Greater Serving

We are in the midst of greater serving on this Wednesday evening. Brother Sam did a great job last week. The week prior we endeavored to begin the series. We will continue this evening. Um, just as a recap, what does it mean to serve by its definition? Someone, what does it mean to serve? Wait on. Absolutely. What else? >> I thought you said to be abused. To be of use. >> Yes. Someone else. Okay. Absolutely. Yeah. Anyone else? There's types of serving, right? We figured that out. Some can serve like at a restaurant expecting to get paid for their service. Some are serving because it's the right thing to do. No, nothing in in return. Uh I think we understand that as well. If you'll go with us, let's go to the book of Luke. This is one of the gospels. Luke chapter 4 of this actually is a very familiar very familiar scriptures this story that we're going to talk a little bit about tonight. Luke 4 verse number one. We'll begin there. Uh Luke 4 verse one. Uh if you'll start reading at the back of the room please one verse out loud and we'll move forward. Luke chapter 4 verse one. See, somebody wasn't going to. That's why I called on them. Luke 4 verse one. Back the room. >> Oh, we got backer than that. >> Luke 4 verse one. >> Very good. Verse two. Verse three. >> Verse four. >> Verse five. >> Carla, that's you please. Verse six. >> Verse seven. >> Okay. Verse eight. Verse eight. Go ahead. >> Thou shalt worship God. >> All right, we're going to stop it there. Thank you, Beth, so much. Thank you, Brian. If we do another one, I'll let you go. Um, very familiar scriptures here. This story is actually quite remarkable. Um, the Bible said that the spirit led Jesus, the man, into a really nice, quiet, simple place with room service with anything and everything he wanted to eat, drink. Was like a cruise ship 40 40 days on. Is that what it says? No.

It says that the spirit led him into the wilderness and 40 days tempted of the devil. He did not eat anything. When he had finished the 40 days not eating anything, the Bible says he was hungry. Now, how many here would be hungry after 40 days of not eating anything? >> Yeah. Anybody? Yeah, I got you. All right, we're going to do a test. I need a volunteer that will do 40 days, right? Seth's going to not eat for 40 days and then after we're going to ask him how he feels. You good with that? Starting right. You don't want to be around him. Gotcha. Not a whole lot of folk running to that. Jesus though is setting in in place a principle. First of all, he's setting into place the ability to make a decision as a human and to stick to it. Second of all, he also knows what it's like to confront the devil. This specifically says the devil. Doesn't say the enemy. It doesn't say the adversary. It specifically says the devil. There was then this um encounter between Jesus who had been led by the spirit into the wilderness and this devil. Now the interesting thing of this is that uh the devil according to this in the interaction begins to communicate and says uh hey I got some some things I want to present to you and we know what those are. You know, you can if you jump this, if you speak to this, this, if you say this, this. And Jesus is listening to what the devil is saying. And at all points, there is something that is coming against Jesus. Now question for the sake of this particular topic of this particular reading. Have you ever determined within yourself made up in your mind you were going to do something for the Lord whatever it was and in the midst of doing that face opposition? Anyone you know the day that you decide to fast and your coworker brings two three dozen donuts. Huh? Ain't tomorrow a good day for fasting? I mean the donuts are there. The likelihood they're going to bring donuts two days in a row is not real there, real high.

And then we begin to say, you know what, I've made up in my mind to do something, but lo and behold, I'm challenged by it. Question, is it wrong to eat a donut? Is it wrong to want to fast? Is it okay that your coworker brought the donuts? Is your intention okay? So, what is the issue then with you deciding the fast, getting to work, and your coworker bringing donuts? What is the problem? >> It's a choice. You got to be determined. What else? >> Yeah. Stay in. Absolutely. What else? I'm convinced the devil didn't tell your coworker to bring donuts. Yeah, you could blame getting mad, right? And again, the Bible does not say specifically in Luke chapter 4 that Jesus was fasting 40 days and then the doughnut man came by. But the the storyline unfolds here with exact details for a reason. Listen carefully, please. What Jesus was establishing in Luke chapter 4 is simply this. There are going to come times that you're going to have to make really tough choices. There's going to be moments in your life that you are going to face things that you may or may not have complete control over. Luke chapter 4. Well, all any of the gospels, you can find the same story actually over in Matthew. You can find pieces of it in Mark. The the interesting thing here though is what Jesus is teaching is this down to verse number eight. Jesus answered and said unto him, "Get thee behind me, Satan." He's no longer the devil. He's now Satan. It is written, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, him only shalt thou serve." So, as it turns out, we happen to be talking about greater serving. Neat how this verse kind of has that in it, right? There's something to be said about the desire the enemy has to try to derail you of your desires to serve the Lord. How many times have you had a great idea to serve God only to find out it was bigger chore than it was worth? Oh, any anybody here in January? January is a great month to talk about this.

