Serving Together: Every Gift Builds the Body
This week’s devotions are based on Week 6 of Building Together: “When Faith Goes to Work!” (WATCH HERE)
1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Have you ever wondered whether what you do really makes a difference? Perhaps you see someone else teaching, leading, or doing something that receives public recognition, while your own contributions seem small or unimportant. It is easy to believe that the work of building God’s kingdom depends primarily on a few gifted people. But Scripture gives us a different picture. God works through His people, giving each of us gifts and opportunities to serve so that the whole body of Christ may grow.
In 1 Peter 4:10, Peter writes, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” Notice that Peter says each one. Serving is not reserved for pastors, church leaders, or people with special talents. God gives gifts to His people so they can use them for the benefit of others. Some gifts are easy to see, while others are exercised quietly and faithfully. What matters is not whether our service attracts attention, but whether we use what God has given us to glorify Him and serve our neighbors.
Paul develops this same picture in Ephesians 4:15–16. He describes the church as a body joined together, with each part doing its work so that the whole body grows and builds itself up in love. A body cannot function properly if every part tries to do the same thing. The eye cannot replace the hand, and the foot cannot replace the ear. Each part has a purpose, and the body needs them all.
The same is true in our congregation. Some people teach children, others welcome visitors, prepare meals, care for the building, encourage fellow members, give generously, or pray for those in need. These tasks may look very different, but each can become an opportunity to serve Christ by serving others. When we use our gifts faithfully, we strengthen the people around us and contribute to the mission God has given His church.
Of course, we don’t always use our gifts with the right motives. Sometimes we compare ourselves with others, seek recognition, or become discouraged when our efforts go unnoticed. We may even neglect opportunities to serve because we assume someone else will take care of them. When that happens, we need to remember that our service does not establish our worth before God. Our salvation rests entirely on the grace of Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us and rose again to make us His own.
Because Christ has served us first, we are free to serve without competing for recognition. We can rejoice in the gifts God has given others while faithfully using our own. We don’t have to do everything, but we can each do something.
As we continue Building Together, remember that Christ is the one who builds and sustains His church. He graciously uses the service of His people to care for one another and share His love with the world. Whatever gifts God has given you, look for an opportunity to use them this week. Your service may seem small, but in Christ’s hands it can become a blessing to someone else.
Reflect: What gifts, abilities, or opportunities has God given you that you could use more intentionally to serve others? What is one practical way you can help build up your family, congregation, or community this week?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gifts and opportunities You have given me to serve others. Forgive me when I compare myself with others, seek recognition, or overlook the needs around me. Thank You for saving me through Jesus Christ and making me part of His body, the church. Help me use my gifts faithfully, encourage my fellow believers, and serve my neighbors with the love I have received from You. Build us together in Christ so that our lives may bring glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Serving Together: The Master Who Became a Servant
This week’s devotions are based on Week 6 of Building Together: “When Faith Goes to Work!” (WATCH HERE)
Mark 10:42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Our world often measures greatness by how many people serve us. We admire those who have authority, influence, and the ability to get things done their way. We may assume that the more important a person becomes, the less that person should have to do for others. But Jesus turns that way of thinking upside down. In His kingdom, greatness is not measured by how many people serve us, but by the love we show in serving others.
In Mark 10:42–45, Jesus responds to His disciples when they struggle with the desire for greatness. They want positions of honor, but Jesus explains that His followers are not to imitate rulers who use their authority to dominate others. Instead, whoever wants to become great must become a servant. Then Jesus points to Himself as the ultimate example: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Think about what Jesus is saying. He is the Son of God, the King of kings, and the Lord of all creation. He has every right to receive our worship and service. Yet He did not come to demand that sinful people serve Him. He came to rescue us. We had no way to free ourselves from sin, death, and the judgment we deserved. So Jesus took our place. He humbled Himself, lived in perfect obedience, and willingly gave His life on the cross to redeem us.
Just before he went to the cross, Jesus gives His disciples a vivid picture of this humble love. During the Last Supper, He rises from the table, wraps a towel around Himself, and begins washing their feet. This was the work of a servant, yet their Lord and Teacher performs it for them. Jesus tells them that He has given them an example to follow. His humble service shows them how to serve one another.
