Servanthood
John 1:40-42
Introduction
In a national study George Barna interviewed thousands of people, believers and non-believers. He questioned them about what success means, how you get there and how do you measure it. Most people’s responses focused on personal accomplishments, family solidarity and emotional fulfillment. Barna notes that only 7% identified spiritual wholeness or service to others as the measure of a successful life.
"How is it possible to have more than 120 million adults attending Christian churches on a regular basis, but only 7% who grasp the message that success is not about personal accomplishment or material possessions?"
Then what is servanthood?
Being a servant is many different things.
1. A servant is person who gives up ten weeks during the summer to go on that missionary trip in Peru.
2. A servant is a young man stopping to change a tire for an elderly lady on a cold, dark, rainy night.
3. A coach of a little league team.
4. A Sunday school teacher.
5. A father playing ball with his kid.
6. A mother teaching her daughter how to make cookies for the first time.
7. A doctor who refuses to abort a child even though it might cost him his job.
8. A husband who stands beside his wife even though she has even after they have found that lump in her breast.
9. A wife sitting by her husband’s bedside during one of his many Chemo therapies.
Today we’re going to look at a person who showed a servant’s heart…somebody who did ministry, but not up front… Somebody who didn’t sing the solo, didn’t preach the message, but just did ministry week in and week out.
The person who comes to my mind is Andrew.
I want you to turn your Bibles to John 1. This is where we are introduced not only to Andrew, but also to the kind of person he was.
Think for a moment about Andrew. What do you know about him?
Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist.
Andrew was one of the twelve called by Jesus.
Andrew was one of the first to recognize Jesus as the Promised One.
Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus.
Andrew worked with Simon as a fisherman. Andrew probably was the younger of the two.
Andrew’s name is mentioned 13 times.
He’s always second best.
He’s always second in line.
He’s always living in the shadow of his brother Peter.
And the four original disciples - Peter, Andrew, James & John soon becomes the three amigos Peter, James and John.
Andrew was the kind of person that made the disciples of Jesus great. He’s the kind of person that makes a local congregation a great church.
Today we are going to look at…The Example of Andrew... and learn two lessons.
1. The Value of Invisible Service.
His name is Lewis. He is a deacon, an usher, a member of the “Cup of Cold Water” committee and the chairman of the buildings and grounds committee. He takes personal responsibility and pride in taking care of anything that is broken or needs repair at the church. He may be fixing a water fountain or putting in a toilet. Not for credit. If he weren’t older now, we’d never even know he was doing it because he would not wait for help.
His name is Dwayne. Something needs fixing, he’s there to help. He is a member of four committees and is the chairman of the Brotherhood. Every Tuesday night he is at the church to go to visitation. He plans little trips to snow tube or bowling. He is working on a new basketball goal so the kids can play. He’s always there. He is always excited. He is a great help to the Pastor.
Her name is Sandy. She (and Billy) changes the message on the church sign. She is a deacon, church clerk, Women on Mission Director and a Children’s Mission leader. She fills in as a Sunday School teacher at a moments notice. She is usually at the hospital even before the Pastor finds out a person is admitted. She does it all for Jesus.
Her name is Jodi. The kitchen is hot. She is standing in the kitchen, wiping the sweat from her brow, laughing with her regular crew of helpers. It is another covered dish lunch and the tables are set, the drinks are ready, the sternos are lighted and the veggies are warming.
Her name is Linda. If you look at the list of church jobs… she hold more than anyone else. She is Chairman of the Deacons, a SS Teacher, member of the choir and music committee, and a member of three other committees. She lives on the other side of Culpeper… but she is here faithfully.
His name is Billy. Sunday morning finds him and FRANK out in the foyer, greeting guests. On another day you will find him and TOM up at the church measuring for heating or for property lines. Another day will find him weeding the flower beds… or cleaning some part of the church.
These are examples... just a few of the examples of the people who are providing INVISIBLE SERVICE to our church.
Without that kind of service... our church could not function. Not just our church either...
ALL churches depend on these types of servants who provide INVISIBLE SERVICE.
Andrew was that kind of servant. We really have only three stories about Andrew.
In the first story, Andrew is with John the Baptist and is introduced to Jesus as, “The Lamb of God”. He spends a whole day listening to and talking to Jesus and becomes convinced He is the Messiah and does the greatest work he can... He goes and brings his brother Peter to Jesus.
Andrews does not become a great or well-known disciple. Maybe he never preached a sermon or performed a miracle.
We have no record or him baptizing even one person or starting a church or any thing.
He just did invisible service… he brought his brother to Jesus.
The second story is where Jesus is teaching the 5000 and decides to feed them. The other disciples are belly-aching about what an impossible task it is.
Where is Andrew... behind the scenes... Doing invisible service… finding a little boy with one small lunch box.
Not very important, I guess. But without that little boy’s lunch... what a great object lesson we would have lost.
And lastly, one day some Greeks come to see Jesus. They went to Phillip because he had a Greek heritage.
Phillip took them to Andrew. Why? I believe it was a menial task and already the disciples had identified Andrew as the one among them who took care of the menial, behind-the-scenes tasks.
Andrew did what Andrew did best... he quietly, when Jesus had a break, came up to Jesus, whispered in his ears about the guests, and disappeared.
