Sermon for 9/30/2009
MBA- Mop Bucket Attitude
Introduction:
Dave Thomas, Wendy’s Hamburgers, “I got my MBA long before my GED. I even have a photograph of me in my MBA graduation outfit; a knee length work apron. I guarantee you that I’m the only founder among America’s big companies whose picture in the corporate annual report shows him wielding a mop and a plastic bucket. That wasn’t a gag; it was a case of leading by example. At Wendy’s, MBA doesn’t mean Master of Business Administration. It means Mop Bucket Attitude. It’s how we define satisfying the customer through cleanliness, quality food, friendly service, and atmosphere.”
WBTU:
A. Read Ephesians 4:11-12.
B. Last week we talked about this verse. Give a summary.
C. It was for everyone but probably spoke to the leaders more than anyone.
D. This Sunday I am taking aim at the congregation.
E. All of us are called to service. No one is exempt for the Lord’s draft.
Thesis: I will serve the ministry of my church by doing 3 things.
For instances:
1. By discovering my gifts and talents.
A. At Delphi, in ancient Greece, there stood a temple dedicated to Apollo. Carved over the entrance to this temple were two great principles of life: “Know thyself” and “Nothing in excess.” We are concerned here with the first of these wise sayings, “know thyself.” What the Greeks learned by experience, the Bible teaches by revelation: An individual cannot successfully deal with life and its problems if he does not first understand himself. (Prov 14:8 NIV) The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
B. To know ourselves we have to be completely honest. Of all the subjects we could seek to understand, the most difficult is ourselves. Understanding oneself may be difficult, painful and humiliating (especially when we realize how sinful we really are), but that does not release us from the obligation to try. Paul urges us to “examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Cor. 13:5). God has given us a manual —the Bible — to help us perform this self-examination. The person who dedicates himself to studying this source of wisdom, and constantly monitors his own behavior and motives with a critical eye, will go a long way towards figuring himself out. He will become a better man, because he understands the passions that drive him, and learns how to control them. When he makes a mistake, he honestly deals with it and learns from it.
C. Who am I? Who am I not?
D. All of us have a ministry (Ephesians 2:10). What is my ministry?
E. Rich Warren- Ministry is an expression of our SHAPE
S = Spiritual gifts
1. If you are a Christian, then you have the Holy Spirit, the Spirit gives gifts to use for the common good. (1 Cor 12:7 NIV) Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. I don’t have any gifts? Then you are not a Christian.
2. (Rom 12:6 NIV) We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
3. How do I find out what my spiritual gift is? There are spiritual gifts inventories that are helpful. It is a start.
4. Need to start experimenting with different ministries and then we will discover our place. Never find out unless get into the game.
H = Heart
1. Another word for this is passion. What stirs your soul?
2. Another word is enthusiasm. Enthusiasm comes from the root word “theos”- which means “in God.” What are you enthusiastic or “in God” about?
3. God gave us a unique heart. Don’t let anyone look down upon you because not enthusiastic about this or that. Do get worried if you are enthusiastic about nothing.
4. Something that we can really sink our teeth into.
A = Abilities
1. Natural abilities born with.
2. Each person has 500 to 700 skills.
3. Two problems in the church: a) Skill identification. b) Match abilities with ministry.
4. If you have abilities in a certain area and the church is not meeting that need, go for it.
5. (1 Cor 12:5 NIV) There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
P = Personality
1. God loves variety. Many differences in the 12 disciples.
3. Work with the grain, don’t be something that you are not.
4. Get into a ministry that fits your personality.
5. God made you for a purpose.
E = Experiences
1. (Rom 8:28 NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
2. Educational experiences. 3. Vocational experiences 4. Spiritual experiences
5. Ministry experiences 6. Painful experiences
2. By being equipped to serve by my elders and leaders.
A. Goes back to Ephesians 4:11-12.
B. Many times church leaders, elders, evangelists, end up doing most of the service in the church, rather than equipping. Why? Because many are unwilling.
C. Many gifted but inactive Christians ride pews in every congregation.
D. 10% are active, 40% have an interest in serving but have never been asked or trained, 50% have no interest in serving.
E. Willingness, availability is necessary to serve. Call went out several weeks ago for someone to water the flowers. Patty White answered that call. Vance and Gay saw a need for a teenager Sunday school class. They answered the call.
F. (Judg 5:2 NIV) “When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves-- praise the LORD!
G. The following letter, which speaks for itself, was circulated in a large congregation: Dear Friend: Our church membership … 1400
Nonresident members … 75
Balance left to do the work … 1325
Elderly who have done their share … 25
Balance left to do the work … 1300
Sick and shut-ins … 25
Balance left to do the work … 1275
Members who do not give … 350
Christmas and Easter members … 300
Balance left to do the work … 625
Members who are overworked … 300
Balance left to do the work … 325
Members with alibis (excuses) … 200
Balance left to do the work … 125
Members too busy with other things … 123
Balance left to do the work … 2
Just you and me, friend, and you had better get busy, because it’s too much for me!
3. By developing a servant’s heart
A. John 13:1-5, 12-15
B. This is not in my area of giftedness. I will not do such a job. A servant does what needs to be done even if he is not that great at doing it. He does it for his master and for the good of all. Even if he doesn’t get recognition, he does what needs to be done.
C. Long ago, there lay a large boulder in the middle of the roadway. Traveler after traveler walked past the boulder, veering off the side of the road to get around it. All the while, they were shaking their head and muttering, "Can you believe that? Someone should get that big thing out of the way. What an inconvenience!" Finally, a man came along and, seeing the boulder, took a branch from a tree and pried the boulder enough to get it rolling and rolled it off to the side of the road. Lying underneath the rock, he found a small bag with a note. The man picked up the note and read it. It read as follows: "Thank you for being a true servant of the kingdom. Many have passed this way and complained because of the state of the problem and spoken of what ought to be done. But you have taken the responsibility upon yourself to serve the kingdom instead. You are the type of citizen we need more of in this kingdom. Please accept this bag of gold that traveler after traveler have walked by simply because they didn’t care enough about the kingdom to serve." I wonder what "bags of gold" we’re missing each day, simply because we don’t bother to get involved in serving our heavenly kingdom.
D. Develop a Mop Bucket Attitude
Conclusion and invitation:
Mark 10:42-45
