We Need You

Feb 25, 2022

Hey happy Friday! You made it!

I have a quote from John Hagee:

“The measure of our greatness is not the number of servants one has, but the number of people one serves.”

Last week, we talked about how serving can boost our awareness of others, deeper and wider. Today I want to share how serving can bond kingdom partnerships.

So my version of the quote goes like this:

“The measure of our greatness is not the number of servants one has but the number of Kingdom partnerships we forge as we serve.”

As I served in various ministries, it is there I developed Kingdom relationships. It’s to the point where we may not have seen each other for years, but because of our serving together, we can pick up right where we left off. We can just look at each other and know what to do. Do you have those?

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.

- Ephesians 4:11-12

In this chapter of Ephesians, church people had various gifts to be used to equip and build up the local church. In other words, some will be good at evangelizing, and others will be good at discipling. Some will be good at kids and youth ministries, and others will be good at Sunday welcoming ministries. Some will be good at serving as engineers, and others will be good at serving in a restaurant. But the purpose was all to build up the Kingdom.

The point is that one is not greater or better than another.

However, if you are like me, what happens?

I compare and get jealous of how others serve.

Why can’t I serve in this or that way?

Why does that person get to be in that ministry, and I can’t?

Or, if you are serving in a ministry already, have you ever thought, oh, I wish they weren’t serving here. Yikes! Or, they are so hard to work with? Double yikes! I’m sure none of us here ever had those thoughts - but I used to.

And this is what God taught me that changed my mindset: It was to think of that one person and say, “They are needed to build up the Kingdom of God. They are necessary to equip and build up this church, this community.” Of course, we know God does not need any of us, but this mindset can edify and forge serving relationships.

1 Corinthians 12:21-26 says:

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable... But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

- 1 Corinthians 12:21-26

Today, think of that one person and pray until you believe it. We are kingdom partners, and they are needed for the Kingdom. This is how kingdom partnerships are forged for life.

Listen, serving bonds Kingdom partnerships, so let us continue cultivating each relationship!

Because you never know when you will run into them in the future. I always say God is sovereign, and God has a sense of humor.

We are a Good Neighbor church, amen?