Sermon for November 1, 2015

Transcription

1 Sermon for November 1, 2015 BMZ Church Series: New Testament Challenge For Message: Mark 10:45*, 8:35, Philippians 2:5-11, Luke 16:13, 22:42, Matthew 6:33, 4:19, Galatians 5:22-23, II Corinthians 8:9, 9:6 Message Title: The CHALLENGE of SERVANTHOOD Introduction: Good Morning BMZ! I m so glad you are with us today as we CONTINUE our WORSHIP SERIES called NEW TESTAMENT CHALLENGE! Over the next few weeks, we are going to look at the MAJOR CHALLENGES of FOLLOWING JESUS WELL that we find in the NEW TESTAMENT! I m glad you are here!! We ve been at this a few weeks and we ve had some SERIOUS CHALLENGES from our New Testament. AND, Congratulations! You are HALF WAY THROUGH the CHALLENGE! 63 DAYS to read the NT! KEEP GOING, you are DOING GREAT! Keep it up! Now that we ve been at this for a while, I think it s TIME to talk about HOW to DEFINE the CHRISTIAN FAITH in ONE word a CHRISTIAN IS a SERVANT!! I know, some of you were thinking I was going to say TITHER because I talk about Stewardship as Discipleship, BUT, a SERVANT-HEART is a HEART LIKE JESUS and, REMEMBER that JESUS LOOKS at our HEARTS! Think about this for a moment if our ULTIMATE GOAL as FOLLOWERS of JESUS is to be LIKE JESUS what better WAY than to have the SAME HEART as JESUS?!? Jesus exemplified what a SERVANT HEART looks like THROUGHOUT his Ministry. If we are going to be like Jesus, we HAVE to FIND WAYS to SERVE! We are finding ways WITHIN our CHURCHES to serve and finding ways to SERVE the WORLD through BMZ! Just a few weeks ago, we finished up a SERIES called, EVERYDAY HEROES and we handed out a BOOK called, THE GREATNESS PRINCIPLE so we ve talked about this and if you MISSED that SERIES, please contact our office or go to our website at: and WATCH, LISTEN and/or READ those messages BUT, this is why we do MISSION TRIPS for YOUTH and ADULTS. I know that our ADULT MISSION TEAM is getting set for their TRIP in 2016 and our YOUTH are so excited because we are going to ANNOUNCE in NOVEMBER WHERE we are going in the SUMMER of 2016! We get a chance to SERVE! And there is SOMETHING about SERVING OTHER PEOPLE that makes us FEEL GOOD about OURSELVES and BETTER about OTHERS We have TEENAGERS who PAY $500 to GO and WORK for a WEEK in some COMMUNITY that they are NOT CONNECTED TO! WHY?!? Because we are TOLD in our BIBLES that we need to DO THAT! And, on the OUTSIDE, we might think that serving OTHER PEOPLE is all about THEM (And, that is our PRIMARY MOTIVE) BUT, there are also BENEFITS of LEARNING to become a SERVANT like JESUS! One of the reasons MISSION TRIPS are SO GREAT is that it takes us out of our COMFORT ZONE. And, when we get out of our COMFORT ZONE, then God has access to us to start to BUILD some CHARACTER IN US! And, GOD CARES way more about our CHARACTER than He does our COMFORT That s where we are going today! If you have your Bible with you, turn with me to MARK 10 if you don t; no worries. All of our Scriptures for today will be up on the screen and much of what we are doing is in your program. If you don t own a Bible and would like one, please stop by Java Jct/Blessed Bean and someone will get you set up with your own Bible. Speaking of which

2 2 If you haven t already, I invite you to take out your message notes and Connection card... On one side you will see our Scripture for today and on the other you will find a brief outline walking us through our Scripture. You will see that there are blanks to fill in Please take the time to do so. Grab a pen and write down whatever else you think is important to you and your faith journey. After worship, drop off your CONNECTION CARD and take your notes home and refrigerate them. Please Re-read the Scripture and the notes to keep growing and learning. For those of you watching on-line, hit the button for notes and for CONNECTION CARD and stick with us. If you are watching/listening later, or IPODing; you can download the outline off of our website so you too can take notes. Let s pray and then we will press on with where we