(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.) Amen. Okay, so Deuteronomy chapter 10. I want to focus on verses 12 and 13 for now. So Deuteronomy 10 and from verse 12. And now Israel, what does the Lord thy God require of thee? But to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good. And the title of my sermon today is we are required to serve. We are required to serve. Let's go to the Lord in a word of prayer. Father I thank you for your word. I thank you that you give us the opportunity to serve you, that you make it clear with what you want from us as well, that your word just sets it all out for us and just help me to preach that clearly now, boldly. Please fill me with your spirit and fill those here listening with your spirit as well to just be able to take in what your word has to say to them today. In Jesus' name we pray all of this. Amen. Okay so if you just flick back to chapter 9 of verse 6 there, Moses is telling them straight here in Deuteronomy 9 6 where he says, understand therefore that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness, for thou art a stiff-necked people. And he then basically gives them a quick recent history lesson reminding them of all their wickedness, stubbornness, rebelliousness. We could probably sometimes do with being reminded of ourselves a bit, couldn't we? Some of us here probably could could do with being reminded about who we are, where we've come from, where sadly we continuously are as well and sometimes we can get a little bit self-righteous. I think probably most Christians have that ability sometimes saying well look at the world and look at us but don't forget where you came from, don't forget who you really are, don't forget that flesh you still have. But you know it's not it's not our own righteousness that we're now spiritual Israel is it? It's not because of our own righteousness and that's again there are those false Christians out there that think that they have somehow earned it, they've somehow repented of all their sins or some other nonsense like that but we know that it's not that is it? It's not our righteousness it's it's Jesus Christ's righteousness which is the reason that we are now spiritual Israel and we are spiritual Israel aren't we? That's very clear in the Bible there's absolutely no doubt about that but it's not because of our own righteousness. But also it can be useful also to remember that you're not alone in your flesh either because you then have the the flip side of that where people then feel like they're just surrounded by by what appear to be all these righteous Christians and they start to feel down on themselves and think oh I just you know I'm so sinful I'm so look we're all sinful okay every single person in this room struggles and battles with the flesh every single day okay and look some might be winning certain battles and losing others and we all have different battles we'll have different sins which which we find harder to resist but every single person here has that and yes we rightfully so we don't come here just bearing all our problems all our issues all our battles but don't forget that everyone here when they go home and they're week to week their day to day is battling sin and they'll regularly be losing that so don't also feel too down yourself but we are all sinful okay we are all sinful we haven't earned this position this place as a peculiar nation and Moses is reminding them the same here he continues to do that in chapter 9 and he continues reminding them where they've come from all the way through to the beginning of chapter 10 and to verse 12 to 13 where he basically then tells them what God expects of them and no it's not in return for the promise land because that is a promise okay that was promised to them the promised land but in the same way you know that we also have a promised land don't we that we haven't earned we have a promised land that's been promised to us it's been gifted to us a heavenly city and that eternal life has been gifted to us it was promised before the world began wasn't it and we have that we have that to look forward to but whilst we're here whilst we're here in this life whilst we're here on this physical earth here God requires some things of us and no it's not in exchange it's not so that we still get eternal life but we have eternal life okay if you put your faith in Jesus Christ you have eternal life but God requires some things of you while you're here God wants some things of us now what does require mean it means to demand to ask as of by right and by authority so it's not just that God would like you to do these things but you pick and choose no God demands it of us and you can choose to not do these things you can choose to just ignore him you can choose to do what you want you're still going to heaven but you won't have a good life and you also won't have anywhere near the rewards in heaven that someone that does choose to do what God wants him to do will get but have a look at Deuteronomy 10 and verse 12 it says and now Israel what does the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul to keep the commandments of the Lord and his statutes which I command thee this day for thy good so fear the Lord thy God walk in all his ways keep his commandments his statutes I think they're all things that we probably here preached on a lot that we that we would like I think we'd all be striving hopefully everyone here is striving to do those things and look at this requirement like the end of verse 12 to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and I think that requirement is something that many Christians can often lose sight of I think that's something that that we can look and think yeah I'm gonna make sure I try and keep the commandments keep the statutes yeah I fear the Lord yeah I want to walk in his ways I love him yeah I know I'm gonna do all those things what about serving him with all your heart and with all your soul now what does to serve mean to work for to bestow the labor of body and mind in the employment of another and you're here to work labor for God okay if you're saved your job is to work and labor for God and we can often I think forget or at least diminish this requirement of us okay we can all often think well yeah I need to I need to be a good person any part of that is serving God yeah trying to keep his commandments is part of that serving God but there's more than that isn't there we're not just here to serve now it's not just okay well serve as and when I decide to but he said to serve with all our hearts and all our souls that basically to be number one employee to be the best you can be to be to serve in the best you possibly can and put your effort your effort all your effort maximum effort thought and effort into serving God that's what he requires that's what he demands that's hard work isn't it that's labor that doesn't look easy and and you know if you're wondering here sorry to break it to you but the Christian life is hard graft the Christian life is hard getting the heaven is easy the Christian life is hard okay it is hard we love to point out don't we we would love to point out the brainwash in the world and and too right there's a lot of brainwash out there isn't there there's a lot of propaganda out there there's a lot of conditioning we like to point out the bits that we think that we've resisted that we've managed to see obvious ones you know the Big Bang and billions of years well how much is that pushing people and we like to we have a chuckle at that really don't because it is ridiculous it's absolutely ridiculous and we laugh at that and we we talk about the brainwash and maybe we'll refer to people that we have to deal with about this how they've been brainwashed maybe to them maybe not maybe you're more polite than that but we like to talk about that maybe feminism a lot of us here that think that we've got a lid on that we like to talk about the feminist brainwash and it's big isn't it and it's a big problem the family gets attacked in various ways and that whole feminist sort of brainwashes is a big part of that isn't it and a lot of us like to talk about that and say oh you can see the brainwashing this and the brainwashing that pharmaceutical industry type stuff the Western Medical brainwash we like to talk about that don't we and again it is brainwash and so many people I mean we're literally just surrounded by kind of brainwashed zombies right now aren't we just just anything they're told they just just snap it up don't they and and and that's brainwashing and we were talking