We Serve, Week 3: Because We Are Free

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Why do WE SERVE?   Title:  Because We Are Free (John 8:36) (NLT) So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. (Galatians 5:13) (CEV) My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love.  (Luke 10:29) (NIV) But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  (Luke 10:30) (NIV) In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. (Luke 10:31) (NIV) A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:31) (NIV) So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. You will always have an excuse to justify not getting involved. 1.    Interruption (Luke 10:33-34) (NIV) But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 2.    Contribution (Luke 10:35) (NIV) The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’  3.    Transformation (Luke 10:36-37) (NIV) “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Matthew 9:36) (NIV) When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  (Matthew 9:37-38) (NLT) He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” (Philippians 2:20-21) (NIV) I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. (1 John 3:16) (Message) This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.