Saved People Serve People

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’  And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” – Matthew 25: 35-40.

Mother Teresa once said, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” The idea is that there is so much that needs to be done and only so much we can do. Rather than everyone serving others why not have everyone serve themselves. That eliminates the concerns of who best to serve and how best to serve them.  There is one problem with that idea.

God serves others and He wants us to do the same. He’s set it up so serving others accomplishes almost everything He wants for us. In Matthew 20:28, Jesus tells his disciples that, “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Because Jesus gave Himself up as the ultimate sacrifice for us, we are also called to serve others. At Northstar, we believe that the Church does not exist for us. We are the Church and we exist for the world. We have the responsibility and the opportunity to show the love of Christ by serving other people. In other words, saved people serve people so that served people can become saved.

Northstar is not built on the gifts and talents of a few, but on the sacrifice of many. One of the character traits that has marked us as a church has been the incredible volunteer spirit of the many people who make up Northstar. It’s one of the reasons that I love my church – because Saved People Serve People. And it’s never about excluding people, but about including people. Helping people find their fit – what makes them unique – and then fitting them in – helping them find a place of service.

I encourage you to serve if you haven’t yet. Ask yourself what it is that you do better than anyone else. God has perfectly designed you with a place of service in mind (Romans 12:6). That means that your skill set is a blueprint for where you should serve.  See what needs to be done. Look around and see a need and fill the need. If it looks like we’re in need of extra ushers, why not step up. Or maybe you notice that the check-in lines are getting long when you drop off the kids. Maybe that’s a perfect place for you to get involved.

The point is we need you. We want you to be a part of God’s body in the way He designed you. You’re here because of Him, and we know He put you here for a reason. Let’s find out together.

There are many opportunities to serve at Northstar. We want you to find the one that best suits your passion, personality, and availability. We believe that serving is key to your spiritual growth. Remember that saved people serve people.   

Discussion Questions:

1. Every Christ-follower has at least one spiritual gift (Ephesians 4:7-8). Some people have not yet opened their gifts. What does Romans 12:1-2 suggest as reasons they may be having difficulty unwrapping their gifts?
2. What does 1Corinthians 12:18-27 indicate is the purpose of our spiritual gifts?
3. What hurdles do you have discovering and using spiritual gifts?
4. How can you discover where God wants you to use your gifts? How can you tell you are fully using your gifts?