Becoming Servants

Hook:

What do you want to be when you grow up? (Typical Answers: Fireman, Superman, Knight, Police, Lineman)

But I’m sure there is one answer you probably didn’t give. You probably didn’t say that when you grew up, you wanted to be a servant

We dream about influence, importance, accomplishment, recognition, purpose-but rarely do we dream about servanthood.

As teenagers, we search for our identity. How am I going to dress? What kind of look will I go for? Who notices me? Who likes me? Who are my people?

Adults do the same thing. Job gives them an identity. Work identity. Belonging.

We like to talk about what we accomplish, acquire, and aspire to, but not so much about who we serve or where we serve! Why? Because servants aren’t highly esteemed. It’s seen as lower.

And yet, “servant” was the very title Jesus presented to his disciples as the example they should aspire to in following him.

————————MOVEMENT 1—————————

Jesus told the disciples to expect hardships associated with the role of a servant.

Matthew 10:16–25 ESV

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

The Gospel writer John recorded it like this…

John 15:18–21 ““If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”

Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Transition: He didn’t just tell them, he shows them.

————————MOVEMENT 2—————————

Jesus showed us how to be servants.

He didn’t just tell us, He shows us.

“Imagine showing up to work one morning and finding the CEO cleaning toilets. Everyone would stop and stare because positions of status normally distance themselves from lowly tasks.

Washing the Disciples Feet (John 13:1-17): During the last supper, Jesus wrapped a towel around His waist, washed the dirty feet of his disciples. The was a menial task typically reserved for the lowest household servants. By performing this act, Jesus demonstrated that true leadership is rooted in humility and a willingness to perform unseen tasks. Servant leadership is mostly out of the spot light.

(Matthew 14:15-21) At the end of a long day of ministry, instead of sending the hungry crowds away to find their own food to eat. Jesus was moved with compassion in order to provide for their physical needs. When you are exhausted and the Lord tells you to meet a need, will you be like Jesus and meet that need?

(Various) Ministering to the Marginalized: The poor, the sick, the outcasts, the lepers, the demon possessed, the sinners who were all rejected by societal norms, Jesus would eat with them, heal them, and spend time with the vulnerable. Who are those stigmatized in our community? Will you be like Jesus?

——————Transition to Main Text————————

Jesus gives the disciples a clear expectation of the difficulties that were coming. Identifying with Jesus was going to mean that they were going to be mistreated like he was going to be mistreated.

The disciples are beginning to reorient their lives in order to be like their teacher. So their ambition is to be like Jesus, in all ways, including the way he loves and the way he endures mistreatment.

In the midst of the servant hearted ministry of Jesus…something strange happens…his popularity grew more and more over those public years of ministry

“Jesus taught his disciples to expect rejection, suffering, and servanthood. But at the same time, crowds were growing, miracles were spreading, and popularity was rising. So what do you do when faithfulness sometimes looks successful—and sometimes looks costly?”

This is where I have been unkind in my criticism of the disciples. I have often criticized the disciples for not getting it when Jesus taught and modeled things for them. They missed so many things. He tells them it isn’t about power, prestige, honor, and recognition, and yet they argue about who will sit to the right of Jesus in the coming kingdom. He tells them he has come not to be served, but to serve and yet when he tries to serve Peter by washing his feet, Peter says, you can’t serve me. When Jesus is about to be arrested, a disciple tries to stop it, even though Jesus told them this was coming. I have often said, why can’t you just listen to Jesus and do what he says.

BUT…it is confusing…

If they are to expect hardships, why is it that you are gaining fans, followers, and popularity Jesus?

It is like when things are going good, we forget that it hasn’t always been easy to follow Jesus, or that it will always be easy to follow Jesus. We are blinded by the present.

“We tend to interpret our spiritual lives like people interpret the weather.

Sunny day? God must be pleased. Stormy day? Something must be wrong.

Church growing? God is blessing.

Opposition comes? Maybe we failed.

But Jesus experienced both crowds and crucifixion while perfectly obeying the Father.

“When church is growing, life is stable, prayers are answered, and influence increases, it’s easy to assume following Jesus will always feel triumphant. But seasons of applause can make us forget Jesus also warned we would experience rejection.”

That is why I say at times my criticism is kind of harsh on the disciples. They are following their leader, Jesus. And though things haven’t been perfect, the struggle hasn’t quite happened yet. So I can see that if they see the successful parts of Jesus ministry in front of them, they might be confused about what Jesus means when he says expect hardships and be a servant.

For today: Do we aim for popularity or not? Do we rejoice in success? Do we rejoice in persecution? What outcome do we aim for? What is evidence that we are becoming more like Jesus in this life?

[———PAUSE———]

So what does mature faith actually aim for? Popularity? Influence? Comfort? Suffering? Success? Paul gives us an answer in Philippians 3.

————Main Text————

Philippians 3:4–11 ESV

though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:12–15 ESV

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

Paul had status. (by birth, good works, and hard work)

Paul lost status. (surrendered it by an act of the will inspired by the Holy Spirit)

Paul counted both gain and loss secondary to knowing Christ. (enabled through the Spirit transforming his heart and mind)

“Imagine someone taking every trophy, diploma, medal, award, and accomplishment they spent their life earning—and placing it in a pile beside Christ and saying, ‘Compared to knowing Him, this is nothing.’ That is what Paul is doing in Philippians 3.”

Example:

“Some of the most mature believers in this church are people nobody applauds. They unlock doors, rock babies, visit hospitals, cook meals, pray quietly, and serve without needing recognition.”

[Band Cue] The goal is not popularity or persecution. The goal is to be a servant.

Examples:

unseen church volunteers

parents serving exhausted, nobody applauds a parent at 2 a.m. holding a sick child

Roadie story…

caring for aging parents,

helping someone who never says thank you,

serving without social media recognition.

“We live in a world where everything is curated. We post the highlight reel. We measure moments by reactions, likes, views, shares, recognition. Even service can become performance. Jesus describes a kind of life that often goes unseen.”

A servant does deeply meaningful things that may never become visible to the crowd.

The goal is not popularity or persecution. The goal is to be a servant.

——————Conclusion—————

The mature in faith are seen serving, not serving to be seen.

Popularity may come and persecution may come—but neither defines success. Faithfulness does. And faithful disciples look like servants.”

Jesus = Service is highly valued. Positional aspirations are low. This is the opposite of what our culture values today.

“Jesus never promised constant applause. Sometimes faithfulness looks like influence. Sometimes faithfulness looks like rejection. But mature believers are not controlled by either.”

They keep serving. They keep loving.

They keep humbling themselves.

Remembering the disciples kept reaching for thrones—

and Jesus picked up a towel.”

Then pause.

Then your final line:

“The mature in faith don’t ask, ‘How many people noticed me?’ They ask, ‘How many people did I serve?’”

————Altar Call: Main Idea: “The mature in faith are seen serving, not serving to be seen.”————

(the enemy will trap you here-bitterness-discontentment) Has anyone been struggling with how to determine success in their life? Let God remind you today of the point. Are you serving? Regardless of recognition from people, school, team mates, coaches, or friends. Are you serving? God knows! Does anybody need to stop getting their identity from what they do, what documents they have on the wall, how long their resume is, and be able to answer the question am I serving God?

Does anybody need to thank God today for those who served you?

Who needs to be more like Christ today?