Serve One Another - Galatians 5:13-16

February 2, 2020 am Highlands B. C. Fellowship: Living in Community Serve One Another Galatians 5:13-16 Introduction: I. Opening — What are you a slave to? II. Illustrations III. Context – IV. Read Text — Galatians 5:13-16 V. Pray Instruction: I. The Motivation of Serving => Love (v. 13-14) A. Love * “This love is a love whose chief essence is self-sacrifice for the benefit of the one who is loved. Such a love means death to self, and that means defeat for sin, since the essence of sin is self-will and self-gratification.” 1 B. Our Lord, Jesus => Luke 22:24-27 (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. II. The Method of Serving (vv. 13-15) A. Definition of Serve => “The word serve is from douloō (δουλοω) which means ‘to render service to, to do that which is for the advantage of someone else.’” 2 B. Description of Serving 1. Serving is Caring for one another (v. 14) a. Leviticus 19:18 => Care for others like you care for yourself! b. John 13:34-35 => Care for your brothers and sisters as Christ Jesus cares for you! 2. Serving is Building Up one another (v. 15) a. Stated in the Negative => “. . . bite and devour one another, . . . be consumed by one another!” i. The picture here is of two wild animals fighting to the death ii. We are not called to be gladiators! iii. We are not called to win the debate! b. The Positive => Hebrews 10:24-25 (NKJV) 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. III. The Means of Serving (v. 16) A. The power to Love and Serve comes through the Holy Spirit Living within us! B. John 14:15 (NKJV) => If you love Me, keep My commandments. 1. He has given to us the ability to love & obey Him. 2. If you love one another, serve them; in doing so you serve the Lord! C. Christ Jesus is Our Example! 1. John 13:3-15 a. John 13:15 (NKJV) => For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. b. How did Jesus serve us? i. Humbly ii. Willingly iii. Sacrificially c. How am I to serve you? Others? 2. The Cross Celebration of the Lord’s Supper: I. The Bread => The Body of Christ A. Isaiah 53:3-6 (NKJV) 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. B. Matthew 26:26 (NKJV) And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." II. The Fruit of the Vine => The Blood of Christ A. Romans 5:8-11 (NKJV) 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. B. Matthew 26:27-29 (NKJV) 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom." III. Hymn—Amazing Grace (1st verse)