May 25, 2023
Created to Serve God
Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
One of the characteristics of fallen human nature is the rejection of what’s best. This began all the way back in the Garden of Eden, when Satan tempted Eve to rebel against God and exert her right to determine her own course. Ever since, people have been pursuing their desires based on self-interest. It’s understandable that this is the world’s mindset; sadly, though, it is also the attitude of many Christians who attend church but consider serving an encroachment on their time.
Such self-centered reasoning is grounded in three misconceptions.
1. We don’t understand who God is. He’s the divine Creator of the universe and the sovereign Ruler over heaven and earth. He redeemed us from sin with the precious blood of His Son—in other words, He purchased us from slavery to sin. In that way, we become His slaves, who serve Him out of love and gratitude.
2. We don’t understand why we are here. We were created to worship and serve God. This is our destiny and the way we glorify Him.
3. We don’t understand the Lord’s great purpose in the world. He is building His kingdom, and we have been commissioned to be involved in this process by ministering to one another and proclaiming the gospel near and far.
God intended Christian service to be a divine privilege, a fulfilling opportunity, and an avenue of blessing. To say we can’t fit it into our schedule is a rejection of what God has commanded and ordained as best. But the truth is, what we forfeit by not serving is far greater than anything we could gain by selfishly pursuing our own way.
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