Thank You For Serving!

INTRODUCTION

– The 80/20 Rule in the Church

We loved to be served.

- We tend to get angry when we ordered something and not served on time.

- We demand to talk to the manager when we are not satisfied with the service provided to us.

- We grumble when our expectation of service is not met.

To be served has become a luxury we are willing to pay

- We are willing to pay for the service to deliver our food in our front doors.

- We are willing to spend more for excellent service.

Similarly, in the church we expect ministries to serve excellently yet FOC.

While we have this expectation, research shows that 20% of any congregation completes 80% of the ministry in its church. The other 80% are consumers, spectators, and hardly involved. Many believe that it is a rule that is difficult to break.

Why is this so? What is the motivation behind this serving?

WELCOMING

Brothers and sisters, whether you are here physically, or watching online, welcome to the second instalment of the “#LoveToServe” series.

RECAP

Last week, we learned how essential service is to the church.

We learned from the parable of the bags of gold in Matthew 25, in which the servants were given by their master, bags of gold which represent gifts, talents, resources, that God entrusted us in which if we do not use, will be taken from us one day. Those who will faithfully use them, would be given more.

23 “…, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

What does this “master’s happiness mean?” Let’s watch this video.

<MM: Play One-Liner Testimony>

Not only serving is a privilege, but it is also God’s pleasure (happiness) to see us faithfully use whatever he gave us for his purpose. In God’s happiness, he blesses those who serve.

Whether you are serving or not, I pray that this sermon will further change your outlook about ministries and serving.

If you are serving in the church already, tell yourself “Thank you for serving!”

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With that, the title of our sermon today is THANK YOU FOR SERVING

Serving is to give someone a service or present someone something.

Why is serving very important and what should be our motivation?

Before we dive-in to the Scripture for answers, let me give you the background of our main text. (John 13:1-11)

- Jesus and his disciples were in the Upper Room (a room in Mt Zion, Jerusalem) having a meal (the last supper).

- Jesus got up, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist

- He then washes his disciple’s feet with water, drying them with the towel

- Simon Peter tried to stop Jesus from washing his feet, but Jesus proceeded.

- When Jesus had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place and asked, “Do you understand what I have done for you?”

In Jesus time, it is common to wear sandals or go bare foot while doing their daily activities. Thus, the servants of the household wash the feet of the guests.

It was a common practice, yet what Jesus did seem very strange because,

- They were already having a meal (likely their feet are cleansed already)

- Jesus is their Lord, their teacher. (He is a guest)

Clearly, Jesus is making a very important point here.

After the act, Jesus then uttered in John 13:14-17

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 Very truly I tell you, 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.

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Serving is our obedience to God

14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. John 13:14

<Obedience>

In our contemporary time, there are Christian groups that practice foot washing on Maundy Thursday as an ordinance. Maundy, in Latin is “Mandatum” meaning command.

Jesus mandated us to live by (symbolically) washing one another’s feet, (literally) serving one another.

Jesus knew that while we are waiting for his second coming, we will be constantly tempted to sin. When we wash one another’s feet, there’s a constant reminder for us that our feet should be washed. It is a directive to come to Jesus regularly, for our own good.

(All of us) Even those who are already serving (obeying). Because we have the tendency to commit mistakes or sins.