The Spiritual Discipline of Service

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Redemptive Closure (point to Jesus):  

Benediction:  

Questions to Review

Is the bottom line clear? Main point should be able to be said in a single sentence.

What’s the opening line? Not hello, start with a question or something to grab attention.

Is the transition from the introduction to main point clear?

What’s my main point? Make it short and memorable

Does it matter? Is the topic relevant to the congregation?

Where is the power in the text? What word or phrase highlights the tension?

How am I moving toward application?

What is my main to-do (application)? Be specific.

What does it matter? The WHY creates urgency.

How am I closing? Have a plan.

WELCOME

Good morning!!! My name is Ryan Hanson and I have the honor of serving here at The Light KC as the lead pastor. I’m so glad you’re here with us.

‌Welcome to those joining us online. We hope your doing well and hope to see you in person in the coming weeks.

And a special welcome to those joining us for the first time. We’re so glad you chose to be here.

ME/INTRO - Tension

I don’t know about you, but for me, some stories in the bible tend to resonate. I always appreciated the story of James and John in Mark 10:35-45. If you’re not familiar with it, Jesus had just predicted His death and resurrection for the third time. Apparently, thinking time is running short and worried that they won’t get properly rewarded for following Jesus for the last three years, they ask Jesus if they can sit on His right and left in His Kingdom. Now to the Jews, sitting on the right and left are the seats reserved for the most important people. Keep in mind they’re in front of the other 10 disciples and asking to be elevated goes against nearly everything Jesus taught.

But they were worried about their future, and honestly it wouldn’t be beyond the realm of possibility that all 12 disciples were thinking something similar.

AND…that’s what I love about the bible. IT’S TRUE. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the authors of the Bible didn’t sugar coat what happened. They didn’t leave out details to make themselves look good. They included all crazy things they did, and all the ways they fell short of living the life Jesus calls us all to live.

I can’t really even blame James and John for what they did, because...we all worry.

I have done the same thing; many times. I’ve worried about my future even though Jesus specifically tells us not to in Matthew 6:31.

I didn’t get married until I was 29 years 11 months old. If I am honest, there were plenty of times along my journey of singleness that I spend WAY too much time worrying about my future. Worrying if God had someone for me. Worrying about the awkwardness of asking girls out, worry about them saying no, and even if they said yes, worrying about having the right things to say on the date, then after the date worrying about what I said and if it would cost me a second date. I spent years, fearing that God intended me to be single, not wanting to be single, and WORRYING that the future I wanted for myself wasn’t the same as the future that God has planned for me.

Psychology Today did a study that defined worry at epidemic levels in the United States. According to the study 51% of adults in the United States chronically worry about their future.

WE - Tension

Anyone with me?

How many of us spend more time than we’re comfortable admitting worrying about the future?

How many of us have a constant game of “what if” going on in our heads? Imaging all the ways things can fall apart.

How many of us get so worked up about some potential future event, that we spend countless hours running through scenarios, practicing different responses we can use depending on how a conversation may potentially go? that never get used

How many of us have worked ourselves up into a full fledged panic attack because of the fear of something that may or may not actually happen?

And how many of us ended up doing something extremely stupid, like James and John, to try to avoid a fictional event that we’ve created based on all this worry?

What I’ve learned is that worry is like running on a treadmill.

It keeps us busy

It makes us feel like we’re doing something productive

Yet, when it is all said and done, we’re exhausted, we’re miserable, and we’ve gone nowhere

We’re in the exact place we were when we started

Worrying doesn’t accomplish anything.

Jesus gives James and John the solution to their worry in that same passage.

Mark 10:43–45 NIV

43b Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus shows us a better way. Instead of worrying about our futures that may or may not happen, we instead should use the time in our present, to serve others, fulfilling their needs, and actively working to make their futures better.

Instead of worrying about the potential futures that we are scared might happen, Jesus calls us to the spiritual discipline of service.

