Service

“for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ”  Ephesians 4:12

Service – Why does Christ give different roles and different gifts to His followers?  Wouldn’t it be so much easier if each one of us could just do the whole job by ourselves?  After all, isn’t that the way Jesus operated when he was on earth?  He didn’t run around assigning tasks to others (did he?).  So, why does Paul say that the body has people who have all these different roles and gifts?  You might think the answer is obvious.  And it is.  It’s just not what we usually think it is.

Paul makes it very clear.  The reason for apostles, prophets, evangelists, caretakers and teachers (verse 11) is to prepare those who are set apart by God for service.  Did you notice that these are all separate functions?  Christ didn’t set it up so that one member of the body does all these things for the benefit of all the rest of the body.  Many people gifted equip many people separated.  But all for one purpose: to serve.

Service is diakonia.  We get “deacon” from the root word.  It most likely comes from the idea of a server – someone who waits on tables.  Service is ministering to others, being the background people who take care of the needs of others.  That much is clear.  It’s not about us; it’s about them.  The purpose of service is not about taking care of my own needs.  It is about taking care of the needs of others. 

Now here’s the question.  Who are the others? 

It is an unfortunate shame that most churches define “others” as “those who are within our group who are not apostles, prophets, evangelists, caretakers or teachers”.  In other words, most churches have an inclusive definition.  The body is to serve itself.  Oh, things in the church still have to get done.  The janitor, the landscaper, the secretary, the choir leader, the worship team, the children’s ministry and a dozen more things need doing.  But all of those things are self-serving.  They take care of the needs of the body itself. 

Maybe we need a different perspective.  Jesus came to serve too.  But his definition of those in need included people that we don’t see in church:  the sick, the blind, the oppressed, the imprisoned, the hungry, the thirsty, the downtrodden, the naked.  Those outside our circle.

What do you suppose Jesus will say to us when we proclaim, “But Lord, I served on the finance committee, I sang in the choir, I worked at the church picnic.  I just never saw you hungry or thirsty or naked or in prison or sick.  I was too busy serving my own body”?

Do you think that one reason the church is so weak is that it has an imploded view of serving?