life as well. Praise the Lord. Thank you so much for that. Well, I'm moving away from the book of Hebrews for a couple of weeks, just scheduling it all, and wanted to share a standalone message. I actually preached, in case you have notes, many years ago, maybe 20 years ago. I don't even know how long ago it was. But I wanted to revisit it because I was talking with my children about this of late. Over 38 years ago on Sunday, February 20th, 1983, my life and that of my family radically changed. I was a full-time college student because I went to the Navy first before I started college, and so I was finishing undergrad back in those days. About three-quarters of the way through a degree in chemistry, heading toward medical school. I was going to apply to medical school anyway. And I'd been a surgeon's assistant at that point for about six years and was currently working in the operating room at St. Joseph Hospital. here in town. My late wife, my late first wife, was five months pregnant with our first child at that time. We were both weekend warriors. After we got out of the Navy, active duty, we went into active reserve in the United States Air Force. So we were weekend warriors, active reserve at that time. We were both very heavily involved here at Redbridge. Our lives were busy. And our lives changed because in that busy time, heading in an altogether different direction, God called me to vocational ministry and specifically to the local church pastorate. I wasn't looking to do that 38 years ago. I hadn't planned on doing that, but that is what the Lord had for us, my family, at that time. So as not to make you nervous, when I used the phrase, I was called into the ministry, it wasn't an audible voice, it wasn't him speaking to me in some private way, personal way, that was exclusive just to me. It wasn't that I had a vision, had a dream, or any such thing as that. I was then and am now a committed, resolute cessationist. And if you don't know what that means, talk to me later. If you do know what that means, I hope you're glad that, especially in our neck of the woods here in South Kansas City, that I am a committed cessationist. God doesn't give special and personal revelation in our day. He hasn't given special revelation since the closing of the book of Revelation. I didn't have a warm and fuzzy feeling. It wasn't anything like that, but it was a distinct, undeniable longing to pursue the office of pastor. And really, my prayer and commitment up to that point in my Christian life, I'd only been saved for a few years at that time, about six years or so, is, God, I'll do whatever you want, and I'll go wherever you want. And I was genuine, sincere about that. And so in these years, in these decades now of being in the pastorate, since that time, I've never doubted my call. I've regretted my call a time or two, but I've never doubted it. There's been highs and lows. There's been mountaintops and wilderness. I've experienced many episodes of feeling inadequate. I've experienced episodes of feeling like I was used of the Lord, but I've never doubted the desire, the passionate desire that I had that I believe God gave me for the pastoral ministry. And that is precisely what I believe 1 Timothy 3, 1 actually says. And it says this, it's a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, pastor, elder, similar words describing the same type of office, different functions, though. He desires a good work. Now, if you'll notice that word there, desire, there in 1 Timothy 3.1, it's the word which means to aspire to, to stretch toward, or to lean toward something. If you desire something, you reach out for it. Well, it's also in the middle, this verb is in the middle voice, which means that the man himself, and I'm convinced 1 Timothy 3 says those who are in pastoral ministry, those who do shepherd the sheep, are to be men. That's not particularly popular in our day. I am not egalitarian, I am complementarian, that men and women have distinct roles and particular assignments from the Lord throughout all time. I'm not bitter. I don't feel like I've been abused. I don't feel like I've been discriminated against because I can't carry a baby for nine months. I wasn't designed to do that. I have a different function than women have. And it just so happens that one of the functions that is reserved for men, and there's very few, but it's the, in the church that is, but it's the role of pastor. And so the man himself, boy I would have thought that would have gotten a little more mileage, but it's for the man to pastor God's church. It's the middle voice which says the man himself is to long for this, if God, he's to stretch toward shepherding, and I was convinced at that time. Now, that's my story. I was called to serve, but what about you? Maybe you're not called into the pastoral ministry, and likely you're not, or you'd be doing it, or maybe it's still to come for you, some of you men. But you are, if you are a believer, you are called to serve. Amen? Don't make no mistake about it. You are a servant. If you're saved, by definition, you are a servant of the Lord. Look at 1 Samuel, if you would, chapter 3. The book of 1 Samuel, about a third of the way through the Old Testament, 1 Samuel chapter 3, and I want us to consider four points from 1 Samuel chapter 3 about what it means to have a calling to serve. 1 Samuel chapter 3. I was in 2 Samuel. I didn't look close enough. 