Serve Impactfully - A Deeper Dive

part 5 of wesleyan rooted

scripture: Matthew 25:35-40

message Summary

This week, we conclude our sermon series Wesleyan Rooted with Part 5, in which we consider the importance of serving others and living out our faith through acts of service. All people, regardless of their role or occupation, are called to serve and minister to those in need. True faith is not just about what we believe but how we live out those beliefs through acts of service and compassion.

God invites us to partner in God’s mission of love. As Wesleyan Christians, therefore, we assume the Christlike posture of a servant. We keep our eyes open to God’s activity around us and join in acts of compassion and justice in the peaceable reign of Christ.

You can find a link to the full video of this week’s message below. Here are some of the key points:

Ephesians 4:11-13 - In Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus, he discusses the roles of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers in equipping God's people for works of service. All people are called to serve and minister, not just those in specific roles.

Discovering our unique callings and gifts - One of our responsibilities as followers of Christ is to discover our unique gifts and callings and to use them to serve others. There is a difference between our vocation (a spiritual calling) and our occupation (a job). Regardless of our vocation and occupation, we are all called by God to serve.

The call to serve the 'least of these' - As followers of Jesus, we are called to serve the 'least of these' in our communities. In Matthew 25, Jesus says that what we do for the least of these, we do for him. We need to ask ourselves, “Who is our congregation?” Who are we called to serve and minister to?

When We Serve We Bring Shalom

Shalom is a Hebrew word that traditionally means peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare, and tranquility. While it is often used as a greeting or farewell in Jewish culture, its deeper meaning encompasses a state of well-being that includes personal, communal, and societal peace.

In Christianity, shalom goes beyond the absence of conflict and refers to restoring harmony in relationships between individuals, God, and creation. It reflects God’s original design for creation and the peace that God desires for humanity.

Christian service seeks to bring about shalom in the lives of others. This means not just meeting physical needs but contributing to their overall spiritual, emotional, and relational well-being. As followers of Jesus, when we help the poor and care for those in need, we participate in God’s desire to restore peace and wholeness to the world.

Our acts of service to others are an extension of God’s shalom. Through acts of love and charity, we bring to life this vision of shalom by working to heal and reconcile broken relationships, both among people and with God.

Serve Impactfully - Full Sermon Video