Alt: Bishop T.D. Jakes preaching about the importance of selfless service in Christianity.
Our society has become increasingly self-centered. The constant refrain of “I” – “I’m unhappy,” “I don’t like this,” “I’m uncomfortable” – drowns out the call to serve others. When self sits on the throne, service dies. Consider the dinner guest who never lifts a finger to help clean up, leaving as though servants will magically appear. The collaborative spirit of families working together – washing, drying, putting away – has faded. We’ve lost the art of serving; we’ve become a society “out of service.” Now, service is often reduced to writing a check. Whether in church, at home, or elsewhere, genuine, selfless service has become a rarity. Why? Because we’ve become preoccupied with “What’s in it for me?”
This self-serving attitude permeates even the sacred institution of marriage. We enter into relationships asking, “What’s in it for me?” instead of focusing on mutual support and selfless love. In the past, when someone fell ill, neighbors, regardless of their beliefs, rallied to help – cooking, cleaning, providing comfort. Even the “sinners” served. Now, such acts of genuine compassion are fading. Have you noticed? Service is disappearing.
Within the church, the focus on personal gain has subtly shifted the message. Sermons and songs often cater to the narcissistic itch within the body of Christ. We’ve become so fixated on the benefits of being a Christian that we’ve forgotten the fundamental responsibility: service. How can we be eligible for the benefits if we don’t do the work? This mindset is slowly eroding the very foundations of our institutions. Hospitals struggle to find volunteers, budgets swell because everyone demands payment, and marriages crumble under the weight of unmet expectations. Anything requiring service for survival is struggling. We are only drawn to what benefits us directly.
True ministry is not about personal gain. It’s about humbly offering oneself to God, saying, “I’m unworthy, but if I can help anyone, I’m grateful.” That’s why you rarely hear someone say, “I’m called to prison ministry.” There’s no financial reward there. Yet, prisons, juvenile detention centers, and AIDS wards are filled with people desperate for hope, for someone to simply say, “Thus saith the Lord.” People are committing suicide, struggling with addiction, and facing life-altering diagnoses, yearning for the comfort and strength only faith can provide. True promotion in God’s kingdom isn’t about business cards and fancy suits; it’s about faithfulness in service. “You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many.”
Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension were not meant to be admired from afar but to empower us, the mystical body of Christ, the church. The Holy Spirit that moved through Christ now moves through us. The crucifixion multiplied the Son of God; we are now the sons and daughters of God. Christ’s physical presence was limited to one city, but now, Christ in us can be everywhere. If faith truly moved beyond the church walls, demons would tremble. Imagine the impact of prayer meetings in homes, of offering comfort and prayer in everyday places like grocery stores and restaurants. This is how revival begins.
God’s ultimate concern is His purpose. Your existence, your survival through trials and tribulations, is tied to a divine purpose. “All things work together for the good of them that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.” What is your purpose? If you’re unsure, “Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” Don’t let laziness disguised as confusion keep you from serving. When you walk in God’s purpose, favor follows.
Consider Moses, overflowing with the Spirit, so much so that God shared it with 70 elders. “I will take of the spirit that is on you and put it on them.” God didn’t diminish Moses’s spirit; He multiplied it, spreading the burden and responsibility. This is the essence of Pentecost. The Spirit that was on Christ was poured out on the disciples in the upper room. They were to move in Christ’s spirit, using His name, so that when people saw them, demons saw Jesus. “In the name of Jesus” carries power because it is backed by the Spirit of Jesus.
Why should God anoint your service? What is He receiving from your life, your week, your conversations? How many messages of hope have you shared? It may be uncomfortable to confront these questions, but the church has lost power because preachers have lost courage. The world desperately needs the demonstration of God’s power. Teenagers with guns, children having children, young lives ravaged by disease – this is the time for the church to rise up, to stop complaining and start serving, praying, and touching lives.
A restroom sign pointing to a non-functioning facility illustrates a powerful point: a natural need unmet leads to disaster. The people in your life are opportunities for service, not for being served. Revival ignites when we are in service. When attacks boomerang back to the sender, it’s because they were aimed at someone in service. When diseases fail to overcome, it’s because God declares, “No, you can’t have her; I’m using her. She is in service.” Make yourself available to God, and He will make Himself available to you. But none of this is possible if you are out of service.
God sought 70 faithful individuals to share the Spirit that was on Moses. On the day of Pentecost, they gathered in one accord, and the Spirit descended – a mighty rushing wind, tongues of fire, the same anointing that empowered Jesus, the dove that escaped Noah’s Ark, the spirit that hovered over the Earth, the anointing on Elijah’s bones, the spirit that draped Samuel’s face. This power is real, even if you don’t want it, won’t have it, or won’t sacrifice for it. God is displeased when we focus on our circumstances and neglect our service. He is angered when we order off His menu and complain about His provision while offering nothing in return. While we clamor for quail, the world is going to hell because the church, for the most part, is out of service.
