The Heart of a Servant Pt1
Notes
Transcript
What is the purpose of your life? Why are you here?
What about the Church? What is its purpose? Why does it exist?
When Christ called those first disciples, he said:
19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”
The Church has a purpose, amen?
We have a purpose… we have a mission!
What is that mission?
Is it to teach? Evangelize? Quote and confront people with scripture?
What is it?
Church — It is our primary mission to introduce people to a person… that person is Christ Jesus. (Brandon Gwinn)
And nothing should dissuade us from that mission.
22 And now, as a captive to the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,
23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me.
24 But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.
Paul saw his mission of introducing people to Christ as the single most important thing in his life! And nothing… not even the threat of punishment and death was going to stop him!
What does it take to have that kind of commitment?
The Heart of a Servant.
If we are going to become faithful followers of Christ… if we have any hope of making God, not #1, but EVERYTHING in our lives, then we have to develop a servants heart.
25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.
26 It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant,
27 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave;
28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Look at Acts 20:18-38.
The Apostle Paul is on his way to Jerusalem…He knows what he is to face there… He know he wont see them again, and he desires to share one last word of hope with them, and so he calls the leaders of the church in Ephesus to come to him.
18 When they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia,
19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.
20 I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house,
21 as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus.
22 And now, as a captive to the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,
23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me.
24 But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.
25 “And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again.
26 Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you,
27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.
28 Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.
29 I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them.
31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears.
32 And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified.
33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing.
34 You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions.
35 In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed.
37 There was much weeping among them all; they embraced Paul and kissed him,
38 grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship.
Paul’s “farewell speech” to the church in Ephesus is one of the most heartwarming and moving speeches in the Bible. It is full of his love for the people their, and his commitment to Christ.
In this speech, we find three attributes that we need to pay attention to if we are going to develop a servant’s heart.
Faithfulness
Faithfulness
Look at:
18 When they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia,
19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.
Paul starts with a reminder of his faithfulness to them. he had served them for three years in the face of the trials and opposition of the Jews in Ephesus.
Notice that he did not waste time in his service. “From the first day that I set foot in Asia...” I got busy serving you.
Can I tell you this — The word “quit” was not in Paul’s vocabulary!
I know a lot of young pastors, who have quit… have just given up on a church… because the going got tough! There wasn’t a “salary”… the congregation didn’t “seem” to support them… there was “opposition” to their “ideas”…
Church — We cannot — no scratch that! — WILL NOT get anywhere in life, in our families, in our relationships, in our ministry, if we quit when it gets tough!
Faithfulness is the most important quality we can possess!
There are many of you right here in this congregation… who are faithful in a lot of things, but… there are some things you cannot do!
You may not be able to get up here and sing… You may not be able to teach a Bible Study… You may not be called to preach…
BUT… YOU CAN BE FAITHFUL!!!
No matter what you do… you can be faithful in WHAT you do!
Faithfulness is the required quality of a Christian.
2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.
What is a steward?
Stewards are the ones who take care of the Church, the people, … Stewards are the ones who ensure the day to day needs of the Church are met… They take care of the daily “ins and outs” of ministry…
Stewards are vital to the life of the Church!
And, they are REQUIRED to “be found faithful.”
There are several areas of our lives that we need to be found faithful.
We must be faithful to our family.
Do you remember the 1996 presidential campaign?
The big “scandal” was Clinton’s fling with Monica Lewensky in the Oval Office.... The idea being pushed at the time was this: A Candidates private life was his own business, and has nothing to do with how he will lead our nation.
(Its kind of funny how pastor’s get thrown to the wolves for the same thing!)
You see — that whole idea is crazy isn’t it?
Public office is a matter of trust! If a person cannot be faithful in private, how can we trust that he/she will be faithful public?
The truth is, if a person is not faithful at home, they will not be faithful anywhere!
If a person is not faithful in their home, they will not be faithful in God’s house.
Now, let’s understand something here… A person does not have to be physically unfaithful to be unfaithful...
Many people have affairs with their jobs — spending more time at work, then at home… or, bringing work home with them…
… shopping… being “spend thrifts”… wasting the family’s finances on unnecessary things…
… sports… putting sports over everything else… I know people who will spend thousands of dollars a year on sports tickets and programs…
… even our hobbies…
Being faithful means preserving proper priorities in our lives… not only in the bedroom, but everywhere in our homes.
Let me tell you — NOTHING should be so valuable in our lives that it takes priority over our spouse!
EXCEPT GOD!
No bass boat… no golf outing… no bike ride… no friend… no other family member — including your kids!
Let me tell you — No coworker, or family member (even our parents) should no secrets you won’t tell your spouse!
If they do, then they have taken priority over your spouse...
Now… Moms, here’s one you may not like — Your children… and may I add… your grandchildren should NEVER come before your spouse!
Faithfulness begins at home!
2. We must be faithful in our finances.
We cannot talk about faithfulness without talking about this....
Let me ask you this — What would you do FOR 10 million dollars?
We would do a lot, wouldn’t we?
Now, let me ask you a better question — What would you do WITH 10 million dollars?
Would you pay off some debt? Give some to a charity? Help someone in need? Give some to the Church?
