Ministry Fair 9th January 2011
Today, our Curate, Gill Tayleur's talk is based on 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Next Sunday we’re going to start a new series, and it’s one I’m rather excited about! For 7 Sundays, we’re going to think about the ideas presented in a book called the Purpose Driven Life. It’s by Rick Warren, you may know it. We’re rather hoping that lots of us will read it as a Lent book this year. But regardless of that, we’ll all have the opportunity to hear what it says in those 7 Sunday morning sermons.
The book is sub titled, “What on earth am I here for?” Good question! - and it looks at 5 key purposes for our lives. One of those is Serving God. One of the key reasons we are alive, is to serve God and we serve God by serving other people.
I’m going to say that again. One of the reasons we are alive, is to serve God!
And we do that by serving one another.
We weren’t created just to consume resources – to eat, to breathe, and use things up. God designed us to make a difference with our life. There’s lots of advice out there about how to get the most out of life, but that’s not the reason God made us. We were created to add to life on earth, not just take from it. God wants us to give something back. So when we serve others in any way, we are actually fulfilling one of our purposes.
Service isn’t a popular idea in our me-first culture! The world out there defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige and position. If you can demand service from others, you’ve arrived. But Jesus measured greatness in terms of service, not status. And God determines our greatness by how well we serve others, not how others serve us. This completely contrary to our culture’s view of greatness. It may be hard for us to get our heads around it. But it’s true. That we were made to serve God and others.
And because service is one of our key purposes in life, not surprisingly, to fulfil it, often brings a sense of fulfilment! And joy! Yes service can be a joy, when we do it out of thankfulness to God. We have so much to thank God for! He has lavished his love upon us, in more ways than I can count: with life and friends and family and love and most especially in Jesus his son. Jesus gave up everything to be born and die for us, the ultimate sacrifice of service, saying he came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life for us. And so we must respond in thankfulness and service, following his example.
So service isn’t an optional extra, it’s for all of us. Each of us has a role to play, and every role is important. There is no small service to God, it all matters.
In our Bible reading we heard,
“There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served. There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives ability to everyone for their particular service. The Spirit’s presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all.”
So there are different ways of serving, but they’re all for the good of all.
And in the church, it’s not hard to see how all service counts, up front or behind the scenes. Where would we be without musicians who have practised? Without the chairs having been put out, or last week’s dirty cups cleaned? If there was no one to care for our children, or no sermon had been prepared? Or no-one willing to watch over the children in the playground after church?
We all have a part to play. So that the church community functions as it should. For the good of all.
We all have a part to play, whatever our abilities. We may be good with words, or with children, or with money, or be physically strong, or musical, or really friendly or a great cook.
That’s how we’re made. With our own abilities, passions, experiences and gifts. And they add up to the unique way each of us can serve. God has a place in his church where our abilities can be used to make a difference. It’s up to us to find that place, to find what parts we can play.
Well there’s much more to learn about serving God, and we’ll hear more about it in a few weeks’ time, when we get to that part of the Purpose Driven Life series. But today we get the chance to begin to put some of it into practice, ahead of the course, as it were.
We’ll hear how in a few minutes, but for now I’d like to close by challenging you with this quote from the book:
The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, “Who’s going to meet my need?” and starts asking, “Whose need can I meet?”
Not, “who’s going to help me?” but “Who can I help?”
... How often do you and I ask that question?
Dare we ask it this through the rest of this service this morning, as we hear about the ways our service is needed? As we’ve heard, God needs all of us to play our part...
And now let’s pray
Heavenly Father we thank you that you have made us to serve you, and for the privilege and joy it can be to do so. Help each of us here this morning to be willing to play our part in serving you and one another, here at St Saviour’s. Amen.
The Booklet, Opportunities for Service is available on the Parish website:
www.hernehillparish.org.uk
Next Sunday we’re going to start a new series, and it’s one I’m rather excited about! For 7 Sundays, we’re going to think about the ideas presented in a book called the Purpose Driven Life. It’s by Rick Warren, you may know it. We’re rather hoping that lots of us will read it as a Lent book this year. But regardless of that, we’ll all have the opportunity to hear what it says in those 7 Sunday morning sermons.
The book is sub titled, “What on earth am I here for?” Good question! - and it looks at 5 key purposes for our lives. One of those is Serving God. One of the key reasons we are alive, is to serve God and we serve God by serving other people.
I’m going to say that again. One of the reasons we are alive, is to serve God!
And we do that by serving one another.
We weren’t created just to consume resources – to eat, to breathe, and use things up. God designed us to make a difference with our life. There’s lots of advice out there about how to get the most out of life, but that’s not the reason God made us. We were created to add to life on earth, not just take from it. God wants us to give something back. So when we serve others in any way, we are actually fulfilling one of our purposes.
Service isn’t a popular idea in our me-first culture! The world out there defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige and position. If you can demand service from others, you’ve arrived. But Jesus measured greatness in terms of service, not status. And God determines our greatness by how well we serve others, not how others serve us. This completely contrary to our culture’s view of greatness. It may be hard for us to get our heads around it. But it’s true. That we were made to serve God and others.
And because service is one of our key purposes in life, not surprisingly, to fulfil it, often brings a sense of fulfilment! And joy! Yes service can be a joy, when we do it out of thankfulness to God. We have so much to thank God for! He has lavished his love upon us, in more ways than I can count: with life and friends and family and love and most especially in Jesus his son. Jesus gave up everything to be born and die for us, the ultimate sacrifice of service, saying he came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life for us. And so we must respond in thankfulness and service, following his example.
So service isn’t an optional extra, it’s for all of us. Each of us has a role to play, and every role is important. There is no small service to God, it all matters.
In our Bible reading we heard,
“There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served. There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives ability to everyone for their particular service. The Spirit’s presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all.”
So there are different ways of serving, but they’re all for the good of all.
And in the church, it’s not hard to see how all service counts, up front or behind the scenes. Where would we be without musicians who have practised? Without the chairs having been put out, or last week’s dirty cups cleaned? If there was no one to care for our children, or no sermon had been prepared? Or no-one willing to watch over the children in the playground after church?
We all have a part to play. So that the church community functions as it should. For the good of all.
We all have a part to play, whatever our abilities. We may be good with words, or with children, or with money, or be physically strong, or musical, or really friendly or a great cook.
That’s how we’re made. With our own abilities, passions, experiences and gifts. And they add up to the unique way each of us can serve. God has a place in his church where our abilities can be used to make a difference. It’s up to us to find that place, to find what parts we can play.
Well there’s much more to learn about serving God, and we’ll hear more about it in a few weeks’ time, when we get to that part of the Purpose Driven Life series. But today we get the chance to begin to put some of it into practice, ahead of the course, as it were.
We’ll hear how in a few minutes, but for now I’d like to close by challenging you with this quote from the book:
The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, “Who’s going to meet my need?” and starts asking, “Whose need can I meet?”
Not, “who’s going to help me?” but “Who can I help?”
... How often do you and I ask that question?
Dare we ask it this through the rest of this service this morning, as we hear about the ways our service is needed? As we’ve heard, God needs all of us to play our part...
And now let’s pray
Heavenly Father we thank you that you have made us to serve you, and for the privilege and joy it can be to do so. Help each of us here this morning to be willing to play our part in serving you and one another, here at St Saviour’s. Amen.
The Booklet, Opportunities for Service is available on the Parish website:
www.hernehillparish.org.uk
posted by Parish Administrator at 1:20 pm
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