Embracing Community: Servant Leadership and Inclusivity

Devotional

Day 1: Servant Leadership as Active Involvement

The concept of servant leadership is central to the formation of the new deacon board within the church community. This role is not about holding a title but about being actively involved in the life and service of the church. The deacon class, which begins next Sunday, is a three-week commitment designed to prepare individuals for a six-month term of service. This approach ensures that no one becomes overwhelmed and that everyone has the opportunity to serve without burnout. The emphasis is on leading by example and committing to serve others, reflecting the heart of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve. [04:26]

"Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:43-45, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively serve your church community this week, embodying the spirit of servant leadership?

Day 2: Embracing Inclusivity and Acceptance

The church is a place for everyone, regardless of their background or how they present themselves. A humorous story about a homeless man attending a church where everyone was dressed in suits highlighted the tendency to judge others based on appearances. This story serves as a reminder that the church is not a social club but a family that serves. Inclusivity and acceptance are at the heart of the church's mission, reflecting God's invitation to all to come to His table. [40:38]

"My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, 'You sit here in a good place,' while you say to the poor man, 'You stand over there,' or, 'Sit down at my feet,' have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?" (James 2:1-4, ESV)

Reflection: How can you practice inclusivity and acceptance in your interactions with others today, especially those who may be different from you?

Day 3: God's Invitation to the Table

The story of Mephibosheth illustrates how God invites us to His table, covering our imperfections and calling us by name. Despite Mephibosheth's physical limitations and his family's history, King David showed him kindness. This story serves as a powerful reminder that we are all invited to God's table, and we should extend that invitation to others, regardless of their past or present circumstances. God's grace is abundant, and His invitation is open to all. [01:09:07]

"And David said to him, 'Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.' And he paid homage and said, 'What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?'" (2 Samuel 9:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear God's invitation to His table? How can you extend that invitation to them today?

Day 4: The Importance of Diversity

Jesus chose a diverse group of disciples, highlighting the importance of diversity within the community. This diversity allows individuals to learn from one another and grow together in faith. Embracing diversity is essential for a healthy and vibrant community, as it reflects the kingdom of God, where people from all walks of life come together. The church is encouraged to embrace diversity and to be open to the possibility that God has placed individuals in their lives for a reason. [01:34:19]

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively embrace and celebrate diversity within your community, recognizing the unique contributions of each individual?

Day 5: Building Relationships with Others

The church is challenged to reflect on who they are inviting to their table and to build relationships with those who are different from them. By doing so, they can experience the fullness of God's love and acceptance and extend that same love to others. Building relationships with others, especially those who are different, is a way to grow in faith and to experience the richness of God's kingdom. [01:37:35]

"Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Hebrews 13:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: Who is someone different from you that you can reach out to and build a relationship with this week? What steps can you take to invite them into your life and community?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound concept of community and service within our church family. We began by discussing the formation of a new deacon board, emphasizing the importance of servant leadership. The deacon class, starting next Sunday, is a three-week commitment designed to prepare individuals for a six-month term of service. This approach ensures that no one becomes overwhelmed and that everyone has the opportunity to serve without burnout. The role of a deacon is not about holding a title but about being a servant leader, someone who is actively involved in the life and service of the church community.

We also touched on the importance of inclusivity and acceptance within our church. Through a humorous story about a homeless man attending a church where everyone was dressed in suits, we highlighted the tendency to judge others based on appearances. This story served as a reminder that our church is a place for everyone, regardless of their background or how they present themselves. We are all here to serve and work together, and our church is not a social club but a family that serves.

Furthermore, we delved into the story of Mephibosheth, a biblical figure who was shown kindness by King David despite his physical limitations and his family's history. This story illustrates how God invites us to His table, covering our imperfections and calling us by name rather than by our shortcomings. It serves as a powerful reminder that we are all invited to God's table, and we should extend that invitation to others, regardless of their past or present circumstances.

In addition, we discussed the importance of diversity within our community. Jesus Himself chose a diverse group of disciples, including individuals with differing political views and backgrounds. This diversity is essential for a healthy and vibrant community, as it allows us to learn from one another and grow together in our faith.

Finally, we were encouraged to reflect on who we are inviting to our table. Are we willing to build relationships with those who are different from us? Are we open to the possibility that God has placed these individuals in our lives for a reason? As we continue to grow as a church family, let us embrace diversity, extend grace, and invite others to experience the love and acceptance found at the King's table.

