COMMITTED to SERVE

(S1)—

When you...how important is good service?

MCDONALDS KIOSK/ELDERLY MAN

(S2) — Poor Customer Service

Companies spend billions each year, so their employees learn how to serve well

Organizations with robust customer service experience over 200% higher income per employee and significantly higher customer loyalty.

From waiting tables, auto mechanics, to corporate executives, serving their customers well brings great dividends.

Churches have also had to step-up their game in their commitment to serve—each other, their neighbor, community, and the world

— For a long time they could rely on a sort of "inherited loyalty”, people showed up because it was the cultural norm, a family tradition, or simply what you did on a Sunday morning.

Today, that cultural baseline is largely gone. Attendance is no longer a given; it's a conscious choice.

20 years ago, 42% of U.S. adults attended religious services weekly or nearly weekly. Today, that number has dropped to just 30%. (Gallup News)

Because people are choosing where to invest their limited time, churches have had to shift from an institutional mindset—we are here, come to us, to a hospitality mindset —go and serve well so they know we are here

Some churches are still behind – unaware, ignoring it, or just plain refusing to improve or change methods of serving…and it shows…

In business service excellence brings financial dividends...Christian Service is an INVESTMENT with eternal dividends

(S3)

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

Jesus didn't just give a "customer service" seminar; He gave His life—The churches commitment to serve well is the "essential expression" of the crucified Christ and its mission of serving as the body of Christ — Paul’s image for the church

“The word servant occurs 57 times in the N.T—serve 58 times

The serving church is both SACRIFICIAL as the presence of Christ; healing, visiting the sick, poor and those in need—and MISSIONAL in proclaiming salvation found IN Christ— It both UNITES us in Jesus death…and INVITES others into a relationaship with the living Christ.

(S4) — SERIES

BIG IDEA— THE ‘BODY OF CHRIST’ IS UNIQUELY GIFTED TO SERVE and your a part of it!

PRAY — BIBLES

(S5) —

THE GAME OPERATION - where every part has a place...bzzz...

To illustrate Christian service, Paul offers a biological lesson of the church as the body of Christ

(S6)

12 “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body.

In the Bible, the term “body of Christ” operates in three primary ways

The historical body of the incarnate Christ - Jesus’ physical presence

The sacramental body of Christ in the eucharist - Jesus life and death/this is my body...

The Church as the body of Christ, and—its parts working/serving together as one.

Serving well is when all its parts are functioning in harmony as Christ did in the world.

Using the anatomy of the body, Paul shows us how the church is UNIQUELY gifted to serve…as the ‘Body of Christ.

(S7)

I. ...UNIITY IN PURPOSE

The best model for service excellence is the first Church—Jesus taught it and his disciples made it a regular practice of Christian discipline.

— Pentecost – “a powerful birth of a Spirit-filled community empowered to live out God’s mission in the world.”

The young Christians here, were struggling with living in a hostile and corrupt environment. There first true test came when some were falling through the cracks…

{Acts 6:3-7}

They were not only committed to serve, they planned for the work of serving—the church grew exponentially because if it.

“There has been a paradigm shift – serving has became the first place, or entry point, where non-believers will commit to being part of church and find belonging.

The problem arises, when a church is no longer unified in its purpose—what Paul us seeing/hearing of in the church of Corinth

— It was minimizing the effectiveness of the body…to serve in its witness of Christ

— Causing fracture lines usually shown in behavioral shifts, communication breakdowns, and organizational friction

Instead of moving toward a shared mission, the community's energy gets consumed by an internal drag to serve only self

(S8)

TANDUM BIKE

The world shouldn't look at a church and say, "Look at how great their programs are." They should look at the church and say, "Look at how they love and serve in the world

The Christ-centered serving church is to be a MODEL of how Jesus served in the world.

— Being the hands and feet of Jesus means to actively serve others and embody Christ's teachings through acts of love, compassion, and service in everyday life. This involves helping those in need, showing kindness, and living out the Gospel in practical ways.

John 13:34 “I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.”

Jesus was unified in purpose with his Father in heaven—showing the church the way to love...

The church is UNIQUELY gifted to serve when there is UNITY IN PURPOSE and there is…

(S9) —

II. ...CONTINUITY IN SPIRIT

Paul’s letter would have been read to the whole church, which was made up of diverse people groups

14 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free.

