Who Are You Serving?

Activity: Sunday Sermon - 8/7/2018

Anchor Scriptures: Luke 10: 38-42

Scripture References: Acts 8: 27-38, Luke 8: 4-15, John 1:1-14; 17:17, Ephesians 5:26

Introduction
The church today is awashed with myriads of activities and groups/clubs, by which we always delude ourselves as "working for God." And being masters of our own choices, individuals are at liberty to choose, which of the activities and groups to belong. Equally, individuals are at liberty to choose which of the different activities to attend or not to attend.

As most church leaders of differing nomenclatures, Pastor, General Overseer, Reverend, Prophet, Shepherd, etc, will always want their undiscerning and unsuspecting followers to believe, all these groups and activities are meant for the furtherance of the gospel. I ask, which gospel?

Going hand-in-hand with these activities and groups are many religious programs and festivities as well as "church development" programs, to and in which every member must participate or contribute.

Painfully, members who are reluctant to or who outrightly refused to belong to these groups or participate in or contribute to these groups or their activities are often seen as enemies of the church and of the gospel. In contrast, members who are very active and participatory or contributory in these groups and activities are seen as the true children of God. They are erroneously believed to be lovers of the church and by extension, of the gospel. As a reward, they are the ones for whom special anointing services are held and the church leaders will invite to special prayer sessions on one mountain or the other. They are the ones for whom special seats are reserved at the front rows in our churches today because they are the recognized "partners of Jesus Christ" in promoting and projecting the gospel.

Our prayer is that the good Lord will deliver His church of all these unnecessary encumbrances which the Bible calls "the cravings of the flesh."

Today, God wants to point out to us what actually constitute acceptable service before Him, or who is true worshippers, partners and friends are. May He grant us perfect understanding in Jesus Christ Mighty name. Amen.

Message
The first question, brethren, is that: does everything we do in the house of God constitute service to Him? There are many people involved in those areas we call the help ministries (1 Cor.12: 5-10, 28), but don't see any need for any other things, no matter how important, according to the Scriptures, they may be.

In our anchor Scripture, the Bible makes it clear that Martha was the owner of the house. That means that her sister, Mary, was just squatting with her; a communal existence, like we commonly have in Africa.

Characteristic of many of us when we have an august visitor, we care not for the mission of the visitor, but we will be immediately preoccupied with how to impress the visitor and their entourage, if any. Martha therefore, like many of us today, took to the kitchen, preparing this and cooking that; trying to impress Jesus Christ with her help ministry. Wearied out, she called to the Master whom she was frantically trying to impress that the Master should appeal to Mary, her sister, to lend her a hand. Without battling an eyelid, Jesus Christ told her in Luke 10:41-42 that,  , Luke 10:41-42  And Jesus answered and said unto her, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." What is that good part chosen by Mary? The Bible tells us in verse 39 saying, "And . . . Mary, . . . sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word."

Did you notice Jesus Christ's bluntness? Paraphrased, Martha, you care too much about things that don't concern me; only the Word is my concern and that is what your sister has taken hold of!

Brethren, could you see the futility of all your "unnecessary groups and activities" in the church when they are not allowing you to listen to the Word of God in Bible studies (whatever name you call that in your own denominations), Sunday School, etc. There are even some Christians who believe they are too big and or too old to sit down in the Sunday School. So, when they come to church and the Sunday School is going on, they turn themselves into vagabonds, walking from one place to another in the church premises, chattering and chatting away their eternity. Some people will not even bother to come when the Sunday school is on. They know when it will be over and the "service" will start; that is when they will stroll in to come and "worship" God. Which God, please?

In Psalm 138:2(b), the Bible clearly states that God exalted His Word more than all His Names. If the God whom you claim to serve and worship exalted His word, but you are abasing the Word, the question comes out to you today saying, who are you serving?

In Luke 8, in the course of His teachings, I believe He has been away from home for too long, his mother and brothers got worried and went looking for Him, but He bluntly told them in verse 21 thus, ". . . My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it." Could you copy that? The simple meaning is that whoever you think you are, whatever you may think you are doing in your church, if you aren't listening to His Word nor doing it, you're not known of the Master; you're none of His! That is one of the reasons your prayers are not getting through for answers.

Aware of the importance of the Word, the Apostles refused to be dragged into the inconsequential in Acts 6:2, but said, " . . . It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables." That was the response of people who understood what the Word of God meant to them and what it could do for them. Hence, they refused to be encumbered with the irrelevances, the cravings of the flesh (1 John 2: 16).

I once attended a parish of one of the leading Pentecostal churches,  here in Nigeria. In that church was a middle-aged woman who happened to be about the richest in the church. This woman never had time to attend the weekly bible study classes nor attend the Sunday school classes. However, there was never any social occasion in the church she ever missed! The terrible part of it all was that the church leadership never saw anything wrong in her conducts nor ever called her to counsel her to the contrary. Instead, she was always celebrated and appreciated for her contributions to the growth of the church.

Brethren, the Bible has made it abundantly clear that the Word of God shall outlive all these things which most of us whore after. In Matthew 24:35, our Lord and Saviour, in one of His final admonitions before His arrest reemphasized the importance of His Word, saying: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."  The book of 1 John 2:17 succinctly puts it as, "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

Did I give you a lifeline there? Definitely, NO! The simple truth, brethren, is that no one can do the will of God without knowing what the will is. And we only know His will when we listen to the Word. You may want to argue that you could read the Word on your own, good! But aren't you going to end up another Ethiopian enunch (Acts 8:27-31)? In Romans 10:14-18, the Apostle Paul reiterated the importance of having somebody to teach us the Word when he answered the yearnings of the Ethiopian enunch by saying, ". . . and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" So, we need a teacher for the perfect understanding of the Word of God.

Conclusion
In closing, today's Christians need the understanding that no matter what group one may belong in the church of God, everyone still need dosages of the true Word of God. In God's opinion, it is perilous to neglect His Word in the course of doing any other things "for Him."

In fact, in practical terms, there is virtually nothing one could do, in His service, in exchange for His Word.

Are you a prayer warrior? You need His Word. Are you a choir member? Without His Word, you will only be entertaining; not ministering; and your songs will never be enough to see you through to eternity. Are you a prophet? He was, too, yet, He cherished the Word of Him Who sent Him.

Therefore, much as important as your unit in the church may be, never let it usurp the Word of God in His service for heaven and earth shall pass away, but His Word shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35) Endeavor, at all times, to attend the services, such as Sunday school classes, Bible study classes, etc, in which His Word is taught.

Till we meet again, keep keeping on in Him!

God bless you!