are a new person)
Readily recognize what he
wants from you, and quickly respond to it.
Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of
immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in
you.” (Romans 12:1-2—from The Message)
(Your fundamental identity now is a servant of Jesus
Christ.)
About now, you are really excited and so
ready to do something for God. You are
ready to do anything because of your strong, deep love and gratitude for Christ
who redeemed you by his grace. You are
racing around just looking for some place to serve Christ and his church.
But where?
Questions for you:
1-What do you do well ?
2-What energizes you?
3-What do you do poorly ?
4-What drains you?
A Paradigm Shift
Imagine having to sign a 3 month lease on a car you
are considering buying,
Versus
having
the freedom to take it on a 45 minute test drive.
Welcome to First Serve! Come once and check it out. No strings attached.
“In this way we are like the various parts
of a human body. Each part gets its
meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re
talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as
a part of his body. But as a chopped—off
finger or cut—off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all
these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body,
let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pride-
fully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.”
“If you preach, just preach God’s Message,
nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to
your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get
bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid
to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work
with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed
by them. Keep a smile on your face.”
First Serve is jumping in—no
waiting.
First Serve is trying out
some ministry to see if you like it or if it likes you.
First Serve is all about
serving others in Jesus’ name and ENJOYING IT!
It does not need to be boring or difficult.
Suggestions:
1-Relax. It’s OK
to pick something you like.
2-Be honest.
After your 45 minutes of test driving, you don’t like it, try another
one.
4 helpful questions:
1- Did the work feel meaningful?
2- Was your emotional energy higher or lower after you
served?
3- Did you enjoy serving with them?
4- Look honestly at your schedule and the time frame
for the
serving
opportunity.
We are the Body of Christ.
It is important for us to be real, loving, and
gracious.
We are doing ministry in the name of Jesus!
LBM
# 3;
9-23-07; RJB