I have a feeling I know what you would do with $10 million…
Exactly what you are doing with the $10 you have right now.
Here’s the truth — If you are not putting God first now, and tithing now, you wouldn’t tithe if you had $10 million.
If you’re not paying your bills now, you’ll find something else to spend it on. If you’re not generous now, you won’t be generous if you are rich.
In other words… If you are not faithful with your finances now, you won’t be if you have $10 million!
I have known person after person who has said: “Pastor, I have a big tax return coming… I am selling my house… I have an inheritance coming… and when I get it, I’m going to give a BIG tithe to the Church.”
Only, that never happens, because they need a new TV, or a new Car, or a vacation…
There is nothing wrong with that… BUT, what is the priority?
God commands us to be faithful with our tithes.
10 “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.
God says: “If I can trust you with the little, I can trust you with the lot.”
The very next verse:
11 If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?
Why is money important to God? Does He need it?
“The test of your faithfulness in the spiritual, is what you do with your finances in the physical.”
38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
There are many people who are missing out on great spiritual blessings, because they are not faithful when it comes to money… and I am not just talking about tithing.
Some are missing out on the blessing, because they are not faithful with the portion God trusts them to keep and using it wisely!
Mt 25:1-13 — tells us the parable of the Brides Maids… 10 went out to meet the Bridegroom, 5 were wise and brought enough oil for their lamps, but 5 were not, and ran out… the 5 who ran out missed out on the blessing of the Bridegroom’s presence.
This is tied to Mt 25:14-29 — the Parable of the Talents… 3 servants were given bags of talents (gold)… 2 of the servants invested the talents and brought back a gain, but the third servant didn’t… the result was the loss of what he had...
Church — We will not receive the blessings of God if we are not faithful with what He has given us!
But… Let me be clear — Money is not the real issue… it is simply the test.
Ask yourself — How responsible am I with what God gives me to keep?
3. We must be faithful in fellowship.
24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds,
25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Fellowship with each other… with other believers… is vital to our lives, and our walk with Christ!
Let me tell you, it warms my heart every week to see you all here. It brings joy to me when I see visitors come back to be with us…
But… let me ask you this: Why are you here?
Is it out of obligation? Habit? Some sense of requirement?
Or… Is it for the fellowship with Christ? With other Christians?
You see — We need each other!
5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
You and I are part of each other… just like your arm is part of your body… We need each other!
It’s like this — Lately my back has been hurting… it’s causing pain in my arm… but, I cannot leave it… it’s part of my body… I need it!
This is the point — When the body… when Bonham Community Church… comes together, and you’re missing… a very important part of the body is missing!
When a part of the body is missing, the body cannot function properly… to its maximum potential…
This church… this Body… cannot function to its full potential without you!
No matter what the world says, we need each other!
25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
I have often heard people say: “I don’t have to go to Church to be Christian.” And… theoretically, that’s true.
However, I tend to doubt the sincerity of that person’s Christian walk, as they have forsaken the “meeting together,” and don’t seem to give it a second thought.
They often say: “I get just as much out of sitting in my deer stand, or out on the lake, or with my family at the park...”
But that exposes the core of the problem...
You don’t come to church just for what you get… but for what you can give!
28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Let me ask you something — How many children can be taught about Jesus if you’re at the lake?
Now be honest....
What missionaries can be supported? How may letters of support and encouragement can be written from a deer stand?
How many babies can be held and rocked, so mom and dad can hear the gospel, if you’re at the park?
How much will your marriage be strengthened, or your family improved, while you’re out with friends at the ball game… on the lake… shopping… etc…?
Every time you come to church you’re telling God that He is important to you.
But… it’s more than that… you’re also saying...
“Pastor, you’re important to me.”
“Brothers and sisters, you’re important to me.”
4. We must be faithful to God. (faith)
Many people today, even Christians, doubt some parts of God’s Word. Some approach the Bible as though it is a buffet at a restaurant...
They put question marks on the commands of scripture, and only accept what “feels” good to them...
Brothers and Sisters, this is not the time for putting question marks on the Word of God!
It is the time for strengthening our faith! For holding to truth, no matter what the political and social “norms” of the day are!
“The chief danger of the 20th century will be #1 forgiveness without repentance, #2 salvation without regeneration, and #3 heaven without hell.” — William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army
The same is true with the 21st century...
There are a lot of people in the world today… even in the Church… who believe in God, but refuse to believe in hell.
They say that a “loving” God would not punish anyone… that a “loving” God would not send anyone to Hell… and any scriptures that say so, must therefore be wrong.
Many today believe that “all roads (religions) lead to the same heaven.”
There are even a lot who believe in God, but not in “organized religion.”
Let me tell you — God “organized” the Church!
11 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
Church — We are in trouble, and faithfulness to God is the answer!
We are in the 21st century… the Church is in decline… whether we like it or not, a generation is being lost!
It seems like most of the modern Church is lost!
Today, it is socially, culturally, and accepted in the Church as appropriate to mix Christianity with other religions, but Christ says this…
4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
5 Remember then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
We need faithful people who will be faithful to their faith!
Can this be said of you?
Are you faithful?
To your family? To your finances? To the fellowship? To God?
Regardless of what the world says to you and about you?