myself my wife the other day and you've got to remember you've got to remember to try and feel sorry for some of these people as well because look okay they still make the choice but they are victims okay and they are victims and look they employ psychologists and they employ people who are experts on how to brainwash people to brainwash these people and we're basically surrounded by victims victims of brainwash okay but they still have responsibility but yeah they are victims but there's another lie there's another line another brainwash out there that that having nothing to do makes you happy okay and that that's that's a conditioning that I think we've seen for a long time that somehow everyone should just aspire to early retirement everyone just aspires to be rich so they don't have to do anything ever again everyone aspires to the long holiday all students just aspire to basically a year of doing nothing and racking up debt while they just hang around and have a party abroad because we you know doing nothing is just great isn't it doing nothing absolutely having nothing to do is just what what fun how how rewarding it is how great it is to just put your feet I don't know some of you that are probably busy right now and and a lot of us are busy right now probably quite like the idea of doing nothing for a little while but you know what for a short time yeah we do need to recharge it God God throughout the Old Testament gives those feast times those feast days it gives Sabbaths on top of that that's that Saturday Sabbath and of course we don't observe the Sabbath now and he does that and and look we do need to recharge sometimes but every now and again isn't it it's not just a constant recharge to do nothing okay you're recharging for something aren't you you're recharging for work for labor to serve hmm and there is I think look that there's lots of free time and that's what and nowadays you see people kind of demanding and craving more more free time and convinced that they need even more free time they need less and less to do to be happy but they really happy I don't know anyone that has lots of time on a hand that's really happy I just live in the life doing nothing feet up nothing to do they're not and I know some people have reasons why they can't do stuff and as you know I'm not getting on people there that have justified reasons why they're unable sometimes to get as much done and but we should be striving trying our best don't we to serve God that's what he said it and that brain washes out there and the result of that and add to that egocentric viewpoint the egocentric you know is it egocentricity which again I think is brainwashed on people where we're just kind of convinced we're so important it's all about me it's all about us all about my time and combine that with that brainwash to think that free time is is some sort of holy grail to seek towards and and what do we have the result is obviously you have a world of people that just seem to be bone idol but you also have Christians around the world going through their day-to-day lives doing the bare minimum during the bare minimum in life whilst focusing on what they're getting out of it at the same time because everything's about me everything's about self you know it's my life my you know how important I am and everything else but God requires us to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and and there were some good reasons to do that okay there could some good reasons to serve God because it's not like we're just serving that useless boss at work is it it's not like we've just got that really annoying boss that guy that's useless doesn't know anything and he just wants us to basically do everything for him he doesn't know what he's doing that's not who we've been asked to serve is it we've been asked to serve the Lord thy God the God of the world the only true God and look it could be a lot worse couldn't it it could be a lot worse could be serving one of the many false gods and with their wickedness and their weird ways and everything else no we're serving God the true God and look at Deuteronomy 10 and verse 14 where it says behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God the earth also with all that there in is only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them and he chose their seed after them even you above all people as it is this day circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart and be no more stiff-necked for the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of Lords a great God a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh reward God commands us to serve him and he's God of gods it says here Lord of Lords a great God a mighty and a terrible and when it's someone who holds that sort of respect and in a way that sort of fear that that that we can have for for someone like that when it's someone as important as that we should want to serve him shouldn't we I remember when I was when I went to school and I had a group of friends and we thought we were pretty cool we thought we were pretty tough and we were kind of that and not you know silly group in the school and and you know some of this sadly I was thinking back to some of the teachers there got got a pretty you know got a bad time from some of us and some of them really that you know you think wow what a job because they really won't cut out for it but there was that odd teacher who just commanded your respect and you could be abusing one teacher and then suddenly this this this one teacher and I remember the one of these teachers his name was mr. Madigan is in the territorial army this guy and he commanded respect and when he went past you you could you thought you're cool you're swagging around sorry yes I could and you he just made he made you what us he made you want to do that is if he you could be you know trying to be the coolest kid in in the school and then he won't pass and told you to go and fetch him something you gotta do it because it's this guy come on to respect and he did have some interesting forms of punishment he had people you know holding squat positions on the wall like this press ups and everything he could get away with without gaining you and but it did make you behave and it made you do things right and and you wanted to serve him he commanded respect he commanded respect and for a good reason and then I was a great teacher and you know why everyone that was in his classes just did well in that the kids that were doing nothing in all the other classes in his classes they they worked and they learned but in a way it's like that with God isn't it he he commands respect doesn't he he commands respect and he should make you want to serve him he should make you want to do things for him it should be yes sir and no sir shouldn't it shouldn't it this is God this isn't just some teacher at school that had a bit of a tough mentality this is God God of God Lord of Lords Hebrews 10 so Hebrews 12 you don't have to turn there 28 29 says wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptively acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire and by the way that's the New Testament in case you figure out he's just gone to the Old Testament say we've got to serve God we're not the nation of it yeah well no we are the nation of Israel we're a spiritual Israel and we're still commanded to serve God because our God is a consuming fire okay let's not forget that our God is a consuming fire that's a good reason to serve him isn't it is it shouldn't that be a good reason serving because it because it was a good reason to serve old mr. Madigan with just the fact that he he was scary he was a scary guy and it made you want to serve him but God is a lot scarier than him okay he's a consuming fire but he also deserves our service doesn't he doesn't he deserve our service Deuteronomy chapter 10 and look at verse 18 he doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow and loveth the stranger in giving him food and raiment love ye therefore the stranger for you were strangers in the land of Egypt thou shalt fear the Lord thy God him shout thou servant to him shout thou cleave and swear by his name he is thy praise and he is like God that have done for thee these great and terrible things which thine eyes have seen my father's went down into Egypt with three score and ten person now the Lord thy God has made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude doesn't God deserve our service our service doesn't he God is a loving God and he wants people to come to him doesn't he okay