What a heart for God.
Basically he says, "Its okay. I don’t have to be up front. I don’t have to be in the inner circle. I don’t have to sing the solo. I don’t have to preach the message. I don’t have to teach the lesson. It’s okay if others don’t see me."
Unlike some of us who are in front of people all the time and get all the praise and all the pats on the back, they are doing just the gritty day-in, day-out background ministry, displaying a servant’s heart.
Here’s what I know about the people who have the ability and the willingness to do ministry in the background?
Their motives are pure.
They’re doing it for God because they don’t get any reward.
They’re not doing it for applause.
They’re not doing it for recognition.
They’re not doing it for the praise of others.
And what did Jesus say about these people?
He said they are the ones who are truly great in the kingdom.
And there is one other lesson I want us to learn from Andrew.
2. The Value of Insignificant Gifts.
When I cut grass I am not there for the scenery. I am there to get the job done. Usually I am trying to hurry through the grass and move on to the next job I have to do.
A few years ago, though... Ethan wanted to help.
I didn’t want him to because he was slow and missed a lot of places and I had to go back and get them. It took about three times as long when Ethan "helped."
I had to help him help. I would straddle him with my legs and keep my hands on the handle while he grabbed the lower crossbar. At least this way I could make it a little faster.
You know... sometimes I think of my work... the things I do for church or God and I think... "God, why do you bother with me? There are many preachers who can preach better sermons... many teachers who teach better lessons...
many who are just so much more able, so much more competent than me. Why do you slow yourself down by using me?"
Do you know what the answer is?
He does it for the same reason that I let Ethan help.
1.1 wanted to be with Ethan.
2.1 wanted to teach Ethan.
3. It made Ethan feel good.
4. It made me proud to see Ethan trying to be like me.
My gifts are not great. Your gifts are not great. NOT IN OUR HANDS!!!
It is like the lawn mower in Ethan’s hands. Insignificant... and dangerous.
But there are NO INSIGNIFICANT GIFTS... in God’s hands.
If you use the gift, that is placing it in God’s hands... God can do great things.
Andrew brought Peter.... Insignificant
Jesus made Peter a Rock, the pillar for the early church
Andrew found a boy with a lunch...Insignificant Jesus fed 5000+
Andrew brought the Greeks to Jesus
Jesus opened the Gentile world to the Gospel
You may think you have no gifts.
The bible says that is not true.
You may think your gift is insignificant.
Andrew teaches us... an insignificant gift used for God is far more important than a great gift that is squandered... or hidden under a bushel.
Let’s go back to where this sermon started… to George Barna’s research on success. What is success… for you? What does it look like in your mind? What would you look like if you were a success? How will you measure success?
For most: success is measured by how much stuff they have, where they rank on the corporate ladder and the social calendar. It is how many zeros they have in their bank account.
How does God measure success?
When we get home to heaven, by what standard will God measure our success as servants?
Most would say on whether or not we are saved.
Not so, you don’t get any credit for being saved. Jesus paid it all.
The answer is found in Matthew 25, verses 14-30. Jesus is that man who will come to settle accounts… determine success.
Will he look at your acquisitions and purchases? NO
Will he look at your place on the corporate ladder? NO
Will he judge by the worldly accolades? NO
What will he look at?
AT HOW YOU SERVED!
Verses 31f are part of this same teaching.
The first story says Jesus will judge whether or not we were good stewards of the stuff, opportunities and advantages He gave us.
The second story gives us the specifics.
Three areas Jesus mentioned
feeding the hungry
clothing the naked
visiting those in prison
What do the three have in common? SERVICE!!
All three are measures of our service to our fellowman.
And note this… not one of them required a “Big” gift.
They are common, everyday, run of the mill, ways of serving that any of us can do.
The emphasis is not on ABILITY.
It is on WILLINGNESS AND DESIRE.
Let me ask you this question. If you were in school and you knew that the teacher was going to ask you five questions about John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry. She even gave you the five questions. What would you do? You would study Gettysburg and make up five new questions to study?
When we get home Jesus is going to ask us how we served others. Shouldn’t you be prepared to answer those questions?
Let me tell you how to get ready.
At the end of the day or the beginning, when you have your prayer time, before you ask God for anything, for yourself or someone else, think back over the last 24 hours and ask… whom did I serve and how?
Don’t console yourself with “I didn’t see an opportunity.”
Matthew 25:44 says the evil people said that…
“WHEN DID WE SEE…
In verse 45 Jesus said… the opportunity was there.
Every day, before you ask God to do anything for you or others, ask yourself did you do anything for someone else?
If the answer is no… the ask God to forgive you of any missed opportunity…
And ask Him to help you see the opportunities of tomorrow.
That way we will be like the student who studies the five questions the teacher gave them.
You will be preparing yourself for the most important test ever… the Judgment of Jesus Christ.
I will end with this.
Romans 8:28 says, For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purposes.
Actually it is a long verse.
The second half says, “For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.”
God wants you and me to be conformed… re-shaped… molded into the image of… JESUS.
Before we can become like Him… we must know what he was like.
Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
TO SERVE AND TO GIVE…
That is the measure of success
SERVING AND GIVING
NOT BEING SERVED AND GETTING
Just the opposite… serving and giving.
Which are you after?
How will you measure up?
