[SHOW VIDEO OF CHURCH MEMBERS SERVING IN DIFFERENT WAYS]
How inspiring to see so many of you serving each other in our church and in our community – and thus serving God! And that is our focus today – serving. So today, I want us to look at what it means to serve together. So take out your Bible, your teaching tool and a pen, and let’s look at talk for a few minutes about “Serving Together.” Actually, the title of the message on your teaching tool is incorrect…it should read “Slaving Together.” Slaving Together? That’s right – that would be a much more biblical way to talk about serving.
That’s right – “slavery” is the primary word used to talk about service or ministry in the Bible. In fact, let me bring you up to speed on our most biblical title: “doulos!” That’s right…you’re a doulos! Simply a slave. Feel better now, don’t you?
• Paul calls himself this every time, along with Timothy
• Used 25 times in the verb form (5x more than ministering “officially”)
• 125 times in the noun form (the predominant noun for the NT church worker/servant)
One of the places this word shines is Galatians 5:13. Turn there, would you?
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”
There it is – our identification and our occupation! We are slaves, and we humbly submit to slaving away together for one another in a sprit of love.
A little background would be helpful here…
• The OT picture of the bond slave (doulos) – serves by choice in his/her 7th year.
• The NY picture of freedom: We don’t have to, we get to!
The point? We are slaves to Christ by choice for the good of others!
I’d like to show you examples of “slaves” in the Bible – let’s profile what a slave actually looks like, how they think, what they do, shall we? Let’s get a glimpse into how we can serve God and each other better.
1. Slaves know that serving God is one of the best ways to witness. (1 Thess. 1:8-10)
“The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”
What a testimony – many folks in that region knew they had turned to Christ and were serving God. What a witness to the people who were watching.
Perhaps your first question is, “How do I serve God?” Answer: By serving his kids! You see, you really can’t serve God directly because you’re not in heaven yet. But you can serve his kids! Remember Matthew 35:39? When folks were wondering how the had ministered to the lord, he said, “When you did it unto one of these, you did it unto me.”
This is why we are really encouraging you to get involved in your community and meet needs – it’s one of the best ways to witness for the Lord and his church.
For instance, this past week was Halloween, and here in or community on Beggar’s Night some moms were serving hot chocolate to the families out with their kids, one of my friends was serving hot dogs to people, and a LH collected canned goods for people in transition. In addition, one of our small groups collected clothing for T.A.K.E. Thanks to all of you!
When you serve, you are witnessing. So no more excuses like, “I can’t say anything.” Can you serve someone? Then you can witness!
Action Point: Find a need and meet it in the name of Christ.
2. Slaves know that serving God is not a position but a privilege. (1 Corinthians 9:19)
“Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.”
Paul was explaining that he had the right to the position, but that wasn’t what really motivated him. What really tripped his trigger was the freedom he had to preach the Gospel, the compulsion he sensed to share God’s story regardless of how people treated him. He saw that role as a privilege, not a position.
In fact, my job as your pastor is, in some ways, different than my service as a Christian. I’m a doulos, but at times also a ‘presbuteros’ or ‘liturgos.’ But know this – I’m more than the last two. And if all I had was a position to go on, it’d be a dry church with a stiff membership. Of course, you’ve all known business-like churches with ‘position preachers’ – “I work 9-2, and don’t call me after hours.” They have given us a bad name!
This is one of the reasons I humorously joke about my title when people call me Pastor Todd. I’m really okay with it, but it’s funny how we don’t say Elder Brent or Member Mike or Usher Dennis, isn’t it?
Now, when things are a privilege, we don’t expect tanks, we give thanks, right? When you see your kids as a gift, you start thanking them for being your child. And vice-versa! When you see your ministry as privilege, you start thanking the church for letting you serve, not expecting thanks from them. Don’t get me wrong – gratitude is crucial. But expectations can kill relationships, and as a slave, I should have none. After all, I’m a slave, and I’m serving by choice.
Did you know that one of my favorite Bible stories is of the unprofitable servant? Why? Because it cuts to the heart of what it means to serve – I do my best and give it to God, and then after all is done, I’m still unprofitable. I don’t deserve and shouldn’t expect special treatment. That’s what I supposed to do!
Here’s a good way to put this into practice:
Action Point: Refuse credit and instead, offer thanks.
3. Slaves know that serving God is more about how I do what I do than simply what I do. (Ephesians 6:5-8)
“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.”
Not once in this passage are we told what the occupation is. But we do know how they are to go about their work. And that’s the whole point: the how!