Key Takeaways

1. Servant Leadership and Community Involvement: The formation of a new deacon board emphasizes the importance of servant leadership within our church. Serving as a deacon is not about holding a title but about being actively involved in the life and service of the church community. This role requires a commitment to serve others and to lead by example. [04:26]
2. Inclusivity and Acceptance: Our church is a place for everyone, regardless of their background or how they present themselves. We are reminded not to judge others based on appearances but to welcome all with open arms. This inclusivity reflects the heart of God, who invites everyone to His table. [40:38]
3. God's Invitation to the Table: The story of Mephibosheth illustrates how God invites us to His table, covering our imperfections and calling us by name. This invitation is extended to all, regardless of their past or present circumstances. We are encouraged to extend this same invitation to others. [69:07]
4. Embracing Diversity: Jesus chose a diverse group of disciples, highlighting the importance of diversity within our community. This diversity allows us to learn from one another and grow together in our faith. We are encouraged to embrace diversity and to be open to the possibility that God has placed individuals in our lives for a reason. [94:19]
5. Building Relationships with Others: We are challenged to reflect on who we are inviting to our table and to build relationships with those who are different from us. By doing so, we can experience the fullness of God's love and acceptance and extend that same love to others. [01:37:35]
** [97:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:26] - Deacon Board Announcement
[07:32] - Connect Cards and First-Time Visitors
[08:24] - Election Day Prayer
[09:22] - Praise and Worship Introduction
[11:09] - Purpose and Excitement in Worship
[38:31] - Name Tags and Community
[40:38] - Story of the Homeless Man
[43:02] - Judging by Appearances
[44:48] - Inclusivity in Church
[47:06] - Tubi Commercial and Gospel Message
[49:32] - Avoiding Political Division
[55:47] - Story of Mephibosheth
[69:07] - Invitation to the King's Table
[94:19] - Embracing Diversity in Community
[97:35] - Building Relationships and Inviting Others

Sermon Clips

1. "If you feel like, hey, this is my home, this is my church, I feel passionate about it and you're like that, I think that's something I want to do. Now you may come to the first deacon class and go, yeah, that's not me, that's not for me and we totally understand because if it's not for everybody and it might not be for you right now so it might be you for you six months from now." [00:02:52] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "When you walk in here and you're part of this family, this family serves. That's what we do. This family, we don't have to serve. It's not a social club. It's not we don't just come here and it's hey, this place is for me but not just me only. Why are you sitting in my seat? No, that's not, you know, we are, we're all here to serve, we're all here to work together." [00:06:23] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "I can't help but be excited. I'm excited because you looked at us and thought enough of us to say, hey, those people need these people, and you just put us all together right now for this time to worship you. And that's pretty amazing just when you think about it. But I believe that we are all here for a reason, for a purpose, and you have something special for each and every one of us." [00:11:19] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "It's easy to judge somebody by appearance, isn't it? It's easy to judge somebody, even from like first conversation with them, a lot of times, like how, just as human, to start making a, like just starting thinking how that person is, even though we know people are wearing shorts." [00:43:12] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "If somebody thinks differently or somebody says oh I'm voting for so-and-so I'm what I mean there are families that have not talked to each other for years because of a political issue and so now what has happened though with that because I'm like I'm not going to do that because you know I don't want to get into confrontation I want I want to be able to my my goal in life my purpose is to share Jesus with everybody that he he allows me to that he opens the door for that." [00:50:30] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "When Jesus decided to put the 12 people that is closest to him, the people that traveled with him, the people that go out and minister with him, the people that represent him, he sought out diversity. I would say this. If Jesus sought out diversity when he put his team together, shouldn't we kind of like maybe be okay with people that were sharing the gospel with us and telling people about Jesus that maybe in this area they think a little different?" [01:34:50] (87 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "And you don't need to worry about all those things that maybe people think is wrong with you or all those things that happened in your past. All those things. They're like, man, they're going to see me sitting at Jesus' table. And they know that, man, I just. I used to do this. I don't even know if I used to. Like, I did it like 10 minutes ago. I don't plan on doing it anymore. But when you sit at his table, his grace covers those areas." [01:36:50] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "And maybe we're all supposed to sit at this table together. And maybe we're all supposed to be inviting other people to sit at this table together. All right. So may you, may you, my friends and family, may you experience the great blessings of inviting those who are able to repay you to your table. And may you come to experience the fullness and the love and the acceptance of sitting at the king's table." [01:37:56] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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