Sunday, October 2, 2022

Is It My Nature to Serve?


Verde Valley Christian Church
Oct 2, 2022

Series: I Am a Servant
Title: Is It My Nature to Serve?
Speaker: Jim Hammond


1. True serving is SELF-GIVING love

Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

2. Counterfeit serving is "SELFIE" service

Matthew 6:2-4
"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

3. SERVANT is our VERY NATURE

Jesus not only taught us to serve, he saved us so that we are able to serve God and people according to our "very nature" as human beings. We were created to serve, and saved to serve as Jesus himself served.

Matthew 10:39
If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

Philippians 2:3-11
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

My Lord Jesus Christ,

Thank you for restoring my "very nature" as a servant through your saving life, death, and resurrection. I bow my knee before you and acknowledge "that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father"andI worship and serve you as my Lord and Savior.

I confess I still have trouble "valuing others above" myself. I still frequently look to my own interests, rather than the interests of others.

Thank you for your forgiveness and washing me clean.

Fill me with your love, and your life by the resurrection power of your Spirit placed within me.

I am your servant. I offer myself to you. I will serve, honor, and obey you. "Here am I, send me."

I pray this in the name that is exalted above every other name, the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!





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