What you’re doing is not nearly as important as how you’re doing it! Truly it’s about attitude, not action. Regardless of whether you work at Methodist, John Deere, Taco John’s, FFC, Grandview College…do your work in a way that honors God. Serve God by serving your employer well.
We have doctors, chemists, builders, programmers, teachers, machinists…but we all have one thing in common: We’re God’s slaves.
In fact, based on the passage, you should see your work as an opportunity to serve the Lord. Do it for the company as if you were doing it for the Lord! Work as if God were your boss. Know why? Because He is! WOW!
So let me challenge you to do something this week that will shake things up down at the plant:
Action Point: Tell your employer how thankful you are that he/she allows you to work for the Lord at [so-and-so place].
4. Slaves know that serving God is best done in teams. (Phil. 2:22)
“But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.”
Timothy and Paul were a great NT team, and one of many in the Bible. Why? Because more gets done when you’re on a team. God knew this and set it up that way. It’s the best way to “slave” away!
Think about a few contrasting words with me, would you? Independence vs. Interdependence...Isolation vs. Accommodation...Alone vs. Along.
See that last one? It’s my favorite! Think about the difference just by changing one letter…WOW!
Like I said, when you study the Bible, you find that Jesus and Paul and a lot of other people were always serving in teams. They never went anywhere alone. They were not Lone Ranger people. No, they took teams of people with them, disciples or followers or groups that they were co-working with. Let’s be honest – You can’t do it all yourself. You have to spread the responsibility around.
If you go home today and you watch a game on TV, you know that a quarterback cannot pass to himself. And if the team is going to win, the quarterback has to pass the ball to somebody else, or he has to hand it off to somebody else. The number of times that the quarterback actually gets to score himself are very, very few. Most of the time, he is simply handing it off to somebody else.
I like to call this the art of accommodation. You know, when you work with someone, get along with them, do the give-and-take that comes with a good team…that’s what it takes to win. Accommodation!
Now what does it mean to accommodate? Well you know, when you make accommodation for somebody, you get them a room. You give them space. You make room for them. You might get it at a hotel. You get it at a motel, and you might get it at your house. Basically, you are giving them space. You are giving them room.
Here’s another word for it – selflessness. When you accommodate, you are not seeking your way, your space…you’re giving to someone else so that they can have what they need. Truly, teams who are selfless and accommodating are teams who win!
Now, I don’t need to talk to you about this one a long time because FFC knows that accommodating is one thing we’re good at. You all are a first class example of accommodation. As we’ve kept growing, we’ve kept accommodating more and more and more new people, often at sacrifice to many of you who have been around here a little longer.
• Some of you have moved to the 8:30 service. You’ll probably move again one day!
• Some of you are “two-fers” – you come and serve for an hour, then go to church. Thanks!
• Many of you are having to accommodate new people in your small group…some of you are thinking about starting new small groups.
• All of you are well aware of our location flexibility with rooms, etc…take heart! Saddleback was in 79 different locations in 13 years. We’ve got it good, eh?
There’s something I want to say to you: THANKS! You are a consummate team player, and that’s why God is enabling FFC to win as a team.
WHY do we accommodate? Because it’s not about me, or you. It’s about them! So we accommodate. And as long as we serve selflessly as a team, we’ll never stop growing.
I want you to watch one of the most powerful examples of accommodation that I’ve ever seen. It’s the power of a team. Watch this.
[VIDEO of DICK AND RICK HOYT]
Wow! Let me give you a simple action point that will help you put this into practice:
Action Point: Don’t do your next job/run your next errand alone; take someone along.
This makes work a lot more fun. Whether with a friend or a child, everything becomes a little more fun with you have someone to tag along.
Let me ask you – how well are you “slaving together” today?
• Which team are you on?
• How’s your attitude?
• Are you trying to meet needs?
• What is it that you can do to help someone?
To help you with this, I’m going to ask our ushers to give you a “SLAVING AWAY” worksheet that you can fill out, turn in today or this week, and we can start serving together!
Now that you have it, look at it – it talks about your time, team and talents. Use it to help you find where you fit and how you can be part of the team. In fact, I want to ask you to take that with you and go right down the hall to our Ministry Fair and give yourself away by choice to a ministry that needs some slaves. Go for it…that what winning teams do!
Would you please stand with me and we’re gonna close today as a selfless team of biblical slaves, arm in arm, hand in hand, ready to give that God might win! While you’re standing, let’s pray.
I invite you to pray this prayer with me in your heart. Dear God, I don’t know you very well. But I want to know you, and I want you to use my life, and I want you to use it not by itself but with other people in community, in a team. Dear Jesus Christ, as much as I know how, help me to understand it more. I open up my life to you, and I want you to use me. In your name, I pray. Amen.