wants people to come to him and he's done more for us than we could ever do in return isn't he he's done more for every single person in this room than than combined we could do in return okay none look there's that we couldn't do enough to thank him and he does deserve it doesn't he okay he deserves our service Romans 12 one you have to turn this says I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service presenting our bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God is just our reasonable service so oh well you know you've really gone above and beyond that's just our reasonable service he's your Savior how do we take that gift how do we take that gift of eternal life that free gift and then not want to serve him it's hard it's hard to fathom sometimes isn't it you go out you get people say they get saved and they just yeah whatever just don't know yeah I'll take that and that's it how do you not want to serve him but sadly the majority don't want to serve him do they and and sadly most a lot of people here like to think we want to serve him but what do we really want to serve him or is it maybe for ourselves is it maybe for the benefit we think we might get or is it is there some other main reason to be the best Christian or whatever it is rather than really our main goal should be to serve God isn't it to serve him now if that's not enough jump forward to Deuteronomy chapter 11 and have a look at verse 13 here and it shall come to pass if ye shall harken diligently under my commandments when you're doing things diligently it's with a lot of work and effort which I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart with all your soul that I will give you the reign of your land in his due season the first rain and the latter rain that thou mayest gather in thy corn and thy wine and thine oil and I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle that thou mayest eat and be full so God blesses us when we serve him and he blesses us both in this life we do get blessings in this life don't forget that and yeah it's not it's not you know parcels of cash it's not things that we think are gonna bless us but God knows how to bless us doesn't he okay and there are many blessings he gives us and in heaven as well okay and God clearly rewards us in heaven based on how we serve him in this life okay and look at heaven's eternity heaven is eternity and if look that if the other reasons aren't enough even if it's just for the rewards go for the rewards there's nothing wrong he keeps telling us about the rewards for a reason doesn't he Matthew again you'd understand in Matthew 16 27 says for the Son of man shall come in the glory of his father with his angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works because we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ one day okay we're all going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ no you're not going to get punished you're not going to get get punished for any sins you've done they've been washed away if you put your faith in Jesus Christ but but you are going to get rewarded for the good work you've done for work that has eternal rewards that has sorry that has eternal value you'll get eternal rewards and I'm looking forward to eternal rewards I want eternal eternal rewards and and I believe the Word of God do you believe the Word of God yeah I hope you all believe the Word of God if you're saved you must have believed at least part of the Word of God so you might as well believe the rest of it because it's not a pick and mix and look the Word of God says that you can and will earn eternal rewards if you serve him okay so we want to serve him we're required to serve we don't want to disobey God we want to please God and we want to earn rewards too don't we so how do we how do we serve him how do we serve God what work does he want us doing and no this isn't where I start giving you the list of jobs in the church okay it's all building up to it right I need some help guys okay but that is one angle but but there are many angles actually because there are the four obvious areas of the Christian life okay four obvious areas of the Christian life to focus on and my point look when I was writing this this sermon and when I think about this sermon what what I really am trying to get across to everyone here is is it's a mentality change okay it's not look you might be ticking all these boxes but to keep you going to keep you happy to keep you wanting to to be able to when you get those times and you're starting to feel like I just don't want to do this part I'm funny I'll do this part is to remember that it's not for you okay yeah there it's great that that doing these things for God actually benefits you as well yeah that's great but that shouldn't be your motivation if we can get our motivation right then we're more likely to persevere and to keep going throughout throughout the whole of our lives because that's the idea isn't it it's not just oh well as long as I do a bit for a little while then I kind of slipped again no we want to just keep going keep going keep going because we're serving God okay so that's what I want you to think about here is what your mentality is and we are required to serve required that's demanded to serve it's not a choice okay you are demanded to serve and number one through soul winning okay number one is through soul winning the first works of Great Commission that's the obvious work isn't it okay turn a second Corinthians 5 is our main job here our main purpose is to preach the gospel that's why you're here that's what the main job for you to do that's how people get saved it's not automatic okay that Calvinist brainwash it because even churches claim not to be Calvinist claim to not believe in the five five points of Calvinism still come back to that whole world God does the saving God does the saving oh yeah well we're not Calvinist but God does the saving got that and it's just a mantra because they don't really want to go out and preach the gospel okay and and sadly it's it's infected so many non Calvinist churches around the world that have just got this point where they just say well people God will just choose and pick and choose and it's nuts because the Bible doesn't say that does it the Bible does not say that it's not automatic well you're turning to second Corinthians 5 second Corinthians 4 3 says but if our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost okay that they're lost if our gospel is hid they are lost okay it comes down to every Christian in here you have a responsibility second Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 18 says and all things are of God who have reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation and I do believe that Paul's not just talking about himself and knows in his you know in his close circles I believe he's talking to the to the whole church there and look it's given to us and the ministry is work isn't it okay a ministry is work it's not oh well that's something that you can do now and again it's work it could be hard work at times can't it verse 19 to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and have committed unto us the word of reconciliation that's responsibility isn't it he's committed it to us it's not just so well you you guys have a guy as well and I'll just appear to people in dreams and stuff like that and we're just kind of together I'll make up I'll pick up the slack guys don't worry you do what you what you want to do because I don't want to I want to put you out I don't want you to feel a bit uncomfortable bit nervous I don't want you to have to actually go out and do something for me no no don't worry you just kind of pick and choose maybe go every night it may be you know talk about God to someone once once a year mention to someone at your Christian wear a cross around your neck or something that'll do it yeah that'll do it and I'll pick up the slack he didn't say that did he I don't want the professionals will do it he didn't say that did he he said he is committed unto us the word of reconciliation and again he didn't say just go and talk about God the word the word of reconciliation he means preaching verses of the Bible to get people saved okay that's what we're commanded to do now now look at verse 20 now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ said be ye reconciled to God and a real ambassador's job is hard a real ambassador's job is hard it's not just dinner parties with Ferrero Rocher okay is if anyone remembers that okay some of you might gonna be head but don't