Eld Ko Swee Chay

Serving the LORD Together in Love
(Part 1 of 2)

Introduction

Serving the LORD is not given the right emphasis and priority among many Christians. It is a common trend that only a small percentage of members in churches is mindful to serve and is actively serving. This results in those who are serving being overloaded with multiple tasks and heavy responsibilities. There are many reasons why Christians do not come forward to serve. They may be too busy focusing on their own studies or careers, looking after their own families, thinking of their own interests and comforts, and the list goes on. Some may think that it is difficult and demanding and that special gifts, talents or abilities are needed to serve. Other may think, “let those who are called and are more spiritual do the work!” Some have a selfish mindset in that all they want is a church that can serve them well in meeting their needs. Others shy away from serving to avoid problems, issues, conflicts and troubles.

Many believers are ignorant of or ignore God’s commandment to serve Him, and the fact that serving the one and only true and living God is an honour and privilege. Serving the LORD God Almighty with likeminded brothers and sisters in love together for Christ’s sake is indeed a great joy and blessing. And there may be those who are serving but not with the right understanding, attitude and mindset which needs to be pointed out as well.

The following topics will be looked at:

• Part 1 of 2:
       I.  Believers are Commanded to Serve the LORD
       II. Teaching of God’s Word on Serving the LORD

• Part 2 of 2:
       III. What It Means to Serve the LORD “Together in Love”

I. Believers are Commanded to Serve the LORD

We are sinners saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8), “…being made free from sins, and become servants to God, … and the end everlasting life.” (Rom 6:22). After our salvation, God graciously allows us to remain on this earth so that we can serve Him and glorify Him. We are saved by the grace of God to serve God. We ought to know that this is the divine will and purpose for a believer’s life, and be thankful and grateful to God.

In the concluding statements in the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon said: “¹³Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. ¹⁴For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecc 12:13-14). The whole duty of a child of God is to fear God and keep His commandments, which includes the various commandments to serve the LORD. God will judge our life and everything that we have done on earth, including our service, whether it is good or evil. Our every work will be revealed by fire of what sort it is, whether “gold, silver, precious stones” or “wood, hay, stubble” (1 Co 3:12-13).

Many Bible verses in the OT command the people of Israel to serve the LORD, for example: “Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him,” (Deu 6:13); “Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear Him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.” (Deu 13:4); “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt, and serve ye the LORD.” (Jos 24:14)

The people of Israel are God’s chosen people, they are commanded to serve the LORD and be a holy witness and testimony for the nations around them and beyond. These commandments are applicable to us as children of the most High God today. Clearly God’s people are commanded by God to serve Him.

We ought to have the right perspective that God is Omnipotent and He does not actually need us to serve Him and help Him to do and accomplish anything. It is by the grace and mercy of God that we are given this honour and privilege to serve Him, as an expression of our love for Him for what He has done for us and for our own blessing. God has never desired that we serve Him because we feel like we must, and view it more as a chore and obligation. He wants us to serve willingly and cheerfully, and to find joy in serving Him and others.

II. Teaching of God’s Word on Serving the LORD

From Deu 6:13 & 13:4 and Jos 24:14 quoted above, we can learn a few things concerning serving the LORD:

• The pre-requisites to serving the LORD are: follow the LORD and fear Him; get rid of sinful practices and other gods (any things that take away our focus on and service to the LORD) from our lives, that we might serve the LORD with clean hands and a pure heart; keep His commandments; know and obey His Word; hold fast to Him no matter what.
• We are to serve the LORD in sincerity and in truth: out of a willing and sincere heart, no conditions attached, with a right and pure motive out of love for God and fellow man; all areas of our service must be based upon God’s truth and prescribed way revealed in His holy and sacred Word.

When we study the lives of great men of faith in the OT like Moses, Joshua and David, we will learn much about what it takes to serve the LORD rightly and acceptably. All of them were called and dedicated their entire lives to serving the LORD through leading the people of Israel in very different tasks, challenges and difficulties. The things in common are: the LORD was present with them, enabled them, led, directed, guided and protected them; they followed the LORD willingly and in sincerity, from the heart; they obeyed and trusted in the LORD; they constantly enquired of the LORD for directions and guidance; they knew all successes and military victories were from the LORD and they gave thanks, glory and praise to Him; they were faithful and committed to the LORD all the way. Serving the LORD is a life-long endeavour which needs commitment, consistency and perseverance, and much prayer. Only at the end of their lives did Moses and Joshua earn the honourable title “the servant of the LORD” (Jos 1:1 and 24:29) from God. David was given an honourable description by God “a man after my own heart” even before he was born (1 Sam 13:14) to describe his entire life of obedience to the LORD and faithful service. In the NT, Apostle Paul is another great exemplary servant of the LORD for us to emulate and follow. After his spectacular conversion on the way to Damascus, he dedicated the rest of his life to serving the LORD fervently, faithfully and sacrificially in setting up churches, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ. Though he suffered great persecution, humiliation and bodily hurt, he remained steadfast, neither murmuring nor complaining. Towards the end of his life, Paul said “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” (2 Ti 4:7).

