I'm Thankful for Spots!

Journey with Jesus   •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  43:49
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Turn to and read Mark 9:33-37. Pray.
This morning, the title of my message is I’m Thankful for Spots! Now, I know that most of you are wondering how I came to that title. Hopefully I’ll be able to do a good job explaining myself while also encouraging you from God’s Word.
This morning we find our way to Mark 9:33-37. The overriding theme of these verses can be simply summed up in “Be a Servant.” How appropriate of a theme considering that this coming Wednesday, November 11, is Veteran’s Day, a day when we here in the United States celebrate and honor those individuals who, many of them, gave the last full measure of duty as they served their country, the United States of America.
Let’s take a few moments to consider this passage of Scripture and then to stop for a moment and be thankful for spots!
Mark 9:33 KJV 1900
And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
As Christ and His disciples made their way back to Capernaum, Christ could tell that the disciples were, to put it simply, arguing amongst themselves. So, He asked them, “What are you arguing about?”
Mark 9:34 KJV 1900
But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
They held their peace. They didn’t want to answer Christ. I can just imagine that they all began to look down at the ground or around at the country side that they were walking through, or up to the sky to watch some birds fly by. They were looking at anything else just so long as they did not have to look Christ in the eyes!
Why? Because they were all ashamed to admit that they had been arguing about who was the greatest! I hate to say this but they were acting like a bunch of junior high students!
The immaturity of the disciples is apparent. Anytime Christians will argue over such an adolescent issue reveals a lack of spiritual depth. - Pastor David Sorenson
How much spiritual depth do you have?
One way in which our spiritual depth - or maturity - is demonstrated is in our servanthood, or lack thereof.
Now, what made this especially childish - at least in my opinion - was the fact that just two verses before, Christ had said this:
Mark 9:31 KJV 1900
For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
While Christ had His eyes set up the cross and what lay beyond, the disciples were fully looking at things upon this earth!
Should this not be a warning to us?
Colossians 3:1–2 KJV 1900
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
As we’ll see, in just a moment, Christ’s reprimand, you would think that the disciples had learned their lesson?!?!? Or had they?
In Luke 22:22, Christ says:
Luke 22:22 KJV 1900
And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!
Christ spoke these words during the Last Supper, the night of His betrayal, the night before His crucifixion. You would think that the disciples would be a little more focused. But they weren’t. Just two verses later it says:
Luke 22:24 KJV 1900
And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
The times when the disciples should have been most focused on things above seemed to be the times when they were focused on things on the earth!
Allow that statement to sink in just for a moment and consider the following statement in light of our current political situation:
Even when we engage in our cultural and political battles, our primary objective should be that the world might see Christ. Yes, we can be grateful for our political and legal victories, but what have we won if people are not introduced to a Savior who can reconcile them to God?
Again, allow me to say...
The times when the disciples should have been most focused on things above seemed to be the times when they were focused on things on the earth.
Now, it was time for Christ to teach the disciples a lesson!
Mark 9:35 KJV 1900
And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
Wow! If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all!

In one short sentence, He turned upside down their whole scale of values, and ours as well. The way to true greatness in the Master’s service is to become the servant of all.

The word which Christ uses here for servant is the Greek word diakonos from which we get our word deacon. The word depicts someone who attends to the needs of others freely.
This is the whole reason for which Christ came: To Serve!
Mark 10:45 KJV 1900
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Christ, throughout His earthly ministry, freely attended to the needs of others. No one forced Him. He freely gave Himself for others going so far as to freely give His life for others. That was the example which Christ set for us to follow.
1 Peter 2:21 KJV 1900
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
How well have we been following Christ’s example?
Now, to illustrate His lesson:
Mark 9:36–37 KJV 1900
And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
To illustrate His point, Christ took a child. Perhaps it was Peter’s child. They were, after all in the house which very well could have been a reference to Peter’s home which seemed to be the place that Christ resorted to when He was in Capernaum.
To the Jews and to the Romans, children were the least significant person in society. As such, children were the furthest thing from the disciples thoughts at that point!

The principle that the Lord now proclaims reaches right up to the very throne of God. Who can read the biography of George Müller, for example, and not see the truth of it? George Müller became the servant of all. A poor, humble man, he went after the orphans of Bristol and gathered them into his home to feed, house, clothe, educate, and put them into gainful employment. There were thousands of them. Kind, gentle, meek, a servant of all, a Christlike man, Müller won the heart of the city itself. When he died, all of Bristol went to his funeral.

