Summary 

"Are you running from God because you're afraid to serve Him?" If you believe in God, but just don't want to deal with him, this may be for you.

Afraid of Serving God?

Introduction

Running away from God...does that strike you as weird?  That's exactly what Franklin Graham, the son of the famous Christian evangelist, Billy Graham did.  Though Frank grew up in a Christian home, he resisted coming to a saving knowledge of Him.  Instead, Franklin was caught up in the so called "fast track" of life, dwelling heavily into a life of immorality and sin.  His reason for running?

Franklin isn't the only one who have tried to run away from God before.  Like Franklin, there's many other people in that same shoe right now.  Believe it or not, some people are holding themselves back from God because of the fact that they don't want to serve Him.  Maybe it seems weird to you, or maybe it doesn't sound so weird ,because like them, you too are running from God not because you don't believe, but because you don't want to serve Him.

What does the Bible have to say about  that?

Before we go on and "dig" into our verse for this sermon, let us back up a bit.  What is your view of serving God?  Is it:

1. Something of a burden that is to be despised?

2.  Beyond your capabilities?

3.  Too much of a dramatic change from your current lifestyle?

4.  A glorious and humbling honor?

Let us turn to our Bibles to Ephesians 3:7 for some Biblical insight.  We find here that Paul the Apostle is saying:

"I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power."

The Truth About Serving

Serving God isn't this long, dull, boring and pointless moment of running around in the dark without any guidance.  It isn't this self-righteous deal of puffing up with arrogance and pride of being "religious" either.  And don't even think about the idea of serving God as dressing up in some clothes that's two thousand years out of fashion just to look old and wise.

Rather, to serve God is a response to God's awesome love and mercy for sinners such as us, since He alone has provided a way for us to be redeemed from the coming wrath of judgment.

Take what Paul said above.  He stated that he "became a servant of this gospel" (this gospel is the message of how we can be saved.)   For those who feel that serving God is beyond their capabilities, it might be encouraging to hear that this ability is "by the gift of God's grace given" to Paul, "through the working of his power."

Serving Is a Gift of Satisfaction

Serving God is an act of God's grace.  It is His gift that man, who are by nature rebels against God and always "running" away from Him are able to serve Him and help others.  Thus, it shouldn't be viewed as something to be avoided, but appreciated!  Serving God actually brings a purpose in life that isn't temporary as the world is, but eternal in it's impact and importance.  It provides a great satisfaction, when you realize this important truth.  Of course, serving God isn't just to get a feeling of satisfaction per se, but serving Him whole heatedly is to worship God and put His will into our lives.  That is where the satisfaction comes from.

As with most Biblical application into our personal lives, it's one thing to know the information, and another thing to live it out.  Some of you reading this might already know about what it means to serve God.  Now is the time to put it into work in our personal life.  Would you come to Him and accept His saving grace before you come to serve Him?  God bless those who's sins are paid in full through faith in Jesus Christ.

--Jimmy Li