You got out of bed on January 3rd and said, "You know what? I'm going to read the whole Bible today." I mean, you would say through the year, but for whatever reason, your gumption and all that says today, you know, all all 66 books, I'm down with it. And you get along about Genesis chapter 2 and a half and what happened? >> It what? >> The begotta. The begott gotcha. Gotcha. Um, something happens. Why can't you just pick it back up? It's a question. I think all of us understand the question because there is no doubt that every single one of us in here have probably cross that bridge a time or two. Probably many times in your life. Have you ever tried to do a great idea, great something for God only to find out that it really didn't happen? And then, if I may, conviction. Yeah. Shame, reproach, all of those things begin to settle in. And once lo and behold, with in a few weeks or a month or so's time, you find yourself once again under that veil of of weight that the spirit of God is doing. And you feel again, you know what, I really need to get back to do that only to find out it was a great idea the second time. Right? You want to do more, but so many times we settle for less. >> Am I the only one that's guilty of that? You You got You have a desire to to want to accomplish thing. Come on. Anybody ever been in a great great great worship service at church, at camp, at conference, anybody? Great things happen. Spirit of the Lord speaking and you make up in your mind, you know what? I am going to be changed. Yay. Verily, you even you even some of y'all right now think I've just gotten your mailbox. I didn't. I'm just reading the general mail. I'm I'm in the newspaper because it's all posted. Um I think Jesus understands that about humanity. Okay. And if that's the case, why, listen carefully, why does Jesus continuously work with us and again and again and again give us a desire and and a want to do more and more for him?

Why does he continue to put that on us? Shouldn't he already know that we're just lazy and not going to do it? I mean, that's one way to say it. I mean, he ought to just know, right? I mean, Lord, it was a great idea, so thought I, you know, isn't that good enough? Well, then you have to go back, if if I may, and go back to the cross of Calvary. What if it was just a great idea Jesus had to die, but he never did? What would today look like for you and I? He wanted to, but he couldn't fit in his schedule. I mean, he was he was really he was right there ready to be I mean, he was right there going in to see Pilate and he said, "Man, I'm not m maybe next time. Where would we be today?" The reason the reason I'm bringing this up for today's discussion is um why is it such a challenge for us to change or to adjust our way of life? Um now some of us in here and you don't have to raise your hand unless you just want to and you're prideful. U some of us in here have conquered all of this and we don't we don't face disappointment and challenges. We've overcome all of them. Seth, you can put your hand down. Um, the fact still remains is that it is challenged many times to just make an adjustment in our day-to-day walk. Anybody ever decide, I'm going to pray more and then not why can't you just readjust and go pray more? I think that's a a logical question. It's what? It takes what? Got a guy cursing in here in the classroom. >> Other things. >> Yeah. >> Do we have to weigh out the options? >> But it's what we do. >> So that's true. Well, yeah. It's it's a greater >> greater challenge. Yeah. Um or whatever does. Yeah. A season of life >> when you've got little ones at home, it's it could be a greater challenge. When you're by yourself, it could be a greater challenge. Where where I'm going to with this tonight, we we this month we're talking about greater serving when when when you have so much that you want to do for God.