worry about that but it's not just dinner parties with Ferrero Rocher it's actually it's actually hard work okay being a real ambassador because you're an ambassador sadly to people that are very anti you're like the ambassador in in the nations which want to go to war with you and you're trying to persuade them not to that's the sort of ambassador you are you're beseeching them you're basically just pleading with them please have peace with God through Jesus Christ and that's not an easy job because they're so hostile you're in a hostile territory and soul winning can be a hard job can't it be a hard job years down the line and it can look I'm not saying that not many people necessarily feel there's novelty some will though and there can be a feeling of novelty and it can be interesting and amusing at first but look we're in this for life so years down the line when when you you're in the winter in the dark in the rough areas knocking on those doors the door and it's gonna I think it's gonna get ruder it's gonna get worse I hope it doesn't hope it gets more receptive but I don't know people seem to be getting up coming up with new excuses the government are giving them for being annoyed that we're knocking on their doors we had someone again the other day with that one it was it I think brother Andreas wasn't it not wearing a mask you know coming to my door without a mask the guys are off your doorstep two meters back and and just just people you know whatever they've been fed it's their latest line to be annoyed but look and it can be hard can't it and it can be tough but it's that's our job okay we're required to serve required to serve but you've got to have that in your mind don't you because if it's for other reasons if your main reason for soul winning is something else it might be just to impress other people it might be to to become the best soul winner or the more I do the better I'm gonna get it here or it might be and look nothing wrong with wanting to be a good soul winner but your motivation your motivation should be and has to be number one is to serve God okay to serve God now Philippians 4 3 if you turn to 1st Corinthians 3 Philippians 4 3 says and I entreat thee also true yoke fellow help those women which labored with me in the gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow laborers whose names are in the book of life so it's labor isn't it he says here help those women which labored with me in the gospel and with other my fellow laborers it can be a slog but also it's not just a man's job is it okay it's not just a man's job he's talking about the women here which labored with him in the gospel okay look I understand there are times with with newborn babies and and heavily pregnant women where it's not so easy but look look it's every everyone's job everyone's job is to go out and preach the gospel 1st Corinthians 3 you've turned to verse 6 says I have planted a polis watered but God gave the increase so then neither is he that planteth anything neither he that waltereth but God that giveth the increase so this I believe is referring to soul winning then discipling I see that as because I see that Paul got them saved and the policies is basically building them up but it can also be when one preached another preaches later we apply that as well don't we we have those times where maybe you speak to someone who's heard something years ago and they're kind of ready now they're low-hanging fruit at some point in the future verse 8 now he that planted than he that waltereth the one and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor so it's labor either way whether you're discipling someone whether you're preaching to someone that's already been preached to whether you're just going out and preaching the gospel to someone that's never even heard of Jesus it's all labor isn't it it's all labor according to God and we all get rewarded it says here and shall receive his own reward according to his own labor that's a great incentive isn't it you're not just serving God you're gonna get rewarded as well for we're laborers together with God you know God's husbandry ye are God's building only God does the saving is that what it says it doesn't says we're laborers together with God we labor with him okay we labor with him verse 10 according to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation another builder Theron but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon for other foundation can no man lay than that sorry than that is laid which is Jesus Christ now if any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones would hey stubble every man's work should be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is if any man's work abide which he had built thereupon he shall receive a reward it's pretty clear it's work it's pretty clear that we get rewarded for that work but we're still demanded to do it okay when you do things for God they have eternal value and that means eternal rewards doesn't it that means eternal rewards and there's no more obvious way of doing that and saving people's souls is there okay but there are other ways we are required to serve and number one is through soul-winning okay you're required you're demanded you're expected God wants you to do it God God requires it of you but number two is through the Bible through Bible reading memory you name it through the Bible turn to 2nd Timothy 2 and yes the Bible is a pleasure and what a blessing that one of our jobs on the ways we serve God isn't something that's enjoyable I think about you know there are certain people that get into jobs in life where they really enjoy their day day-to-day work and what a blessing I think sometimes about you know some sportsmen and things like that people think about myself you know it might have been their hobby maybe it would still be their hobby there are some sportsmen that it wouldn't be and there are many other jobs like that where you actually enjoy parts of your day probably not all your day but you enjoy parts of it but it's still work it's still working 2nd Timothy 2 you're turning to I'm gonna read Psalm 190 103 which says how sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth I remember being young thinking that food tasters must have a really good job I was thinking that would be a good job food testers or video game testers or something like that you think yeah good job well look reading the Bible is a good job but it's still a way that we serve God consistent reading memorization study is also work though isn't it okay is work and it's enjoyable but it's still work and you have to be disciplined with it in 2nd Timothy 2 15 here where you are Paul is addressing Timothy a young preacher isn't he but don't we all want to be approved by God yeah he might be addressing young preacher but we could all learn from this as well we all want to be approved by God he says to Timothy study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth so he's describing him as a workman studying the Word of God is a workman there and look Bible study can be hard work okay it can be hard work and sometimes when you're trying to get to the bottom of you know certain verses certain passages when you're studying not just to preach when you're studying for other reasons you're studying to get something in life that you want to study out that could be that could be hard work it could be hard slog sometimes I'm sitting there and I'm studying something out and the time can go and you and you you know you're really meditating on a verse trying to really understand and pray and understand what it is and looking at other passages and it can it could be hard work it's enjoyable work but it's still hard work it's it's work the Bible calls it work study show thyself approved unto God a workman and look so can there's consistent reading as well turn to Deuteronomy chapter 6 it's not just a study there even just consistent Bible reading is work but remember you're serving God because again people can can go I'm just finding really hard to read my Bible right now I'm just feeling a bit disconnected I'm just not really getting much out of my Bible reading so what serve him you're serving him yeah look you're a workman study to show thyself approved serve him because reading the Bible day in day out is a way that we serve God why why is it a way that we serve God because we learn from it so why are we serving God because we're training ourselves to be a better servant okay you're you're basically training yourself you know you know when you're you're in some and a lot of jobs