SCRIPTURE:
“You know that Stephanas and his household were the first of the harvest of believers in Greece, and they are spending their lives in service to God’s people.
I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, to submit to them and others like them who serve with such devotion.
I am very glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come here. They have been providing the help you weren’t here to give me.
They have been a wonderful encouragement to me, as they have been to you.
You must show your appreciation to all who serve so well.”
1 Corinthians 16:15-18
OBSERVATION:
As Paul wraps up his first letter to the church in Corinth, he tends to things like preparing the collection to the churches, encouraging Timothy as a young leader, giving grace to Apollos, and a reminder to be strong, courageous (or “acting like men”), and to do it all with the love of Christ.
He then shifts gears by recognizing Stephanas, and his “household”. There he mentions the others; Fortunatus and Achaius. Unfamiliar names. But these are folks who had been there amongst the first of the believers there. And “spending their lives in service to God’s people”.
Paul’s directives are clear; listen to, heed, and submit to these “unknowns”, for several reasons;
- They serve with a devotion unlike the rank-and-file believer within the church
- They had been tending to areas that others had been missing; whether by neglect or honestly not knowing, there were areas Paul needed help in, and Stephanas and his team took care of it.
- They were encouragers; by deed, but likely also, by words and exhortation.
Simply, show appreciation to such folks who serve so well—going the extra mile in many things.
APPLICATION:
BUT…there are quite a few, folks who serve and truly go “the extra mile” in all they do. They aren’t on power trips nor are prima donnas.
They serve in the lesser seen areas of the church, and they do it way beyond what’s visible to the regular church goer.
Some are in on Sunday 4 hours before the service starts, preparing and mainly sure all is well. They serve all day and sometimes all night. They are doing things that church goers take for granted and forget about. And they often stay back, long after everyone leaves.
And that is why I know many of them; it’s because I get to see them very often. And the common thread among them?
Their devotion to service. They know that “more isn’t better” even though they invest a lot of time. But their hearts are in their serving—just like Jesus.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, thank you for modeling humble service to your churches. You know the folks who go above and beyond the call—our “extra mile” servants.
May we all be blessed by their service, and show our appreciation to them at every moment together.
