Transforming Community Through Selfless Service and Love

 

Summary

Community transformation through the love and power of Jesus is our mission, and today we focus on the vital role of serving in this mission. The world is filled with overwhelming needs, and it can be daunting to think about how one person or even one church can make a difference. However, the principle we embrace is simple: "We will do for one what we wish we could do for all." This mindset shifts our focus from the enormity of the world's problems to the impact we can have on an individual level. Serving is not just an act; it is a core value that begins with finding our place in the body of Christ.

Being planted in the church is essential for flourishing spiritually. The righteous, as described in Psalms, will flourish like palm trees and grow like the cedars of Lebanon when they are planted in the house of the Lord. This flourishing is not just about personal growth but about being part of a community that supports and strengthens each other, much like the intertwined roots of redwood trees. These roots provide stability and strength, allowing us to withstand life's storms and produce spiritual fruit.

Jesus' parable of the sower illustrates the importance of the condition of our hearts, represented by different types of soil. Only when we are planted in good soil can we produce a bountiful harvest. This means being more than just a church attendee; it means being deeply rooted in faith, serving, and being part of a community that transforms the world.

The story of Nicholas Winton, a British stockbroker who saved 669 Jewish children during World War II, exemplifies the power of serving. His selfless actions, done without seeking recognition, remind us that our path may not be as grand, but it is significant. We are called to empty ourselves, as Christ did, and serve others, rescuing them from the grip of hell and leading them to the love of Jesus.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Power of Serving One: Serving one person can feel insignificant in the face of global needs, but for that one person, it can mean the world. This principle encourages us to focus on the impact we can have on individuals, trusting that God multiplies our efforts. [06:33]

2. Being Planted in the Church: Flourishing spiritually requires being planted in the church, not just attending. Like the cedars of Lebanon, our strength and growth come from being deeply rooted in a faith community that supports and nurtures us. [12:34]

3. The Importance of Good Soil: The parable of the sower teaches us that the condition of our hearts determines our spiritual growth. Being planted in good soil means having a heart open to God's word and being part of a community that fosters growth. [20:37]

4. Interconnectedness in Community: Like redwood trees, our spiritual strength comes from being interconnected with others. Our roots intertwine, providing support and stability, allowing us to withstand life's challenges and produce spiritual fruit. [23:54]

5. Selfless Service and Transformation: The story of Nicholas Winton illustrates the profound impact of selfless service. We are called to empty ourselves, as Christ did, and serve others, leading them to transformation through the love of Jesus. [31:17]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Mission Statement: Community Transformation
- [01:45] - The Overwhelming Need
- [03:10] - Principle of Serving One
- [04:50] - Finding Your Place in the Body of Christ
- [06:33] - The Importance of Being Planted
- [08:15] - Flourishing Like Palm Trees and Cedars
- [10:00] - The Parable of the Sower
- [12:34] - The Role of Good Soil
- [14:20] - Interconnectedness and Community
- [16:45] - Spiritual Fruit and Root Structure
- [20:37] - The Difference Between Attending and Being Planted
- [23:54] - The Story of Nicholas Winton
- [27:07] - The Call to Serve and Transform
- [31:17] - Closing Prayer and Reflection

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Psalm 92:12-13 - "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God."
2. Matthew 13:3-9 - The Parable of the Sower
3. Philippians 2:5-7 - "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men."

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Psalm 92:12-13 suggest about the importance of being "planted" in the house of the Lord? How does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on spiritual flourishing? [06:33]

2. In the Parable of the Sower, what are the different types of soil mentioned, and how do they relate to the condition of our hearts? [12:34]

3. How does the story of Nicholas Winton illustrate the principle of serving one person at a time? What impact did his actions have? [31:17]

4. According to Philippians 2:5-7, what mindset did Christ have, and how does this relate to the call for selfless service in the sermon? [31:17]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does being "planted" in a church community contribute to spiritual growth and stability, according to the sermon and Psalm 92:12-13? [06:33]

2. What does the Parable of the Sower teach about the importance of the condition of our hearts in receiving God's word? How can this be applied to our daily lives? [12:34]

3. How does the story of Nicholas Winton challenge our understanding of what it means to serve others selflessly? What can we learn from his example? [31:17]

