Welcome to our service today. It is great to have you here and we would love to invite you to stay after the service and join us for tea and coffee.
Last week we were away in Hanmer Springs for our annual e4 Summer camp/conference. I’m sure you have had times when a particular scripture or sentence jumps out at you as if it is an ‘aha’ moment. I had this happen during one of the Bible studies on John 13 when we were looking at Jesus in the Upper Room with His disciples. The phrase was “we are to serve out of surrender, not out of our own strength”.
Surrender means to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favour of another. As Christians we are to give up everything just as Christ did for us when He died on the cross. The problem with serving out of our own strength is that when we get tired, can’t be bothered or see no value to ourselves in it we struggle with the service. We may become critical and negative as we serve. However when we serve out of surrender, we do it out of the love we have for Christ and for one another. We give up our own rights, desires and feelings and serve as if we were serving Christ Himself.
This was a great attitude check for me at the start of the year. This year will come with trials, rejoicings and opportunities. Let us, as we seek to enlarge the Kingdom of God, serve together out of surrender and not out of our own strength, for it is ‘not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord.
Blessings, Sandra
Beckenham Baptist Church 