1 Samuel chapter 3. beginning in verse 1, four principles about being called to serve. And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days. There was no frequent vision. And it came to pass at that time when Eli was lying down in his place, and his eyes began to grow dim that he could not see, and before the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was lying down to sleep, that the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou callest me. And he said, that is, Eli said, I callest not, lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again Samuel. And Samuel arose, and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son, lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time, and he arose and went to Eli and said, Here am I, for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down, and it shall be, if he call thee, thou shalt say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came and stood and called, as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak, for thy servant heareth. And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle. In that day, I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house. When I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth, because his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever. And Samuel lay until the morning and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to tell Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel and said, Samuel, my son, And he answered, here am I. And he said, what is the thing that the Lord has said unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me. God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he said unto thee. And Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, it is the Lord. Let him do that which seemeth good to him. And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel, from Dan and to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established to be the prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh, for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord." Four primary points, if you're taking notes, that I have derived from this passage that I think will be helpful, and these principles are true and accurate. That is, in the way of my understanding of what it means to receive, to follow, a calling to serve. The first thing that I want to bring out in verses 1 through 3 is that God uses those are already serving. You already have a heart, you already have an availability, you're already yielded to serve Him in a general sense and He will direct you, He will direct those first and foremost who are already serving. Now if you'll notice in verse 1 The word in the King James says that he ministered to the Lord. It's a very common, it's very typical Hebrew word and used throughout the Old Testament and translated many times as serve or being a servant in the noun form. And so it follows that if a believer not actively serving the Lord, God is going to deal with that spirit of indifference, that spirit of independence, that rebellious spirit, i.e. see Jonah, who was called to serve because he knew the Lord and yet he said, I have a better plan. God is going to deal with that one before moving forward. He's going to deal with that rebellion and before He is going to direct you into a particular area of service. What's more, those who are already fully involved in serving God are arguably more sensitive and more aware of when God is opening a door through which you're to go, through which you're to go and serve Him in another way. I was actively involved in serving the Lord where He had me at the very time that He directed me down another path of service. As layman here at Redbridge in the early 80s, before God called me into the ministry, my late wife and I were fully involved in the life of the church. I was in the choir. I worked in extended care, that's right. I had a monthly rotation where I took care of the little ones, and I didn't have any little ones. I came here in 1980, in the middle of 1980. We didn't have our first one until the middle of 83. So I took a monthly rotation in with the smallest, the littlest ones. My wife and I did. We teamed together on it. In fact, I think my daughter and son-in-law are back serving even right now as we speak. I'm not certain about that, but I think so. And you say, well, why is that? Why are you telling us about that? Because the issue is, is that I was saved and that I was called to serve and that was somewhere that I could serve. And so there was a need. Vic and Pam, can you fill this need? Sure, here I go. And so I took off and we started serving in that way. And there was a need for a Sunday school teacher and asked to be a deacon a few years after that. on and on and of course there there's wisdom and there's discernment there's judgment in what you're to do you're not to do everything and I'm not to do everything but I'm to do something or some things why because I'm in the ministry because I was a deacon because no because I'm saved I'm called to serve and Samuel knew that from the youngest age he knew that and so I can passionately preach on laymen serving the Lord in the church because that's exactly what I did at that time. Bob Malloy knew me when I was a layman in 1980, right Bob? You knew this. Arlie knew me, and Wanda knew me, and Ed knew me, and others of you knew me. You know that what I'm saying is accurate and that's why I can say this with deep conviction that believers are