Service and Sacrifice
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With Discipleship Now Weekend just around the corner. I wanted to take a look at what it means to serve and give unselfishly. You all have already sacrificed your time before along with some weekends. But the question is what’s the true reason behind that sacrifice? The disciples gave up everything they had to follow Christ and they changed the world through their unselfish acts and spreading the Gospel. Have we today become so complaisant and secure with our way of life that we have forgotten what it means to offer true sacrifice to the Lord? Here in America we don’t face persecution for our Faith as those in other parts of the world. Just about every day you can turn on the world news and here about a Christian being persecuted or facing death for their faith in Christ. Being told if you renounce your faith you will keep your life. My question is this if faced with that decision what would your answer be? The bible tells us in Matthew 16:24-26 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Let’s look at this way how do you act in school when it comes to your faith, Do you stand up for Christ and what you believe, or do you turn from Christ to fit in with friends or to be so called cool? Do you act as a Christian or do stand around in gossip and slander those you know? Your actions here in school would have a great effect on how you could answer that question if ever faced with it. Do you take up your cross and follow Christ daily? Do you deny yourself? Are you willing to lose your life to find it? If you can’t answer those questions with a quick yes, you might want to take a look at yourself. Another way you can check your faith is this how do you serve the Lord? The Bible says a lot about how we sacrifice and serve the Lord. It’s not a game; it’s not something to take lightly. The condition of your heart will reveal a lot too on how you serve. Do you do things with a willing heart or do you do it because you feel you have to? 2Chronicals_29:31 Then Hezekiah said, "You have now consecrated yourselves to the LORD. Come near; bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the LORD." And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all who were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. We talked about this if you are going to serve the Lord do it with a willing heart. Don’t do it because you’re being forced to do it. Have a willing heart when you serve the Lord if you do it grudgingly check yourself check and see if you are truly walking with God. Psa_44:21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. We can’t hide our motives from God or our conscience . He knows the state of our heart when we serve. Genesis 4:3-7 In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." The reason God rejected the offering from Cain was not because it was from a garden it was the condition of his heart. He gave it because he thought he had to. He didn’t give it with a willing heart. Likewise if you serve the Lord and give with a hostile heart as one being forced to serve likewise your offering and sacrifice will be rejected. 1Corinthians 3:11-15 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-- each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire Your service and offering will be looked at by God, and He will ask you how you served Him with what you were given. Do you really want everything you thought you labored for burned up? Or do you want to hear will done my true and faithful child Great is your reward. At your age I know you’re bombarded with demands and things people ask or want you to do. I am aware you have things to do outside the service of God. But to be Honest we are to do everything with the Glory of God in mind. Everything we do is to be done for the glory of God. 2Co 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. When we do these service and mission projects this month remember why you’re doing it and for whom, not just the person we will be helping but remember we are doing it for God. Do it with a willing heart.
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