Team Servanthood

BIG IDEA: Servanthood is being in relation, not working with conditions

ME

Thanks Ken for sharing with us about the importance of teamwork.

Yesterday morning, we had Genesis Community and we’ve been studying Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together and we just happen to be looking at the chapter on Ministry, but all throughout the chapter we are talking about servanthood. That a servant keeps silent, so they would be careful only God’s word would be spoken. A servant learns to think little of themselves. And A servant listens attentively, empathically because they want to be fully present before the person. So we joke around saying basically the message is written for me already from our sharing.

Servanthood is talked about quite often in church. But it’s not widely practiced. The perfect picture would be we all serve willingly, with a grateful and humble spirit. Emphasize on the ALL. There is no one who should be at MCBC simply as a spectator. It impoverishes the community of believers and burns out the few as the many consume religious services.

WE

Yet servanthood is easy to say, but very hard to do. After all, servanthood is to stoop low for the sake of others. The opposite is being a master. Masters focus on themselves. I am the master of my own destiny. My needs are greater than your needs. My rights must come first before yours. My name is too important to not be recognized and my accolades would be too unfortunate if left hidden. Sometimes it’s subtler than this. Sometimes you speak so others think you are helpful, wise, knowledgeable, just so you can be known as the one with all the answers. Sometimes you can wear a false humility by debasing yourself. The old adage is humility is not thinking less of yourself. But thinking of yourself less. Because we are sinners, outside of Jesus, we cannot and don’t know how to be a community.

Fortunately, we have a God who is the Creator and therefore the master of our destiny. But He knew we are upward-oriented (wanting to achieve greatness), and inward-oriented (downright self-cantered), and sent His son Jesus Christ to show us what it means to be a servant. Jesus does nothing for himself, but he is about His Father’s business. He is God, and yet came and became a man, lowliest of man, a carpenter by trade for 30 years, and a rabbi (teacher) for 3 years of his life.

GOD

One time Jesus was with his disciples, on the road to Jerusalem and a conversation broke out between them. This story starts in a very interesting, but somewhat offensive way. After all, Jesus has just shared with them the son of man is going to be betrayed and handed over to the Jewish leaders and roman government to be tried, tortured and executed. If you have a bible, turn with me to , which is page 846 in the pew bible in front of you.

35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”

How about that? Have you ever asked God for basically a blank cheque to have anything you want? In James and John’s words, “do… whatever we ask of you.” We might be criticizing that James and John is so unspiritual. But we probably have asked God at some point in our life for something, better grades, successful business deal, raise or promotion, longer lifespan, make my first million.

Why do the disciples feel Jesus owes them something? Because they see their relationship with Jesus as conditional, and transactional. I am willing to follow you, but what’s in it for me? It is very me-focused. Since we have decided to follow you and abandoned our father’s fishing business. And in business, you are properly compensated for your faithfulness. We left everything to follow you, and knowing you are the Messiah, the long awaited King of Israel, shouldn’t we get to be in the positions of power next to you since we gave up quite a lot? And the other thing is we don’t even need you to make us numbers one and two now, just when you ascend to your throne. At least they recognize only Jesus can possibly grant their request. This also means though John and James’ allegiance to Jesus is on condition. They are counting and calculating what’s in it for us.

38Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

Jesus never answered who sits right or left, Jesus instead answer the request with a question to which the only answer is suffering and death. In John and James case, we know James was executed ultimately while if John is the John of the Book of Revelation, he was exiled to Patmos and died there. But Jesus says, where I am going, to the cross and suffering and shame and death, you will come with me. But there is a different death more applicable to us right now, which is essential to what it means to be a servant which John and James also forgot. It’s to die to our self, our ambitions, our rights and our authority. Yes, John and James seemingly trust Jesus’ authority to grant them the two prized seats, but at the same time, it was to do so in order to boss the other ten around. So they didn’t truly die to themselves being number one and two amongst the disciples, or the ambition of being first and the glory that comes with it. This is the servant’’s trap: Serving ultimately is not how much you do but your motive for doing what you do. John and James had impure motives. All along they were scheming and calculating what’s in it for me,

