SERIES: HEALTHY CHURCH!
“THE DEMONSTRATION FACTOR”
MATTHEW 20:20-28
OPEN
Chuck Colson makes an interesting observation. He points out that when the Communists took over Russia in 1917, they did not make Christianity illegal. The Soviet constitution guaranteed freedom of religion.
What they did do is make it illegal for the churches to do any “good works” or works of service. The churches were no longer allowed to do what they had always done: feed the hungry, educate children, take care of widows and orphans, or care for the sick.
There was a very stunning result when the church obeyed the state in this matter. When the churches failed in their calling to serve the needs of others, it only took about 70 years for the churches to become ineffective in the communities in which they lived.
Two Sundays ago, we started a series called “Healthy Church!” We’re looking at certain factors that produce spiritual health for our congregation. We started with the motivation factor – loving God with all of our heart, mind, and strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
In that first mentioned message, we briefly talked about the five purposes of the church: worship, ministry, evangelism, discipleship, and fellowship. All five purposes are based on our motivation – wholeheartedly loving God and others.
Last week, we talked about worship. It’s the exaltation factor. Worship is not just something we do together one day a week. It’s something that we express in our everyday lives.
And the Bible teaches us that we cannot really love God and worship Him unless we love and serve others. The apostle John writes in 1 Jn. 4:19-20 – “We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”
This morning we’re going to look at the demonstration factor. The Bible teaches that love is not just a feeling. It’s demonstrated by what we do. Rom. 5:8 –“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” John admonishes us in 1 Jn. 3:18 – “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
What is it that demonstrates our love and worship for God? It’s our love and service to others. The second purpose of the church and for our daily lives – ministry – is closely affiliated with the first purpose – worship.
The biblical term for service is “ministry.” The concepts of “serve” and “minister” are the same in the original language of the New Testament.
You need to answer a very important question this morning. Are you more interested in being served or being a servant?
A first grade teacher asked her students, “What do you do to help at home?” One little girl said, “I dry the dishes.” One of the boys said, “I sweep the floor.” Another one said, “I feed and water the dog,”
Every student in the class had something to contribute except for one boy sitting in the back. The teacher looked qt him asked, “What do you do to help out at home?” He said, “I stay out of the way.”
That’s a problem in the church. Too many church members just stay out of the way. A Gallup poll discovered that only 10% of church members are active in any kind of personal ministry in their church. 50% said that they have no desire or interest in serving in any ministry.
We were saved to serve. Not only did God save us to serve, He also gave us a model for ministry. In Lk. 22:27b, Jesus says, “I am among you as one who serves.”
We’re going to look at a passage of scripture this morning in which Jesus teaches His followers about ministry and servanthood. For the third time, He has tried to tell them what was about to happen very soon. He would be mockingly tried and cruelly beaten. He would be derided and shown the utmost contempt. He would be unjustly brutally executed on a cross. It’s at this point we read the following encounter.
Mt. 20:20-28 – “Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. ‘What is it you want?’ he asked. She said, ‘Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ ‘You don’t know what you are asking,’ Jesus said to them. ‘Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?’ ‘We can,’ they answered. Jesus said to them, ‘You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.’ When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”
ATTITUDE NOT APTITUDE
Jesus’ message here is that everybody can be great ... because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to be able to sing or preach or say public prayers to serve You only need a heart full of grace. Dave Stone says that “service is the language of grace.”
One day a couple of church members were out distributing loaves of bread in a low-income housing complex. They came to an apartment where they heard arguing through the door, but they decided to knock anyway. A man opened the door and asked what they wanted. One of the visitors said, “We don’t want anything. We just wondered if you know anyone who could use some loaves of bread?” “Why are you doing that?” the man asked. “Just to let people know that God loves them.” “What did you just say?” the man asked, rather anxiously. “We’re just handing out loaves of bread to let people know that God loves them.” The man stared and said, “I can’t believe this. We just buried our three-week-old son yesterday, and now here you are at our door.” The visitors offered to pray with them, and the couple accepted their offer. As they were leaving, and the door was being closed, they heard the husband say to his wife, “See, honey? I told you God cares. We thought he wasn’t paying attention to us, but he sent those people here to make sure we knew.”
Too many people make excuses as t why they can’t serve. Can you bake a cake? Can you cook some food item? Can you cut someone’s grass? Can you call people and give them an encouraging word? Can you do housework? Can you do handy work? Can you donate anything of value? Can you stop along your way and give a smile? Can you take an interest in someone else’s life?
The big thing is that you have to be ready to serve. You have to open your eyes and your ears to the needs of others. 1 Pet. 4:10 – “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
RESOLUTION NOT COMPULSION
Elmer Towns tells about a member of a motorcycle gang who was dramatically converted to Jesus Christ and the first Sunday he did the only thing he knew he should do and so he went to church. Nobody in the church knew him and he walked down to the second aisle and sat in the seat. And the people stared because he looked the part; big and burly, long hair and beard, black leather jacket, tattoos.
