Serving Jesus

Serving Jesus is a calling that shapes every aspect of a believer’s life. It means following His teachings, sharing His love with others, and striving to reflect His character in our daily actions. Whether through acts of kindness, helping those in need, or simply living with integrity, serving Jesus is both a privilege and a responsibility that brings deeper meaning and purpose to life. This calling is not manufactured, but a nature, an invisible drive of the new life in God one receives when born again.

Why Serve Jesus?

Serving Jesus is rooted in a desire to please God. It is an expression of heartfelt belief in the premise that God became man in the flesh, then died a horrible death, so that men and women could have eternal fellowship with The Most High God. Jesus is the physical expression of God in the form of a son of man. He exemplifies God’s love, compassion and forgiveness. It is the blood of Jesus that covered the debt of any wrongdoing, that provided a bright red carpet to eternal life, Heaven, and access to the Throne of God. Remember, serving Jesus is not an avenue so that you can work your way to Heaven; it is an outcome of being in love with the Son of Man, yes, The Son of God.

Jesus had a favorite nickname, The Son of Man. It speaks to the fact that He was born of a woman and had full access to human nature. Even today, a human nature resides in the heart of Jesus, along with a divine nature. The thing is, Jesus is a divine being and the human aspects that were there are now refined by the resurrection. He still knows our pain and joy.

In order to serve Jesus, one has to enter into a dynamic relationship with the Lord. One’s growing relationship with God can be patterned after the natural growth of a human. First of all, one must be born again. The words of Jesus…

“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3 (NIV)

The born-again experience comprises 1) accepting Jesus for who Jesus claimed to be, 2) stating out loud that He is indeed the Christ, 3) having Godly sorrow for sin and again stating repentance of personal sin, and 4) asking Jesus to dwell in your heart. All of a sudden, a person has a new heart and a new viewpoint on the universe. This new heart is humble, it is compassionate, and it strives to please God. Sometimes it is called a new nature. Now be aware, just as Jesus emptied Himself to become a baby, a newborn child of God is also on the empty side of some issues. One must cultivate the new life through Bible study, striving to follow the teachings of Jesus, setting aside time for prayer, and being honest with oneself and with God within the relationship. Good fellowship is also important. If care isn’t taken, the new life can be compromised with bad information and bad company. An empty vessel fills quickly.

Personal friendships are an important aspect of serving Jesus. It is a primal need of a new creature in Christ. One preacher once said, “Fellowship is the way the blood flows through the Body of Christ.” Upon reflection, that statement has many implications; let God speak to you on this matter. One can share victories and failures with others, and older Christians have plenty to serve up on a platter to the youngsters. Oh, if only the apprentices would take those experiences to heart and skip some of the hardship of learning.

It is an important concept to serve Jesus and His will for your life at any given time. There are tons of good things to do out there; remember, the government of the Kingdom is on His shoulders. Some are called to be servant leaders in the Church, while others are called to be servant workers. Some are called to preach at a local base; some are called to travel and touch the world. Some fix a bad carburetor, and others help move the single sister across town to a new home. The thing is, one who serves Jesus watches for and seeks opportunities to hear His voice to say “Go, do this in My name.” There is nothing more satisfying and wondrous than hearing God’s voice and having guidance confirmed as a result of willful obedience. Being faithful in big things or small things provides similar pleasure.

Vicarious Service

Jesus died a vicarious death on our behalf. God also allows us to live a vicarious life through Him. Man’s vicarious death on the cross put an end to the body of sin. The vicarious life a Christian lives, is a bridge to the resurrection, which is promised in Jesus. The vicarious principle is a theme in Christian life.

Now then, the camel in the room. A camel can go a long way without water, but it still needs water. Missionaries can go a long way without water, but they still need water.

He (Jesus) told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am ending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals...” Luke 10:2-4 (NIV)

Support for missionaries and other worthy workers is an issue with the Lord. It is true God will provide; however, His method of provision for these servants is for churches and the faithful to support them. Only too often, the slogan “God will provide” is a religious justification for not helping out.

When a person really considers helping support a worker, is at peace with the Lord about how much and when, and then follows through, they are vicariously doing this particular work for the Lord through their support. Send $50 to a missionary in Mexico, and in the spiritual realm, you are a missionary in Mexico. Your gift may not be in preaching and teaching, but you are the invisible purse and sandals. Both the sent and the senders are equally in partnership with God’s Spirit to accomplish destinies.

Serving Jesus is a life-shaping calling that flows naturally from being “born again,” not a way to earn salvation. It describes service as an outgrowth of love for God and gratitude for Jesus’ sacrificial death, emphasizing Jesus as both fully human (“Son of Man”) and fully divine, able to relate to human pain and joy.

There is a growth pattern for serving Jesus: beginning with the born-again experience (accepting who Jesus is, confessing Him as Christ, repenting of sin, and inviting Him into one’s heart), followed by nurturing this new life through Bible study, prayer, obedience, integrity, and healthy Christian fellowship. The importance of friendships and mentoring within the Body of Christ, and the warning that a new believer can be weakened by bad influences if not grounded, cannot be overstated.

Consider the concept of “vicarious service” again: since Jesus died on our behalf, believers can also participate in God’s work indirectly by supporting others, especially missionaries and ministry workers. Financial or practical support makes the giver a real partner in the mission, sharing spiritually in the work being done.

The faithful keep moving forward in the things they have been called to do; they never give up. There are silent hardships that could be alleviated; however, it takes an ear to hear and an action to do. Jesus is so pleased with the servant who presses through.

Feature Image: Man walking from old city to new city GENAI Text to Image; Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.