Really Serving

Dropping in

As most of you likely remember, our community hosted a group from Scripture Union for an event called Summerfest over the Christmas period, and my family had the privilege of being part of the group.

Well, one of the great things about being a part of a group like this is that it isn’t uncommon to try something a bit different, and this year I got to do just that.

On one of the days, I got the opportunity to hang out at the local skate park with a bunch of kids, mostly around the age of around 10 to say 13 years old.

Now, I’m not sure if you have ever watched a bunch of kids at the skate park, most of whom were riding scooters. Well, let’s just say that make it look really easy. When you watch them, the slopes don’t look very high because with ease they will just scoot to the top, then, in a carefree manner just scoot on over to the other side. And all their mates follow and it looks so natural.

Well, if a 10 year old can do it - it can’t be that hard. Can it?

Well, they were more than happy to lend me a scooter to find out. Now, I’m someone who enjoy a bit of an adrenaline rush, so I was also keen to give it a shot.

I took the scooter and ran up the small slope without much difficulty. Now all that was left was to scoot on down.

Well. I’m pretty sure that the slope just increased by another 20 foot as I stood on the top looking down. So, I just stood there, staring down, as my heart started beating harder.

I watched the other kids. The theory is easy. Just commit and go down.

But every time, just as I went down, I would hesitate. I would end up running down the slope in a manner that was far more dangerous.

Now here’s the thing. In order to make the most of this experience, I needed to deny some of my natural instincts. The instinct which in one regard is self-protecting, but in another regard, is actually based on fear.

You see, here’s the thing about the skate park. If you want to experience the joys it has to offer, you are actually going to be safer and have more fun if you take out that fear of hurting yourself.

It might seem counter intuitive, because we are wired for self-protection, but what we don’t realise is that self focus actually inhibits us from a great joy.

Self-protection

Now skate parks are one thing. You might think I’m an absolute idiot just for trying in the first place.

But as I was reflecting on the experience, it occurred to me how something very similar happens in life.

We’re standing on the edge looking down and our fears take over. All we can think about is protecting ourselves.

What if someone takes advantage of me?

What if people think I’m weak or a fool?

What if I lose everything and end up with nothing?

We then react in ways which actually end up increasing the risk that something bad will happen.

Link to passage

This morning, I want to think about the last part of our vision statement. Our vision is to be a Christian community that “Love, Shares and Serves” the community around us.

And so the last aspect of that is to serve.

To help us understand the concept, I’ve taken us to the passage I read earlier where two of Jesus’ disciples seek greatness, only for Jesus to flip the concept of greatness upside down where greatness is found in being a servant.

Now I was thinking - what is it that prevents us from really taking this message on board?

You see, in the passage as I’ll explore shortly, it’s this desire to be number one.

Now I’m sure there is an element to which many of us want to be the top dog. To rule the roost. After all, there can be some good perks for those on top.

And maybe this desire to be on top is really strong, in which case, you’ll probably find this message very challenging.

But I suspect for many of us, we’re actually quite content with our position in life. And you’re not actually seeking a higher position.

But if that is the case with you, that does not necessarily mean you won’t find this call to be a servant a challenge.

You see, this is why I started with the opening illustration that I did. You see, even if you’re not seeking a higher position, what all of us are prone to doing is letting selfishness creep in.

And so the question I want you to think about this morning is: how are you allowing selfishness to prevent you from serving those around you?

YOLO and FOMO

Given that I started with

A Mother’s Request

Well, before we think about this from a personal perspective, let’s explore the passage to give us a basis for what we are talking about.

Context

First of all, it is important that we get the right context for this passage.

So, the account is in the latter stages of the ministry of Jesus.

Jesus has just spent the last few years with his twelve disciples and I dare say it has been quite the ride. During the early phase of his ministry you certainly get the impression that these disciples were trying to pin down just who this man really is.

Well, that comes to a climax in Matthew gospel back in chapter 16 when we see Peter’s great confession that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God.

After this confession, we start on a journey towards Jerusalem where Jesus will eventually be tried and crucified before the world changing resurrection.

