As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace; whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength, God supplies – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever amen.
1 Peter 4:10 ESV
Service is worship. Worship is service. Everything in the OT temple service revolved around the ‘worship’ they performed. The first time worship is used in the Bible is when Abraham is to offer Issac, Gen. 22:5. While we have the psalms/hymns and are instructed to sing spiritual songs, our current mode of worship was not practiced in the early church. At the last supper, the Gospel of Matthew and Mark records “they sang a hymn”.
Don’t misunderstand this, I’m not trying to discount the worship experience that the North American church is currently experiencing. There is no denying the presence of God as He inhabits the praises of His people, the times of refreshing in the presence of the Lord, but unto what purpose?
In every new move, every fresh wind of God, there must be fruit that remains. These times of encounter are - so impacting spiritually they leave one marked and changed. From glory to glory we are transformed through the beholding. It is always relational and transformative, purifying the vessel.
From the beginning we see man created for a purpose. He was given dominion. Instructed to be fruitful and multiply and placed in the garden to work. We are even now to continue this purpose as we increase with the increase of God through our yielded service.
Please remember our service is ‘worship’ unto the Lord, which is why it is so important to do this willingly, cheerfully, not grudgingly or under compulsion. God loves a cheerful giver. It was Abel’s offering of the first and the best God consumed. If our service is worship, it should be a praise unto Him, with the very best we can give.
Peter’s exhortation above is that we serve by the strength the Lord supplies in order that in everything God alone is glorified through Jesus Christ.
Deuteronomy 28:47 holds me in check with a strong exhortation for the one who does not serve with joyfulness and gladness for the abundance of all things serves his enemies. If (and we are) to do all things without murmuring and complaining, the fussing would be a good indication right hearted service is lacking. Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength looks like whole hearted worship.
We have two admonitions from the New Testament about the way we are to serve and if we note the terminology used here we are reminded in these verses from Gods perspective we are his ‘slaves’, ‘bondservants’.
Helps Word Study ~ defines this term bondservant from the Greek doúlos #1401 as ~ properly, someone who belongs to another; a bond-slave, without any ownership rights of their own.
Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.
Ephesians 6:6-8
Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3: 22-24
Whatever our act of worship might be, it is to be whole hearted with the ultimate goal of all the glory going to God.
To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.