BUSY SERVING THE LORD
ROMANS 12:11
(September 4, 2019 – WED p.m. – MBC baesa)

Introduction:
     From the entire New Testament, many considered the book of Romans as the most thoroughly doctrinal book written by the Apostle Paul. It has the quality of a perfect example of Bible doctrine. Paul’s epistle to the Romans was the most profound writing that exists according to the great English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. We see in this book the pattern of all Paul’s epistles, the section comes first doctrine (Biblical principles dealing with the inner man) and then comes duty (Biblical practice dealing with the outer man), in that order. In contrasting chapters 1-11 with chapters 12-16 of Romans, perhaps the most important distinction is that the first part deals primarily with God’s actions for humanity, and the last part deals with people’s actions in response to God’s. Doctrine is not something we know but also something we do.- John 13:17. We can see in chapter 12:1-2 the calls for surrender and service. We are saved to serve.
     It is natural for Christians to slack off in our diligence in serving the Lord when we have been Christians for some time.
     Keep busy serving the Lord.

I. HARD-WORK SERVICE – "Not slothful in business" (v. 11)
Romans 12:11 “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;”
The word “slothful” here in Greek is okneroi which means timid, lazy, idle, troublesome.
The word “in business” in Greek “spoude” which means diligence.
• In other words we must not be idle or lazy in doing rightly those things which have great value.
• It is sad to say many Christian are not zealous for the Lord.
→ The phrase “Not slothful in business” refers to whatsoever we do, in work or in the home, in the church. Sadly speaking many Christians do not do anything in the church.
→ The Bible warns us of being slothful (lazy) in Proverbs 26:14 "As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed."
→ The Lord condemned the wicked and slothful in Matthew 25:26
ILLUSTRATION: John Wesley preached an average of three sermons daily for 54 years and was estimated that he preached more than 44,000 times. Traveled by horseback and carriage more than 200,000 miles. His published works include a four-volume commentary on the whole bible, a five-volume work on natural history, histories of England and Rome, grammars on the Hebrew, Latin, Greek, French, and English languages. Wesley knew ten languages. Wrote three books on medicine, six books on church music, and seven volumes of sermons. Wesley arose at 4 a.m. daily and usually worked till 10 p.m. At the age of 86 he preached in almost every town in England and Wales.
ILLUSTRATION: The moment the Apostle Paul was converted he got busy serving the Lord. As he was trembling and astonished on his road to Damascus, he said “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” – Acts 9:5. All over the Roman Empire Paul preached, winning souls and planting churches. He wrote thirteen epistles. Paul also suffered many hardships. Paul testimony as he said, "In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches" - 2 Corinthians 11:23-28.
• Paul said about the Lord Jesus Christ "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" - Titus 2:14.
→ Are you “zealous of good works”?
→ Are you “slothful in business”?
→ John Wesley and the Apostle both were great man but the greatest example is the Lord Jesus Christ.
→ Jesus said in John 9:4 “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
→ Jesus said in John 5:17 “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”
→ The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is working. We ought to work also and get busy serving.

II. HOT SERVICE – "fervent in spirit" (v. 11)
Romans 12:11 “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;”
• The word “fervent” in Greek word is “zeontes” which means to boil, be hot.
→ Fervency is shown in active service.
→ Church members today are like the church members in Laodicea church as rebuked by the Lord in Revelation 3:15-16 “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

EXAMPLES OF FERVENCY IN THE BELIEVERS:
Apollos was "fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord." – Acts 18:25
Stephen having disputation in the synagogue with the Libertines, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia.
→ Acts 6:10, "And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake".
→ Acts 6:15 says, "And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel."
We can see here the characteristics of the face of an angel:
a. The Light – intelligence, sincerity, moral excellence, glory, wisdom.
b. The warmth – lovingkindness, sympathy, comfort.
c. The strength – Psalm 103:20 “Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments hearkening unto the voice of his word.”

• Reason why Stephen have a face like of an angel it means he is filled by the Holy Spirit:
Acts 6:5 "a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost."
Acts 7:55,"full of the Holy Ghost."

• We need to get busy serving the Lord and be sincere enough to be fervent in spirit like Stephen by having fullness of the Holy Spirit. We should be controlled by the Spirit, led by Spirit, submitted to the Holy Spirit's will.
→ Jesus said in Luke 11:13 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

III- HUMBLE SERVICE -- "serving the Lord" – 11
Romans 12:11 “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;”
• The word “serving” in Greek word is “douleuontes” which means to be slave, to serve, indicates humble service.
• John Philips said "Not slothful in business" -- that's the outward look; "fervent in spirit" -- that's the inward look, and "serving the Lord" -- that's the upward look.
• The word “servant” literally means “bond-slave”.
→ In Romans 1:1 when Paul begins this epistle said, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,” he was actually saying I am a Bond-slave of Jesus Christ.
→ The “servant” defines a man of servile condition, devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests.
→ In Philippians 1:21 Paul was completely devoted to the Lord Jesus and said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain”.
• To be a devoted servant to Christ we must be a humble servant – Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
→ Paul share to the Elders in Ephesian his devoted service, in Acts 20:19 “Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:”
• Bond servants were loyal – Exodus 21
• Our Lord Jesus knelt down and washed the disciples feet including Judas because washing of feet was a job of a bond servant. In pictures humble service.

Keep Busy serving the Lord in hard work, with a hot and humble heart until Jesus comes!