are going today LET S PRAY (Turn off marked lights during prayer)! As we get CONTINUE this series, NEW TESTAMENT CHALLENGE we ve talked a LITTLE BIT about MISSION TRIPS and some of you are thinking I M NOT DOING THAT! BUT, maybe you can SERVE LOCALLY Food Pantry or Giving Trees or Clothing Bank or MAYBE just SERVING IN and THROUGH your CHURCH! Our CHURCHES are MISSION SITES, right?!? Everything we DO at our CHURCHES is to REACH OUT to people who DO NOT YET KNOW CHRIST! Each of us as we SERVE becomes a LINK in the CHAIN of SALVATION for SOMEONE! You know, JESUS PRIMARY MOTIVE in life was to SERVE PEOPLE for some ULTIMATE PURPOSES Here s what JESUS SAID Mark 10:45 = 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. 1 (REPEAT Memory Verse Next Steps) Now, if ANYONE had a RIGHT to DEMAND to BE SERVED it was JESUS. He was the MESSIAH the KING of KINGS and the LORD of LORDS that had been PROPHESIED about for hundreds of years. Jesus was the ONE they had been WAITING FOR! He could have DEMANDED that PEOPLE BOW DOWN and SERVE HIM but, he DIDN T! Instead, he CHOSE to BOW DOWN and SERVE OTHERS bow down and WASH their FEET bow down and HEAL people in need bow down and SERVE FOOD to Peasants and Tax Collectors and Prostitutes That s ONE REASON many people did NOT RECOGNIZE Him as the MESSIAH Jesus was NOT what they EXPECTED! Here is how PAUL DESCRIBES JESUS and challenges us to have the SAME ATTITUDE Philippians 2:5-11 = 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God,* he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges*; he took the humble position of a slave* and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,* 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal s death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 2 So if the GOAL of Christianity is to become a servant, then HOW do we do this? What does a servant look like? What are the actions of a servant? BECAUSE, A lot of people MISUNDERSTAND the POWER of SERVANTHOOD. I want to ARGUE TODAY that SERVANTHOOD is the ONLY TRUE PATH to HAPPINESS in THIS LIFE! In fact, Albert Schweitzer said, I don t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know, the only ones among you who will be really happy, are those who have sought and found how to serve. So servanthood makes you HAPPY. It s the life that we were DESIGNED to live. 1 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mk 10:45). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 2 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Php 2:5 11). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

3 3 SERVANTHOOD also CREATES HARMONY in RELATIONSHIPS! MOST CONFLICTS in RELATIONSHIPS are CAUSED BY OUR REFUSAL to SERVE the PEOPLE we are CLOSEST TO! SERVANTHOOD CHANGES THE WORLD! My PLAN is that I am going to show you today how one small act of servanthood can have a ripple effect and actually change a COMMUNITY, change a COUNTRY, and change the WORLD. I really believe that those who are not yet followers of Jesus look at us sometimes as Christians, and say, What is Christianity all about? Christianity is all about servanthood it s about service. And I believe we can be a TESTIMONY to the world by LIVING a lifestyle of servanthood, and that would DRAW PEOPLE like MAGNETS to Jesus Christ! So how do we live this out? Let s look at FOUR ACTIONS of a servant from the Philippians 2 passage. #1 = Put GOD FIRST in MY LIFE I. PUT God First In My Life PUT GOD FIRST in MY LIFE! Now, a SERVANT is DEFINED by WHO they SERVE (repeat), right?!? Think about that If I m going to be a SERVANT, it MATTERS WHO I CHOOSE to SERVE! And, I think this BOILS DOWN to TWO CHOICES am I going to be SELFISH or am I going to be SELFLESS?!? If I m SELFISH, that means that I am going to SERVE ME and if I m SELFLESS, then I m going to GIVE MYSELF to GOD to DECIDE HOW and WHEN and HOW MUCH I m going to SERVE OTHER PEOPLE And, Jesus said that we HAVE TO CHOOSE Luke 16:13 = 13 No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. 