SERIES SELFLESS
week 2 - Faithful In Service
Pastor Timothy Porter
Text: Acts 9:36-43
INTRODUCTION:
Hey, it's great to have all of you with us today. All of our Bridge Church peeps guest and our Church Online family!
Thank you for choosing to gather with us today!
I want to introduce this week's message on faithfulness and service.
Last week, we talked about being Bold In Spirit. Today we're gonna talk about being Faithful In Service.
I'll introduce it with a story:
Regin come to live with us - Her first day at our home I must have been a little romantic with Abby. Maybe a little kiss, maybe a little huggy-huggy, I'm not sure what it was, but she said, "Oh my gosh, Pastor Tim, really loves Ms. Abby — Our girls said to her you might as well get use to it because Daddy is “Always Loving on Mommy”
And that was the introduction to this new girl living at our house, "Daddy is always loving Mommy."
That raises the question I wanna pose to you today, and that is this: If somebody were to describe you with the word "always," what would they say?
"He's always doing such and such" or "She's always doing this."
The question is this: What would others say that you are always doing? What would others say that you are always doing?
? Encouraging—Griping, Finding Faults—Finding good. Working, Video games, Working out, Business, Sharing X, Instagram/Facebook/TikTok -- Hunting, Fishing
READ / PRAY
Our series is Selfless, and I think you would probably agree that we live in an incredibly selfish, selfcentered, self-gratifying, self-promoting culture.
? In fact, I just looked up the word "self-promotion" on Google just to see what came up and on the first page, there was article after article teaching you how to promote yourself, to get ahead with self-promotion.
? I listed in my notes three of the different articles of all the many ones, there was one called
"The Art of Self-Promotion:
"6 Ways to Get Your Work Discovered.
" Forbes wrote one called, "Self-promotion is a Skill."
In other words, if you want to be good in this society, you better learn how to promote yourself.
Then this is one that maybe somebody needs to read: "40 Ways to Self-Promote Without Being a Jerk." How about that?
Self-promotion is a skill and we need to get really good at it is what the world is telling us!!
? In fact, if I ask you what do you think is the most common career that a teenager wants?
This is the aspiration of the common teenager today. What do you think it would be?
Well 54% of teenagers, for a career, want to be a celebrity. I want to be a YouTube star.
We have to learn to self-promote, to help others see just how great we are!
As a career, 54% of teenagers today want to be a celebrity.
What do we wanna be as adults ? When I come up all I wanted to be was The G.O.A.T
?What does the GOAT stand for, G-O-A-T, help everybody else understand what is the GOAT?
The GOAT is the, greatest of all time.
I just want to be the GOAT! I want to be the greatest of all time.
Even in my day it's self-promoting, selfcentered, selfish-oriented culture!
Here is the problem with all of the above. if you want to follow Jesus, Jesus' teaching is diametrically- opposed to a self-centered, selfish, self-promoting culture.
?This is what Jesus said: If you want to follow me, you don't promote yourself.
He said, first you must deny yourself and then you pick up your cross, in other words, you are dying to your own selfish natures and then, you follow me.
Jesus said, if you wanna be great, you don't self-promote. But Jesus said, the greatest among you, {let's say it aloud, will be what, the whole church}, "The greatest among you will be your servant."
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, we are not called to self promote or to live selfish, self-centered lives, but instead, he calls us, invites us, to be selfless, denying self and taking on the very nature of a servant.
? When I serve others. - I'm serving Christ. Serving isn't just what we do, a servant is who we are.
What are you always doing? If someone were to answer that question, what would they say that you're always doing?
CONTEXT OF ACTS 9:36-43
Tabitha she was actually the first Greek female mentioned in the New Testament. Her name means "gazelle," so some scholars think she might've been a tall beautiful woman.
What we do know, is what she was always doing, what does the text say? The text said she was always doing good and helping the poor.
What a description. What was Dorcas always doing? She was always doing good and helping the poor.
What she actually did is she made clothing and she would give it to those who were struggling and would often serve widows.
Her ministry evidently so important that when she died, God used Peter to raise her back from the dead;
When she arose from death revival broke out in her community, because here is this woman and what was she known for? Her ministry was so important that she was brought back from the dead because she was always doing good.
Instead of always being self-promoting in attitude, she was always selfless using what she had to make a difference in other people's lives, serving, because she knew who she was!
She is a servant of the Most High God.
