A. One day a woman was interviewing a prospective butler and asked him, “Are you trained to serve guests?”
1. The prospective butler replied “Yes, ma’am, I have been trained to serve guests both ways.”
2. The woman looked puzzled and asked, “What do you mean, both ways?”
3. The prospective butler replied, “I’ve been trained to serve them so they’ll come again, or so they’ll stay away. You just have to let me know which way you desire for each guest.”
B. Would you say that you have been trained to serve?
1. Serving is not something that comes naturally to most people.
2. Living a life of service is an art that must be cultivated.
3. Today, we are beginning a new sermon series that I am calling “Serving Like Jesus.”
4. As you probably know, Jesus was a servant and as His followers, we are called be like Him.
C. But what does it really mean to be a servant?
1. What kinds of thoughts and attitudes should a servant have?
2. What kinds of behaviors will come from the right attitude?
3. Are there perils that servants encounter and how do they overcome them?
4. What are the rewards of serving?
5. These are some of the questions and issues that we will be addressing during the series.
6. One of the resources that I will be leaning on heavily is a book Charles Swindoll wrote back in 1981, called “Improving Your Serve – The Art of Unselfish Living.”
D. Let’s go back to the question I asked you a minute ago: What does it really mean to be a servant?
1. What images immediately come to your mind?
2. Do you think of the slaves of Egypt building the pyramids or the African slaves brought to the United States in the early days of our country?
3. Or do you think of the thousands of nameless migrant workers who, at harvest time, populate the farmlands and orchards across America?
4. If those are the images that immediately come to mind, then the idea of being a servant of God is not likely to be very appealing to you, right?
5. If our notion of a slave is a pathetic creature who is virtually without will or purpose in life, who is bent over, crushed in spirit, lacking self-esteem, dirty and weary, a sort of human mule, then we are not going to jump at the chance to be a servant.
6. If that has been your idea of what it means to be a servant, then I have good news for you – that is not what God means by servanthood.
7. That is not what it meant for Jesus to be a servant.
E. What I want to remind us today, and throughout this series, is that one of God’s major objectives for each one of us is that we be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus.
1. Look with me at what Paul wrote in Romans 8:28-29: 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. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
2. Perhaps you have never thought about it like that, that God’s major objective is that each of us be conformed into the likeness of His Son.
3. Obviously, there are many things about Jesus that we should want to imitate: His walk with God, His knowledge of Scripture, His prayer life, and His purity, but what about Jesus’ example of service?
4. I believe that that is one of the most important ways that God wants us to conform to the likeness of Jesus.
F. Look at how Jesus characterized His own life and purpose: “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” (Matthew 20:28).
1. How’s that for simple clarity? Jesus came to serve and to give!
2. If that was true for Jesus, then don’t you think that is what God would want for us?
3. After bringing us into His family through our faith in His Son, God then sets His sights on building into us the same quality that made Jesus distinct from all others in His day, and for that matter, from anyone who had ever walked the face of the earth.
4. God wants to build in us the same serving and giving qualities that characterized His Son.
G. In many ways, there is nothing more refreshing than seeing someone with a servant’s heart and a giving spirit.
1. Colonel James Irwin was a former astronaut who was part of the crew that made a successful moon walk in 1971.
2. He often spoke of the thrill connected with leaving this planet and seeing it shrink in size.
3. While watching earthrise one day in space, he realized just how privileged he was to be a member of that unique crew of Apollo 15.
4. While on the way back to earth, he thought about the way that many would consider him a “superstar,” and that he was about to become an international celebrity.
5. But his relationship with God would not allow any of this to go to his head.
6. Listen to the humility that he expressed in these words: “As I was returning to earth, I realized that I was a servant – not a celebrity. So I am here as God’s servant on planet Earth to share what I have experienced that others might know the glory of God.”
7. That basic motto would help all of us Christ followers: I am a servant, not a celebrity.
8. Like Jesus, I am here to serve, not to be served.
H. But it is so easy to lose sight of that primary calling as we go about our daily life in our self-absorbed world.
1. If you are like me, then you sometimes think, “I wish I could go back in time and sit at the feet of Jesus. How great it must have been to sit as one of the Twelve and soak up all those truths that Jesus taught. I mean, if I had been there with Jesus and Twelve, it would have been easier to learn this idea of being a servant.”