Let let me start there and we're going to build. Anybody here desire to do something for the Lord? Then why can't we just do it? I think that's a a logical question. And and some of you are sitting there going, "Oh, wow. That's just too easy. You can't ask it because there's so many parameters. There's so many unknowns. You know, there's just I didn't realize that that donuts were going to be at work today." You know, use I'm back to the donut thing, right? Um, what is keeping you and all of your closest friends? What is keeping you from being all you want to be for God? Want to be? Not all you can be. Because we can actually be a whole lot more, I think, but sometimes our distractions and the things that our life has dealt us has caused us to kind of take a different different path. And then we find it more challenging. Um, I think it fair to say that in this room amongst us adults here, we could all say that we have honestly been swept away in the spirit of God. There have been times in our lives that you could barely breathe because the anointing and the glory of God was so strong over you, on you, in you. Am I right? And in that position, flat of your face, flat of your back, wherever you were, the glory of God that was weighty and heavy was sitting on you, and you could barely move, barely breathe, barely talk, and there you were. Why isn't that enough to change our personalities and our characteristics? You would almost think that in that environment, you could ask what you will and God would do it. I I I'm going to say this. You don't have to nod or you don't have to look left or right. You can just look right here. You ever prayed, "Lord, if you'll help me, I'll do it." And then him not help you because you didn't do it. I mean, it had to be him. That couldn't be you because you said it. H how when was the last time in your life personally? Is this okay for self retrospect?

When was the last time in your life that you saw significant change in your demeanor and your desire when it comes to living for God? I mean an actual change. I know all of us have had changes. We sing about it all the time. I'm not what I once was. I'm not what I want to be. When was the last time though that you saw a significant change in your demeanor, in your desire, and your attitude when it comes to living for God? Some of us can say, you know what, from day one, I'm really walking a different walk. I'm talking a different talk. I don't want to do the things I used to. I'm not tempted by what I used to be tempted by. I've actually seen an exact 180 degree turn in my life and I'm just a different person. In fact, they didn't even know me at home. They don't even know me on my job. They thought I was a new hire because of the chain. I'm asking. I mean, we we all say multiple times in our testimonies or in our in our conversations with people that Jesus can do anything. But sometimes we won't let him do the little thing. But he can do anything. Sometimes we challenge him because the enemy is tempting us. Huh? Have you ever made up in your mind to go to church and show up late? Why >> give one? >> Traffic. Very good. Should you have left 10 minutes earlier? >> So, no good. >> Spill something. Should you not have spilled it? >> Oh, it's an Most of the time it Oops. Guess I'll have to go change 45 minutes and be late. No, I'm joking. Huh? I mean, honestly, I I think if I may, I think as humans, we are all very capable of excusing oursel out of some things that we know God is asking of us. I know I boy, I Lord, if this person comes back by one more time, I'm gonna say that to I am I'm gonna witness to them and close my eyes and not even look to see if they come back by. Now, I'm trying to do better.

Honestly, I'm intentionally and myself, my wife and I both, we we've decided that if somebody said, "Would y'all just pray the Lord?" So, God, let's do it right now. Let's just let's just take it now. But that that's that's a tough discipline to have. Huh. Um, we were out of the country a few weeks ago and I felt to say something to somebody in one of the services and it was in Spanish of course and I don't know the people but I felt it so strong that I was about to do it and then I got scared and walked away and then I said, "Oh no, you know." I walked back and I said, "I need to tell you something." And I told them, they looked at me and they said, "Yeah." Then I turned and walked away and thought I don't know if they said yeah because my Spanish was bad or I may have just told them I'd give them my car. I don't know what I Caro. What is Caro coe? Yeah. Anyway, no here's the thing. I I am trying in my older age to just actually act when the Lord says do. But that's a commitment. That's a conviction. That's a demeanor that changes in us. I'm here I'm here today talking about greater serving. And the account that Luke wrote about was there was a temptation that Jesus had been in a place and he decided to go away and for 40 days he did not eat. He was hungry. And in the midst of that, listen to it. In the midst of that is when the devil, Satan confronted him and put him in a place to where he had to begin to make some outward expressions of what he was doing. So I I I think that it fair to say that in the moment that Jesus would have been the weakest physically is when he was prepared the most to back the devil down. And how did he back him down? What did he use? Somebody >> he what? He used the word. So if the word is indeed then that powerful, then shouldn't we be as well? Leaning on it, building on it, standing on it. I I don't think our world needs hateful people that are smacking them around if they don't follow Jesus. You're not going to win anybody.