to take the ball and run with it in some way, shape, or form. Look for that door that God will open for you to serve Him. Samuel. was already serving in the temple when, check that, in the tabernacle when, Shiloh, when the Lord moved in his life. The Lord moves in the lives of those believers who have positioned themselves to be used, who have already availed themselves. A state of inactivity is not consistent with a redeemed life. He has saved you for a purpose, and the purpose is to glorify Him in making a difference for the cause of Christ in our day. So I'll be fruitful. Since I've been saved, not really. Don't hear me judging you, because I don't know your heart. I can't know. And I'm not going to presume to know. And I don't know what your abilities are, what your opportunities are. I'm not judging or questioning anyone here. But since I have been saved, I don't understand settling for a ho-hum life. I don't understand settling for a ho-hum church life. There's no fulfillment in being on the sidelines. If you're on the team, you don't want to be there. You know, the worst thing, there were some sports that I played in school and growing up and all, and I was the last one selected for the team. I can remember in ninth grade, I was terrible at basketball. I mean, just terrible. White guys can't jump, you know? At least that's what the movie says. And I couldn't dribble, I couldn't shoot, but I could race around and run hard and try as hard as I could. Well, I was cut during the trials. I was the last one cut. Well, somebody got hurt the first practice after that, and the coach called me back. to be on the team. Well, all I did was just ride the bench. I mean, I was the 14th and you're going to only play five and there's like, you know, two and a half teams going in front of me. That's the worst thing. If I'm on the team, I want to be in the action. I don't understand being on God's team and being content with not being in the action. What is that? It doesn't, it's incongruous. It doesn't fit with the biblical model. You know, it's easy to miss out or miss the phrasing of verse 1 if you'll notice. Look at verse 1. And Samuel ministered to Eli. Samuel ministered to the people. Samuel ministered to those bringing… No, no. Samuel ministered what? unto the Lord." You see, what I'm talking about here and the text is addressing is serving God. I'm talking about serving me, serving the church. Ultimately, first and foremost, it is serving Him. And then the trickle-down effect is that it'll play out body-wide. And just like your own body, the members of your body, the parts of your body, your liver has a particular function. It doesn't presume to do what the eye does or the ankle does. It has a particular specific function and it's called to do that. The good news is that there's a trickle down. There is a whole benefit, whole body benefit, when the liver is doing what it is supposed to do. And similarly, there will be a difference made in the body when each one of us are doing what God has called us to do. So Samuel served God. His service was first and foremost to the Lord. What is yours? Think about that. Ask yourself, even pray, God, what is it that I am doing? Is this how you want me to serve? You say, well, I've got this, that, and the other thing, and I've got multiple children underfoot, and all the rest. Susanna Wesley had 19 children. And yet, every day it's said, and then the biography is written about her, While she's in the kitchen, she had her apron pulled up over her head. That meant persona non grata. You kids, don't come near me. Why? She was praying. That was her prayer closet, the apron over the head. And she was meeting with God on behalf of her husband and of the nearly two football teams that she was preparing them for life. And aren't you thankful that John and Charles came from that? And so, you're not too busy to serve God. I mean, if you even contemplate such a thought, don't say it, don't let God hear you. Too busy to serve the king? Too disinterested? Too dispassionate? Notice also, Samuel was a servant of the Lord from a young age. He'd been given to the Lord's work by his mother Hannah, probably about the age of three or four years old. He went to work in the tabernacle with Eli. She went on to have other children, and he was called a child. So he was still a young, he wasn't a young man. He wasn't a youth. He was still a child, and he was serving the Lord. And so young people, teenagers, serving the Lord is not an issue of age. It's an issue of, am I saved? Do I know him? Am I redeemed? Is Christ in my heart? And so if he is, and if you are, then there is some area, some responsibility that you can take and run with. I've told this anecdote two or three times. I haven't told it in a few years, I don't think. But visiting a terribly infirmed church member in a wheelchair, had been for years, used to be fully involved doing this and the other thing, leading in vacation Bible school, teaching in children's Sunday school, and serving on a committee and this and that, and just felt hopeless and helpless, and I'm of no value to the things of God. And I visited in her home, and I said, do you have a mailman? Do you have a doctor? Do you have, and I just went on and on and on, started listing, oh yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. and get yourself a pen and paper, write down all their names, and then you call them or write them a letter and say, I'm praying for