Serve and Glorify God

Last week we read only a couple of verses about the importance of loving others in these end times. In spite of what we face in the world around us.

We may or may not know exactly who God wants us to love today. Even more, we may claim we haven’t got a clue how. The Holy Spirit guided Peter to provide practical suggestions.

“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9).

We could say,

• It is no trouble to cook or prepare food for family or friends.
• It is no trouble to wash dishes or do laundry after having guests over.
• It is an opportunity to serve others.
• Here’s the catch: the original word meant to show kindness, be a friend to, or love strangers.¹
• When I looked at two words for “hospitality” next to each other in the dictionary, the word used here has the added idea of love.

Which is exactly what Peter thought.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10).

The gift we have received is what has been given to us, the grace we have already partaken of through Jesus.² His grace is now part of our life.

• Some of you breathe a sigh of relief with the thought, “good,” since I don’t have the gift of hospitality.
• It would be interesting to do a word study of “hospitality,” because I bet we’d find it’s rich in nuance and meaning, beyond a “Martha-cook and clean” concept.
• Perhaps your gift is making others feel welcome. We love people with this gift!
• Perhaps your gift is a word of encouragement. You’re the one who takes one person in the gathering aside to speak those cherished words, while someone else sets food on the table.
• Regardless of the nature of the gathering, we are all “stewards of God’s grace,” which enables us to step outside our comfort zone and do whatever it takes to show hospitality.

We should pause here to consider what it means to be a “steward of God’s grace.”

The church doesn’t always welcome what we offer as the “gift [we] you have received.”

Then what?

In love, through grace, we serve in whatever way we find.

We hold forth the gospel of grace, the gift of forgiveness and reconciliation to a holy God.³

I love the way Paul said it,

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:14-16a).

*What does it mean to you to offer hospitality?

*What is the connection between hospitality and God’s grace?

*How does God want us to serve as a steward of His grace?

 Some speak words of encouragement, others speak truth from God’s Word.

“If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God” (1 Peter 4:11a).

This isn’t the first time Peter mentioned this idea. We first read this verse nearly a month ago.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).

• The only way we can speak “the very words of God” is to have His Word in our hearts.
• Our goal is to speak only with the Holy Spirit’s guidance and influence.
• Salvation is the first step in our new way of life with

“But what does it say? ‘The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,’ that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim” (Romans 10:8).

• Paul quoted Deuteronomy, in which Moses reminded the people of God’s blessings for those who obey.

“Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. … No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it” (Deuteronomy 30:11, 14).

• Earlier we read how Jesus calls us friends.
• In a friendship relationship with God, we each want to please the other person.
• We please God when we obey Him out of love for and joy in Him.

Jesus said,

“I have given them [all believers] the glory that you gave Me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and You in Me—so that they may be brought to complete unity” (John 17:22-23a).

• Jesus abides with us and in our hearts.

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (John 1:1)

• Jesus is the Word of God.
• I love these triangles in Scripture.
• We have God’s Word living in us.
• Jesus helps us make a final connection:

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Luke 6:45).

• God’s Word living in us enables us to offer God’s grace to others in service.

*How can we speak the Word of God to others?

*What are ways you keep God’s Word in your heart?

We do any and all of this only in God’s strength.

“If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11b).

• Serving in this way—beyond our comfort zone—is possible only through God’s strength.
• Serving is related to humbling ourselves—making room for others.
• “Serve” in this verse connects to showing hospitality in that it means food or money given to those in need.⁴
• Once we are in Christ, God gives us the mental and moral ability to serve.
• God enables us to love and serve one another to bring glory to Himself.
• Our service enables others to recognize God for who He is and what He has done.
• As God works through us, we celebrate Him with praise, worship, and adoration.

Our reason for serving is to praise God.

*How has God enabled you to serve Him and others?

*When have you seen service lead to glorifying God?

 

1. Spiros Zodhiates Th.D., The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament (Chattanooga, Tennessee: AMG Publishers, 1992), 1447
2. Zodhiates, 908
3. Zodhiates, 1470
4. Zodhiates, 429