2. Do you ever think that way? Do you ever think that it must have been easier for the disciples who were physically with Jesus to follow Jesus and become a servant like Him?
3. If and when we think that way, we are wrong.
4. It wasn’t easier for them to get it. Matter of fact they often failed to get it right.
I. Let’s turn our attention to an incident recorded in Matthew 20.
1. Jesus’s popularity was on the rise and the knowledge of His kingdom was spreading.
2. People were anxious to get on the bandwagon and to position themselves in this growing movement.
3. The Bible says: 20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 21 “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.”
4. We shouldn’t be too tough on this dear Jewish mother.
a. Picture her standing there proudly with her sons at her side.
b. Like any good mother, she watched for “breaks in life” that could lead to a nice promotion.
c. Her request was tempered by the proper perspective – she didn’t ask that her sons occupy
the center throne – she knew that that place belonged to Jesus.
d. So, she pushed for her sons, James and John, to be candidates for thrones #2 and #3.
5. Just in case you’re wondering how the other ten apostles felt about this mother’s request, check out verse 24 – It says that the ten became indignant!
a. They were likely angry that they hadn’t been the first to make the same request.
b. And they were not going to give up those spots without a fight!
c. You and I would likely have reacted the same way, right?
6. Jesus’ initial reply was, “You don't know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” (vs. 22)
a. They foolishly answered Jesus’ question: “We can. No problem. Piece of cake.”
b. Keep in mind that in the three verses that had preceded their mother’s request, Jesus had
said that he was going to Jerusalem where he would be betrayed, condemned, mocked,
flogged and crucified.
c. Obviously, this mother and her sons didn’t really understand!
d. In spite of all that Jesus had said, she and her sons were imagining a kingdom with
emperors with jeweled crowns, palaces protected by soldiers, with subjects and slaves
serving those at the top of the pyramid.
7. The Bible tells us that Jesus pulled all the disciples aside and attempted to straighten out their thinking.
a. He said: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - 28 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.” (vs. 25-28)
b. Do you see how Jesus spelled out a sharp contrast between His philosophy and the philosophy of the world?
c. Do you see how different is His movement and kingdom from the ways of the world?
J. The key phrase is: Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.
1. These have become forgotten words and a forbidden concept in the world.
2. Sadly even in much of Christianity these are forgotten words and a forbidden concept.
a. In the Mega Churches there are often celebrity pastors, high powered executives, and superstar singers.
b. But even in the smallest of churches the notion of serving rather than being served can get lost.
c. Even in the smallest of churches, the preacher or leaders may demand a special title, or a special parking place, or special treatment.
3. A man named Diotrephes was openly rebuked by the apostle John in 3 John 1:9-10.
a. What was it that Diotrephes was doing that was so wrong?
b. John wrote: I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
c. Diotrephes considered himself the boss. He was large and in charge.
d. The mentality and behavior of Diotrephes has no place among the followers of Christ.
4. Perhaps the best model we have, next to Jesus Himself, is that of the apostle Paul.
a. As you know, Paul was a preeminent leader in the Jewish Hierarchy of Jesus’ day, but after an encounter with the risen Christ, he became a servant of Jesus.
b. Almost without exception, Paul began every piece of correspondence with the words, “Paul, a servant of God…” or “Paul, a bond-slave of Jesus Christ…”
c. Isn’t that amazing, this man who certainly could have expected preferential treatment or could have demanded a “high-and-mighty” role of authority over others, referred to himself most often as a “servant” of God.
K. Jesus, Himself, is the only one who deserves the place of preeminence. He is the only one who deserves to be served.
1. In Colossians 1:18-20, Paul declared: 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
2. In Philippians 2, Paul challenges us to have the attitude of Jesus Himself, Paul wrote: 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:5-11)
a. Isn’t that amazing? For all eternity, God the Son had been reigning in heaven with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
b. But Jesus was willing to become a servant, and that required leaving His heavenly position, coming to earth as a human, and suffering death by crucifixion.
c. But after doing all that, He returned to His rightful place beside His Father, and He is worthy to be served as Lord.
3. That’s who Jesus was before He came to earth, and that’s who Jesus is right now in heaven.
L. But even though that’s who Jesus was and who Jesus is, notice again how He thought and acted while He was here in the earth.
