Is serving God important? How can we serve Him?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Yes, serving God is important; it is our response to Him. Recognize, though, that God did not create us for the purpose of serving Him as if He needs something (Acts 17:24–25). God created us in His image and for relationship with Him and one another (Genesis 1:26–28). We display the character and work of God to one another and the rest of creation (Matthew 5:14–16; Ephesians 3:9–11). God also invites us to participate in His work in meaningful ways (Genesis 1:28; 9:1; John 15:15–17). For those who are in Christ, we are in intimate relationship with the Trinity and one another (John 17:20–26; Ephesians 4), and we will one day dwell with God (Revelation 21:1–4). In healthy relationships we serve one another. Jesus gave us the example of serving by serving His disciples (cf. Mark 10:43–45; John 13:12–17), and when we serve others, we are serving the Lord (Matthew 25:35–40). He demonstrated that we are to seek the welfare of others first (Philippians 2:1–11). The Spirit of God has given His people gifts with which to serve and build up the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12:3–8).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Genesis 1:26–28 gives us the creation account of mankind: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” God did not make us to serve Him; He created us to have relationship with Him.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• In the upper room, Jesus told His disciples, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (John 13:14–17). God calls us to serve by following Christ’s example of humility, as He washed His disciples' feet to demonstrate that true service is about meeting the needs of others. Serving God means humbling ourselves, putting others before ourselves, and reflecting His love in our actions.
• Jesus said in Mark 9:35, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." True greatness in God's kingdom is not about power or status, but about being humble and serving others, even those considered least in the world.
• When telling the Greeks in Athens about God, Paul stated, "nor is he [God] served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything" (Acts 17:25). God is self-sufficient and doesn't require our service, yet He still chooses to involve us in His work.
• Paul, in teaching the Corinthians about spiritual gifts, wrote "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (1 Corinthians 12:7). Spiritual gifts are given to every believer for the benefit of the church to build up the body of Christ.
• Through humility we serve one another as demonstrated by Christ’s example (Philippians 2:1–8).
• Peter emphasized how we are to serve one another in 1 Peter 4:10–11: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Our response to the Lord God creating us should be to serve Him. And serving Him includes serving others. In what is commonly called the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus used His example of washing His disciples' feet to show that we should engage in service to others. Jesus was telling His disciples that service is important to God. Jesus also stated elsewhere that the order of importance in God's kingdom is not the same as the order of importance in man’s world. Service is important to God, so it should be important to us.

In providing for His church, God gave us gifts—not for our own uplifting but for building up the church. God has not only created us because He wanted to, but He has equipped us to advance according to His standards. Improving our own standing is not what He desires, but we should work for the betterment of others.

So this raises the question of how serving God translates into serving other people. If we are to serve God, we must know and follow His standards. God's standard of greatness is not the same as ours. His standard, that of love, puts others first (1 Corinthians 13), so we should put others first to follow His standards. In serving God, we will serve other people, and in serving others, we serve God.

UNDERSTAND

• Serving God is a response to our relationship with Him, not just an obligation.
• True greatness in God's kingdom is defined by humility and serving others.
• God equips us with spiritual gifts to serve and build up the church.

REFLECT

• How can you serve others in your daily life to reflect God's love?
• How can you humble yourself and put others before your own desires, following Christ's example?
• How can you use the spiritual gifts God has given you to benefit and build up the body of Christ?

ENGAGE

• What does true greatness in God's kingdom look like, and how does it differ from the world’s view of greatness?
• How can we ensure our service to others is motivated by love and humility, as Christ demonstrated?
• How does understanding that God doesn’t need our service but invites us into His work shape the way we approach serving others?