Leading Others By Serving
Notes
Transcript
Intro; Tonight we come to probably the hardest paradox in the scriptures for one to fulfill, “Leading Others by Serving”.
For the most part, the Greeks and Romans in New Testament times despised manual labor. Many of them turned their work over to their slaves and simply gave orders. The ancients dreamed of a paradise where nobody had to work hard. That sounds like modern day America!
But the Jews had a work ethic handed down from heaven in creation;
9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.
It was as important for the Jewish people to work on the six days as it was to rest on the seventh day. For them, work was a normal part of life.
God always intended man to work, “tend the garden”, but man’s sin is what brought the “weeds and thorns” that turned tending into toil.
Jesus is teaching in this paradox that He, being Lord of all, if He came and served others, then we should have the same heart and mindset. No one is greater than Jesus, yet He served others and so should we!
Text; Luke 22:24-30
Luke 22:24–30 (NKJV)
24 Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.
25 And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’
26 But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.
27 For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.
28 “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.
29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me,
30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
The context of this paradox is set in the Upper Room Discourse. Jesus has just washed the feet of His disciples, told them that He would suffer and be killed and that His betrayer was among them.
Yet, their conversation right after this astounding announcement that Jesus made was, “which of them should be considered the greatest”. Pride is not only blinding but a dangerous sin! They actually argue about who’s going to replace the Lord before he’s even gone!
Let’s look at three things that Jesus teaches that must take place in our lives to imitate Him “Leading Others By Serving!”
1. Practice Humility; 25-26
1. Practice Humility; 25-26
Humility- not thinking less of yourself but thinking more of others
We never need to think less of who we are in Christ, but we are not to be arrogant in Christ.
We are born again believers in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit and gifted to serve our Heavenly Father. To me, that makes me a very special person from whom I was. But that does not give me any right to lord that over others, believers or not! That’s what worldly people do.
Benefactors- someone who does good to others
Luke 22:25 (NLT)
25 Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’
Worldly people might do good or give to certain charities, yet they hold it over those people or charities as if they owe them something. And if they don’t do what they want them to do, there’s a price to pay.
The world rules by power-hungry, power-grabbing pride! Look at our political system. It’s foundation was set up by our constitution, “We the people, for the people”, but that’s not how it’s working. They are supposed to be servants of the people.
Jesus says we are to be contrary [opposite in nature] to the world.
The world is full of pride, we are to be filled with humility!!
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized.
23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.
24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification.
26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”
27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.
28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’
29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
John was the most well known prophet of his time and he had the privilege to make the path of the Messiah’s coming. He could have let that go to his head and many tried to make that happen, but John was humble.
[Look at v. 29] John was happy to be a friend of the bridegroom
Are you happy to be who Christ saved you to be?
Are you thankful to serve where He’s called you to serve?
2. Be Obedient; 27
2. Be Obedient; 27
Jesus says that by the world’s standards, the one who sits at head of the table is more important than the one who serves the table. Yet, no one is greater than Jesus/God and He is the One serving others.
In God’s kingdom the greatest people are the greatest servants. In a world full of people who would argue for their own greatness based on age, class, privilege, race, gender, education and success, the Lord is one who forsakes all of those prejudices and gives his life for others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Jesus’ life is a life of humble obedience in service of his Heavenly Father
Matthew 20:28 (NKJV)
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
John 4:34 (NKJV)
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
John 5:17 (NKJV)
17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
John 9:4 (NKJV)
4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
John 8:29 (NKJV)
29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”
John 17:4 (NKJV)
4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.
Jesus humbled Himself to come to earth to be a servant, and His disciples needed to learn the meaning of humility—as do all of us.
3. Acquire Patience; 28-30
3. Acquire Patience; 28-30
Patience is the key to humble obedience and leading others by serving. We want everything to happen at our convenience and timing, but God’s timetable is different than ours.
Continued- persist in an activity, remain in
Jesus said that those that continued [persisted] in Him will be rewarded in the future. Be patient and persevere!
4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,
12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Close;
The way to lead others is through being a servant to all. When we will focus on honoring Christ in our lives by serving others instead of self, people will be drawn to the joy of Jesus in our lives and will follow Him by watching us!
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!