Of course, the greatest example and teacher of servanthood of all was our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Paul said of Him “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man.” (Phi 2:6-7), and Jesus said of Himself that “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto (or served), but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mat 20:28).

While Jesus' entire life and earthly ministry was dedicated to serving, the most notable example of His servanthood was that of washing His disciples' feet the night before His betrayal and crucifixion, recorded for us in Jn 13:1-17. “¹³Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. ¹⁴If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another feet. ¹⁵For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done for you.” Jesus took up the position of lowest slave in the Jewish household to wash the feet of visiting guests. Jesus was teaching his disciples, and us today, this precious lesson: “considering who I am, if I can wash your feet, all of you ought to be able to show your love and humble yourselves to serve one another.” Jesus said in Mat 20:26-27: “²⁶…. but whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister (servant); ²⁷And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:” Through His attitude and conduct, Jesus Christ showed us the greatest example of true servanthood which teaches us humility, love and compassion and to be willing to sacrifice for one other.

Some other teachings in the Bible concerning serving the LORD:

• The LORD called, the LORD enabled and empowered: For the construction of the Tabernacles the LORD told Moses that He had called Bezaleel, and Aholiab as his assistant, and all that were wise-hearted to make the Tabernacle and all its furniture and the holy garments for the priests. The LORD filled Bezaleel with the Spirit of God and gave him wisdom, understanding, knowledge and workmanship to do the works. (Exo 31:1-11). For the construction of the Temple during King Solomon time, the LORD provided a workman from Tyre called Hiram, “… a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass…” (1 Ki 7:14) and building materials. The LORD will enable us and equip us with the wisdom, understanding, knowledge and provide us with the resources to do the work He calls us to do so. All we need is to have an obedient and willing heart to serve the LORD.
• No service in Christ’s name is too small or insignificant in the sight of the LORD. Jesus Christ said: “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, ye shall not lose his reward.” (Mar 9:41, see also Mat 10:42).
• “Be strong and of a good courage” (Jos 1: 6, 7, 9 & 18). After Joshua succeeded Moses, the LORD repeated to him this phrase four times. When we serve the LORD, strength and courage as well as wisdom are much needed to deal with problems and issues from within as well as tribulations, troubles and difficulties from outside, in a manner that is right in the sight of the LORD and Christ-honouring, i.e. according to God’s Word and God’s standard, honestly and firmly, to please God and not to fear and please man.
• “to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Jos 22:5). Committed, fervent, consistent and dedicated service is what God requires from His children. Lukewarm, half-hearted and “only when I have time” kind of service will not be pleasing and acceptable to God.
• “Serve the LORD with gladness…” (Ps 100:2): Be thankful and grateful for the honour and privilege to serve the LORD, for He is our Creator and our God. Understanding and experiencing the joy and blessing of serving the LORD is an important part of a believer’s life.
• Serving faithfully. The most important character trait is that of faithfulness and trustworthiness. God is the One who requires us to be faithful. Jesus said: “His 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” (Mat 25:21). Paul said: “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” (1 Co 4:2). God’s work requires faithful believers who can be counted on to fulfill responsibilities given and complete tasks assigned to them. Solomon nicely put it: “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.” (Pro 25:19).
• “I have planted, Apollos watered; God gave the increase.” (1 Co 3:6). Don’t ever allow discouragement to set in, or worse, the thought to give up, if you don’t get the results expected. All we need to do is serve faithfully with the best of our abilities, and leave the outcome in God’s hand.
• “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” (Col 3:24, c.f. 1 Co 3:14). We serve the LORD not for the sake of reward, but to return our gospel debt for what the LORD has done for us and to show our unconditional love to Him and fellow man. Nevertheless, the LORD is gracious to reward richly with an eternal inheritance all who serve Him faithfully.

(To be continued)