But Jesus’ actions mean more than simply giving us a good example. His actions in the upper room and throughout his life were expressions of his heart of humble service for you. He served us first. We cannot wash away our own sin or make ourselves right with God. Christ has done what we could never do. Through His death and resurrection, He forgives us, restores us to God, and gives us new life.
Now, because we have received such undeserved service from Christ, we are free to serve others. We don’t have to prove our importance or demand recognition. We can listen patiently, help someone who is struggling, forgive someone who has hurt us, or take care of a task nobody else wants to do. We know know our acts of service are simply the fruit of the faith and love He has worked in us. Our service is a heart-felt response to how Jesus has served us.
Reflect: How does Jesus’ willingness to serve and give His life for you change the way you think about greatness? Who is someone you can serve this week in a practical way, even if your service goes unnoticed?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are my Savior and my Lord, yet You humbled Yourself to serve me and give Your life for my salvation. Forgive me for the times I have sought recognition, demanded my own way, or been unwilling to serve others. Thank You for Your saving love and the forgiveness You freely give. Fill me with gratitude and humility so that I may follow Your example and serve the people You place in my life. Amen.
Serving Together: Faithful When No One Is Watching
This week’s devotions are based on Week 6 of Building Together: “When Faith Goes to Work!” (WATCH HERE)
Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Have you ever worked harder because someone was watching? Perhaps you cleaned up a room when you knew company was coming, hurried to finish a task when your supervisor walked by, or put extra effort into something because you knew someone would notice. We all appreciate recognition, and there is nothing wrong with being encouraged when someone thanks us for our work. But what happens when nobody is watching? Does our effort change when there is no one around to notice what we do?
In Ephesians 6:6, Paul warns against serving merely “to win their favor when their eye is on you.” He calls this eye service, the kind of work done primarily to impress someone. Paul was writing to enslaved people living under the authority of masters in the Roman Empire. Their circumstances were very different from those of most workers today, and their lack of freedom made their situation especially difficult. Yet Paul points them to a deeper motivation for their work. They are to serve sincerely, “as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart” (Ephesians 6:6).
Paul is not suggesting that every task is pleasant or that every person in authority is fair. Rather, he reminds Christians that their ultimate Lord is Jesus. Human approval may come and go, but Christ sees our lives and knows our hearts. Paul encourages them to serve wholeheartedly, as though they were serving the Lord rather than people.
This changes how we approach the ordinary responsibilities of life. At work, we can act with honesty even when no supervisor is present. At home, we can take care of responsibilities without waiting to be asked or praised. At church, we can serve faithfully even when our efforts go unnoticed. These may seem like small things, but they are opportunities to love our neighbors through the everyday work God has placed before us.
Colossians 3:23–24 offers the same encouragement: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” Our motivation is not to earn God’s love or prove that we deserve His favor. We already have His favor through Jesus Christ. Through His death and resurrection, Christ has forgiven our sins and made us His own. Our faithful service is a response to His grace, not a payment for it.
There will be days when we grow tired, feel overlooked, or wonder whether our efforts matter. In those moments, remember that your value does not depend on how much people notice you. The Lord who gave His life for you sees even the quiet acts of faithfulness that others miss. Because Christ has served you with unfailing love, you are free to serve others with a sincere heart.
Reflect: Where am I tempted to put less effort into my responsibilities when nobody is watching? How could remembering that I ultimately serve Christ change the way I approach one ordinary task today?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have worked only to gain the approval of others or neglected my responsibilities when no one was watching. Thank You for seeing me, loving me, and making me Your own through Jesus Christ. Give me a sincere heart and a willing spirit so that I may serve faithfully in every part of my life, trusting that my work is an opportunity to love my neighbor and honor You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Serving Together: When Service Becomes Selfish
This week’s devotions are based on Week 6 of Building Together: “When Faith Goes to Work!” (WATCH HERE)
Matthew 23:5 “Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Serving others is a good thing. We help at church, work hard at our jobs, care for our families, and look for ways to meet the needs of those around us. But have you ever stopped to ask why you serve? Sometimes, even our good works can become a way of serving ourselves. We want others to notice our efforts, appreciate our contributions, or recognize our importance. What looks like service on the outside can hide a heart that is seeking something in return.