1. Look again at Matthew 20:28, “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.”
2. He came to serve and to give.
3. One of the clearest pictures Jesus painted for us of what it means to be a servant is found in John 13.
a. This is a picture that we will likely come back to, again and again, during this series.
4. The apostle John sets the stage for this event, saying that it was just before the Passover Feast.
a. Jesus knew that His time on the earth was quickly coming to an end.
b. Jesus wanted to show His disciples the full extent of His love.
5. So all the disciples arrived at the upper room where preparations for the Passover Meal had been made.
a. Surprisingly, there was no servant there to greet them at the door with a basin and towel to refresh their tired, dirty feet as was the custom.
b. So, dirty feet and all, they reclined at the table and began to enjoy the meal.
6. About halfway through the meal the Bible says: Jesus got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him (Jn. 13:4-5).
a. The disciples were uncomfortable with Jesus’ actions.
b. Peter initially strongly protested, but then relented after Jesus clarified things.
c. When Jesus said, “Unless I wash you, you have no part of me.” Peter said, “Then don’t
just wash my feet, wash all of me!”
7. The Bible says: 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (Jn. 13:12-17)
M. God wants us to follow the example of Jesus.
1. Jesus came to serve and to give. Jesus was willing to serve by washing feet.
2. If we will be like Him, if we will be willing to serve and to give, and even wash feet, then we will be blessed.
3. Look at this quote from Kevin Harney, from his book Seismic Shifts : “Picture a church in which everyone wants to be served. Each person believes the church exists to meet their needs, to make them happy, and to cater to their whims and tastes. Imagine a congregation in which everyone has a ‘take care of me’ attitude and is quick to complain whenever things are not just the way they feel they should be. Sadly, some people don’t have to use their imagination to picture such a church. (note the picture on the slide of the “M.E. Church)
This kind of church will never have a positive impact on the world. It will grow small, inward, and unhealthy. This kind of church does not honor Jesus and bring glory to God. This is not a church ruled by a servant spirit.
Now imagine a church in which every single person has a passion to serve others. Think about what God could do through a group of people who are committed to sacrificial ministry to each other. These people know that the Holy Spirit has given each of them unique abilities (spiritual gifts) that are to be used for building up people and bringing glory to God. So they are purposeful about discovering their gifts and developing and using them. What could God do through such a church?”
N. I believe that we are in the process of becoming that kind of church – a church where people are serving like Jesus served.
1. Becoming that kind of church made up of those kinds of individuals begins with arming ourselves with the attitude of Jesus.
2. Jesus did not come to be served, but He came to serve and to give.
3. And how much did Jesus give? He gave His whole self…He gave up His life.
4. Are we willing to do the same? Are we willing to give our whole selves…our whole lives?
O. Allow me to end with this illustration: The 2001 movie, Pearl Harbor, tells the story of two friends, Rafe and Danny, who survive the attack on Pearl Harbor and enter WWII as fighter pilots.
1. In training before the war, Rafe McCawley was one of America’s top fighter pilots.
2. When the U.S. initially held back from entering the war, Rafe volunteered to help the British in their fight against the Germans.
3. When Rafe first arrived at the English airfield, he walked by some British planes that had been shot up from the previous day’s battle and is greeted by the commander of the British squadron.
4. As the commander showed him the plane he would be flying, a messenger announced to the commander that two more British planes had just been shot down.
5. The commander then turned to Rafe and asked, “Are all Yanks as anxious as you to get themselves killed?”
6. Rafe immediately replied, “I’m not anxious to die, sir, I’m anxious to matter.”
P. I suppose that’s what most of us want for our lives - we want our lives to make a difference.
1. We are not anxious to die for Jesus. We are not anxious to be servants. But we are anxious to matter.
2. When we follow Jesus and serve like Jesus served, then our lives will make an eternal difference for us and for others.
3. I want to invite you to join me in this series, as we endeavor to learn to serve like Jesus served.
Resources:
Improving Your Serve, Charles Swindoll, Word, Inc., 1981, Chapter 1.
A Life that Matters, Sermon by C. Philip Green, SermonCentral.com
From Served to Serving, Sermon by Rik Wadge, SermonCentral.com