?So how do we, as Jesus followers, how to we become a faithful servant?
You might say, I can't make clothes so I can't give to the poor, you know, I can't sing like the worship pastor can sing. I'm not a great Bible teacher, I don't really know how I can make a difference.
So, what I wanna do today, is keep it really, really simple.
I'm gonna give you three images from Scripture, tie it in with three very simple stories that I hope will be memorable and will inspire you to serve because of who you are, you're called to be a servant of the Most High God.
1} BRING A LUNCH
?King David—War Hero—Brave King—Man after God’s heart
Rose to Fame by slaying a Goliath.
Loved—Honored—Women sang songs to him (I keep thinking I will come home one-day from the battle of preaching God's word and Abby will be in the drive way waiting on me to sing me love songs and my favorite meal waiting on the table and her and the girls will be there to fan me with palms )
Why was David great?
Most think David was great because he won the battle with Goliath
David was great because he ? carried a basket full of food
David 1 of 8 of Jesse’s sons—Oldest sons fighting Philistines.
17 One day Jesse said to David, “Take this basket of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and carry them quickly to your brothers... 18 See how your brothers are getting along, and bring back a report on how they are doing.”
(1 Sam 17:17-18)
Want to win the battle and be reconized?—First you have to carry a basket.
Want to be great— then learn to be insignificant, out of the spotlight, others focused
A Selfless person who wants to be the Greatest is the one who serves !!!
Bring a lunch!
2.} OFFER A RIDE
About 553 years before this event occurred—Prophet Z echariah declared the King would ride into Jerusalem humbly on a donkey
Zechariah 9:9 (NKJV) 9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.
I know some of you are thinking this is Shocking— A King should be on a -- White Horse—Servants—Robe—Crown
In modern terms Cruising in stretch Limo (Paparazzi) zooming every where on Mopeds.
Nope! He came justr as the ord said ! it was scripted! On a donkey!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The question ? How did they get this donkey? B/C you had to have money for a donkey back in them days!
Jesus told two of His men to go get the donkey.
He said If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' say, 'The Lord needs it.' Luke 19:31
This little donkey had Never been ridden — It obviouslly had to be some Some businessman Don’t know his name—What he did—How many owned. 1 or 100 donkeys.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What we do know is this. The man Didn’t ask what are yall doing — The donkey had never been ridden — The man didn't say this is going to Cost extra.
Now you got to realize this Isn’t Eeyore, This is a Luxury donkey—No miles—Highest end hooves.
This mans Gift made a way for Jesus!
He offered what he had that Jesus needed without any hesitation so the work of Christ could previel!
Bring a lunch—Offer a Ride
3.} CARRY A TOWEL
Just before the Passover — Thursday night — Jesus calls a Secret meeting in a upper room Jesus knew he was about to give life. An Argument spins up—Who is the greatest? John—Loved, Peter—Water, Bartholomew
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 So [Jesus] got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet John 13:4-5 [NLT2]
In that day it was Common courtesy to ask your servants or slaves to wash your guest feet. People usually walked everywhere and their feet were dirty and dusty.:
In todays lingo we would say something like "May I take your coat? Drink?
Would you like your feet washed? Call servant—Low and humiliating task—Pedicure. My feet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So Jesus gets up from Dinner: A table full of Selfish hearts and Dirty feet.
Jesus stopped what He was doing—Got up—grabs a towel—washes feet.
Yeshua
Jehovha
Yahweh
Jesus
Son of God
Living Water
Lamb of God
True Vine
Bread of Life
Light of the world
Living Stone
King of glory
Prince of Peace
Great high priest
Righteous Judge
Chosen One
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Alpha and Omega Our redeemer
Rock
rose of Sharon
Sanctification
Righteousness
kneels & washes feet -- He Didn’t come to be served but to Serve
You want to be great -- Bring a lunch—Offer a ride—Carry a towel
When you serve others—You are serving Christ!
He said it Himself when you Clothed me—Fed me—You visited me in Prison—Invite me? When you did these thing to the —Least of these— You did them to me.
Matthew 25:31-46
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What are you always doing? You want to Great?
Hold a baby—Greet a guest—Open your home—Carry a bag -- Welcome stranger—Love teen—Read to child—Cook dinner— Buy food -- Give a coat. Bring a lunch—Offer a ride—Carry a towel.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One day you will hear "Well done my good and faithful servant" … 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. Matt 23:11