Jesus confronted this problem when He spoke about the religious leaders of His day. He described men who did their works to be seen by others. They loved places of honor, public recognition, and titles that made them appear important. Their outward actions might have looked religious, but their hearts were focused on themselves. They wanted the praise of people more than the approval of God.
We can fall into the same trap. We might volunteer at church but feel disappointed when someone else receives the credit. We may gladly help when our efforts are noticed but lose interest when nobody seems to care. We may even use a position of leadership to insist that everything be done our way. These attitudes reveal how easily sin twists our service into an opportunity to promote ourselves rather than love our neighbors.
Paul offers a different way in Philippians 2:3–4: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves.” This does not mean we should think poorly of the gifts God has given us or refuse opportunities to lead. Instead, it means using our gifts for the good of others rather than for our own glory. True service asks not, “What will I get out of this?” but, “How can I help?”
Yet simply trying harder to become humble will not solve our deepest problem. We need hearts renewed by the grace of God. The good news is that Jesus did not wait for us to become worthy of His love. He gave Himself freely, not to gain recognition, but to rescue us from sin and death. Through His death and resurrection, our selfishness is forgiven, and we are given a new life in Him.
Because Christ has loved and served us first, we are free to serve without demanding applause or repayment. We can rejoice when someone else succeeds, quietly meet a need, or accept a task that nobody else wants. Our service does not earn God’s favor. It flows from the favor we have already received in Christ.
As we continue building together as God’s people, may our service become less about being noticed and more about helping others see the love of Jesus.
Reflect: When am I most tempted to seek recognition or appreciation for the things I do? What is one way I can serve someone this week without expecting praise or anything in return?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have used my service to seek recognition, importance, or control. Thank You for loving me and saving me through Jesus, who gave Himself for me without seeking earthly praise. By Your Holy Spirit, renew my heart so that I may serve with humility, rejoice in the good of others, and use my gifts to build up Your people. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Serving Together: Different Roles, One Lord
This week’s devotions are based on Week 6 of Building Together: “When Faith Goes to Work!” (WATCH HERE)
Ephesians 6:5–9 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
God has placed us in different roles throughout our lives. Some lead, while others follow. Some work behind the scenes, while others stand in front of people. Some carry great responsibility, while others faithfully handle the small tasks that often go unnoticed. Our world tends to measure people by their position, influence, or accomplishments. But God’s Word reminds us that our earthly status does not determine our worth before Him.
In Ephesians 6:5–9, Paul addresses slaves and masters, people who occupied very different positions in Roman society. Paul does not pretend these circumstances are equal. Yet he directs both slaves and masters to remember that they ultimately serve the same Lord. He tells masters that they have a Master in heaven who shows no favoritism. No earthly position places anyone above God’s authority.
This truth also shapes how we understand our roles today. In the church, we have different roles and different areas of service. In our community and workplaces, we can have different positions and responsibilities. Yet, we do not need someone else’s position to live a meaningful life of faith. We can enjoy faith-filled service no matter our status or position.
Yet our sinful nature often tempts us to compare ourselves with others. We may become jealous of someone else’s influence or feel overlooked when our contributions go unnoticed. We might even believe that certain tasks are beneath us. When these attitudes arise, we need to repent and remember that our standing before God does not depend on our achievements. We all are saved by grace through faith, not by our works. We all are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.
What freedom this gives us! We do not have to prove our worth through our position or earn God’s approval through our service. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are forgiven and made God’s own children. Because Christ has served us with His life, we are free to serve others with grateful hearts.
Today, wherever God has placed you, look for an opportunity to serve faithfully. Your role may seem ordinary, and your work may go unnoticed, but you belong to the same Lord who loves you and gave Himself for you.
Reflect: Where am I tempted to measure my worth by my position or compare my role with someone else’s? How can I use the responsibilities and gifts God has given me to bless someone today?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for making me Your own through Jesus Christ. Forgive me when I compare myself with others or seek importance through my position. Help me recognize the gifts You have given me and use them faithfully to serve the people around me. Remind me that whatever my role, I belong to You and can serve with joy because Christ first served me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.