you on Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m., how can I pray for you? And then you do, and then you follow up. And I just gave her a whole list of assignments just off the top of her head, and for the first time maybe in years, she said, I can serve, I can make a difference for the cause of Christ, in her wheelchair, in her home, completely incapacitated physically, and yet serving the Lord. You can serve Him, and you can as a young person. So, those who are involved. Secondly, God uses those who actively listen. And when I say actively listen, I mean you read the signposts along the way. You watch and look for that door that's opening. That opportunity that's presenting itself. That's the idea. No, not an audible voice, anything such as that. And Samuel's situation was a bit odd. He was very young. It was late into the night. We know that because the oil was almost going out. He woke up Eli three times. And by the way, mom of a preschooler or of a baby who wakes you up at midnight with crying, with an issue, and then wakes you up again at 3.30 in the morning, and then wakes you up again at 5 in the morning, might you need to say, speak Lord, servant heareth." You see how you're connecting the dots there? You with me? Is God calling you through a circumstance to serve him in a particular way? How many times in the pastoral ministry have I been brought to consciousness while asleep. I said it that way because I don't know if I'm supposed to say woke up in this day. Oh, they didn't teach us this in seminary. And I get up and get out of bed and write down a sermon outline, a thought, a theological question. Bible text I have to explore. Because I've learned the hard way. If I let that go, guess what? Not coming back. Not coming back. I'll get up. At least I now have become somewhat disciplined to do this, because I know. Now I just need to say, speak Lord, thy servant heareth. And so, listen for what God has for you. Samuel saw himself as God's servant. Now, at his age and his experience level, he maybe didn't have a lot of different things he could do. He was still in that training phase, but even though he did not have ability, he had availability. When God opens the door for you to serve, Be careful not to put limitations or parameters. Well, Lord, you know my health. And you know I have to be on this schedule for medicine. And after all, I've got a doctor's appointment at this time. And all of us could offer all kinds of reasons, some of which are responsible and need to be observed as far as good stewardship goes. But make sure that roadblocks are not being put in the way of God calling you in some particular way. For example, could you serve for a week, a month, in our orphanage in Haiti? Couldn't be easier. I'll take care of all the plans for you. I'm president of the board. Get to be involved in that so just come and say I want to go to Haiti and serve for a week I want to go to Haiti and serve for a month. Tell me what I need to do First thing I'll tell you is it's not convenient It's not particularly fun But if God is calling you and burdening you to serve then you follow that Breadcrumb trail wherever it will lead You know My heart would break if the Lord turned off the spigot, if he turned off the faucet of blessing with our new little ones. Who's had a new little one in the last year? Hold your hand up if you've had a new little one come into your life in the last year. Not very many hands going up. There's a lot more than that. We have many new little ones of late. Oh, that God would not turn off the faucet of that blessing because we did not have people who would say, I'll serve in extended care. I'll get on that rotation. It's not filled with glory. There's no bragging rights. But it is what Samuel would have done and what he did in sweeping up in the tabernacle. Are you willing to serve on a committee? It's going to take time and effort. And there'll be others that you'll watch who are doing just the opposite, who are marching to the tune of their own horn. In fact, Samuel had that because Eli's boys were absolute vile sinners. And Samuel saw that. Day in and day out and they're not serving the Lord and they're older than me and they they're actually the sons of the servant Eli and they're just Doing their own thing. Oh, it can be discouraging. It can absolutely get you down I've heard more than one layman say why am I the only one carrying? this pail of water and I'm already loaded down and It's your body. When your ankle is injured, when your knee hurts, when you need a hip replacement, all of a sudden other parts of your body get injured or are very sore because of compensating for the part that's injured. Do you understand what I'm saying? If everything were whole, then everything would just flow just like it ought to. But because there is limited capacity in one area, that means the rest of the body has to carry the load. It's not designed to do that. Certainly not the will of God. Verse 7 in our text seems to say that Samuel didn't yet know the Lord, meaning he didn't perceive or understand that God was calling him, not that he didn't have a redeemed life. We wouldn't know when that took place in this text. God uses those who actively listen. So there, let me give you three practical pointers. Serve frequently, meaning don't wait to be hunted down. Look for opportunities. Listen for opportunities. serve. Jesus came to serve, and that's what he did during his earthly