The privilege of being God’s children and joining Him in His mission: Go! …and make disciples of all…, …and teach them to obey, that is, to love me, and do it just like Me: as a servant! (Mat 28; Phil 2)
So, where do we start? Our mission to the lost can only be an expression of how we live with and love those closest to us. Acts 1:8
It begins at home with those we live and work with - it is ours to love and serve others by praying, caring, and sharing. Service with one another fuels our spiritual fervor, bringing to a boil our heart’s zeal for God, His people, and His mission - and this happens when we lovingly cooperate with God and each other.
Service is love expressed to those we encounter as an expression of our love, in response to having been loved by God’s merciful and redeeming love. To serve others is an act of loving obedience to Jesus and His commands as a grateful and humble response of the heart, a loved heart that desires to please the Him Who loves, GETTING TO express love the same way we have been loved.
Our hearts, our spirit, is stoked by service…
Our heart’s passion is fanned into flame, by service - serving God in the service of others. The god works we do bring our spirits to a “boil” causing our heart’s love to spill over into the lives of one another - upon those God loves.
Growing from: “I have to go”, to “I get to go”, to “ I want to go… let me go, here am I, send me!” (Matt 28; Isa 6; Heb 10)
Having seen God, been loved by God, now we get to love as God has loved us, and we do this, there is compassion being formed in us, not only for our brothers and sisters but for the world, the lost, growing in us is a compulsion to - Go!
To whom do I “Go!”…?
Family
Family of God
Neighbor
The lost - those who do not yet know
And how is it that we are to impact them?
Romans 12:1-13
Attitude and posture
Philippians 2:5-8
Ephesians 5:21
Loving those in front of us - beginning with those who are in front of us the most
Matthew 20:25-28
Mark 10:25-45
4 spheres of impact -
Family – 1Timothy 5:8
Who are they?
What can I do?
How can I do it?
Family of God - Galatians 6:9-10
Who are they?
How are they?
What do I bring? (1Cor 12)
How can I bring it?
Neighbor – Lev 19:118; Matt 5:43; Ja 2:8; Ro 13:8; Ga 5:14
Who is my neighbor?
How can I serve them?
How can I bring them hope and joy?
The lost – 1Peter 3:13-16
Who in my life does not know Jesus?
Who is closest?
To me?
To the kingdom?
How can I pray for them?
How do I speak and live in front of them? With them?
In such a way that they would ask me the reason for my hope?
Am I prepared to give a reason for my hope when asked
Is my attitude such that I would do so with gentleness and respect?