4. In what ways does adopting the mindset of Christ, as described in Philippians 2:5-7, transform our approach to serving others? [31:17]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current involvement in your church community. Are you "planted" or merely attending? What steps can you take to become more deeply rooted? [06:33]

2. Consider the condition of your heart as described in the Parable of the Sower. What type of soil best represents your current spiritual state, and how can you cultivate a heart that is more receptive to God's word? [12:34]

3. Think of one person in your life who could benefit from your service. What specific action can you take this week to serve them, following the principle of "doing for one what you wish you could do for all"? [06:33]

4. How can you incorporate the mindset of Christ, as described in Philippians 2:5-7, into your daily interactions and service to others? What changes might this require in your attitude or behavior? [31:17]

5. Reflect on the interconnectedness of the redwood trees as a metaphor for community. How can you strengthen your connections with others in your church to provide mutual support and stability? [23:54]

6. Identify a specific area in your life where you feel called to serve. What steps can you take to begin serving in that area, and how can you ensure that your service is selfless and Christ-centered? [27:07]

7. Consider the distractions in your life that may be hindering your ability to hear God's voice and follow His purpose. What practical steps can you take to minimize these distractions and focus on your spiritual growth and service? [31:17]

Devotional

Day 1: The Impact of Serving One
Serving one person may seem insignificant in the face of the world's overwhelming needs, but it can have a profound impact on that individual's life. This principle encourages us to focus on the difference we can make for one person, trusting that God will multiply our efforts. By shifting our perspective from the enormity of global issues to the personal level, we can find purpose and fulfillment in our service. This approach not only transforms the lives of those we serve but also enriches our own spiritual journey. [06:33]

"Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered." (Proverbs 11:25, ESV)

Reflection: Who is one person in your life that you can serve today, and how can you make a meaningful impact on them?


Day 2: Rooted in the Church Community
Being planted in the church is essential for spiritual flourishing. Like the cedars of Lebanon, our strength and growth come from being deeply rooted in a faith community that supports and nurtures us. This interconnectedness provides stability and strength, allowing us to withstand life's storms and produce spiritual fruit. By actively participating in the life of the church, we become part of a community that encourages and strengthens each other, much like the intertwined roots of redwood trees. [12:34]

"They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God." (Psalm 92:13, ESV)

Reflection: How can you deepen your involvement in your church community to strengthen your spiritual roots?


Day 3: Cultivating Good Soil in Our Hearts
The parable of the sower teaches us that the condition of our hearts determines our spiritual growth. Being planted in good soil means having a heart open to God's word and being part of a community that fosters growth. This requires more than just attending church; it involves being deeply rooted in faith and actively engaging in practices that nurture our spiritual development. By cultivating good soil in our hearts, we can produce a bountiful harvest and contribute to the transformation of the world around us. [20:37]

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater." (Isaiah 55:10, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take to ensure your heart is good soil for God's word to grow and flourish?


Day 4: The Strength of Interconnectedness
Our spiritual strength comes from being interconnected with others, much like the roots of redwood trees that intertwine to provide support and stability. This interconnectedness allows us to withstand life's challenges and produce spiritual fruit. By being part of a community that supports and strengthens each other, we can grow in our faith and contribute to the transformation of the world. This mutual support is essential for our spiritual growth and resilience. [23:54]

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: How can you strengthen your connections with others in your faith community to provide mutual support and encouragement?


Day 5: Embracing Selfless Service
The story of Nicholas Winton illustrates the profound impact of selfless service. We are called to empty ourselves, as Christ did, and serve others, leading them to transformation through the love of Jesus. This selfless service may not always be grand or recognized, but it is significant in the lives of those we serve. By embracing this call to serve, we can make a difference in the world and reflect the love of Christ to those around us. [31:17]

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

Reflection: In what ways can you practice selfless service in your daily life, and how can this lead others to experience the love of Jesus?

