Here is detailed how we are to be with each other; it’s how we serve the Lord A to Z. At first glance it may be too obvious to say “for ye serve the Lord Christ.” It’s easy to say “I’m saved. I’m a Christian. I serve the Lord.” Paul wants us to consider how we serve the Lord.
Colossians 4:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.”
It’s clear cut who we are serving. Generally when Peter and Paul talk about serving the Lord, they call him the Lord Jesus Christ, his full name. What are we doing with each day? We are to do it heartily; we serve the Lord not men. There is a reward if we do it and if we don’t. It’s not just serving the Lord; it’s also to the Lord. There is a positive aspect in that as we do anything to the least, we have done it unto the Lord. On the negative side it’s when we don’t do anything; we have not done it unto the Lord. It’s one thing to profess Christianity, but with it comes responsibility. There are tremendous blessings from the Lord, but we have to tap into it by asking what we need to do for and to the Lord.
What could the Lord want me to do? I need him. He takes care of me. What Paul is saying is we are servants. We have Jesus, our Savior; we also have our Lord. It’s a personal relationship; through that we have the strength to be a servant. What we do to the Lord is what we do to others. We can read the Bible, pray, and study our Sunday school lesson. During the week we interact with our family, our co-workers, and our neighbors. It’s at home; it’s at Wal-Mart. What we do to them is what we do to the Lord. Remember we serve a role in the family, at work; we have a responsibility. Stop. Think about it. Do to them as unto the Lord. Jesus considers what we do, what we say, and how we act before the world as what we do to him.
There are no partitions. We can’t be one way to the Lord and another to this one and that one. Being a Christian is 360, 24/7 or it’s not being one at all. We don’t punch off the “Christian Clock” and serve when we want. It’s a slap in the face of the Lord when we do it. That’s why Paul told us to lay aside the flesh and put Christianity into practice. We’re bought with a price. We have to be there for him; we expect him to be there for us.
This is the most critical moment in the world and the church. Evil is rampant. Sin is raging. Good is looked on as bad. The name of a Christian is looked upon as fanatical. Jesus said this time would come. The church has fallen into a lukewarm state; there is a falling away. Many have forgotten they are risen with the Lord; life is in him. We are his servants.
It’s an honor to be known by name to the Lord. He saved us. He is our Jesus. Yes. He’s the Savior. Lord and Christ are titles of our master, and we can’t serve two. We’re never without a master. We’re either serving the Lord or the devil. What are you doing with your life? It’s time to step aside and let the Lord direct. We don’t tell him what to do. Lord means ruler, and he’s the same Jesus who saved us. He has all power and authority over our life.
Are we with the Lord or is it just a profession? Who rules the roost? We can be stubborn and say “I’ll do what I want.” Only with Jesus will you find peace. There is too much self confidence today. We can do it all by ourselves. I’ll choose. I’ll do this. The Lord can make our last heartbeat and put us to silence. I need the Lord to rule me because I am unruly. There are a thousand dark hands reaching for our souls every day. We ought to see how much we need the Lord. The power comes when we let him be Lord and Christ. Service is yielding and saying each day “Lord, what will you have me to say: where will you have me go?” The Lord has never messed up anything. We just need to let him be Lord of our life. When we are saved, we serve Jesus and no one else including the person who looks back at us in the mirror.
The world needs to see people who serve the Lord single-heartedly. They need to see decisiveness in what’s right and what’s wrong. Respond to pressure in the name of the Lord. Let them see Jesus through your service. When we serve the Lord Christ, we choose him. He chose us. Let’s be like Joshua. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 