Serving: A Reflection of Christ's Transformative Love

 

Summary

In today's gathering, we delved into the profound significance of serving as a spiritual discipline, exploring the "why" behind our call to serve. We began by acknowledging the various spiritual disciplines that nurture our faith, such as Bible intake, prayer, worship, evangelism, and discipleship. Today, we focused on serving, not just as an act, but as a reflection of our transformation in Christ.

We examined Mark 10:45, where Jesus states, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." This verse encapsulates the essence of why we serve. Jesus, fully God and fully man, came to suffer like us, to die instead of us, and to set us free from the bondage of sin. His life was a testament to servanthood, and His death was the ultimate act of service, paying the ransom for our sins.

We explored the reasons why many in the church may not engage in serving: a lack of understanding of its importance, feeling unneeded, or not recognizing their spiritual gifts. However, the call to serve is not about what others deserve but about following Christ's example. Jesus served us when we least deserved it, and we are called to do the same for others.

Our service should be motivated by transformation, humility, and love. We are transformed by Christ, and this transformation should be evident in our willingness to serve. Humility is essential, as Jesus taught that greatness in His kingdom is marked by servanthood. Lastly, love is the driving force behind our service, as we love because He first loved us.

As we reflect on these truths, we are challenged to examine our motivations and actions. Are we serving out of love and humility? Are we allowing our transformed lives to be a testament to the world? Let us strive to be a church that embodies the servanthood of Christ, serving one another and our community with the love and grace that He has shown us.

Key Takeaways:

- Understanding the Why of Serving: Serving is not just an obligation but a reflection of our transformation in Christ. Jesus came to serve, not to be served, and His life and death exemplify the ultimate act of service. Our motivation to serve should stem from understanding this profound truth. [34:10]

- The Role of Humility in Service: True greatness in the kingdom of God is marked by humility and servanthood. Jesus taught that to be great, one must become a servant. This challenges us to elevate others above ourselves and to serve with a humble heart. [01:00:36]

- Love as the Motivation for Service: Our service should be driven by love, as we love because He first loved us. Without love, our service lacks the depth and sincerity that Christ exemplified. Love compels us to serve others selflessly and sacrificially. [01:05:21]

- Transformation Through Service: Serving is a testament to the transformation that Christ has worked in us. As we serve, we grow in our faith and become more like Christ. This transformation is evident in our willingness to serve others, even when it is inconvenient or challenging. [52:11]

- The Call to Sacrifice in Service: Following Christ means laying down our desires and ambitions to serve others. Sacrifice is the ultimate expression of love, and we are called to give our time, resources, and lives for the sake of the kingdom. [01:09:40]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [19:01] - Prayer and Community Support
- [25:42] - Introduction to Spiritual Disciplines
- [34:10] - The Why of Serving
- [38:44] - Jesus Came to Suffer Like Us
- [41:10] - Jesus' Humanity and Our Connection
- [44:10] - Jesus Came to Die Instead of Us
- [46:42] - The Centrality of Jesus' Death
- [49:32] - Jesus Came to Set Us Free
- [52:11] - Freedom from the Power of Sin
- [54:14] - Our Purpose in Serving
- [57:44] - Motivated by Transformation
- [01:00:36] - Motivated by Humility
- [01:03:05] - Motivated by Love
- [01:09:40] - Sacrifice in Service
- [01:12:01] - Reflecting on Our Service
- [01:15:01] - Invitation to Repentance and Belief

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Mark 10:35-45

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Observation Questions:

1. In Mark 10:45, what does Jesus say about His purpose for coming to earth? How does this verse encapsulate the essence of servanthood? [34:10]

2. What request do James and John make to Jesus in Mark 10:35-37, and how does Jesus respond to their request? [34:10]

3. How does Jesus contrast the leadership styles of the Gentile rulers with the kind of leadership He expects from His followers in Mark 10:42-44? [57:44]