ministry. Serve fervently. You've heard me say it a thousand times here, I'll say it again. I am involved in the life of the church before I was ever a Sunday school teacher, I was ever a deacon, I was ever called to ministry, because I get to, not because I have to. You see that? Why do I get to? Because I'm a king's kid, and I'm going to participate in family life. And family life means I'm going to take a hammer and a saw, and I'm going to do some building. Or I'm going to take an instrument, and I'm going to do some playing. Or I'm going to do whatever you fill in the blank in serving the Lord fervently. because I'm serving Him. And folks, there's no greater motivation for that than that. Serving Christ. And then I'm going to serve faithfully. I'm not going to be dropping the ball. If I'm serving in Awana, I'm not going to be in one week and out the next. No, no, I'm going to be prepared. I'm going to come and I'm going to take care of those young people and I'm going to teach them the word of God. And as a Sunday school teacher, I'm going to be studied up and prayed up and in contact with those over whom I'm responsible, and on and on. I mean, you all expect me to come here, and you have for, lo, these nearly three decades. Prepared amen Don't you? I Expect when you when you when you attend I expect something out of you. I Expect you to jump in the water's fine Don't put your your little don't tiptoe into the water jump in This is the family of God. This is the household of faith. I And each one of us are to be serving all the time, frequently, with a great hard attitude and not dropping the ball. Anyone can quit. Anyone can lay out. Anyone can say, I'm going to let somebody else bear the burden that God had given to me. My body does that a little bit. I had my gallbladder out, I know, TMI, 28 years ago and had to. I mean, it was just, you know, big old bouncing baby stone. causing all kinds of problems and would only get worse and it can even be deadly, depending upon how severe it is. Well, I had it out, but the rest of the body now has to compensate. It was designed, it was there for a purpose. Because of the fall, death has passed upon all men for all of sin, and my body is falling apart as is yours. So I had to compensate. Don't require someone to compensate and carry the load in the body of Christ that you should be carrying. Shame on any one of us if that's the case. Shame on me if that's the case, that I fail to carry the load God has for me. In fact, it says in Ephesians 2.10, I'm ordained for this. For you have been, you are his workmanship, you're his poetry in motion, is the word there. It's the word for poetry. You're his artwork in motion, created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. He's already called you. Now it's your responsibility, my responsibility to find out. where that calling plays out in serving him. Thirdly, God uses those who willingly submit. Verses 11 through 18. God uses those who willingly submit. Again, it's a get to, not a have to. I'd argue that Samuel was immediately responsive to God. Listen to this, young people. He was immediately responsive to God because he was already responsive to human authority. He had already jumped right out of bed and came running to Eli three times. Yeah, you called me. I'm here. What do you need? Go back to bed, Samuel. You had a bad dream. Go back to bed. Eli got the message. Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth. He was already responsive. in a proper way to God-ordained authority in his life. Unlike the sons of Eli, and that's what Samuel, the younger one, witnessed, he knew that his commitment was first and foremost to Jehovah, to God Almighty. Therefore, it was much easier to submit to Eli. A critical aspect of success in life, young people, authority and submission, that dynamic. Why have I been able to be in a position of leadership for a long time when I don't know any more than a lot of you? And that is not feigned humility. I do not know any more Bible or theology than many of you. It's because God worked in me. longing, the capacity, and the conviction to yield to God-ordained authority. Before he said I'm going to call you into this. I would argue that he wouldn't be calling me into Leading though you to submit to his authority if I was a rebel at heart from the get-go. You'll follow that argument Well, that's the case with Samuel he was one who submitted he showed himself to be a faithful follower of the Lord. Therefore, he became a tremendous leader. And then finally, God uses those who are habitually faithful. He's pleased, God is pleased to move in the lives of those who serve for his glory. I am so thankful that you all do not measure me my success, if you will, in the pastorate based on baptisms, budgets, and the like. But you measure it based on faithfulness to him and to his word. Because God is the one who has to take his word, he has to take truth, and he has to transform a life. I can't even transform myself, let alone transform you. Jesus said I'll build my church. Well, if he wants to build it, why do I want to get in the way and mess that up? I just want to communicate his truth to hungry souls So first Samuel in in verse 15 got out of bed on his own at dawn. He was self-disciplined He was disciplined in hearing the Word of the Lord verse 21 tells us. I And he was great in the eyes of God because it didn't matter how menial the task, first one up to open up the