But the passage itself is somewhere on this journey to Jerusalem. Quite likely talk would have been ramping up on the kingdom that Jesus was going to usher in. After all, these were Jewish disciples who would be familiar with the prophets telling of a Messiah who would come and bring about change.

James and John

Now there were two brothers in particular that had been particularly close to Jesus. While the twelve had all grown close to Jesus, you often see Jesus pulling aside three in whom Jesus appears to give much closer counsel.

The two brothers were James and John - the sons of Zebedee. The third disciple, by the way, was Peter who is often pictured as the leader of the disciples.

So it’s perhaps not too surprising that James and John might be thinking about their future prospects in the kingdom to come, possibly thinking they might need to get in before Peter does.

Social structure

In addition to being in the inner circle of Jesus, we also need to understand the social structures that existed in those days, because they are quite different to what we have.

If you were down on towards the bottom of the social ladder, then there were next to no supports to help you. Moving your way up the ladder was in some ways, important for survival.

So whereas we might be happy with our lot in life, in a different time and culture, we might be more inclined to push our way to the top.

How much this aspect played on their mind is not certain, but it does help us to see this in a slightly different light. While we might think they are being outrageous with such a request, it possibly wasn’t quite as out of line as you might think.

The Request

Whatever the case, these brothers had a mother who also cared about their future prospects.

I’ve sometimes wondered whether this is one of those embarrassing mother moments, you know, where they might be well meaning, but just make things awkward.

But actually, I don’t think that is the case. You see, in Luke account of the same situation, he actually says the request came from James and John and there is no indication that they didn’t want this said.

So the request itself was that James and John might sit at the right and the left of Jesus in the new kingdom.

Now, I think it is pretty obvious that the request is not just for a particular seating arrangement at a simple dinner party. Rather the request is essentially saying - can we be your top two people in the kingdom.

Now if you think about it, it is not a ludicrous suggestion. They’ve worked hard. They stuck with Jesus. Why not get rewarded for it.

The kingdom of God is going to be great, but why not get all you can from it.

The exchange

What follows is a brief exchange between Jesus and the two brothers.

“Can you drink the cup I am going to drink” Jesus asks.

“We can” they answered.

Now I don’t think there was any misunderstanding of what Jesus meant by the cup. He was not thinking about the ability to share a physical cup, rather the cup is used as a symbol of the suffering. A metaphor often used in the Old Testament and would have been known by the disciples.

Jesus then acknowledges that though they don’t yet fully understand the extent of the suffering that they will receive, they are right in saying that they can drink from the cup.

He starts with this because he wants them to think down a different track.

Don’t get your head so caught up in the future that you lose sight of what is ahead. Jesus might be about to do something very special as he enters Jerusalem, but it isn’t going to be pretty.

The other ten

We’ll come back to this idea but let’s just follow the remainder of the account.

You see, in verse 24 we’re told that the other ten somehow became aware of what just went down with the conversation and they weren’t happy.

Now it would be nice to think that they weren’t happy because they understood how inappropriate their question was, but given what Jesus says to them all in the next verse, it would seem more likely that their indignation was actually because they were jealous that these two were trying to get ahead of them. They had worked hard too, and now these two brother were stepping on their toes.

A new way

In verse 25, Jesus sets them straight.

He calls them together and makes it plainly clear to them.

Basically he tells them that this whole power paradigm that they’ve been living in their entire life - well, it’s not the way they are to operate.

I’m not sure we quite appreciate just how big that idea is.

When Jesus says that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the high officials lord it over them. I think there would a sense in which they would say - well, yes, of course that’s the way it works. If you’re high up, of course you would use your authority over those below you. It would be foolish not to.

But as foolish as it might have seemed - Jesus said: “not so with you”.

You see, the Kingdom of God works on a different principle. It works on the principle of love. Now that might sound like sentimental rubbish if all we knew was the love of this world, but it is completely different once you understand the love of God.

You see, when you work on the principle of love, (and by that I mean the perfect love from God), then you don’t need to lord it over others. You don’t need to belittle others so you can be bigger. Because this love levels the field. It sees people for who they are - that is, people created in the image of God.