3 Either we SERVE GOD or we SERVE OURSELVES Money = Taking care of ME and MINE! We are either SELFISH and GODLESS or SELFLESS and GODLY!! Jesus says that it s OUR CHOICE but, we have to choose. Many people BELIEVE that they EXIST on this PLANET to serve THEMSELVES They think that SERVING SELF is the PATH to HAPPINESS. The more I accumulate for ME, the HAPPIER I am Our CULTURE is VERY SELF-CENTERED. BUT, if we could just CONVINCE PEOPLE to put GOD on the THRONE in their lives CHOOSE to put GOD FIRST in our LIVES, THEN we would start to DISCOVER what TRUE HAPPINESS is all about! And, OFTEN it is in moments of CRISIS that we DISCOVER WHO we REALLY SERVE! Right? IF things are going well, it s EASY to HIDE that we are being SELFISH but in moments of crisis our TRUE HEART comes OUT. Do we SERVE OURSELVES or is GOD FIRST in my life?!? Jesus set a PRETTY GOOD EXAMPLE of putting GOD FIRST in a time of CRISIS. It was in the GARDEN of GETHSEMANE (PICTURE?!?) and it s his LAST NIGHT before his CRUCIFIXION and Jesus is PRAYING Here it is: Luke 22:42 = 42 Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine. 4 Think about all that JESUS just said to HIS FATHER in HEAVEN Jesus KNEW what was COMING. He knew that HIS DEATH on a CROSS would be SALVATION FROM SIN for the ALL HUMANITY throughout HISTORY. He also KNEW that it was going to be PAINFUL! So, he asked if you are willing, PLEASE TAKE THIS CUP of SUFFERING from ME 3 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 16:13). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 4 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 22:41 42). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

4 4 But, then LISTEN as JESUS SUBMITS to SERVANTHOOD of ALMIGHTY GOD: Yet I want YOUR WILL to be done, NOT MINE. Father, it would be WAY MORE COMFORTABLE for me to NOT go through this SUFFERING and DEATH, but NOT MY WILL YOURS! WHEN was the last time YOU PRAYED THAT PRAYER? About your CAREER? About your MARRIAGE or other RELATIONSHIPS? About your FINANCES? God, I want your will to be done, not mine You ve probably heard me say before WHATEVER AREA of your LIFE that you want to be BLESSED, PUT GOD FIRST in that AREA Jesus again Matthew 6:33 = 33 Seek the Kingdom of God* above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 5 So, the FIRST ACTION of SERVANTHOOD to GOD and toward OUR HAPPINESS in this life is PUT GOD FIRST in OUR LIVES. The 2 nd is this: PROTECT my ATTITUDE II. PROTECT My Attitude You all understand that our ATTITUDE GUIDES OUR ACTIONS in life, right?!? SO, our ATTITUDE needs to be a REFLECTION of WHO WE SERVE!! If we have PUT GOD FIRST in our LIVES, then our ATTITUDE ought to REFLECT WHO WE SERVE Let me ask you a QUESTION: Do you allow EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES to CONTROL your ATTITUDE?!? Because if you do you will LIKELY have a BAD ATTITUDE MOST of the TIME! Honestly, we ALL DO THAT, right?!? BUT, what we ve discovered is that we can CONTROL our ACTIONS by CHANGING our ATTITUDES Control our actions by CHANGING our ATTITUDE! When something HAPPENS or is SAID that YOU DON T LIKE, do you RESPOND with a NEGATIVE ATTITUDE or a POSITIVE ATTITUDE?!? Our ATTITUDE is OUR CHOICE! Will we PROTECT our ATTITUDES?!? When an OPPORTUNITY to SERVE comes our way something HAPPENS that we have an ATTITUDE CHOICE to MAKE will we respond with a POSITIVE ATTITUDE / a WHATEVER IT TAKES ATTITUDE or will we respond with a NEGATIVE ATTITUDE a SOMEBODY ELSE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS IT S BELOW ME ATTITUDE?! It s our CHOICE. What we find in PHILIPPIANS 2 is that JESUS invites us to have the SAME ATTITUDE as HIM Philippians 2:5-8 = 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God,* he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges*; he took the humble position of a slave* and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,* 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal s death on a cross. 