10 POWER PRINCIPLES FOR CHRISTIAN SERVICE

One should stretch oneself, not imitate oneself.

One: Character
Character is the raw material of life, out of which we either by diligence construct a temple or by negligence create a rubbish tip.
A healthy and holy character is formed by making scripture a part of our inner being and obeying what it says. Comes from discipline and devotion, from courage and commitment, from a myriad of things that Paul experienced..
Character is not built in solitude; we need the responsibility and accountability that others bring to our lives if character is to be healthy and balanced.
Neglect erodes character – we stop giving,stop hungering, stop making sacrifices.

Two: Service
People will remember kindness long after they forget sermons.
Jesus: “among you as one who serves.”
Our English word minister comes from the latin and means ‘a subordinate, a servant, an attendant or assistant’.
There were at least 60 million slaves in the Roman empire, treated like pieces of used furniture.
Shepherds serve their sheep, they search for the lost, try to heal the weak.
Effective pasturing is limited to about 150 people.
People will imitate a servant pastors and spectators will reject them.
Three: Love
Love for the sheep begins with love for the Shepherd who died to save them.
John Newton: “The longer I live, the more I see the vanity and the sinfulness of our unchristian disputes; they eat up the very vitals of religion. I grieve to think of how often I have lost my time and my temper in that way, in presuming to regulate the vineyards of others, when I have neglected my own…when our dear Lord questioned Peter, after his fall and recovery, he said not, Art thou wise, learned and eloquent? Nay, he said not , Art thou clear and sound, and orthodox? But this only, ”Lovest thou me?” An answer to this was sufficient then; why not now?
The minister of the Lord cannot minister effectively if mixed emotions rule the heart. Love of praise, etc can never bring glory to God or bring the servant through the hard times.
The more we love Christ, the more his love will fill our hearts; and that love must be shared with others. Spurgeon: “The love of Christ was a practical love. “ We must see people the way Jesus sees them and respond to them in the way Jesus would respond, we must share God’s love.
To love people we must accept them as they are and identify with their deepest concerns or needs. We must see saints and sinners as they really are. The we must speak the truth in love, ‘ truth without love is brutality, love without truth is hypocrisy.
Love transforms us from reservoirs to channels, so what’s mine is yours, I’ll share it. We go where people are and do what we can too help them. Luke 10. (Good Samaritan).
St Ignatius Loyola:
To give and not to count the cost;
To fight and not to heed the wounds;
To toil and not to seek for rest;
To labour and not to look for any reward
Save that of knowing that I do Thy Will.
To love the saints is the hardest because we expect more from them and they more from us.
1 Cor 13:7 - “If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.”
Higher heights of joy and deeper depths of sorrow are the rewards of Christian ministry.
Tough love knows there is a difference between hurting people and harming them. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” Proverbs 26:6. ( )

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