do this a lot of you in your careers where your job will pay for you to train in something won't they and they'll send you off for training they'll do regular training regular improvement because you're basically going to be a better employee when they send you off for your training courses and in the same way that's in a way you can look at that with reading the Word of God because you're gonna be a better soul winner you're gonna be a better member of a church you're gonna be better at many aspects of life you're gonna be better at serving God in the various areas of well of life family life your work life and everything else if you're if you're constantly improving and constantly studying and looking at the manual okay and you can look at this manual your whole life you still won't know it all will you okay and we're required it's you're gonna be more able to serve him to overcome to counsel others to win souls to disciple all of that you're gonna improve and get better at the more you read the Word of God okay the more you study and look in our work for God we're expected to do this every day okay you're expected to do it every day and not just what well I've ticked off I've done my verse for the day I've done my chapter no we're told to study the Word of God to read the Word of God to talk about the Word of God look at Deuteronomy 6 and verse 6 and these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart okay that's memorizing the Word of God and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shout talk of them when thou sit us in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house and on thy gates that sounds like hard work yeah it's good work but it's hard work isn't it okay you've got to be disciplined for that to be reading the Bible regularly thinking about the Bible regularly talking about the Bible regularly again that's part of serving God that's part of being being a workman being that workman that needeth not be ashamed okay is is studying and look to even study the Word of God you need to read it don't you okay if you've never read the Bible how are you gonna study the Bible okay you got to read it you got to study it you got to memorize it obviously you want to you need to apply it as well and that could feel like work but it's good work isn't it it's good work it's and look it could be a lot worse we could be reading some nonsense but like the Quran imagine you had to study that day in day out that would be a slog oh it'd be terrible wouldn't it oh it would be pretty bad imagine if we had to say if we didn't have the Word of God and we had to study one of these wicked false Bible perversions day in day out that would be hard work wouldn't it it just doesn't it just disjointed like when you read the Word of God it just flows isn't it it's beauty in the beauty and look what a great job but it's still a job and it's still part of serving God so if you're sitting there thinking well I didn't really read my Bible this morning and I've been finding it hard I haven't really been you know serve him doesn't matter serve him you're required to serve to serve him okay someone one verse two says but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his Lord that he meditate day and night Bible memorization is hard work you've got to be disciplined for that that's hard to do and look if you want to if you're serving God that's what you should be doing memorizing the Word of God it's working on that it's all part of being a good good workman being a good servant and we all we're required to serve it's not just if you like do as much as you like well I understand you're going through a bit right now I understand you're a bit disconnected understand that look no God said serve him okay serve him Bible Bible memory is part of that now we are required to serve number one through soul winning number two through the Bible number three through prayer through prayer yep praying his work to praying his work turn to Colossians 4 so where Paul is signing off at the end of the letter here he's sending greetings from the brethren Colossians chapter 4 and from verse 12 Colossians 4 12 says this is Paul speaking he says Epaphras who is one of you a servant of Christ salute with you always laboring fervently for you in prayers that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of Christ so Epaphras is described as a servant of Christ yeah we're still servants he's always oh he's also here it says here he says he's always laboring fervently which is basically eagerly with zeal passionately for the Colossians in prayers and it's pretty impressive isn't it always laboring fervently for them look I know people that labor in prayer I'm sure everyone here is probably labored in prayer at times but notice who he's praying for is it himself no always laboring fervently for you in prayer so that's someone with Paul he's writing to the Colossians saying that this guy is laboring fervently for the Colossians in prayers because we will often probably labor in prayers for ourselves maybe for our close family but do we for our church let alone this is for another church do we do we do that do we labor fervently in prayer for other churches for people in our church let's just start at that do we labor fervently for in prayer for each other and I'm not asking for a show of hands right okay but look because I reckon probably everyone here could say yeah actually I've got a problem with that okay because I think most Christians would say that the prayer life part they find hard a lot of people do it turn to 2nd Timothy 1 1st Thessalonians 5 17 says pray without ceasing and while you turn to 2nd Timothy 1 Romans 1 9 Paul says for God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his son that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers again that's Paul just praying for and and they're not the only people he's praying for he must have a long old prayer list there and look without ceasing that's regular consistent prayer and and that could be hard to maintain can't it regular consistent prayer can be hard to maintain and it's because it's work because it's labor he said earlier in Colossians 4 12 laboring fervently that's what Epaphras is doing there but but it's for other people it's for other people and and when you're in the spirit look there's nothing wrong with praying for yourself we should pray for ourselves shouldn't we but look we should be laboring in prayer for each other as well okay and that's part of part of serving God 2nd Timothy 1 3 says I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day so that's Paul praying for Timothy night and day that's amazing isn't it how many how many people do you pray for night and day other than your family members if you do look and I think we could all hold our hands up here and say we all fall short here don't we yeah we all fall short but that's part of it that's an example we're constantly being given here to be praying for each other night and day and that's part of laboring working grafting for God and the reason we can't say that because it's labor it's hard work it's hard work it taking that time remembering those people being consistent being disciplined with that but we should aim to work harder shouldn't we we should aim to be the best servant we can turn a first Samuel because if we're not praying for each other it's not just so well you're not a very good servant you could do a bit better we're actually sinning I believe and okay you could just say well it's Samuel here maybe with his position as a prophet but I think it could apply to all of us first Samuel chapter 12 first Samuel chapter 12 and from verse 23 he says moreover as for me God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and the right way only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things he had done for you so going back to the point earlier on about one of the many reasons to serve God but look at verse 23 there God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you and look that could be a good thing to remember if it's not for the serving God if it's not for the actual benefit of the people that we should be wanting to improve and wanting to pray for it how about just because you're sinning when you're not okay you're sinning when you're not praying for each other okay so that's something that if you take nothing else from this sermon please just go away and think yeah I want to make an effort I'm gonna make a schedule and I think that can help again you know I like routine I think get a routine going get a time when you pray for other