Service

Introduction

If we have not had the pleasure of meeting my name is John Colunga and I have the privilige of serving as lead pastor here at New Day Pasadena

I also have the privilige of bringing this weeks sermon

So if you have your Bibles, please turn to John 13:12-20

If you forgot your Bible please use the one in front of you and if you dont have a Bible at all, please take home the one in front of you as a free gift to you

Illustration

Team Sports

Part of a team - work as a team -

HAve you ever been a part of a bad team? sports and then outside of sports

Set Up

One of the things you will find Pastor Dillon and I doing as leaders of the church, is calling on you to serve

To be on a serve team

To serve the church in some capacity

To serve each other and our guests

But why do we do this? Why is it important? How do our teams operate?

These are some of the things we will talk about today

And by the end, I hope that this whole serve thing is not something that we made up

It is not a madate from Pastor Dillon or I

But that the reason why any of us would serve, is to glorify God and to be like him

At this time, If you are able to stand I ask that you do so for the reading of God’s word. I’ll read it out loud and if you will please follow along -

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 13:12–20.

This is the word of the Lord, you may now be seated

Exposition

12-13 Service was done by the highest authority

Look back to the start of the chapter in verse 3

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,

We find:

Jesus knew God had given him all authority

Jesus came from God - divinity

Jesus was was going back to God

Now, in chapter 12 - Jesus states that he is their teacher and Lord

Illustration: Teacher/Student relationship in the old days

Jesus as their teacher - means that he chose to teach them and that they have wilfully submitted themselves under him

This has a limited authority

But as their Lord, Jesus does have full authority over them

With this authority, Jesus doesn’t Lord it over them and use it to make them serve his will

Rather Jesus humbled himself as God - to do the work of a servant

14-15 Service should stem from Jesus’ humility

It is not out of place to talk about humility here as what Jesus is doing is humbling

But I want to help paint a broader picture

That in this moment, having full authority, being God, and being close to death

Jesus isn’t just trying to display his humility in this moment

Rather, this act is depicting and summing up Jesus’ entire life and ministry

That from birth Jesus humbly came and submitted himself before man

That his entire ministry was one of compassion, love, and service

And ultimately, Jesus knows that he will soon humbly and willfully die on a cross for God’s people

James Montgomery Boice points this out:

Jesus arose from supper - Jesus was reigning on the high throne of heaven before he came to earth

Jesus laid aside his garments - Jesus laid aside his glory to come down to earth

Jesus took a towel and tied it around himself as a servant - we know that he came to earth to serve

Jesus washed the disciples feet - Jesus would soon wash away the sins of God’s people and make them clean

If Jesus’ entire ministry was one of humility and service

Then shouldnt our entire reflect this and be one of humility and service

That we humbly serve the sick, the poor, the needy, our neighbors, our family, our friends, our guests

16-17 Service is obedience to God

Illustration: Last week I used the illustration that love is a high standard

And it is a high standard set foth by God

But God can set it because he is perfect, holy, righteous, just

And we follow him in his perfection and strive to love like him

We are obedient to love love like him

And over time, by striving to love, it because easier and easier to love

In the same way - as we serve, it becomes easier and easier to serve

And God sees your obedience

God sees your heart posture

And while you may not always get a thank you for your service

God sees your service and there are blessings for your obedience

Blessed are you who know Jesus as your Lord and Savior and are obedient to him in service

18-20 Service doesn’t identify you to the church, it identifies you with the Lord

We need to keep Jesus at the center of our life

We say this a lot and that is because of how important it is

Becuase when he is the primary of focus of our life

Then everything else you do flows from his character, his attributes, his love, his service

And when you reflect the love and service of God, i promise you it will look different than how the world loves and serves

And the world will notice your love and service and ask why its done with a smile

Why are you ok with not always being recognized

Why you go the extra mile when no one else wants to

Because ultimately you arent doing it for any other reason than the fact that its because you identify with Jesus Christ

Application

12-13 We serve because Christ has served

This is the why

Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

There is nothing to low for us

There was nothing to low for Jesus

Jesus our Lord and Savior - Jesus our redeemer - Jesus our King

And if our King, our highest authority loved and served his entire life

Then why wouldnt his church love and serve for their entire life

And so this is our why - We serve because Christ first served us

And as we serve, we do it always in humility

14-15 We serve humbly

This is the how

We have to humbly submit that when we serve, that means putting others first

Romans 12:10 “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

That means sacrificing something in order to put others first

And sometimes, that means using our blessings and giving our blessings

Time is a blessing

Experience is a blessing

Health is a blessing

Finances is a blessing

Materials are a blessing

Communication is a blessing

And if you think that you are not blessed with something as a child of God to offer then we need to have another conversation

We are all blessed and are called to humbly serve with the blessings given to us

16-17 We are obedient when we serve

Who do we serve?

Matthew 25:35–40 “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

When we are obedient in going the extra mile to serve others, to put their needs before our needs, we are being obedient

But then that obedience at one point or another will start turning into habit

And the who - become everybody

As you come into contact with people

Illustration: habits - yes mam/no mam saying hi and bye becomes second nature

obedience in our service becomes second nature

Serve within our capacity

18-20 We identify with Christ when we serve

This is the center of our service

This is the heart of our service

When we serve we are doing something apart from the world

We serve distinctively different than the world

Jesus washed feet because feet are dirty

There is a need for clean feet - Jesus met that need

There are places of need within our church

How can you serve here?

Can I just say that we have great teams that serve really well

The current ways in which this church serves - especially for a church our size - is a blessing

But with any team - there is always a goal of strengthening

Of getting better

And for us, we are strengthened, and better, when we serve together

Kids / Production / Greet Team

Youth / Facilities

Deacons

Your presence