Beginning with last Sunday, we are taking four Sundays to work through the biblical application of the word, OBEDIENCE. The essence is that we must determine our identity, and then literally live it out—do it—BE it.
Take a moment and try to remember back as a child, to what you dreamed of being as a grown-up. I wanted to be a naturalist—a wildlife specialist of some kind. All I knew of and imagined in this job was that I would spend time in the mountains watching wild animals. (That job still sounds pretty wonderful, actually!) I would love for you to tell me sometime what you imagined you might be when you were a little kid. Maybe we should make a wall where we can write these down for fun.
But what does the Bible say is our identity? We all know that we are unique, individual people with our own skills sets, personalities, and abilities—but there are some things that are true for all of us.
Last week, we learned: We have the identity of a new creation in Christ.
This week: We have the identity of being servants of Christ.
Both of these strong points dictate a great deal about the way we live our lives—and what we do with our lives.
As you prepare for this coming Sunday, I want you to read these passages and verses ahead of the service, and do a little bit of homework with each one. Find the word “servant” in each of these verses. Use a Study Bible or some simple research to find on your own what the word “servant” meant in that context.
Contemplate these questions for yourself:
- What do I do with my life? What is my life situation? (my job, my relationships, my age)
- Does any part of my life as a follower of Christ reflect the life of a servant?
- How would being a servant for Christ make any difference?
- How can I be a servant for Christ in the roles I live out on a day-to-day basis?
This will be our focus this coming Sunday morning.
One more thing…
Please be in prayer for our Global Impact Celebration week (November 10-14). Pray for our guest global missionaries and workers. Pray that God would use this time to shape our whole church family for his mission. Pray that God would shape YOU!
See you Sunday,
