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A Spirit of Service

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A Spirit of Service

A Spirit of Service

"Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded."                     

John 13:3-5

How can we develop a spirit of service within our circles of work? How can we inspire every employee to adopt the attitude of a servant? In John 13, Jesus shows us the most effective way for those who work to achieve this lofty goal. We are to set the example of service ourselves. We need to view ourselves as servants and demonstrate a servant’s attitude to everyone else. This is exactly what Jesus did. He taught His disciples to serve by serving them. He, the very Son of God Himself, their Lord and leader, washed their feet—the lowest task of the lowest servant of a household. Just as Jesus did, we should model the attitude of a servant toward every employee and every individual with whom we work with. We are to take on the very nature of a servant, embody it, and illustrate it on a daily basis (Ph. 5:7).

Remember what Jesus taught: the way to success is not through position, power, or authority, but through heartfelt service to others (Mt. 20:26-27). We will be successful in life, in work, and, above all, in Christ’s kingdom when we walk in our Lord’s humble footsteps of service.

Study Questions:

  • Is it hard to see yourself as a servant to the people you work with?
  • Is there a spirit of service at every level within your work?
  • What is a specific way you can show servanthood on a daily basis?

Download a free PDF of this section of The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® and continue your study.

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Walk Humbly With God

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Walk Humbly With God

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

James 4:10

One of the deadliest dangers is that of pride. But in discussing pride, we must always remember this fact: there is both good, healthy pride and a bad, unhealthy pride.

Good, healthy pride is acceptable because it is a deep sense of self-respect and of confidence in one’s abilities to do things—to act, work, labor, achieve, and succeed. On the other hand, bad, unhealthy pride is unacceptable because it thinks too highly of self and exalts self over others. It is a deep sense of feeling better; of more value and worth than other people.

If you are walking humbly with God, you will not be proud or self-reliant, depending only on your own strength. Rather; you will continually seek strength from God, calling on Him to help you, guide you, and deliver you from temptation. Walking humbly with God means you will not seek honor for your own name but for God’s Name. All of this is because you know that it is God who has gifted and enabled you to achieve and succeed. Therefore, you want the honor and glory to be His. This is what it means to walk humbly with God.

Study Questions:

  • Were you aware that there is a good pride and a bad pride? Do you lean more towards one?
  • What is a tangible way you can combat bad pride from creeping in?
  • What does it look like for you to humbly walk with God?

Download a free PDF of this section from What the Bible Says to the Business Leader and continue your study.

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Will It Glorify God?

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Will It Glorify God?

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."                                       1 Corinthians 10:31

“Will it glorify God?” You should always ask yourself this question before making decisions. As Scripture so plainly teaches, everything we do should bring glory to God. Your commitment to glorify God should extend to the way you work, or to the way you conduct yourself in your position of leadership at work.

God is glorified through your work when you…

  • Conduct your work in a way that pleases Him
  • Conduct yourself—your attitude, words, interactions—in a way that pleases Him
  • Value other individuals, treating each one fairly and respectfully
  • Use your position to advance the cause of morality and righteousness on earth
  • Acknowledge Him as the true owner of your business and view yourself as a steward over it

God is glorified only when every facet of your work pleases Him. This should be your constant goal and driving motivation as you go about your everyday tasks at work.

Study Questions:

  • Is glorifying God at the forefront of all that you do in work?
  • What can it look like for you personally to glorify God in the role you are currently in?
  • Are you often tempted to use unethical behavior for a worthy cause?

Download a free PDF of this section of The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® and continue your study.

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Be a Person of Integrity

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Be a Person of Integrity

"The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

5 The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness."   

 Proverbs 11:3-5

As a Christian, your integrity will lead you to do what is right in every situation. It will guide you according to God’s truth. His clear instructions will guide you day by day and bring peace to your soul. The treacherous in verse 3 are those who are crooked or dishonest in the way they conduct business (v.3b). Though they lack integrity, they may still prosper for a while. But the day will come when their crookedness finally catches up to them. When you are tempted to compromise your integrity, always remember this fact: one day you will answer to God for your life, including how you conducted your business and performed your job.

You will experience true peace of heart and mind, a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment, and the priceless blessings of God when choosing integrity. You will still suffer adversity, as we all do, but you will avoid the excruciating consequences that come to those who lack integrity.

Christians have done great damage to the cause of Christ. But instead of bringing shame to His name—as the dishonest do—your integrity will bring glory to God, especially when others see you doing the right thing at great expense to yourself or your job.

Study Questions:

  • What does integrity mean to you?
  • How can you foster an integrity that consistently guides you and is pleasing to the Lord?

Download a free PDF of this section of The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® and continue your study.

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Godly Ambition

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Godly Ambition

"And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?

34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all."

Mark 9:33-35

In these passages, Jesus directly addresses the subject of ambition. He taught that good ambition is a virtue. It is not wrong to desire to be great or to make a significant contribution. Jesus never rebuked the disciples’ ambition; instead, He channeled it, which is exactly what He wants to do for you. Jesus wants to steer your energy, motive, and efforts in the right direction.

The world thinks in terms of power, fame, wealth, position and influence. Sadly, in general most people are caught up in worldly ambition, seeking more and more of what the world has to offer. In fact, the majority of people tend to judge the success of others by their…

  • Wealth
  • Homes or vehicles
  • Jobs or titles
  • Influence or authority
  • Social standing

The Lord’s view of ambition stands in direct contrast to the world’s view. You become great by doing what Christ says, that is, you do not seek greatness for your own sake but rather for the sake of serving others. Godly ambition seeks to serve rather than be served. It looks for people to help and for ways to help them. Ultimately, the way to greatness is through humble service. If you wish to be great, then this needs to be your driving ambition. No matter what your position is or how much authority you have, you are still called to serve. This is true greatness!

Study Questions:

  • Do you tend to be motivated by worldly ambition?
  • What are some practical ways you can counter your tendencies towards ambition rooted in worldliness?
  • What does it look like for you personally to humbly serve those you work with?

 

Download a free PDF of this section of The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® and continue your study.

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Obey God’s Word In All Things

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Obey God's Word In All Things

"Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do."                                             Deuteronomy 29:9

The most important thing you can do to achieve success is to make God’s Word the basis for your life and your job. God commanded Joshua to obey everything that Moses had written, all of God’s Holy Word at that time. He has also commanded you to obey all the instructions of His Word, both in your life and in your work.

Without question, obeying God is not always easy. He knows that adhering to His Word will force you to make difficult choices and take bold stands. At times, you will have to act according to faith rather than according to details, data, and trends.

Knowing this, when the pressure is mounting not to follow God’s Word in some area of life or business, you should cling to God’s promise. You should believe that He will keep His Word. Indeed, if you will obey His commandments and operate by the principles of His Word, there will be flourishment. That is God’s promise to you. He will bless and honor your commitment to Him.

Study Questions:

  • Is it hard for you to trust and obey God’s Word while at work? How can you challenge yourself or others to adhere to God’s Word while at work?
  • What is a daily practice you can incorporate to help bring you back to the truth of God’s Word?

 

Download a free PDF of this section of The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible® and continue your study.

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