Service: Giving Our Bodies to God

Overview

Pastor Adam MacDonald delivered a message revealing that service isn’t about “doing things”—it’s about doing things for the benefit of others as a response to God’s love. The sermon is part of Westhill Church’s series exploring their mission statement’s seven transformative practices.

Core Message

True service flows from giving our hearts to Jesus first. The difference between activity and service comes down to one question: WHO benefits? Service is measured not by time, cost, or frequency, but by whether it genuinely helps someone else. You’re not saved by what you do—what you do is BECAUSE you’re saved.

Key Points

Three Ways to Recognize True Service

Service = Benefit to Others, Not Just Activity

• Moving rocks from pile to pile = doing something (but not service)
• Moving rocks because someone needs them there = service
• Building a rock fence for yourself = not service
• The defining question: “Who does this benefit?”

Service Requires the Right Heart Attitude

• Martha’s mistake: worried about the dinner but forgot who it was for
• Doing things ≠ service
• If Martha had been pleased to let Mary sit with Jesus while she cooked, that would be service
• Service is often a matter of attitude toward the task

Service Doesn’t Require Suffering

• Find something that “pumps your tires” and “fills your emotional bucket”
• Service doesn’t have to be drudgery
• If it contributes to others’ wellbeing while energizing you, you’ve found your service opportunity
• Service requires love for others and willingness to act—not martyrdom

Real-Life Examples of Service

L’Arche Community: Service in “Hundreds of Small Ways” Visiting an assisted living community in Winnipeg, expecting a PowerPoint presentation, instead found a volunteer who had moved from another country to live full-time serving those with higher needs. He served in hundreds of small ways: buying groceries, helping brush teeth, cleaning basements. Service doesn’t have to be dramatic—it’s often found in consistent, small acts of love.

Henri Nouwen: Not Too Proud for Ordinary People A Harvard professor who became roommates with someone who needed help eating and using the washroom. He even brought his wheelchair-using, non-communicative roommate to academic conferences. Living out Romans 12:16: “Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people.” Key insight: “Jesus loves each of us as though there’s only one of us.”

What Service Actually Is

Service as Worship (Romans 12:1) “Give your bodies to God… let them be a living and holy sacrifice. This is truly the way to worship him.” Service is how we live out worship in practical, active, participatory ways. Last week’s message connected worship to Romans 12:1—this week explores service as our response to God’s goodness in multitude of practical ways.

Different Gifts, One Body (The Apples & Oranges Analogy) Apples make terrible orange juice—they just can’t seem to get it right. Does that make apples bad? Weak? Unspiritual? Of course not! They have different gifts for doing certain things well. Don’t be sad you’re not a kiwi. Be the best apple, plantain, or even potato you can be. Stop comparing. Stop trying to be someone else’s gift.

Three Spheres of Service at Westhill

Inside the Building: Teaching children and adults, making crafts, hosting Bible studies, planning events, making pancakes, watering plants. We offer our time, resources, and efforts as an outpouring of love for Jesus and each other. We don’t do it because we have to—we do it because we want to.

In the Community: 38 years of preschool ministry, before/after school program (started last fall), Wednesday night children’s ministry (building fills with neighborhood kids and volunteer brigade), men’s breakfast, ladies Coffee Connection, concerts, summer BBQ. Express purpose: showing love to people around our place of worship.

Beyond Our Community: Bag lunch ministry (“so much more than making sandwiches”—showing practical love), Uganda mission with Save the Mothers (supporting with funds and practical items like iron supplements, folic acid, baby hats, little dresses).

Biblical Foundation

Key Scriptures Referenced:

• Romans 12:1, 9-13, 21 (Service as living worship and practical love)
• John 13:4-5, 12-15 (Jesus washing disciples’ feet)
• Luke 10:40-41 (Martha and Mary)
• Hebrews 6:10 (God remembers your work)
• Romans 12:16 (Don’t be too proud for ordinary people)

Jesus’ Example: Washing Feet If anyone says there are different kinds of equal, this is Jesus saying a hard no to that idea. There’s only one kind of equal—the kind where Jesus steps down and gets His hands dirty to wash our feet. We are all equally serving each other. If Jesus takes on the role of servant, He expects us to take on acts of service also.

