Notes From the Pastor's Desk
September 28, 2025
Why Serve the Lord
Read Deut. 6:12-14. Verses 13 and 14 says, “Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you.” What an honor and what a privilege to serve the Lord and give Him our best! Why should we do so?
I. The Lord's Purchase
(1 Cor. 6:20). Paul the Apostle wrote, “Ye are bought with a price.” That price was the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, for we are redeemed by His blood (1 Pet. 1:18-19). To “redeem” has the idea of releasing or liberating by the payment or receipt of a ransom. The “ransom” is the “payment given for the release of a captured person.” When we were sold out to sin, Jesus paid the supreme price at Calvary that we might go free and be free indeed.
II. The Lord's Passion
(Ex. 20:5). The Lord Himself said, “I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.” The Lord said that in the context of Israel bowing down and serving other gods. God is jealous and zealous in protecting what is precious to Him. God viewed Israel as a wife and sees the church as a bride. No one who is just, right and moral should want to share his wife with someone else. The husband expects exclusive devotion from his wife. When God's people worship other gods, they commit spiritual adultery and arouse God to jealousy (Psm. 78:58). God doesn't tolerate rivals for His people's affections.
III. The Lord's Plan
(1 Thess. 1:9). It is God's plan that we turn from idols to serve the true and living God. No one truly serves God who does not turn from idols. An idol is not necessarily a carved image, it can involve somebody or something greatly admired or loved, often to excess. Anything or anyone that becomes more important to us than God. becomes an idol. One songwriter says, “Break down every idol, cast down every foe, now wash me and I will be whiter than snow.” When we genuinely turn to God, we have turned from every idol that stands in our way of fellowship with God.
IV. The Lord's Pleasing
(Lk. 4:8; Matt. 4:10). Jesus said, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” The Lord is pleased when He is the chief object of our affections. There are so many rivals for our feelings for the Lord, but it gives God pleasure when we stand firm and live with His will in view for our lives. It is God's design that His Son, Jesus, have preeminence (Col. 1:18).
V. The Lord's Payback
(Heb. 6:10). God will remember what we have done for Him. He will recompense us for anything that we have done in His name and for His glory. It makes you feel good to know the employer will give you a check at the end of the week. At the end of our journey, if we are faithful to him, the Lord will reward us. It pays to serve Jesus!