people I know some people might have different times where prayers are for different reasons that can work you can say right this time on this day this you know this time of the day is when I pray for other people in my church and there's nothing wrong with with making some notes of things that you think people might be praying for as well do that you know and that's part of being a good church member that's part of being a good servant and that's the main thing isn't it so we are required to serve number one through soul winning number two through the Bible number three through prayer and number four through the church okay through church and look just coming to church is serving God okay just coming is serving God let alone when we also serve at a church in one way or another okay but coming to church is serving God because we can easily get into a bit of a well what am I getting out of church type attitude and you know why we probably have a have more of a risk of that is because a lot of people here basically learn and grew as Christians through watching YouTube sermons and probably still do as well and they'll watch YouTube sermons and they feel like their knowledge is growing they feel like it's helped them get sin out of their life they feel like it's got them on the right tracks and they could easily come to church go well I could just watch that at home I could watch whatever my favorite preacher is at home instead I could go and just you know I just just sit at home put on YouTube saves the effort don't have to go there what's the difference because that's what I've been doing for years well what's the difference is that just turning up at church you're serving God okay you're required to serve okay and God wants us serving him and he wants us serving him at the local church and in this country the local church is well for anyone in this country this is a local church let's be honest and again there might be a few I don't want to be just you know completely dogmatic about that but I don't see any really though because part of in the church is preaching the gospel yeah going out preaching the gospel and look it's not that we all need backslapping because we're so because we're not great yeah we could be everyone here could probably be doing more but you know what we're a church because we preach the gospel and if they're not doing that they don't preach the gospel not preach the word of God Nate and if they've got some wicked false gospel they're not a church so that kind of narrows it down a lot in this country doesn't it okay so turning up to church and of course we want to benefit from church okay everyone does should benefit from church and we want to benefit from church it's nothing wrong with desiring to benefit from church but first and foremost your priority your reason your number one top-of-the-list reason for coming to church is to serve God and if we get that in our head we'll be a lot happier at church and we'll find it a lot easier to turn up at church and we'll find it a lot easier to carry on turning up at church week in week out when we get years down the line because if we're coming to church it's just to build myself up it's just to tick the box it's just to be able to sell go to church whatever else you can eventually drop out I believe because you look turn to some 100 and some hundred first because one way that God wants us to serve him is by singing to him in church okay and I gave this analogy not long ago in a sermon and and you know this is kind of it was along these lines and I was thinking about it this way as well is you know if you you any of you that have children or or any of you that around people and that's pretty much everyone here that has children think how sweet it is when a child sings to their mum or dad yeah okay how amazing what a lovely thing when your kids sing to you now if one child sings to you a song telling you how great you are and how amazing you are we don't deserve that so really you know we're lucky if we even get that but if they did that's gonna be a pretty like you know a heart-melting moment and you probably have a big smile on your face your child just walked in going you know mommy or daddy's the greatest and everything else now imagine that your whole family all the kids are doing that in a chorus and they've all been working on it and practicing and they put effort and time and effort into preparing that music and yeah I know that we've been lacking our pianist and and with time that that will you know things will get better with that but even now there you know there's a lot of time and effort that goes into preparing the music it goes into knowing actually how to lead that song because I mean I got a bit done with this brother Glody's wedding on Saturday and so I forgot to mention that in the announcements as well but I was out there first and suddenly I had to lead what a friend we have in Jesus in French and I kind of got told that the night before and my French is not so good yeah and look but you know what that was tough but even leading one of the English hymns that I know was tough because just remembering that bit to come in you have to practice it don't you have to listen to it you can't just go right here we're going four hymns I know bosh let's give it a go because it's gonna fail okay and and it's hard there's a lot of work that goes into that so imagine you're four children five children sick whatever it is you've got have all just just work together you know someone's gone to a lot of effort to prepare the music and it's just praising you as a father or a mother that would be a pretty amazing moment wouldn't it and and it's going to be more of an amazing moment than the one doing it isn't it okay now imagine that it's all your children now imagine it's it's every child of yours in in this country at least and I know it's not there's a lot of safe people but imagine it's all those that come to this church and you don't want to be that one that's not involved you don't want to be that one child who's singing to their parent and who didn't get involved the other ones are doing you're like nah I've got something else on no no because there's a family do no I'm a bit annoyed I'm not really feeling church right I'm not really feeling it right now so the others are singing they're getting they kind of are what a lovely child and that's how God looks at us when we sing to him however bad your voice is however out of tune you are however much you don't know that that him at that point and you're just kind of mumbling it under your breath so you don't really ruin it for everyone he still finds it sweet he still loves it and he and that's what any demands it he demands it look at Psalm chapter 100 from verse 1 says it's a psalm of praise make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye land serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with singing we should be happy as well shouldn't we know ye that the Lord he is God it is he that have made us and not we ourselves we are his people and the sheep of his pasture enter into his gates for thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankful unto him and bless his name for the Lord is good his mercies everlasting in this truth in Jewish endureth to all generations we're serving the Lord when we come to him and sing in a church okay just coming here and singing and even if you're singing and we should be singing our hearts out even if you're singing quietly you're still serving the Lord okay you're serving the Lord just turning up here and singing at him and that's why you know I've said this before it's important you actually get here for the beginning stay to the end you know sing to the Lord he wants to hear you singing to him but what's your reason for coming to church what is your reason for coming to church do you ever think about that why do I come to church because if the main reason is the fellowship there's nothing wrong with fellowship at church but if that's your main reason for your kids to play oh at least my kids get to play with other kids especially for the homeschoolers that could be quite important or to learn to learn the Bible maybe maybe that's why you come well at least I'm going to learn a bit more to look the part to look like a good Christian well you're getting it all wrong aren't you you're getting it wrong turn of 1st Corinthians 15 and look they're all good things maybe not the look in the part bit but they are they are good things and we do benefit when we're here we do benefit when we're here but we are here to serve okay we're