6 JESUS had RIGHTS! And, he SET THEM ASIDE and HAD a SERVANT ATTITUDE! And our ACTIONS need to be LIKE CHRIST S. What did HE DO?!? He took the HUMBLE POSITION of a SLAVE He emptied Himself and gave up His right for the service to others. That s what HUMILITY IS. That s the KEY to HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. That s the KEY to making a DIFFERENCE in OTHER LIVES. The KEY to HAPPINESS is in HUMILITY! To NOT SAY this is ALL ABOUT ME and MY RIGHTS, but to empty yourself and humble yourself and to say, NO, it s about what s BEST for OTHERS! The HUMBLE position of a SLAVE that s an interesting word And slavery was an issue at the time of Christ, and unfortunately, it is still an issue today. As there are people in certain areas around the world that are being sold into slavery against their will. But this particular word in Greek is the word DULOS, and it means a particular type of slave. 5 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mt 6:33). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 6 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Php 2:5 8). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

5 5 It s a slave that has NOT been FORCED into slavery, or is NOT a slave that is SOLD into slavery, but it s a slave that WILLINGLY SUBMITS to a MASTER. That s what Jesus did. Jesus became a slave to God. HE WILLINGLY SUBMITTED! Some people think of this as a SIGN of WEAKNESS but it s NOT! It takes a PERSON of STRENGTH to SUBMIT to another PERSONS will. They are a SECURE PERSON with some DEPTH of CHARACTER It s the INSECURE PERSON who STRUGGLES with SUBMITTING and SERVING anyone else. It takes a SECURE PERSON to SUBMIT to something GREATER than us to become a SLAVE when we REALIZE that LIFE is MORE than JUST ME! You know, it s EASY to COMPLAIN about having to SERVE EVERY PERSON can do that! It takes a STRONG PERSON to take on the ATTITUDE of JESUS and be willing to SERVE. And it s that ATTITUDE of CHRIST that helps us get past the THREE (3) BIG ENEMIES of SERVING: 1. SELFISHNESS = Life is all about me! And this person cannot get PAST their own SHALLOW view of LIFE and see outside of their LITTLE BOX of a LIFE a HUMBLE ATTITUDE will BREAK SELFISHNESS! 2. MATERIALISM = Again an ENEMY of a CHRIST-LIKE ATTITUDE Materialism will keep you WEAK because it tells you that YOU HAVE to GET MORE for YOU back to SELFISHNESS! 3. NARCISSISM = Life is all about WHAT I LOOK LIKE to OTHER PEOPLE! If I HUMBLE myself and SERVE, what will OTHER PEOPLE THINK? Again, that is ALL ABOUT YOU! The NARCISSISTIC ATTITUDE will cause us to NEVER be like JESUS. What if He was CONCERNED about what OTHER PEOPLE THOUGHT?! You know, Jesus faced all of these as well and HE PROTECTED HIS ATTITUDE. He gave up HIS WILL for GOD S WILL and gave up MATERIAL things for ETERNAL THINGS and was even willing to be HUMILIATED on a CROSS FOR US!! Do you know what I ve FOUND OUT about people with SERVANT HEARTS? They RARELY, if ever, COMPLAIN! You see in those people POSITIVE FRUIT! They make a DIFFERENCE and other people want to be LIKE THEM We will talk about this more in the next few weeks, but I want us to look at how a LIFE of SERVANTHOOD produces GOOD FRUIT in our LIVES It s from GOD Galatians 5:22-23 = 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 7 Don t you like being around people who have these qualities? Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Faithfulness, Goodness, Gentleness and Self-Control Those are QUALITIES we LOVE in PEOPLE. Those things come from a SERVANT HEART and a CHRIST-LIKE ATTITUDE. MY GUESS is that you will have a CHANCE THIS WEEK to HUMBLE YOURSELF and SERVE in your HOME, in a RELATIONSHIP, in your WORKPLACE, etc. What will YOU ATTITUDE BE?!? Selfish? Materialistic? Narcissistic? Or with a HUMBLE ATTITUDE will you MAKE a DIFFERENCE in this world? Okay, what else can we DO to be LIFE a SERVANT LIFE?? #3 = PLANT III. PLANT Daily Seeds of Love and Kindness 7 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ga 5:22 23). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