tabernacle, he was willing to do it. If Samuel were a red bridger, and he saw a need, and you name the need, it doesn't matter what the need is, watering the flowers, working in the nursery, taking a group in Sparks Iwana, whatever, singing in the choir, and what is that? all about. Pre-COVID, we have 30 and 40 and 50 singers up here. And post-COVID, we have five and six and seven. My, do they do a fantastic job. But what is that all about? I want to sing in the choir. I really do. It's all I can do not to sing in the choir and with the choir. But the vocal cords rebel. And if I'm singing in the choir, then I'm not ranting and raving to you. What's your vote? Me in the choir or me? No. There are choir members out here. There are choir members who are not even attending yet again. God will give them wisdom on when to return. But is that where you can serve? We've got Road to Bethlehem upcoming, an evangelistic enterprise for the whole community. It's going to take a lot of work. It's going to take some hours, some effort. It's going to stretch you. Don't make Molly and the rest of them beg. Matter of fact, that's where they are right now, presenting that work at another church, even as we speak. Pestawana program in the Midwest, I'm convinced. Not because we have exceptional children, it's because we have exceptional leaders. And we always have had this quarter of a century. Will it continue? Samuel proved he was trustworthy. And in 44 years of walking with God, 36 this month, right now, 36 years ago, I went to my first church in Sedalia, Missouri. I can tell you in that amount of time, and that's a little bit of a track record, enough to know, serving God is worth it. Serving the Lord is worth it. Your labor is not in vain in the Lord, 1 Corinthians 15, 58 tells us. So God's work through His church must not get the leftovers. Our extracurricular activities need to get the leftovers. You say, Vic, of course you believe that. You're the pastor. With God as my witness, I don't have any more fervor for the local church and ministry in the local church now than I did when I first stepped foot in Redbridge 41 years ago. It's the same. Now, it changed what I do, but not why I serve. Because he hasn't changed. He hasn't changed since Samuel's day. He hasn't changed since Adam and Eve's day. He hasn't ever changed. And he calls his people to serve him. It shouldn't get our leftovers. What was the fruit? Well, Samuel almost single-handedly held the nation together. He was the tweener. He was in between the judges and the kings. He was the transition. and absolutely a critical statesman, theologian, counselor, discipler, preacher, prophet in his day and in the history of Israel. As a believer, you do have a calling, and there is something or some things, plural, out there for you. operating in your gifts, your talents, your experiences, your opportunities, and the like. Now, let that flow out, what God has imputed to you. He's deposited to your account. He's called you a servant. Servants do what? Serve. Say, preacher, I'm too young. I know Christ, but I'm too young. No, you're not. Talk to me, and you know what I'll do when you talk to me? I'll say, what's your mom and dad say you ought to do? Say I'm too old. No, you're not. If you think you're too old, talk to me. You know what I'll tell you? What do your kids say you ought to do? I mean, they're bossing you around anyway, right? You can. You must. serve Him in some capacity, or limp through this life with staleness and without fruit as you go to be with Him. And, in fact, there would even be a question mark that you ought to put on your own life. If I don't have any longing, desire, unction, burden to do something specific. Teach a class, sing in the choir, work in extended care, not to get the preacher off my back, but because I long to do that for the glory of God. If there's nothing like that there present in your soul, the Word of God says, examine yourself to see whether you're even in the faith, because servants serve, and they do so frequently, fervently, and faithfully all their days, until one day they hear, say it with me, well done, thou good and faithful servant. Lord, I'm thankful for your word, and I love this book and this chapter. You called me to preach while I was listening to this text preached. a pastor along some 38 years ago. And Lord, would you call someone, even right now, physically present or by way of Internet, to surrender to you as a missionary in a foreign field, to leave all the comforts of what this land provides, and go to somewhere else. Would you call someone into the pastorate, even right now, burden the heart, that that one would say, yes, speak, Lord, thy servant heareth? Or would you burden a heart? to serve in extended care, to work in Awana, to be a part of Road to Bethlehem presentation, to join the choir, to take on a committee responsibility, to make a difference for the cause of Christ, to go out in evangelism, in wind teams, to support financially our missionaries, to go and visit the field Lord, call us specifically so that we know. Make it clear. And Lord, for any of your children who do not know, make that burden so heavy that that one will find out, will go and find out. Do this good work. As you've done throughout the history of man, in moving upon hearts to follow you, would you do that even in our day? We'll praise you and thank you and rejoice in the blessings and the fruit that comes from a life of serving you.