“After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: "Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land." So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.
Now the famine was severe in Samaria, and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of his palace. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the LORD. While Jezebel was killing off the LORD's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.) Ahab had said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals." So they divided the land they were to cover, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another. As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, "Is it really you, my lord Elijah?"
"Yes," he replied. 1 Kings 18:1-8
v.3-4 Ob playing a key role in building the kingdom of God - serving God and building the kingdom by personally taking care of these other men.
His role is much different than Elijah’s - Elijah is out front - up front, connecting with outsiders, teaching God’s Word, speaking with other leaders, confronting issues - he’s is front and center.
Ob. however is working backstage, in the background, not seen, hidden actually - taking care of others who were at 1 time and will be again, front and center.
Ob. is doing his part - playing the role God intended for him to play - moving and acting with the abilities, skills and gifts God has given him.
He is doing his part in building the kingdom.
This leads to the ?, are we doing our part in building the kingdom of God? Do we even know our part?
Are you doing your part? Do you know what your part is?
According to God’s Word, everyone of us has a role, a part to play in building the kingdom of God - of seeing the world
impacted w/ the the good news of J.C.
1 Corinthians 12
“Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.” v.4-7
You play a part
Treat everyone as if they have a need, because everybody does
3 needs:
physical - spiritual - emotional
3 ways we can serve:
To God - To believers - To unbelievers
Why should I be interested?
1. I’ve been created to serve - on purpose for a purpose.
“For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10
2. I’ve been saved to serve
“It is God who saved us and chose for his holy work. He did this not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan long before the world began” 2 Timothy 1:9
giving life to Christ is not the end - it’s not the be-all, end-all - it’s the beginning - saved to serve!
3. I’ve been called to serve - every believer has been called.
“God in his grace chose me even before I was born, and called me to serve him.” Galatians 1:15
“...You have been chosen by God himself...so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” 2 Peter 2:9-10
4. I’ve been gifted to serve
“God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can flow through you.” 1 Peter 4:10 - S.H.A.P.E.
5. I’ve been authorized to serve “Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples” Matthew 28:18-19
- not just clergy
“We are therefore Christ's ambassadors” 2 Corinthians 5:20
defin: a person who acts as a representative
6. I’ve been commanded to serve
“Your attitude must be like my own, for I did not come to be served, but to serve” Matthew 20:28
7. I’m to be prepared for service
“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” Ephesians 4:11-12
8. Others need me to serve
“Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27
9. I am accountable for my part
“So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”
Romans 14:12
there will come a day when each of us will be asked by God, did you play your part? - how do I know what my part is? shape
10. I will be rewarded for playing my part
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” Colossians 3:23-24
you will be rewarded for playing your part.
14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
Matthew 25
Each of us have a part to play in building the Kingdom of God -
I think that’s incredibly exciting!!!
That God actually wants me, the average Joe to be a part of something so big, so huge, beyond my comprehension - something that matters more than anything else in this world - I get to play a part - WOW!
“In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world,
I give them a mission in the world.” John 17:18
Each of us have a mission, we each play a part
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