You're not going to make any any friends that way. But I think that greater serving means Lord, we are greater preparing oursel to simply yield and do what you are asking us to do. Because the word says this, the promises are this. The Bible doesn't change because it's this. And because of that, help me Lord to change my attitude, my way of thinking, my desires. Jesus in this particular writing in verse eight says, "You shall worship the Lord thy God. Him only shalt thou serve." Help me somebody. What does it mean to serve the Lord in this capacity? It's about making rocks bread. It's about conquering all things. It's about overcoming with the word. So, how do we serve God in that capacity? Wouldn't we just simply expect that Lord today I prayed therefore I am and whatever that is we are no it's a battle it's a challenge so then when Jesus finishes looks at the devil in his face and he says Satan you better get back you can't you can't serve somebody else you're going to serve the Lord God if you're going to serve God, you got to serve him with your whole heart, mind, and soul. Why is that necessary? >> Can't we just part way serve him? Why not? >> Yeah. But and yeah, the funny part is is we'll say that all day long and then we do that. We still question. We still hesitate. We even settle for seconds. Huh? What was that? The old lady used to testify. I I I want to go to heaven. I pray I have just a little cabin over in the corner. If I can just make it over, y'all pray I'll make it all the way. And as a kid growing up, man, with testimonies, anybody remember those? They would say that. And I'm sitting there going, she's going to settle for a little cabin. How big are cabins in heaven? I didn't know. And then she wanted she wanted everybody to pray. She'd make it all the way. I wonder what that prayer sound like. Lord, help Sister Doris make it all the way. Give her that cabin. Lord, help help Slidy map up there.

Lord, you know who she is trying to get into that little cabin. You only got one. >> I wonder if somebody's praying for a campground in heaven. I'm not. >> Too many plumbing issues. Anyway, question then. Let's let's let's back this up for a little bit. We understand now the value of what Jesus was establishing with the devil himself. Come on now. He's talking to the devil in this. All right. You're not going to tempt me to the place where I change my mind. In fact, I'm g You're going to have to serve. You're gonna have to understand the value and the power of serving the Lord. What are some ways you can serve the Lord? Let's go there. I've got a few minutes. What are some ways you can serve the Lord? Anybody? Honor him. Right. What else? How can you serve the Lord? What else? How can you serve him? Show love. Sure. What else? Helping. Yeah, absolutely. What else? What are some ways you can serve the Lord? Okay, let's go there. Where what are some ways you're already serving the Lord? There we go. Somebody can testify about what they're doing. Anybody care to share? >> Teaching a class in church. Absolutely. Someone else. Sorry. >> Singing. Sure. What else? >> Cleaning. >> Playing an instrument. Keep going. >> Reaching. What else? Being a witness. Sure. What else? Okay. Sure. Okay. So, I I think we all understand where that is, right? Can I Can I put a little thought here? It's just a thought. It's just a thought. I think sometimes in our doing we may not actually be serving the Lord. We may be serving oursel. If we say if we say, you know what, I I'm good at this, so I do this as unto the Lord. And then we want to get the credit for it. Guess what just happened? The serving just changed to who you were serving. What if Jesus on that particular moment in in Luke that we read, what if he would have taken a rock off the ground, made it bread, and then ate it. What would have happened then? And that said what?