And that is what we’re going to talk about today as we continue our series called “Planted” where we’re looking at the spiritual practices that can help us GROW DEEP ROOTS of FAITH, we’re going to talk about the spiritual practices of service.

If you missed the previous messages on fasting, journaling, and praying continually, please feel free go to our website, TheLightKC.org, to catch up.

As we begin, please turn with me to the book of Mark. We’ll be starting in Mark 8.

We’ll have the scripture on the screen, but if you have a Bible with you, or Bible app on your phone, I’d encourage you to turn to the passage and follow along. There is nothing that replaces having God’s word in your hand.

AND...if you don’t have a Bible, we have Bibles under the seats. If you don’t have a bible and would like one, please come see me after the service and I’ll get you one you can keep.

Lets dive in.

GOD - Text

I think we need to start by defining biblical service.

Service is the worship of God, devotion to God, and meeting the needs of others, rooted in love and obedience.

Put more plainly

Service is putting the commands of God and the needs of others, before your wants.

That sounds all fine and good, but HOW do we do that?

How do we get to the point in our lives when we can shut off the voices of worry and selfishness in our minds and act in alignment with the commands of God and to meet the needs of others?

1. Adopt an attitude of self-denial

The first things we need to do, to serve as Jesus calls us to serve, is to adopt an attitude of self-denial.

Mark 8:34–38 NIV

34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are made new.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

To live the life Jesus calls us to live, to serve others the way that Jesus calls us to serve, we need to accept that fact that our desires are not always correct. We need to deny ourselves the things that WE WANT, but God knows are not best for us.

It’s why we end every prayer with the phrase “In Jesus Name, Amen”

When we say “In Jesus Name” at the end of our prayers, were saying, “Jesus, here is what I want, BUT, I only want it if it is what you want for me. If it is not what you want for me, PLEASE don’t give it to me.”

We understand that, just like children who want everything shiny in the store, most of it will ruin them. If children got everything they wanted, they would not grow up to be good people. They’d be entitled, selfish, mean...you fill in the blank.

We all need to understand that not every desire is good for us, and learn to deny ourselves of our desires that are not from God.

What desires do you currently have that the Holy Spirit is convicting you to deny yourself of?

2. Accept an assignment in the back of the line

The second things we need to do to, serve as Jesus calls us to serve, is to accept our place at the back of the line.

Mark 9:33–35 NIV

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

At some point in our lives, to be mature, we have to come to the realization that life is not about us.

We all want to be great. We all want to be the best. We all want the spot lights on us. But that’s not the way God’s Kingdom works.

The kingdom Jesus teaches of in the gospels is upside-down from the kingdoms of the world. In God’s kingdom

God is God, and we are not - 1 Corinthians 8:6 “6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”

Weakness is strength - 2 Corinthians 12:9 “9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Enemies are loved - Matthew 5:43–48 “43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Grace is enough, you don’t have to earn God’s love - Ephesians 2:8–9 “8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Giving comes before getting - Philippians 2:3–4 “3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Humble service is rewarded - Matthew 23:11–12 “11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

I think James hits the nail on the head

James 4:3 NIV

3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

If you’re honest, what are your motives?

What do you really want?

Does the motivation for your desires line up with the priorities of God’s Kingdom, or do they only serve to build your kingdom and line up with the priorities of the world?

3. Act like a servant

The third things we need to do, to serve as Jesus calls us to serve, is to act like a servant.

Mark 10:35–45 NIV

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” 41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

We are not just called to deny ourselves of the things God does not want for us, to align our motivation with the upside-down priorities of God’s Kingdom, but we’re called to act. We’re called to put on our shoes, go out into the world and humbly serve. We’re called to not just believe correctly, but to live it out, to serve those in need, and to reflect Christ’s love to everyone we meet.

The truth is, we were not put on this earth for ourselves, we were created by God to serve the needs of the hurting, and put the commands of God before our own desires.