here to serve and when you get your head around that you'll be much happier I believe you'll be happier you'll you know you maybe find less things to complain about and don't worry I'm not saying I've got a long list of complaints here but but you might maybe in your head maybe instead of sitting there going well bloody whitewashed windows or something like that well look it's you know all the little things which might irritate you and irk you and things that you'd do differently and ways you'd have it and and that's gonna I think you'll find it easier to deal with when you get your head around you get your motivation that no I'm here to serve God that's why I'm here I'm here to serve God I'm not here for all those other those other things are good benefits of serving God but I'm here to serve God and get your head around that get your motivation right and then look like I said those things I think won't disappoint you at time you because you could just I could just listen at home if that was your motivation well I want to hear some preaching I want to hear the Word of God well you could just shove on YouTube couldn't you okay but that's not why you're here and then when the sermons don't necessarily for you know it might not edify you it might not be something that you want it might you might have heard something recently already that maybe it didn't you know it didn't really give you anything you but but you're here to serve God so it doesn't matter does it and yeah look we should be getting edified by church you know my you know it's something I pray for every time I try and prepare sermons I want to edify the church but but sometimes sometimes you might not feel some days it'll be better than others some days so the fellowship will be better than others some days whatever it is your most your motivation will be better and if and if you've got that as your main reason you're gonna find it hard you're gonna find it hard coming sometimes if it's about you if it's about me feeling more spiritual what am I getting from church it's gonna fail sometimes isn't it because we come to serve God to work to labor for him first Corinthians 15 verse 58 says therefore my beloved brethren be steadfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord oh is that just singing it's not is it always abounding in the work of the Lord and like I said even being here can be work that could be labor for some even just getting here for some that's labor okay that that's a long drive that's a long journey a long train journey whatever it is that could be tough for me sometimes it might not be a long journey but just getting the family together to get here can be tough sometimes just just being able to drop whatever it is there's issues there's problems and look I was saying we were joking about this this morning about you know my Saturday nights you know for a long time we're just always like the times when the kids were up were awake all night it was just always a challenge a test because you wake up in the morning tired and that would be a good reason to just go well I didn't get to sleep but but no you know that's part of the labor part of the work and for many others I'm sure I'm sure everyone here has their own stories of challenges and tests that have tried to prevent them coming to church and part of the labor part of the work part of the serving God is getting here in the first place getting here in the first place and like I said it can be working be labor but once you're here you should be abounding in the work of the Lord okay once you get he should be a bounty in it and and like I said you know I was joking about it before there are obvious things that make sure that make the church run and I'm thankful that we have a group of people here that I can ask you know that we have you know because it's not always that a fun job when the buzz is going through the service it could be hard being an usher doing the Bible reading you still need to practice it you're standing up in front of people reading and it feel like people are kind of judging you on how you read yet but collecting the money and everything else doing accounting afterwards doing the other jobs doing the music doing the video doing all these all these other jobs doing the cleaning of the church picking up after people setting things setting things up all of that all of that is hard work and I'm thankful that we have people that are willing to do that but but there is this constant stuff to do in a church and as we grow there's going to be more more as we get this new building there's going to be a lot to do okay and and look we're commanded to serve and if we get if our heads right with that and we're just going to be happy to aren't we it's not but you know you won't even need to be asked for certain things because there just be things to do there's stuff to do people should be happy to do it should want to do it should look be looking for the opportunity and if someone's here regular and I think they're regular that you know then I want to find them things to do you know I want to find jobs and find things because you're only going to get blessed for that because everything you do in a church you're going to get blessed for and I really believe that because it all has eternal value yeah picking up a bit of paper on your way in from the floor whatever some bit of wrapper still it because it's something for the House of God and the House of God is something which is affecting lives throughout this nation isn't it already okay and that's important because we want this church to be in good nick we want this church being good order and there are loads and loads of things we can do especially with a new building because it's going to be a different different game then okay we want it to be clean and nice and polished and be a welcoming place and be a happy place for people as well so there's going to be a lot to do I turn to Hebrews 6 and look there are less obvious things as well when you come to church you know the exhorting of each other you're serving God when you're here and you're encouraging others you encouraging others by being here okay you're encouraging others by by just having a smile on your face by welcoming them by sometimes by by counseling them sometimes by by just being here to pray with everyone else to be like even more prayers that going up in that little you know that little vial up there that God keeps of all our prayers that everything you're doing here everything you're doing here is a service the comforting of each other sometimes just comforting each other being honest with each other yeah I've struggled with that yeah and trying to help people how to get through things look you're serving God with all of that Hebrews 6 10 says for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love which he have showed toward his name in that you have ministered to the Saints and do minister so he won't forget our work because part of that is ministering to the Saints to other believers okay that's part of our job part of serving God is ministering to the other believers and like I said any job in this church however big or small is ministering to the Saints anything you do here is ministering to the Saints I said I pick you up that bit of paper is ministering to the Saints because someone else who finds those sorts of things annoying and off-putting you help with it and it stops me having to do it or someone else having to do it and everything you do in a church is ministering to the Saints Galatians 6 you have to turn to turn to Romans 16 well I turn to well I read you Galatians 6 verses 9 and 10 you turn to Romans 16 Galatians 6 9 says and let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not saying don't get tired you're gonna get rewarded if you keep going because it can be hard sometimes look church work can be hard coming down from some of you're traveling long distances some of you're doing a lot some of you find it hard some of you might be thinking I could do without standing downstairs on that door or counting people or whatever it is you're doing doing the music doing all the many things that we have to do here the soul winning captaining and many other things look it could be hard work and the rest of it when you add it to your life when you add it to everything else when you add the soul winning the praying the Bible reading for in due season we shall reap if we faint not keep going keep us finger look look obviously don't burn yourselves out either if you're to the point where you don't have a minute or your family