Living to Serve by Pastor Rockey

There are times we step back and evaluate our lives and what has past. We consider our accomplishments and disappointments and we ponder our goals for the future. One of the most common times we do this is at the beginning of a new year. Most of us come up with some very worthy goals – many of which you could list in your mind right now. But how many of us have a true desire to live with the goal of serving?

Serving is something we fit into our schedules when we have the time. Serving may be seen as an option or as an obligation we fulfill as part of a family, a community or a job. Serving is usually not what we live to do; its not what we consider our purpose in life.

Yet as God’s people, we are urged to fix our eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12: 2). The writer to the Philippians asserted, Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus (2: 5). What is that attitude? When we fix our eyes on Jesus, what will we see?

We see the Suffering Servant about whom the prophet Isaiah wrote. The One Who took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows: the One Who was pierced for our transgressions…crushed for our iniquities...and by (whose) wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53: 4,5).

We see the Son of Man Who, in His own words, did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20: 28). This is the Son of man Who lived childhood in obedience to His Father and to His earthly parents. This is the Son of Man Who preached and taught, Who healed the sick, comforted the despairing. This is the Son of Man Who showed us what serving is all about and Who has directed us to deny ourselves and take up our crosses and follow Him (Matt. 16: 24).

What would happen if each of us as members of the Body of Christ made make serving a priority, rather than an option or an obligation? How might God’s Kingdom grow and be strengthened if we put into practice the Apostle Paul’s command to have the attitude of Christ?

At Amazing Grace, we are still developing a Mission Statement, but to date our discussions have surrounded the fact that, we are a people called together to experience and share God’s amazing grace through His Son, Jesus Christ, reaching those not yet part of His family that lives may be transformed for today and eternity. Now please consider this…as we finalize this mission statement or as you review the mission statement of Trinity, these are not the mission statements of the staff or leadership. Such mission statements are about you…they reflect how each and every one of us is called to live! We are called to have the same attitude of Christ, to serve and not be served! So how can you serve? Well consider what you are interested in or what Spiritual Gifts God has equipped you with. Then seek out the coordinator or leader in that area and offer your life, and offer yourself in whatever way you can. Don’t wait for someone to ask you, but live that same attitude of Christ.

We have each experienced the undeserved and amazing grace of God, daily! So what better way to thank our Lord and please Him than to share the same with those not yet connected to Jesus?

Pastor Rockey