4. What does the term "ransom for many" in Mark 10:45 imply about Jesus' mission and His understanding of service? [49:32]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Jesus' example of servanthood in Mark 10:45 challenge the common perceptions of greatness and leadership in today's society? [57:44]

2. What does it mean to be a "slave of all" as described in Mark 10:44, and how does this concept relate to the idea of humility in service? [01:00:36]

3. How does the sermon explain the connection between Jesus' humanity and His ability to empathize with our struggles? Why is this significant for understanding His call to serve? [41:10]

4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that transformation through Christ should be evident in our willingness to serve others? [52:11]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current motivations for serving others. Are they aligned with the motivations of transformation, humility, and love as discussed in the sermon? How can you adjust your mindset to better reflect these values? [54:14]

2. Consider a time when you felt unneeded or unsure of your spiritual gifts. How can you seek guidance or mentorship to better understand and utilize your gifts within the church community? [25:42]

3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of serving even when it is inconvenient or challenging. Identify a specific area in your life where you can begin to serve more selflessly. What steps will you take to start serving in that area? [49:32]

4. How can you cultivate a heart of humility in your daily interactions, especially in situations where you might be tempted to assert authority or control? [01:00:36]

5. The sermon challenges us to serve others regardless of what they deserve. Think of a person or group in your life who might not "deserve" your service by worldly standards. How can you serve them in a way that reflects Christ's love and grace? [46:42]

6. Reflect on the concept of sacrifice in service. What personal desires or ambitions might you need to lay down to serve others more effectively? How can you begin to make those sacrifices this week? [01:09:40]

7. The sermon calls us to be a church that embodies the servanthood of Christ. What specific actions can you take to contribute to this vision within your church community? [01:12:01]

Devotional

Day 1: Serving as a Reflection of Transformation
Serving is not merely an obligation but a profound reflection of our transformation in Christ. Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve, exemplifies the ultimate act of service through His life and sacrificial death. This transformation in us should be evident in our willingness to serve others, following Christ's example. Our motivation to serve should stem from understanding this profound truth, recognizing that our service is a testament to the change Christ has worked within us. As we serve, we embody the love and grace that Jesus has shown us, allowing our actions to speak of His transformative power. [34:10]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you allow your transformed life in Christ to be a testament to those around you through acts of service today?


Day 2: Humility as the Path to Greatness
True greatness in the kingdom of God is marked by humility and servanthood. Jesus taught that to be great, one must become a servant, challenging us to elevate others above ourselves. This call to humility requires us to serve with a heart that seeks to honor others, not seeking recognition or reward. By embracing humility, we align ourselves with the values of God's kingdom, where the last shall be first, and the first shall be last. Serving with humility allows us to reflect Christ's character, demonstrating that true greatness is found in selfless service. [01:00:36]

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3, ESV)

Reflection: How can you practice humility in your service to others this week, putting their needs above your own?


Day 3: Love as the Driving Force of Service
Our service should be driven by love, as we love because He first loved us. Without love, our service lacks the depth and sincerity that Christ exemplified. Love compels us to serve others selflessly and sacrificially, mirroring the love that Jesus has shown us. This love is not based on what others deserve but is a reflection of the unconditional love we have received from God. As we serve, let love be the motivation that guides our actions, ensuring that our service is genuine and heartfelt, pointing others to the love of Christ. [01:05:21]

"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to experience the love of Christ through your service today, and how can you show them this love in a tangible way?


Day 4: Transformation Through Service
Serving is a testament to the transformation that Christ has worked in us. As we serve, we grow in our faith and become more like Christ. This transformation is evident in our willingness to serve others, even when it is inconvenient or challenging. Through service, we are refined and shaped into the image of Christ, learning to put others before ourselves and to act with compassion and grace. Our service becomes a living testimony of the change that Christ has brought about in our lives, drawing others to Him through our actions. [52:11]

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of service that challenges you, and how can you allow Christ to transform you through this challenge?


