LESSON SIX – SERVING THE LORD

Eph. 4:16 — Out from whom all the Body, being joined together and being knit together through every joint of the rich supply and through the operation in the measure of each one part, causes the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love.

HOW TO SERVE THE LORD

Serving with Our Whole Being

Our entire being is of three parts: spirit, soul, and body. To serve the Lord with our whole being means that the spirit, soul, and body all participate in the service to the Lord (Rom. 12:1, 2, 11). First, we must present our bodies to the Lord; second, the mind, the main part of our soul, must be renewed and transformed; third, our spirit must be burning. Thus, all three parts of our being participate in serving the Lord.

Following the Lord

In order to serve the Lord, we must follow the Lord (John 12:26). Those who serve the Lord must take the way that He took. We need to follow the Lord wherever He moves. Where He is, there we also must be. He chose the cross and was willing to take the way of the cross, dying to Himself and to everything. We who follow the Lord must do the same. Thus we will be able to serve Him.

According to the Counsel of God

Our service to the Lord, like David’s, must be according to the counsel of God and in God’s counsel (Acts 13:36).

Needing to Have an Ear to Hear

In the Old Testament, a master would bore the ear of one who desired to serve (Exo. 21:6), signifying a dealing with his ears that he might be obedient and submissive. To serve the Lord today, we also need the Lord’s dealing that we may have the ears to hear and be persons who are obedient and submissive to the Lord.

THE GOAL OF SERVING THE LORD—

BUILDING UP THE BODY OF CHRIST

[Ephesians 4:16] shows us that our coordination and service with the saints are to cause the growth of the Body of Christ and to build it up in love. Besides saving sinners, perfecting the saints, and glorifying God (1 Cor. 10:31), our serving the Lord as His slaves is, even the more, to cause the Body of Christ to grow and be built up.

THE REWARD FOR SERVING THE LORD

Being Honored by God the Father

John 12:26 says, “If anyone serves Me [the Lord Jesus]…the Father [God] will honor him.” For our service to the Lord, we shall be honored by the Father. What a reward this is!

Being Blessed to Sit at the Feast and Enjoying the Lord’s Serving

When the Lord comes back, the slaves who have been watchful to serve the Lord will be blessed to sit at the feast and will enjoy the Lord’s serving (Luke 12:37). This is also a great reward from the Lord to those who serve Him.

Ruling with the Lord and Enjoying the Joy of the Lord

The good and faithful slave who serves the Lord will be set over many things and enter into the manifestation of the coming kingdom and into the joy of the Lord (Matt. 25:21, 23). Surely this is a great reward, which we should appreciate and long for. (Life Lessons, vol. 2, pp. 91-94)

Reference: Life Lessons, vol. 2, lsn. 23

O HOW BLESSED IS THE PRIEST’S LIFE

Service—Enjoying Christ as Everything – 911

O how blessed is the priest’s life,
Christ to him is all in all:
All His clothing, food, and dwelling,
And His portion therewithal.

O how blessed is the priest’s life,
Christ to him is all in all:
All his clothing, food, and dwelling,
And his portion therewithal.

All the clothing of his service
Is the beauty of the Lord;
Glorious splendor do his garments,
Breast and shoulder-piece afford.

When in sacrifice he offers
Christ to God as God has willed,
Then as food he doth enjoy Him
And is with His riches filled.

Putting on the Lord as clothing,
Christ without he doth express;
Eating, drinking, with Him mingled,
Christ within doth him possess.

Holy, glorious is their dwelling,
’Tis the increase of the Lord;
Here the priests built up together
Unto God a house afford.

All his portion, all his living,
Everything the priests possess-
All is Christ and Christ forever,
In His all-inclusiveness.