The other reason why Jesus couldn’t grant them the throne is because it’s not his to grant, but Mathew 20:23 is more clearer that it is for the Father to grant. This point is huge! We will always be masters if we bring conditions to the table to serve God. But God has other plans. He cares about relation, not conditions. Jesus points them back to the Father to remind them why are you serving? Is it for all these ulterior motives, or is it just so through your acts of service, surrender and submission, you would be closer to the Father’s heart? You would be closer to me (that is Jesus). Later on, Jesus would demonstrate in this very heart by washing his disciples’ feet, a menial task usually left to the lowliest of slaves and servants to do in a household.

41And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

Didn’t Jesus have twelve disciples? What happened to the other ten? Were they keeping quiet while they see John and James fall into the servant’s trap. Were they passing comments about how unspiritual the two brothers must be? We don’t know, but Jesus clearly saw their non-verbals. They were indignant. upset. Angry. That John and James could be so brash and bold to ask to be number one and two on the Israel revolution squad! But more likely, they weren’t being righteous and focusing on Jesus’ cause, but thinking about themselves. They were probably kicking themselves saying, “why didn’t we think of asking Jesus’ first?” That’s the opposite of servanthood. Masters always display that they are the boss. They have the authority. They are in control, and everyone needs to be subjected to him or her.

But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 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.”

Jesus essentially turns the arrow back into the disciples’ midst. He speaks of two seeming oxymoron. How can someone great be a servant? Be your servant? And how can someone first, be slave of all? In the upside down kingdom, that is the only way. It’s a relationship. It’s a life posture. So what then does it mean to be great and first? By being the opposite of what the world system say is great, which is being top of the food chain, and first, which is the one who gets all the benefits of life first. We actually alluded to this right at the beginning. What is the common theme between a servant and a slave. They are others first. They are outward-oriented. Which is precisely what neither John and James, in their over-the-top ambitious request, and the ten, who were mad they didn’t come up with this so they can share the glory are not about. It’s about selflessness. It’s not about power and authority, but the giving away of power and authority for the benefit of others. Jesus would ultimately show just how far he would go for the sake of others. The darling of heaven was crucified, forsaken, and bore our sin and selfish nature on the cross so that no one who ever be God-forsaken and all who believe will have an other-first nature.

YOU

Servanthood is being in relation, not working with conditions. What conditions are you bringing to the table as you serve at MCBC? Is it so people will respect you, when you don’t get the respect at home, with your spouse or with your kids? Love others unconditionally. Perhaps it begins serving in that household where all your relationships are estranged. Your kids call you a hypocrite, your mom and dad complains you are a different person at home than in church. You can serve by first being yourself. Admit you are insecure before God. Confess you thought you need for power and authority so you feel you are in contro without God. Then go to each family member and listen, truly listen to their hurts and pains, without pretence or judgment. Give them a hug, nod in affirmation. Be all in, in that present moment. And your Father in heaven will be present with you and your situation.

One posture of a servant is to accept criticism. So when we are criticized for our sin and short coming, we don’t become defensive. When we do a task in secret, without broadcasting about it how wonderful, how successful, and how many people showed up, we become a servant. I have given advices to people who didn’t need advice but a listening ear. Who didn’t need solutions to their problem but support for their person, and seeing them as such. Sometimes serving is just so tedious you just want to tell the person to go away, so you give them rehearsed answers and thoughtless prayers.

WE

One of the point brought up at Genesis yesterday is we tend to think of ministry, and by extension servanthood as a leader getting a lot of things done. Programs run successfully. Good show of numbers. But it really is first your character and your relationship with God. And out of that overflow you become like Jesus who having met the Father on a secluded hilltop, launch into a full day of service for the sake of others. MCBC does not need more leaders. We don’t need overlords and control freaks We need servants who cherish their relationship with Jesus, despise recognition and status, and serve with no self-interest in mind other than to please His Heavenly Father and for the good of others. Chairs. Deacons. Pastors. Coordinators. These are just titles and roles. Call us what you will. But we have been called to BE a servant without a name. Everyone is a servant. Won’t you join us today?