Everything changed in his perspective. That's why he said, "No, no, your man doesn't live by bread alone, but by every word." Okay, here's the thing I'm trying to say. I'm not saying playing instrument, singing or teaching or any of that stuff. I'm not saying it's not serving. I just think sometimes, guys, if I may be very honest, we as humans, I think sometimes we get things kind of out of kilter. Okay? And listen carefully. Sometimes we can be very guilty of just because we're busy in church, we consider that serving when actually all we're doing is doing what comes natural for us. Has anybody here I'm gonna go this route. I've got oh I've got about 10 minutes. Anybody here ever felt the power of God, the word of God, the spirit of God speaking into your life asking you to give something extra sacrificially to the Lord? Anybody ever felt that? Money, time, investment, whatever. Anybody? What did you do when you felt that draw, that that voice in your life? What did you do? >> Did you do it? Why? >> Is it what? >> Because you felt you were convinced God was saying it. And what if what if God was saying to ask you to do something that you really didn't have? But he was testing your faith maybe. Would you still be willing to do it? >> Okay, here's the point of that. If we could listen to the Lord tell us to do extraordinary things, sacrificial things, then we ought to be able then to simply learn and understand that in serving the Lord, basically he's looking for a commitment. And if we make a commitment to serve him, then we should be able to do that actually very simply. It should not be a chore. It should not even be considered a sacrifice. It should simply be this is what I do. This is who I am and I make this choice daily. Now, here's the question. When you decide to serve the Lord, when you make a decision, do you make it once in your life and that's sufficient to get you through life? How often do you have to make the decision?

>> Every day. So, what was the apostle actually telling us when he said that he died daily? What was he actually saying? He makes the choice daily to serve the Lord. Are there other things in the world to serve? What what's what's some things you can serve on planet earth? Yourself. What else? Money. Yeah. Your job. Is there anything wrong with those things? When you serve them though, what are you doing? You're what? >> Giving them the time that you can't bring back. Giving them the time that you have limits on. Okay, here's the point of that. We understand that. Lord, you've given me today. You've allowed me to wake up this morning. You've given me breath in my body today. I'm I'm bringing all this to one day. I'm able to blink. I'm able to breathe. I'm able to walk and talk whatever it is today today. So then with that knowledge, do you then have to make up in your mind that you are going to serve the Lord or do you put it all on the table and every day have to arm wrestle your way through it? It's a question because here's the thing. I I'm convinced that if everybody in the world served the Lord, there would be a whole lot less problems in our world. But the conflict is within each one of us on a daily basis. So here's my question as I trying to bring the landing gear out. What would it take? What would it take right now in your life? What would it take to make a plan and put the plan into action to say, "You alone, Lord, I'm going to serve. What would need to change? What would need to be better? What would you have to get rid of? What would you have to add? And why is that such a difficult thing? And I know it's difficult because everybody sitting here right now is challenged with this. The thought of trying to actually institute a plan of action that gets you closer to God. You'd want to, you'd want to, but then when the rubber hits the road, it'd be the challenge.

And a million things would unfold in your life and as you'd spill something or a child would be or a phone call and then all of a sudden things change. Why is it such a difficult thing to do? Well, that if that were the case, I think that the fact still remains that it probably is easier than we think. It's a what is that a fair statement? If that's the case, then the mind thing Jesus exampled in Luke 4. He was hungry. And here comes the mind game. Hey. Hey, look. Don't that look rock? Don't that rock look good? Don't that pinnacle up there look fine? Don't those angels look good doing what you know? And Jesus simply is looking saying, you know what? You're not going to tempt me because I'm not going to give in. What was Jesus saying in the flesh at that moment? Follow it. You are talking to somebody who has already made up in their mind. This is who I am. Huh? This is who I am. So, greater serving. I I think that u we can all attest to the fact that there's probably some things that we're probably doing okay at, right? Yeah. We've overcome some things. We have a plan of action for some things. We have a prayer life. Uh we let the word of God lead us. But some things where we really want to go with God means that we'd have to stop doing some other things. And therein is the challenge. Therein is the challenge. So if you stop doing the things that you shouldn't be doing and you focused more on what God was wanting for you to do, what would your life look like today? That's a fair question. I I think that we have the stories of these 12 guys that followed Jesus that they were very human. They were very very much human and they they wanted to do right because Jesus was doing such fabulous things right in front of their eyes, man. He was healing folk. He was raising the dead. He was feeding people. He was ministering. He was in the face of the Sadducees. He was in the face of the Pharisees, man. And then he'd go out in the wilderness. And then he'd come back.