So, to the point, Christ was teaching the disciples - and by extension us - that, if we desire to be first we must place ourselves last and become servant to the least and most insignificant!
Philippians 2:3–4 KJV 1900
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Be a servant!

How are we doing at that?
That now leads me to the title of my message:

I’m Thankful for Spots!

Yesterday morning, I was here at the church while a church member was cleaning some spots out of the hallway carpet with a carpet cleaner. Normally, when I see things like that - spots in the carpet, hole in the wall, leaking toilets, lights that won’t work, etc. - I can be kind of perturbed. (That’s what my mother would say, perturbed.) It means to become agitated.
However, yesterday morning, when I looked at the spots in the carpet that were being cleaned, I started to chuckle to myself and the thought came to me that I should be thankful for the spots in the carpet. Why? Because that means that people had been in the building; we had, in some way, had an opportunity to serve people. The following verse was brought to mind:
Proverbs 14:4 KJV 1900
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: But much increase is by the strength of the ox.
Everywhere that you look in this building and see wear and tear I want you to remember that it means people were here!
I’ll remind you of our purpose:
Proclaiming the Gospel; Experiencing the Miracle of Changed Lives!
With that, I have two questions to ask:

What are doing to contribute to the wear and tear of these buildings?

Are you faithful to be in your place on Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night?

Hebrews 10:25 KJV 1900
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Every time that you enter these doors, a leaf is brought in, dirt is placed in the carpet, toilet paper is used, stress is placed on the pews, lights must be turned on, the A/C must be run, and the list could go on. However, that’s ok. You know why? When you enter these doors, you are gathering together with other Christians; you are worshipping the Lord together as you sing; you are being challenged and encouraged as you hear the preaching of God’s Word. In short, your life is being changed; you are being molded into the image of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord for that!

Are you faithful being faithful to share the Gospel and bring others into this assembly?

Luke 14:23 KJV 1900
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
I praise the Lord for those who participated in Seed Sowing Saturday yesterday morning! I don’t know how many individuals participated yesterday but I do know that all of the maps were taken! Praise the Lord! Many of our church members and regular attenders do not live in this specific area. But, God has placed South Charlotte Baptist Church in this strategic place for a specific purpose. That purpose is that South Charlotte Baptist Church would expend its energy in seeking to reach those individuals who live in this area. That is why our Seed Sowing Saturdays are spend seeking to reach those individuals and families who live in a 3 mile radius around our church. Within that 3 mile radius there live 10’s of thousands of individuals who need to hear the Gospel.If you are a member or regular attender of South Charlotte Baptist Church, let me encourage you to take an active interest in the work of this local church. Let me encourage you to actively participate in the work of this local church!

What are you doing to help clean the spots?

Exodus 17:11–12 KJV 1900
And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
This event in Exodus chapter 17 is the first battle which the nation of Israel fought after they left Egypt. Moses chose Joshua to lead the battle while he went to the top of the hill and raised the “rod of God.” As long as Moses held the rod up, the Israelites prevailed. When Moses dropped his arms, the Amalekites prevailed. So, Aaron and Hur had Moses sit down and they held his arms up. The Israelites prevailed!
I wonder if Aaron or Hur ever thought...
Why can’t we take turns holding the rod?
Why didn’t Moses choose me to lead the battle?
Why couldn’t I be a soldier and see some action?
Why do I have to stand here all day, right next to Moses’ armpits?
This is so boring!
Cleaning spots isn’t exciting work. No one usual notices when the spots have been cleaned. There are no awards given for cleaning spots. Cleaning spots doesn’t seem to be all that important. Yes, the spots need to be cleaned, but some one else will take care of it, won’t they?
As long as there are people in these buildings being ministered to, there will always be spots that need to be cleaned, holes that need to be repaired, lights that need to be replaced, paint that needs to be touched up, chairs that need to be set up (and taken down). I could give you, right now,
As long as there are people in these buildings there will always be phone calls that need to be made, cards that need to be written, visits that need to be made.
In other words, there will always be a need for individuals willing to get their hands dirty. I praise the Lord for those who are getting their hands dirty in the ministry of South Charlotte Baptist Church but there’s a lot more “spot cleaning” that needs to be done. Right now, I could give you a list of a half dozen projects that need to be done.
Doesn’t sound too exciting, does it? Doesn’t even sound too “spiritual” either, does it?
Just remember, though, God has called us to serve, to meet the needs of others, even if that need is “only” a spot in the carpet. And, also remember...
1 Corinthians 10:31 KJV 1900
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Colossians 3:17 KJV 1900
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Let’s be thankful for the spots!
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