Day 5: The Call to Sacrifice in Service
Following Christ means laying down our desires and ambitions to serve others. Sacrifice is the ultimate expression of love, and we are called to give our time, resources, and lives for the sake of the kingdom. This call to sacrifice challenges us to prioritize the needs of others above our own, reflecting the sacrificial love of Christ. As we embrace this call, we learn to trust in God's provision and to find joy in serving others, knowing that our sacrifices are not in vain but are part of God's greater plan for His kingdom. [01:09:40]

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific way you can sacrificially serve someone in your community this week, and how can you prepare your heart to do so with joy?

Quotes

"Statistics say that about 10 % of a normal church body. So different local church bodies, about 10 % of its people are the ones doing 100 % of the serving in that church. And listen, that statement, it's been true in just about every church that I've been involved with." [00:32:26] (21 seconds)


"And then number three, some people, they just haven't been motivated because they haven't been transformed themselves. They have no desire to be a servant because they're still being served. It really comes back to the why and how, which I think this passage explains beautifully. Why are we to serve?" [00:33:19] (16 seconds)


"And Jesus called them to him and said to them, you know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But 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." [00:34:39] (30 seconds)


"Jesus identified Himself as the Son of Man, showing us that He suffered just like which in itself, that alone should be enough to motivate us to serve us. Listen to this verse. It doesn't stop with just that. The second thing we see here is that Jesus came to die instead of you and me. Verse 45 again, for even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." [00:42:50] (27 seconds)


"Jesus came not to be served, but to serve, and he did all of that from a place of love. He laid everything down out of love for the Father. He laid everything down out of love for you and I. That was his motivation. So how do we respond to this great picture of love? And we follow Christ in sacrifice." [01:05:42] (23 seconds)


"Listen, I know we know these things, but without us constantly seeing our lives through that set of lens, without remembering who we are and who God is, it's just easy for us to sit back and neglect the purpose that God called you out of darkness, to neglect the purpose that He placed on each of our lives as believers." [00:42:31] (19 seconds)


"Listen, without the why to him coming, I think it's still very hard for us to apply this all to our own lives. Verse 45, again, we see that word ransom, which simply refers to a payment given, a payment given to release someone from slavery, to buy back their freedom, which is the third thing we see in this verse. Jesus came to set you and I free. Here's the picture. You and I, each one of us, we're slaves to sin. Whether you want to admit that or not, each of us, we're prone to sin, which means we're prone to choose our way over God. It's something that we just can't help." [00:49:41] (36 seconds)


"Jesus came to change that for you. He came to set you free from slavery. To sin. That's why he came to suffer like you. That's why he came to die instead of you. Do you realize that? I think many of us don't. We shake our heads, yes, but I think many of us don't. I talk to so many self -professing Christians who basically see themselves as functionally as slaves to sin." [00:50:44] (25 seconds)


"Guys, here's the good news. Jesus didn't just die so that you could be forgiven for the penalty of sin. Jesus died so that you could be set free from the power of sin. He died so that you could live a life that God created you to live. I mean, he came to conquer sin in his life, to conquer sin in his death, to conquer sin in his resurrection." [00:51:34] (23 seconds)


"Paul says this about Jesus' service in Philippians chapter 2. You don't have to turn there. I'll read it. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, being found in human form. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. That's our model. Again, the God of creation taking on flesh, taking on the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and dying a criminal's death on a cross for us." [01:01:04] (38 seconds)


"Listen, as we close, I'll keep it short. We're serving like all of the other spiritual disciplines we've talked about. It's not optional. We're called to a life of service. Will it be uncomfortable? Will we have to sacrifice? Absolutely. But that's what Christianity is about. It's about serving one another in the same way Christ has served us. He's given us the why. He's given us the how. And so now we're called to act it out, to be His body to a watching world. That is how we advance the gospel of Jesus Christ. And so where do you need to start?" [01:10:16] (31 seconds)


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Transcript
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