Actionable Takeaways

This Week: Immediate Actions

The Service Audit Go through your current activities and ask: “Who does this benefit? Am I doing this for someone else or just staying busy? Is this service or just activity?” Make two columns—”Activity” and “Service for Others”—and sort your commitments.

The Martha Check For each service task: “Am I doing this WITH the right heart attitude? Do I remember WHO this is for? Am I worried about details but forgetting the person?” Choose one service task this week and consciously focus on the PERSON you’re serving, not just task completion.

Stop the Comparison Write down the lie you tell yourself (“It’s nothing” / “Nothing like THAT PERSON”). Write down the truth: “What I do for the kingdom is never in vain and always noticed by the Father.” Post it where you’ll see it daily.

Find Your Fruit Answer: What am I naturally good at? What service makes me feel alive? What fills my emotional bucket while helping others? Am I trying to be someone else’s gift instead of my own? Name your fruit and own it.

The Heart Question Spend time in prayer: “Have I given Jesus my HEART, or am I just trying to give Him my actions?” Journal honestly about whether you’re serving to EARN something or serving BECAUSE you’re already loved.

This Month: Sphere Assessment

Review the three spheres (inside the church, in the community, beyond). Where are you currently serving? Where could you serve using your gifts? Which sphere is God calling you to explore? Contact one ministry leader and ask: “How can I help?”

Ongoing: Heart Work

Daily Heart Check: Each evening ask: “Did I give Jesus my heart today, or just my activities? Did my choices flow FROM relationship with Jesus or from trying to earn something?”

Weekly Celebration: Every Sunday, write down one way you served someone, how it blessed them, and how it drew you closer to Jesus. Refuse to discount it—acknowledge it as your gift to God.

Monthly Review: First Sunday of each month, review service commitments. Ask: “Are these still filling my bucket while helping others?” Release service that’s become joyless drudgery. Add one new opportunity if you have capacity.

Memorable Quotes

• “Service is not measured by the amount of time or the physical cost or how many times it is done.”
• “I am not saved by what I do. What I do is because I’m saved.”
• “Jesus loves each of us as though there’s only one of us.”
• “Light is not afraid of the dark. The dark is overcome by the light. Be the light.”
• “Listen to me CELEBRATING you. Hear me THANKING you.”
• “What you do for the kingdom is never in vain and it is always noticed by the Father.”
• “It’s not about what you do. It’s about giving me your heart.” (Jesus to Mary Magdalene in The Chosen)
• “Those are LIES. They’re not helpful.” (About discounting your service)

Challenge for 2026

Two Closing Challenges:

Challenge #1: Look for Ways to Be Involved Church ministries, neighborhood initiatives, communities in need, schools, sports—there are a million ways to respond to Jesus’ love through service. Do something from the past or try something new. If you find something that pumps your tires, fills your emotional bucket, AND contributes to others’ wellbeing, you’ve found your service opportunity. Remember: Service doesn’t require suffering. It requires love for others and willingness to act.

Challenge #2: Don’t Discount Your Acts of Service Some of you have full calendars of service. Listen to me celebrating you. Hear me thanking you. Stop saying “it’s nothing” or “nothing like THAT PERSON.” Those are lies. What you do for the kingdom is never in vain and always noticed by the Father (Hebrews 6:10). It’s not a competition. What you offer isn’t better or worse than others. What you do is a gift you’re offering God—your spiritual act of worship. What you do is for God’s pleasure, and He loves you more than you can know.

The Heart of the Matter: In The Chosen, Mary Magdalene says “I’m not good enough. I can’t do it.” Jesus responds: “Do what? It’s not about what you do. It’s about giving me your heart.” Once we give Jesus our hearts, our actions naturally lean toward service. Our choices become less about serving our own desires and more about being the presence of Jesus through acts of service.

This message calls the congregation beyond religious activity to authentic, heart-driven service that flows from relationship with Jesus, recognizing that every act of love for others is an offering of worship to Him.

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