suffering because that again you these these are four reasons for main points I'm talking about there are many areas that we serve God we serve God when we parent our children aren't we okay when we raise him up to be godly children that is part of serving God you're serving God when you're out in the workplace you're serving God you you know we because we're working as unto the Lord aren't we okay and everything we're doing really in life we're serving God but these are the main points main areas I want to focus on here he said in verse 10 there Galatians 6 said as we have therefore opportunity led us to good unto all men especially unto them who of the the household of faith God wants you to do good but especially to other Christians yeah that's the truth he wants to go to other Christians God is prejudiced God is prejudiced he has favorites and I'm into that I'm glad he does yeah because yeah he has favorites you could give money to drug addicts on the street all you like can't you you can throw money to these drug addicts telling you that it's because of whatever other reason that they're on the streets and you can and I'm not saying everyone that's on the streets is but sadly the vast majority are or alcoholics and and you can help your unsaved family move house ten times a year if you like and do all these things but the priority is a household of faith that's a priority the ministering to the Saints and the best way of doing that is through the church that's the easiest way of doing that because you're not always going to know what people need and how to minister to them how to help them that can be a kind word that can be a nice gesture that can be doing work through the church that could be doing things for the church that could be helping a church to function not just you know turning up a church tick of the box and legging it okay and and look there are many things to do there's many ways you can help because you're required to serve okay it's not again it's not optional and like I said the best way through the church because every time you help out of the church you're ministering to the Saints every penny you put in in in the tithing offering you're you're ministering to the Saints now obviously the tithe is something we pay by the way and in case anyone wonders that well I'm giving to the child help it no you're required to pay it God says to pay him the tithe he doesn't say to give him it's not a gift it's a payment you pay the firstfruits but anything else you give as well is is you're you're ministering to the Saints your tithe is ministering about anything extra you give anything any way shape and form you help this church and you help the church your future you're ministering to the Saints now Romans 16 I'm going to finish up here in a minute is a Hall of Fame of church grafters if anyone's ever noticed that it's like the eternal Hall of Fame as well because not only is it something you just read once this is set in heaven forever and these are church grafters here in Romans 16 people who have worked hard and they get a mention in the Bible which is pretty amazing really isn't it and they're probably names that most you probably won't have on the tip of your tongue and remember and some might not have even ever really taken in when they read it but let's have a look at them Romans 16 and verse 1 I commend unto you Phoebe our sister which is a servant of the church which is at Cancria that she's a servant Phoebe that you receive her in the Lord has become a Saints and that your sister in whatsoever business she had need of you for she had been a Sakura that's a helper assistant of many and of myself also pretty good old Phoebe yeah Phoebe sounds like a good worker servant of the church she's been a help assistant of many look at verse 3 Greek Priscilla and Aquia my helpers in Christ Jesus okay again these are people that have worked for the Lord who have for my life laid down their own necks unto whom not only I give thanks but also all the churches of the Gentiles so they're pretty big deal aren't they Priscilla and Aquila here they've been helpers in Christ Jesus but look at the next ones look at Romans 16 verse 6 greet Mary who bestowed much labor on us okay now Mary seems to be a hard worker here she's bestowed much labor not just labor but much labor Romans 16 and verse 9 salute Urbane our helper in Christ and Saccis my beloved so Urbane there's a helper in Christ and then look at and again they're just getting a mention in the Bible and Romans 16 12 salute Tryphina and Tryphosa who labor in the Lord salute the beloved Persis which labored much in the Lord. Persis labored much in the Lord and look like I said I don't think probably many think of Persis but he's in the eternal Word of God with these others here and I would love to be thought of like that wouldn't you I mean these people I think they've clearly worked hard haven't they they've worked hard to get a mention there they're there in the Word of God and look the Word of God is not going to be added unto it'd be nice to get a mention when we're up in heaven wouldn't it be nice to be told that you know thou good and faithful servant to just feel to know that you've put your maximum effort in for God that you've been a good servant and look that's why we're here isn't it isn't that why we're here why are we here why why haven't you just died you got saved well you might as well go to heaven now because we're here to work we're here to be a servant of God and they're obviously we're here to get people saved aren't we but we're here to pray for people we're here to help each other we're here to read the Bible to train up to be those better servants of God and we're here obviously as well to serve in the church because it all comes from the church doesn't it okay and this church you know this pillar and ground of the truth that we're that we're in right now and that we're going to continue to be in whatever building we end up going to that that church that congregation of believers it is is a great place to be serving God isn't it and there are many ways to do that so we're required to serve four obvious ways number one through so when you number two through the Bible number three through prayer number four through church and like I said at the beginning it's about our mentality if you get the mentality right I think you're gonna get this right now turn to Proverbs 16 3 says commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established so if you focus on your works you're serving being for the Lord then I think you're gonna start getting your head straight on it and then I think you're gonna be able to conquer those times where you don't really feel it when you're like I don't I'm just not really I don't feel all that gray I'm not very happy I don't really want to do X Y & Z whatever area of life it is that you're serving the Lord if you get if you just say no I'm just committing my work unto the Lord I'm serving God that's my motivation that's my goal in life that's my number one goal in life I think you'll find all of this so much easier because then your thoughts shall be established let's pray on that father I thank you for your word I thank you I thank you for this for this church for this group of believers here that that that come and meet faithfully you know every week and I thank you for all the work that's done around here and I thank you for all the ways that everyone is trying to serve you in their life and I just pray that you help us to just make that our number one goal our number one motivation serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul is what you told us to do and I pray that you help us to do that to want to do that it's not just well just a box ticker or it's just something that we could look like we're doing well really we're our motivation is something else help us for that to be our number one motivation and and then with that to just go on to achieve great things for you starting with this afternoon I pray that you help us to want to get out to preach the gospel whether that's just being a silent partner and just supporting someone else so we can just double up those numbers get more people out more people more doors knocked more people approached and just help us to all want to do that and help us to all you know not to neglect the other areas of our life as well they're praying the Bible reading studying memorization the work through the church the attending churches help us all to just get our heads right with that to get our motivations right and in Jesus name we pray all of this amen