The Pencil Principle
This is a pencil. It's pretty simple and would probably be easy to make, right? First, the wood comes from special trees that need people to plant them, to water them, and to harvest them. Then you need loggers who cut the trees, the truck drivers who haul them, the workers who run the sawmill that slice the logs into thin wooden slats, and the people who maintain the saws. All of those people are necessary just for the wood part of this pencil.
But then there's the graphite that has to be mined. That means miners, engineers, safety workers, machine operators. Then it has to be crushed, cleaned, and formed. Every machine involved in that process was also built by someone. And we haven't even talked about the eraser, the metal ferrule, the yellow paint or all the fuel and electricity required in the process.
When you add it all up, it takes thousands of people working together to make this pencil. And here's the crazy thing. There's no one person on this earth who could make this pencil all by themselves. All of those people, all with different tasks and jobs - each played an important role.
In the Church - it's the same way. We each have our job to do. Now, I want to be clear - and I know I sound like a broken record - but it's important - "We don't get to Heaven by doing good things – we do good things because we are going to Heaven." Our good deeds, our work, our service is a response to the gift of grace that we have been given. We are saved by grace – but we also need to respond to that grace.
Those who have chosen to follow Jesus will serve. There is a 'work component' to following Jesus, and that's what I want to look at this morning. And in the Church, in the body of Christ – there are…
I. Different kinds of service
In order to make a simple pencil - there are a lot of different jobs that have to be done. Some require heavy lifting, others are more clerical. Some jobs are just a phone call, others require someone to get their hands dirty.
In order for the Church to accomplish its mission, in and outside of these walls – for each of us to fulfill the individual purpose that God has for us – there are different jobs, different tasks, that need to be done. Let's look at Paul's words from 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV)...
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. (5) There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. (6) There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
Now when we start talking about different gifts and different roles, people sometimes struggle with the idea that not everyone receives the same abilities or responsibilities - and that's not necessarily 'fair'. "Fairness" is a nice idea, and I'm not telling anyone that they shouldn't be fair in their dealings with people – but we all know that life isn't fair. Some people are taller than others. Some people are faster than others. Some people are actually smarter than others. Life isn't really fair in that sense.
So - in the Church - who gets which gifts and traits that are suited for the different kinds of service?
A. God decides
I don't get to tell God how He should have made me. I don't get to tell God what natural gifts and abilities He should have given me. I don't get to tell God that I probably would have been a better preacher if He would have made me taller and better looking. In fact, I really don't get to tell God how I should serve Him. Again, Paul's words, referring to our Creator, from Ephesians 4:11-13 (NIV)...
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, (12) to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (13) until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
It's God who decides how to 'dole out the different gifts and tasks' in order to accomplish His purposes. In scripture, we see that Jesus chose those original Apostles – those who worked closely with Him in His ministry here on earth. He chose them – they responded to the call. God equips us and guides us toward different roles in His Kingdom.
Now don't misunderstand, I can choose from many areas of service, but it's God who made me and knows where I will best fit in His plan. I have no doubt that I could serve God well in a number of ways, even outside of full time ministry. But it appears that He has called me to this particular task for now.
And as much as I think He may have gotten it wrong, I know He has His reasons. And I think I can get a bit of insight into His reasons from 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 (NIV)...
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. (27) But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
God didn't choose me to serve Him because I was so wise. God didn't choose me because of my great strength. In fact, it was probably because of my lack of wisdom and strength – so that if I have any success in ministry it's not because of my own abilities, but because of His Spirit in me. That's amazingly humbling when you look at it that way. But there's also a blessing there - I know I don't serve alone. God has given me gifts and abilities to accomplish His purposes.
There are different kinds of service, and all of us have been called to those different areas of service by God. But just because life is unfair, don't think that God treats His children that way. Some jobs may be more high profile and appear more important – but that's not really how God sees it. When it comes to God's Kingdom work, there are different kinds of service, but to God - when offered with the right heart - they have…
B. The same value
If you ask a random person, "Who's more important, more valuable – Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, X Corp., PayPal, xAI, The Boring Company, the Musk Foundation, the Texas Institute of Technology and Science, and Neuralink - or a plumber?" They might be tempted to respond, "Well, the billionaire, of course!" But ask them that same question when their toilet breaks and water is spraying all over.
There's a reason that different jobs exist – because there is a real need that those jobs meet. It's the same in God's Kingdom. Which person is most important – the one who gives the communion meditation or the one who prepares the communion? – The person who creates the bulletin on a computer, or the person who actually hands out the bulletin?
Theoretically, I could prepare the greatest Gospel message in the history of the world, but if no one invited a friend to hear it - one who doesn't know Jesus – no one gets saved. Every job, every different kind of service fits together to make the Church work; to accomplish its mission!
