Being prepared to serve God

Text: Hebrews 12:1-2

Introduction: When an athlete begins preparing themselves to compete they look at certain areas of their life such as diet, rest, strength and endurance. The athlete knows that being prepared will make the difference between success and failure. We in our own lives also realize that being prepared will make the difference between success and failure in areas such as our career, family, finances and the like. We spend a lot of time and money making sure we have the education, finances, training and physical health, in preparation to make ourselves successful, and rightfully so. Well things aren’t any different with God and his children. God has provided us with everything we need to successfully serve him; you see serving God isn’t for a select few such as preachers, deacons, teachers, missionaries or evangelists, these are servants of God, but so is every born again believer. If you claim salvation by the blood of Jesus Christ, you are saved for service. (Jam 2:17) faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

God expects us to be his witness; therefore we should rightfully prepare ourselves. Tonight look with me as we see what the Bible says about being prepared to serve God.

Hebrews chapter 11 as an example; people of faith of old and today people watch our life and actions.

I. Preparation for the race; getting our lives in order

1. Be able to lay aside all fondness for the world

(2Ti 2:4) No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of [this] life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

2. Handle the sin that can handle you

3. Be able to work through hindrances

II. Practice; running the race

1. Our race; service, suffering and obedience (active and passive)

2. Our race path is; marked by the word of God and examples of past servants faith.

3. Patience (endurance) for difficulties and perseverance for temptations let our faith be increased by prayer, praise and study.

4. Jesus the ultimate example (for us)

(1) What Jesus is to his people

[1] The object and author of our faith

[2] The finisher of our faith

(2) Jesus’ troubles and trials

[1] The opposition through words and behavior

(We will have opposition)

[2] The cross, suffering, pain, shame and death

(We will suffer also)

(3) The joy that kept him going, making peace between God and man, the salvation for the world

(4) The reward for his suffering, sitting on the right hand of God making intercession for his people.

(5) The duty of his people

[1] Look to him for; example, encouragement, discretion, assistance and acceptance.

[2] Compare what we are going through to what he has gone through.

(6) The strength that comes from following Christ.

[1] We will become weak, at our very best

[2] Look to Jesus, faith and meditation will provide strength, comfort and courage. If we suffer with him we will reign with him.

Conclusion: We have a high calling tonight, a calling to step out and serve the God that gave his life in order that we may have eternal life. That opportunity is an honor and privilege; it’s a service not a work, his burden is light and his yoke is easy. Its nothing for us to receive praise or glory for, instead we should want to see God glorified through our service. We should want to see others come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior; then we should want to strengthen one another, build each other up with Prayer and encouragement. But first of all we must know we are fit for service, that we haven’t went slack on our training. I will ask each and everyone tonight to look at your relationship with God at your service at your skills and abilities and ask yourself, am I using them for God’s service. Consider your attitude, first to God, and then to others, you can’t have a good fellowship with God if you don’t have a good fellowship with God’s people. As we end tonight’s service I want encourage each and every one to go into the week with an attitude to serve God first, as his worker then to look for the good in each other praying for one another that we all may be fit and ready for His service. Please stand. (Pray as a dismissal)

Saving Grace Baptist Church

8/24/2003