When the love of God is in focus, then it start to make sense when Jesus says: “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave”.

You see, when love levels things out, we can see that we will be lifted up when we support one another. It’s not about big-noting ourselves - it’s about being the body of Christ.

Jesus our example

Now the wonderful thing about all of this is that Jesus hasn’t just told us to think in this different way and then operate himself in the old manner. In fact, he demonstrated it for us by giving his life as a ransom.

Jesus is the supreme example of being a servant. He is equal to the Father - in the paradox that is the Trinity, he is one with God - yet he made himself nothing and humbled himself. Even to death on a cross.

If you aspire to greatness - then aspire to the example of Jesus.

It’s something in the power paradigm that doesn’t make sense. But in the love paradigm, it not only makes sense but makes all things beautiful.

Living as a Servant

I want to come back to my opening illustration with me at the top of the skate park working myself up to “dropping in”.

You see, when you’re looking down, it doesn’t seem to make any sense. My body tells me that if I fully commit to the scooter I’m going to hurt myself.

But it’s as you commit that you become safer, because running down with the scooter whacking at your heels is actually more dangerous.

In a similar way, you need to let go of your fear that making yourself low will actually make you a lesser person.

Making yourself low actually means that everyone will be lifted up. It means others aren’t suffering for your ego.

What this look like

So what does this look like in practice?

Well, it doesn’t necessarily mean we should all volunteer to clean the toilets or wash out the bins - although possibly it might include that.

In fact, the job you do should really depend on the gifts that God has given you. Maybe that’s to be upfront. Maybe it’s to do the jobs that no one ever sees but is vitally important (such as some administrative tasks).

But the question which we need to consider (and the one I posed towards the start of the message) is, to what extent is our self-focus dictating our actions?

For example, you could be doing one of the unseen jobs, but if in your heart you are trying to earn favour then possibly you’re not doing it with a servants heart.

Don’t tie yourself in knots

Now, it’s very possible that as we reflect on what we’ve been doing and whether we’ve done it with a servants heart or a proud heart, it’s easy to get ourselves caught up in knots.

Let’s say for example you’re mowing the lawn for the church, and once you’ve finished you look around and think - hey, it looks really good doesn’t it.

Well, have you just fallen in the trap of pride?

Well, I’m going to suggest - not necessarily. Our gifts have been given in part to provide joy and beauty in the world. Enjoying the products of our gifts is actually to appreciate what God has given us - something that is good.

The real test is what’s in our hearts - and this is something that takes honest reflection.

And it comes down to that thing that we keep coming back to in this series - love!

Is the way we are serving other based on love of others, or love of self?

Because if it is love of self, then we have missed the paradigm that Jesus taught.

When you mow the lawn, or clean the toilets, or prepare the food in the kitchen, or do the various administrative tasks - are you doing it for love of others, or because you think there is something to be gained for yourself?

Love Share Serve

In this little series we’ve been going through our vision statement to Love, Share and Serve.

Though it’s easy to say, the reality is, living like this is not easy. And the biggest impediment to it all is selfishness and pride.

The self-focus means we can’t love like Jesus loved. The self-focus forces us to think that all of our blessings are about ourselves and so we keep them for ourselves. And it stops us from really serving, because we want to make sure our actions will serve our own purpose.

So to really be a church that will love, share and serve others, we need to deny ourselves - following the example of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus.

All of our intuition will try to tell us that it will be dangerous if we deny ourselves.

But as we study the bible, and see the example of other believers, we will begin to see that far from being dangerous, denying ourselves and truly loving, sharing and serving other is actually one of the most beautiful things we can see.

Conclusion

It’s not easy - but like at the skate park - once you take that plunge, you begin to see how it makes sense when you do it the way it is designed to be done.

So, reflect on yourself, asking, how much am I doing this for myself or for others. And compare this with the example of Jesus.

Because the less of ourselves, and the more focus on the other we have, the more our community will reflect the kingdom of God.

Let me pray...