1 Corinthians 12:11-12 (NIV)
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. (12) The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
If one part is missing, the body suffers. I've had people tell me that they don't really feel the need to be in Church service every week. They feel that their needs are met if they attend every other week or maybe once a month. That's all well and good – but where's the concern for the body? Where's the concern for the Church as a whole? If you are missing, the body isn't complete.
- The gifts that God gave you are not here if you aren't... The service, the connections, the encouragement that you could provide is not here if you aren't. Everyone has a part in the body as determined by God. - And here's something that's easy to acknowledge but can take a lifetime to embrace…
II. Service is a privilege
I've known this for years, but I haven't mastered it on a daily basis yet. Let's look at this passage from the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 1:12-15 (NIV)...
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. (13) Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. (14) The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
(15) Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst.
First of all – do I really thank God on a regular basis for 'appointing me to his service'? Do we always appreciate the 'honor' of serving? And then, as Paul points out – the reality is, am I even qualified to be a lowly servant? If we're honest, are any of us here worthy to serve Jesus?
Service is a privilege, but I don't think we always look at it as such. I do know that there are days that 'service' gets in the way of things that I want to do; my to-do list. There are times, in my ignorance and arrogance, I may think that 'my time' could be better spent on other things rather than serving.
Luke 22:25-27 (NIV)
Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. (26) But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. (27) For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves."
If we want to follow Jesus, it is vital that we learn that service is…
A. Not about the server
Service is not about my agenda. Service is really not about my desires or wants – service is about the needs of others.
There's advice on 'modern parenting' that I've seen repeated on social media. Parents are told that in order to be better parents they need to focus more on their own needs first. The theory is that if a parent is happy, fulfilled and 'self actualized' they will then be better parents. I've seen 'influencers' explain to parents that what they really need most is a lot more "Me time". So the other evening when Augie interrupted me asking for a band-aid, I explained that I needed more 'me time' and went back to my movie.
Of course I'm being facetious and exaggerating to make a point. Any loving parent understands that much of the time - your needs are placed on the back burner to attend to the needs of your kids. That's the way parenting works. I'm not saying that parents don't need breaks for their own sanity's sake – but faithful parenting requires a lot of sacrifice. It's a lot of work, and its focus is not really about my happiness or desires – it's more about what a child needs most.
Service is not about me. But that doesn't mean that I'm not blessed by serving. Somehow, when we focus on others – we will still benefit from that service. And there's even more that comes from our service…
2 Corinthians 9:12-13 (NIV)
This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. (13) Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
Service is ultimately about God. How do I respond to Him in obedience? Some fear that if they spend too much time focusing on service, that they will somehow be diminished, that they might 'fade' in importance. Service is really about giving up 'self' and trusting God enough to find that we will still be blessed.
In the Church and in our personal lives - What would it look like if we were less concerned with our needs and more concerned with the needs of others…? I'm not talking about our basic physical needs that keep us alive – but those 'rights' which we claim for ourselves: our claims on our time and our money and our work. What if we were less protective of those things out of concern for others?
How would that transform our families? How would that transform our marriages? How would that transform our churches? I think what we're talking about here is giving 100% of yourself to God in service. That's kind of a big thing if you look at it that way. But Jesus was very clear when it came to following Him, He wants…
B. All of you
We don't get to serve Jesus part time or only at our convenience. It's not a matter of fitting Christianity into our lifestyle, but giving up everything to follow Him and find Heaven! We find this exchange between Jesus and some of His first followers…
Luke 9:57-62 (NIV)
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." (58) Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (59) He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." (60) Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
(61) Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." (62) Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Wow. Jesus doesn't accept second place in our lives. When we accept the call to serve Him, we don't get to set the terms. That may sound a bit severe – but that really is what we're called to when we follow Jesus. As far as Jesus was concerned, as far as service – there's no such thing as a 'part time' follower. Christians learn to serve in love.
So What?
Thinking about the pencil again - everything that went into it, it wasn't made just in one factory but around the world. Maybe wood from California, graphite from South America, rubber eraser from Asia...
As we've talked about service, I don't want us to just think about service happening only here inside these walls. That is a big component of service, but the largest part of service has to happen outside of these walls since that's where we live most of our lives. We are called to serve those in the Church, but also those outside of the Church as well.
Who in the Church comes to your mind when I say 'servant'. In my opinion, we have quite a few that fit that description. When you think about that servant – do they seem unhappy? Do they seem unfulfilled?
Probably not. Those who wholeheartedly serve Jesus may be very tired, but they serve out of love. They're the kind of people who serve whether they really have the time or not. They're the kind of people who only stop serving when their bodies fail them, and sometimes not even then. Do they perhaps know something that we don't?
I want us to think differently about service and what that really means in light of God's plans. When we understand how Jesus set the example, we will be compelled to serve. It won't be a matter of 'if', but a matter of 'where' and 'how'.