6 6 Plant DAILY SEEDS of LOVE and KINDNESS as long as we are TALKING about FRUITS of the SPIRIT These actions of servanthood that you have every day can be thought of as seeds that serve others. Albert Einstein = Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. And a life that is lived for others is a life that multiplies in impact. Just like a little seed can produce a lot of fruit, so a small act of service, a small action of loving kindness every day can bear much fruit. Jesus Himself is the ultimate example of this one man died for many. So His one action of emptying Himself, DYING for us on a CROSS offers SALVATION to the WHOLE WORLD. It s not one man dying for one man. It s one man dying for the whole world. That s how servanthood works. One action can produce exponential results. Jesus was the ULTIMATE EXAMPLE II Corinthians 8:9 = 9 You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich. 8 EVERY DAY we have OPPORTUNITIES to PLANT SEEDS of KINDNESS and LOVE if we will PAY ATTENTION in the WORLD we live in. Will we OFFER to SERVE or will we BE SELFISH and NOT make a difference in this world?!? II Corinthians 9:6 = 6 Remember this a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 9 We will have OPPORTUNITIES EVERY DAY. Will we TAKE THOSE or NOT?!? Our BIBLE say that we should KEEP PLANTING SEEDS of KINDNESS and LOVE GENEROUSLY Will we? That gets us to our LAST ONE #4 = To live a LIFE of SERVANTHOOD and to have a SERVANT HEART like JESUS, we need to PURSUE this as a LIFESTYLE IV. PURSUE a Lifetime of Servanthood What we want to do here and what our NEW TESTAMENT CHALLENGE IS is to be LIKE JESUS he spent his WHOLE LIFE PURSUING SERVANTHOOD. He GAVE HIS LIFE for OTHER PEOPLE It was NEVER ABOUT HIM! He SUBMITTED to His Heavenly Father and said, YOUR WILL BE DONE, NOT MINE! And, Jesus invites us to that as well! Think about what happened for Jesus as he MADE HIMSELF a SERVANT Back to Philippians 2:9-11 = 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 10 Living for OURSELVES and SELFISHLY is a VERY SHALLOW way to live and it s NOT VERY REWARDING Jesus again Mark 8:35 = 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 11 WHO will we CHOOSE to be a SERVANT / SLAVE TO?? Ourselves?? Or GOD?!? Because if we CHOOSE to FOLLOW GOD and be a SERVANT of GOD and live a LIFE of SERVANTHOOD we will have OPPORTUNITIES to IMPACT OTHER people s ETERNITIES when we LEARN to be like JESUS; we LEARN to FISH for OTHER PEOPLE and IMPACT their ETERNITIES Matthew 4:19 = 19 Jesus called out to them, Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people! 12 8 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (2 Co 8:9). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 9 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (2 Co 9:6). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 10 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Php 2:9 11). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 11 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mk 8:35). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. 12 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mt 4:19). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

7 7 The question is: DO YOU WANT some HAPPINESS?! Do you WANT to make a DIFFERENCE in this WORLD?! GREAT! I ll partner with you as we SERVE a WORLD that needs some HOPE with some GOOD ATTITUDES and SERVANT HEARTS! Let s Pray!! NEXT SUNDAY: The GREATEST GIFT we can GIVE OTHERS and OURSELVES!! And it s going to be REALLY HARD to EXPLAIN Don t miss it! COMMUNION Communion is our REMINDER of JESUS ULTIMATE ACT of SERVANTHOOD how will we respond? Will we also DEVELOP a LIFESTYLE of SERVING?!? Next Steps: I will memorize Mark 10:45 Follow Jesus for the 1 st Time Continue or Begin Reading the New Testament I will work toward a more humble attitude this week Truth without Grace is Fundamentalism (Brutality). Grace without Truth is Sentimentalism (Hypocrisy). Special thanks to Andy Stanley, Nelson Searcy, R.A. Pegram, Mike Slaughter and Perry Noble for outlines and ideas for this worship series.