Who are you serving?

Who are you investing in?

Who’s needs are you currently working to meet?

It wasn’t until I stopped chasing marriage and started serving that God pointed me toward Andrea. We were both serving in the kid’s ministry at a church when we met. I’m not going to say that God only allowed Andrea into my life because we were serving, but I think there was a heart change in me. I think I went from putting myself first, chasing my wants and desires, to putting others first, serving where called, and worrying less about the perceived deficiencies in my life. It wasn’t until I gave that worry over to God, starting allowing God to work through me serving those kids, that God got me to the place where I was ready to my heart was ready for a relationship.

YOU - Takeaway

And today of all days, I think the message of selfless service is appropriate.

Who puts the needs of others first more than mothers?

Where would society be without mothers who constantly put the needs of their kids before their own, are motivated by doing what’s best for others, and continually act (many times to their own detriment) to ensure that their kids have every opportunity to become everything they were created to be.

I can’t think of a more perfect illustration of the spiritual discipline of service than motherhood, whose tiny acts of love that may go unnoticed add up to make a huge impact on all our lives.

Beyond just mothers, the feminine personality traits of empathy, compassion, selflessness, and caring are things the world needs more of.

But I think we need to acknowledge that mother’s day can be hard for some of us

Maybe you’ve wanted to be a mother for a long time and God hasn’t provided that blessing yet

Maybe you grew up without a mother

Maybe you grew up with a mother who wasn’t the best at caring for you

Please know:

God knows what you need

God loves you and wants what is best for you

God has shown through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ how He will act on your behalf

The challenge for us all is that God wants to partner with us all in doing this.

God has chosen to work with us and through us to accomplish His kingdom goals now.

God’s plan is to use you to serve those in need.

My question is...

Are you going to choose to join Him?

WE / JESUS - Redemptive Close - Call to Action

1 John 3:16–18 NIV

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Jesus is our ultimate example of a humble servant who selflessly loves everyone, WHO ACTED on our behalf when we neither deserved it or asked for it.

Jesus put our need for forgiveness before His own life, sacrificing Himself so we can have a relationship with God and spend eternity with Him in heaven.

Through the spiritual practice of service, we’re called to join Jesus in what He modeled for us His entire earthly life.

The only question you have to answer is will you?

Deny yourself of everything not from God

Re-align your motivations with God’s upside-down kingdom

Act - Humbly serve

PRAYER 

Will you join me in prayer...

SONG 

As we enter into our final song, I want to open the steps up front as an altar to anyone who needs God this week. The steps are open for you to pray to the God who is with you, who loves you, you wants to give you His peace.

‌

You may feel a hand on your shoulder as I or one of the elders join you in prayer.

BENEDICTION 

1 Peter 4:8–11 NIV

8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

This week...

Let’s follow Jesus’ example. Let’s commit to engaging in the spiritual discipline of Service.

Let’s deny out wants, accept our position at the back of the line being motivated by humbly meeting the needs of others, and let’s act when convicted by the Holy Spirit to do so.

Quick reminder...

Apache ES Run Club - Race Wednesday 4:45 PM at Shawnee Mission West High School Track

Local Church Conference - Next Sunday at 5 PM

Questions for this summer’s series - Hot Ones

Mother’s day - Men made chocolate covered strawberries for all the ladies

If you’re new, please stop by our info desk, or see me. We’d love to say “hi” and get you know you a bit better.

I hope you have a great week.

Go in peace.

You are dismissed.

DISCIPLESHIP QUESTIONS (download into APP)

How can we adopt an attitude of self-denial in our daily lives while serving others?

What are some practical ways to put the needs of others before our own desires?

In what areas of your life do you feel you worry the most about the future, and how can service help alleviate that worry?

Can you think of a time when a focus on serving others helped you overcome a personal challenge or worry?

How can understanding Jesus' example of servant leadership inspire you to engage in service within your community?