SEEK TO SERVE

(ministery)

          Text: Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.

Romans 11:29 N.A.S.B.
for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

          Ephesians 4:7-16 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

 ⁸Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

 ⁹(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

 ¹⁰He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

 ¹¹And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

 ¹²For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

 ¹³Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

 ¹⁴That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

 ¹⁵But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

 ¹⁶From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

          Galatians 6:7-8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
          8. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Steps to becoming a servant.

1.     Total commitment to God. (must be saved).

          John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

2.     Must be healthy. (get healed. Everyone has baggage when they get saved).

Jesus is our healer

          Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

3.     Must be qualified. (get trained).

          2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Ephesians 4:12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

For the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.

4.     Find your calling. (ministery).

          2 Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Don't change occupations 

          1 Corinthians 7:17-24 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

          ¹⁸Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. ¹⁹Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.                                                                ²⁰Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.           ²¹Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.                                                                                        ²²For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.          ²³Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. ²⁴Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

Use your gifts

          Matthew 25:14-30

 ¹⁴For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

 ¹⁵And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

 ¹⁶Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

 ¹⁷And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

 ¹⁸But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

 ¹⁹After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

 ²⁰And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

 ²¹His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

 ²²He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

 ²³His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

 ²⁴Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

 ²⁵And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

 ²⁶His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

 ²⁷Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

 ²⁸Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

 ²⁹For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

 ³⁰And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.