Honor and shame society—Honor as a public reputation and shame as how they were viewed by others— Jews and Gentiles—Slave and Free

All different culturally, socially...and very far apart in thought, belief and how they were viewed in their public life

WOMAN AT THE WELL

John 4:22–23 “You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.

Jesus brought continuity by his spirit...Paul confirms it through formal baptism; by water and by Spirit—entry into the body of Christ

(S10)

14…we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.”

Baptism into the body of believers, brings a continuity of spirit - Jesus prayed this for all believers

John 17:20–21 ““I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”

“In 1786, the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, looked back on the revival begun during his lifetime. Well established that it would not immediately vanish after his death, he was concerned with its survival as only a lifeless sect that hung around, but failed to renew souls in the image of their creator.”

(S11)

“I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.” J.W. Thoughts Upon Methodism”

A spiritless church not clearly defined by generosity is a life-less church

Revelation 3:16 “But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”

UNTUNED/TUNED GUITAR

Acts 17:28 “For in him we live and move and exist.”

UNITY IN PURPOSE...CONTINUITY in SPIRIT...the church is UNIQUELY GIFTED TO SERVE, when it…

(S12) —

III. ...THRIVES IN ITS DIVERSITY

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many (ESV)

...the church maintains the continuity of serving in Christ by thinking as one body

12:15-17

“Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences.”― John Wesley

If were all gifted the same in our serving nothing would get done

A baseball team where every single player is an elite shortstop. You’ll have the best infield defense in history, but you’ll have no pitchers, no catchers, and no outfielders. The moment a ball is hit into the deep outfield, it drops for a home run because everyone is standing on the infield dirt.

— Only a Wonderful, deep messages every week. There is no building to sit in because no one managed the facility, no sound system running, and no one greeted people at the door.

— All good at Administration - Perfect bulletins, flawless budgets, and master schedules are created. There is no actual ministry happening. No one is visiting the sick, counseling the hurting, or teaching the kids because everyone is organizing the data.

— Church Vision - a massive, strategic 5-year plans is drawn up for community impact, with absolutely zero execution happens. Everyone is mapping the destination, but nobody is driving the bus, setting up chairs, or getting it done

To say we are on mission to serve and to actually do it are twio different things

MISSION WEEK

UNITY IN Purpose...CONTINUITY in Spirit...Thrives in DIVERSITY...and the church UNIQUELY GIFTED TO SERVE, when it

(S13) —

IV. ...FUNCTIONS AS GOD’S CHURCH

18 “But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.”

Before they were given the Holy Spirit, two of Jesus’ disciples give us a great example of how not to do this!

Mark 10:37 “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.””

Then in Matthews gospel, mom comes to the rescue

Matthew 20:21 “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

I Am A Church Member - “Christians can sometimes act like demanding children who want things their way. The thing about Biblical church membership; you actually give up your preferences when you join”

Here Jesus’ response..

Mark 10:43–45 “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others...

Functioning as God’s church means,

That every part chooses to walk in humility

SELFSERVING serving...SELFLESS serving

2. Discovering how God has gifted each part

Ephesians 3:7 “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power (NIV).

Serving God’s church is meant to humble the best of us - and glorify Jesus who gave his best for us!

(S13)

...COMMITTED TO SERVE—Christian SERVING, is the life-blood of its mission – the heartbeat of Jesus, made manifest and visible in the world.

Diakonia, “those who render to others Christian affection”

The church, the body of Christ...UNIQUELY GIFTED TO SERVE— offering hope, serving our neighbor, connection people to jesus

How to create a serving revolution? 90-day commitment

Ask nothing from the church and to not complain in anyway. Commit to serve and be ‘other focused’ in your conversations and your actions.

Philippians 2:5 “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”

2. Commit one hour a week to serving someone.

Letters, visit homebound, local mission, open a door, offer to carry groceries, clean the church-yard, p/u trash in the community, help with the nursery, school, library,

20 people committed to one hour week is 20 hours of serving...

Year 20 X 52 hours=1040 hours toward serving...

3. Discover your unique gifts (survey) and put them to use...

https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/spiritual-gifts-survey/

(S14)

27 “NOW...you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

DO YOU HERE THE CHALLANGE THERE?

In business service excellence brings financial dividends...Christian Service is an INVESTMENT with eternal dividends

...the act of serving both UNITES the body of Christ and INVITES others into the presence of a loving Jesus’ community…

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