Uh man, Jesus was doing things. And these fishermen and these tax collectors and these u these guys were looking at him going, "Man, this this gu all over the place. But he is consistently consistent and he is turning things around. There's only one reason why the the group of the day, the apostles, the followers of Jesus in the first and second century, there's a reason that they were the ones that were considered the world turner upside down around. Aren't these those who have turned their world upside down? You know why? Because they begin to make some hard decisions and they begin to serve the Lord and made up in their mind, listen carefully, they made up in their mind, if it does cost me my life, I will stay to this. You don't believe it, then I challenge you. When your time permits, make it part of your decision. Go to the library, check out the book, Fox's Book of Martyrs, and read it. Figure out how somebody survives being flayed alive, being burned in a cauldron of oil, being hung upside down. Those are the stories of that we don't want to talk about because that's people that made up in their mind that they were going to do what they were going to do because of Jesus. Now, to close this out, I want to close on a high note. Some of us really, really, really lean hard on the grace of God and the mercy of the Lord. And I don't get it right, Lord. So, but you got you got mercy. I know I fail and flop, Lord, but grace is going to help me. And so many times, that's our go-to. When I'm convinced that the supernatural happening in the natural comes to those who simply do the right thing to bring honor and glory to God at whatever the cost. I think an example again I'm going to close on a high note.

I think here at CAC the last several weeks our services have indicated that some people are actually hungry for supernatural infestation in their life and it's showing itself by the way we worship by the by the love we have for the Lord by the way that we're interacting with each other I I think that God is moving there's also some indicators that as a pastor that the Lord helps me to see and sometimes I see people's walk just a big mess. And I don't feel sorry for them. What I do see is this. Most of the time when somebody's life is all busted up, breaking is because they're turning loose of some things that's not serving them any good. And they're making some choices to get them closer to God. I'm convinced if the enemy did it to them, they'd already be out of the church. They wouldn't be coming back. But they keep coming back and they keep loving the Lord. And they keep raising their hands and they keep serving him. That to me is my way of saying, "Lord, they're really going through it. They're shaking off some stuff because they are deciding, I'm not going to live by bread alone. I'm going to live by the word that comes out of your mouth. I am not going to serve anybody else but you, Jesus. You alone will I serve." And what the Lord is doing in an hour that we need it more than ever before is some people are actually standing up in the face of the enemy and saying, "No, no, no, no, no. Thus says the word of the Lord. You're not going to get my family and my children. My You're not. I'm believing that the hand of God is on my life. I'm not perfect. Never claimed to be. But what I am is I'm in love with Jesus and I'm gonna serve him." So to close this week, the next seven days, what is one thing you could change in your daily walk? One thing that you could do different that would get you closer to God as you serve him. You decide that and then do it. Do it. Don't wait for me to say, "Yeah, or don't come to me with a layout of 700 things.

I don't even need to see your 95 points of your thesis nailed to the front door of the church, Martin. You just simply do. Just go be what God's calling you to do. Rest assured that he's leading. Bring honor and glory to the house of God. Amen. Pray with me. Lord, thank you so much for our time together. We are learning, Lord God. We are developing, Lord, a way that we can serve you greater. Serve you greater. I am thankful for the power of the word of God that changes our lives. Thankful, Lord, for the sound decisions and choices we make daily that cause us to walk with you. The word of God doesn't lie. Your promises, Lord, they don't fall and falter. But I believe, Lord Jesus, that we are who you say we are. And I'm believing today, Lord, we're overcomers by the word of our testimony. We're going to serve you, Lord. We're going to make up in our mind to serve you with gladness and with joy. We're going to make choices that lead us to you. Decisions, Lord, that honor you and glorify you. Help us, dear God, lead us, Lord. Bless each one here this week as they make changes and and adjustments in their life as they get closer to you. Lord, I pray you would meet them where they are and help them, Lord, to get to the next level in you in Jesus name. We're going to gather here in a moment and love and worship you. Pray your spirit Lord would abide with us as we magnify your name. The name of Jesus we pray to God be the glory for the things that he has done in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you all so much for being here. Lord bless you. We will reconvene in a few moments in the sanctuary.