The Gift of Service

 The Motivational Gift of Service

Biblical Example: Timothy

 

DEFINITIONS

The ability and desire to recognize day-to-day needs of others and to meet those needs personally.

The ability to lend a hand joyfully wherever a need appears and to do so in such a way as to strengthen, support, and encourage others.

CHARACTERISTICS

1.                  The ability to see practical needs and the desire to meet them (Phil. 2:20).

 

2.                  Joy in serving when it frees others to do more important things than just keeping busy.

Greek word diakonos means “through the dust.”  They should free the pastor up to do his work.  Timothy served Paul to free him up for ministry.

 

3.                  Tendency to disregard personal health, needs and comfort in order to serve others (Phil.

2:25).  Epaphraditas – his great concern while sick was that the church not know and be hurt

4.                  Difficulty in saying no, resulting in a variety of involvements and a tendency to get sidetracked (2 Tim. 4:9,21).  They see needs as opportunities.  Don’t get sidetracked.

5.                  Special enjoyment in providing physical needs and comforts.

Ability to remember likes and dislikes of others.  An area of strength in their life.

 

6.                  Need for appreciation to confirm that the service is necessary and satisfactory.

Let them know that you are satisfied.

 

7.                  Strong desire to be with others and thus prove to have more opportunities to serve (Acts 16:2; 17:14-15; 18:5; 19:22).

 

8.                  Enjoyment of short-range projects and a tendency to become frustrated with long-range responsibilities (1 Tim. 4:16; 2 Tim. 2:3).  Endurance needed.

9.                  Tendency to feel inadequate and unqualified for spiritual leadership.

10.              More interested in meeting others’ needs than their own.

11.              Enjoys showing hospitality.

There’s only one way a preacher can help a congregation grow long-term: equip you to do ministry and then give the ministry back to the church.  When you serve where your strengths are, the church causes herself to grow.  Are you giving yourself?  - Johnny Hunt

Potential outlets for this gift seem almost unlimited, the ultimate end being the edification of others.  Christian workers, released from temporal tasks, can concentrate more on their spiritual priorities.   No pastor or staff member can do it all.  How necessary to accept help graciously from those who have the gift of ministering.  – Lesslie Flynn, 19 Gifts of the Spirit

“A Martha” Lord of all pots and pans and things, Since I've no time to be A saint by doing lovely things or Watching late with thee, Or dreaming in the twilight or Storming heaven's gates. Make me a saint by getting meals or Washing up the plates. Although I must have Martha's hands, I have Mary's mind, and, When I black the boots and shoes Thy sandals, Lord, I find. I think of how they trod the earth What time I scrub the floor, Accept this meditation, Lord, I haven't time for more. Warm all the kitchen with thy love, And light it with thy peace, Forgive me all my worrying And make all grumbling cease. Thou who didst love to give men food In room or by the sea Accept this service that I do I do it unto thee.

 

MISUSES

When the servant is full of the Holy Spirit, he or she is a blessing!

1.      Neglecting home responsibilities.

2.      Accepting too many jobs at one time.

3.      Wearing themselves out physically.

4.      Being too persistent in giving unrequested help to others.

5.      Going around proper authority in order to get a job done.

6.      Excluding others from helping on the job.

7.      Interfering with God’s discipline by premature help.

8.      Becoming hurt by ungratefulness of those they serve.

9.      Getting sidetracked while working on an assignment.

TRAITS WHEN WALKING IN THE SPIRIT VERSUS THE FLESH

Alert / Unconscious, insensitive, cold

Hospitable / Lonely

Generous / Stingy

Joy / Ticked-Off, Self-Pity

Flexible / Resistance, sitting down on the inside when they don’t get their way

Availability / not interested

Endurance / want to quit

Current Examples of The Gift of Service *Preparing the handwork and cutouts for a VBS teacher. *A class member securing the books, arranging chairs, bringing the CD player, handling the record-keeping, and keeping the records so that the teacher is released from these necessary jobs to give more time to teaching. *Office records such as treasurer, filing, bookkeeping, delivery of meals or flowers during sickness or death, ushering, maintaining church facilities, cutting grass, preparing the Lord’s Supper – all of these freeing the leaders for spiritual  ministries. *Helping a pastor organize his library, files, teaching resources. *Preparing meals and cleaning facilities.