It came announcement time and the minister got up and made an appeal for nursery workers. He said, “We need someone to work in the nursery.” But no one would volunteer. He asked a second time, “We really need someone to go be with our kids.” But no one would volunteer. The old motorcycle gang member was convicted and prayed, “Lord, I want to do what you want me to do and if you want me to go work in the nursery just have the preacher ask a third time.”
And a third time the preacher said, “Please we need someone to work in the nursery.” And that big burly guy raised his hand, nodded his head and started toward the nursery. Immediately 50 mothers followed him volunteering to work in the nursery.
Service is a choice. We decide to do it. It’s not something that comes easy. It goes against our nature. But it is part of our new nature.
And there’s a difference between choosing to serve and choosing to be a servant. Richard Foster says, “There is a difference between choosing to serve and choosing to be a servant. When I choose to serve, I retain control about whom I serve and when I serve. But when I choose to be a servant, I have given up all rights and all control.”
If you serve out of compulsion, your service will be sour. There will be no benefit from that. You’ll be the same person you always were. You’ll serve for the wrong reasons. But if you serve with an attitude of love, and if you sense that Christ is the one who is receiving the glory, then the sky is the limit for what you can accomplish, and you will earn the right to be heard.
IMITATION NOT LIMITATION
They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery. I have two very good friends named Jesse and Colonel. They are what are known as “tribute artists.” A tribute artist is someone who performs in the persona of a famous person. They have a show called The Perkins Brothers. And in this show, they perform as different kinds of singers. They do Elvis, Meatloaf, Dean Martin, John Lennon, Hank Williams, Sr. and Jr., and a whole slew of others. Their slogan is, “You will believe.” They want you to believe that while they are performing, you are actually watching and listening to the original performers.
We are called to imitate our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He came “not to be served but to serve.” And so should we.
Phil. 2:3-11 – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality
with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
You see, we don’t limit ourselves when we become servants. We imitate the one who is exalted to the highest place and has the name that is above every other name – Jesus Christ.
CLOSE
As we finish up today, I want to read you a story. It’s a story written in the style of the Far East. Its phrasing may sound a bit stilted and strange to our ears. But if we truly love God with all of our heart, mind, and strength, its message will resonate in our hearts. It’s called “The Bamboo Servant.”
Once upon a time, in the heart of an ancient Kingdom, there was a beautiful garden. And there, in the cool of the day, the Master of the garden would walk. Of all the plants of the garden, the most beautiful and beloved was a gracious and noble bamboo.
Year after year, Bamboo grew yet more noble and gracious, conscious of his Master’s love and watchful delight. And often when the wind came to revel in the garden, Bamboo would dance and play, tossing and swaying and leaping and bowing in joyous abandon, leading the Great Dance of the garden, which most delighted the Master’s heart.
One day, the Master himself drew near to contemplate his Bamboo with eyes of curious expectancy. And Bamboo, in a passion of adoration, bowed his great head to the ground in loving greeting. The Master spoke: “Bamboo, I would use you.” Bamboo flung his head to the sky in utter delight. The day of days had come, the day for which he had been made, the day to which he had been growing hour by hour, the day in which he would find his completion and his destiny. His voice came low: “Master, I’m ready. Use me as you wish."
“Bamboo, I would have to take you and cut you down.”
A trembling of great horror shook Bamboo. “Cut--me--down? Me...whom you, Master, has made the most beautiful in all your Garden--cut me down? Oh, not that. Not that. Use me for the joy, use me for the glory, oh Master, but do not cut me down!”
“Beloved Bamboo,” The Master’s voice grew graver still. “If I do not cut you down, I cannot use you.”
The garden grew still. Wind held his breath. Bamboo slowly bent his proud and glorious head. There was a whisper: “Master, if you cannot use me other than to cut me down, then do your will and cut.”
“Bamboo, beloved Bamboo, I would also cut your leaves and branches from you.”
“Master, spare me. Cut me down and lay my beauty in the dust; but would you also have to take from me my leaves and branches too”"
“Bamboo, if I do not cut them away, I cannot use you.”
The Sun hid his face. A listening butterfly glided fearfully away. And Bamboo shivered in terrible expectancy, whispering low: “Master, cut away.”
“Bamboo, Bamboo, I would yet split you in two and cut out your heart, for if I cut not so, I cannot use you.”
Then Bamboo bowed to the ground: “Master, Master--then cut and split.”
So did the Master of the garden took Bamboo and cut him down, hacked off his branches, stripped off his leaves, split him in two and cut out his heart. And lifting him gently, the Master carried Bamboo to where there was a spring of fresh sparkling water in the midst of his dry fields. Then putting one end of the broken Bamboo in the spring and the other end into the water channel in the field, the Master gently laid down his beloved Bamboo. And the spring sang welcome, and the clear sparkling waters raced joyously down the channel of Bamboo’s torn body into the waiting fields.
Then the rice was planted, and the days went by, and the shoots grew and the harvest came. In that day Bamboo, once so glorious in his stately beauty, was yet more glorious in his brokenness and humility. For in his beauty he was life abundant, but in his brokenness and humility he became a channel of abundant life to his Master’s world.