Quotes

"We're continuing a message series around our mission statement, which is, everyone say with me, our mission is community transformation through the love and power of Jesus. If you don't know that yet, that's fine. We're going to tell you it again next week. Okay, we've got one more week in this series, so don't miss it. And today we're talking about serving. You know, so often you look at the world and you see so much need, it can be overwhelming. You can think to yourself, well, you know, what could I do? Or what even could one church do to make a difference? And we have seen thousands of people since our church started, we've seen thousands of people in North Alabama come to faith in Jesus. And I thank God for that, but there are still tens of thousands of people who are close to us, but far from God. Have you ever thought about that? God has strategically placed you close to him, but also close to someone else. We've housed, you know, thousands of orphans, but there are millions of orphans still living and dying on the streets somewhere in the world. We've helped homeless people and single mothers and people struggling with addiction and hurting families." [00:00:00] (71 seconds)

"But I think about the multiples of more people who don't even know we're here or that we care, you know? And so that can be overwhelming. One of the core values of this church is servanthood, that we would all serve. Okay. And when you, when you think about the great need, one of the little phrases we like to remember, I really should have like swiped it up on the screen or whatever, because I'd like you to memorize this phrase. So maybe if you are a note taker, a lot of you are, you would write this down. Simple phrase about serving. We like to say it like this. We will do for one what we wish we could do for all." [00:01:12] (35 seconds)


"There's so much need in the world and you can be overwhelmed and say, what difference am I really making? What could I possibly do? But you could do for one. Couldn't we all? Can I get an amen? Like everybody here could do something for one person. Even if you wish you could do so much more and it feels like a drop in the bucket or just a drop in an ocean. It doesn't feel like a drop in an ocean for that one person you blessed, you know? And so serving is what makes that happen. And it really all begins when you find your place in the body of Christ. When you realize that you're not to be alone and, you know, God hasn't called you to go to church, but he's called you to be planted. Scripture actually says you should be planted in the church and then sent out to the world. Let's get that together. Everybody say planted, sent. It's real simple. That's where we're supposed to be. And we're going to start right there with words from David. He says, the righteous will flourish like a palm tree." [00:01:49] (56 seconds)


"And when Solomon built the massive great temple, he used the cedars for temple post and beams and for the roof because it was meant to be built for a generation and for generations to come. And so he says, when you are planted and you're righteous and you're planted in the house of God, you're going to be like that. He says, you're going to be like a palm tree. Palm trees, the palm branch was the symbol of victory in the ancient Olympic games. And when Jesus entered into Jerusalem, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, they were waving what kind of branches? Palm branches. They were saying, he's victorious. He's overcome. He's the king of kings. And so he says, you can be all this stuff. You can be the winner. You can be evergreen. How does that happen? Well, he says, when you're what? Say the word with me. Planted. You're planted, okay? Not just that you're a church member, not just that you kind of like the music here." [00:03:37] (53 seconds)

"And it really explains why so many Christians are not flourishing. The righteous will flourish. They're not flourishing. And they're wondering, why are they not? Spiritually, they're dry. Their relationships are not healthy. Their body maybe is not healthy. Their finances are not flourishing. And if you think about it like this, your life is a seed. It really is. And a seed in and of itself has tremendous potential. But it's only good when it's planted. Just like the writer says here in Psalms, that it has to be planted to flourish. I want to talk about seeds for just a minute. A couple points about seeds. If your life is a seed, a seed can only grow if it's, say it with me, planted. Let's examine that. A seed in the barn or in a bag or in your pocket is useless. It's not going to multiply. It has to be planted. And Jesus gave a hope." [00:04:30] (54 seconds)


"You just won't like it. And we just keep on going, you know, because we're about, we talked about last week, unity. We are here to transform the community, not to sing the song you like, or make it hot or cold or warm or whatever. Like all that stuff doesn't matter. There are people broken and lost and dying and going to a devil's hell. And we care about them more than we care about the volume that you like of the music. I just not going to get too tied up in that. I mean, we want to get that right. That matters, but we just not going to get tied up in that. Right. And then the second soil was this shallow soil and it quickly, something happens, but because it's so shallow, the roots have no way." [00:06:32] (40 seconds)


"And the good soil, he said, would produce a harvest of 30 fold. You put one seed in the ground, you get 30 times as much. You put another seed, you might be, he said, 60 times or a hundred times. That's the kind of soil. That's the vision God has for you planting your family. What do you want to see? You want to see your family flourish and bless God says, plant it in the house of God. You want to see your finances, your business. You want to see, you know, your relationships, your friendships flourish. God says, plant them in the house. Well, all my friends think church is hokey. Maybe they need to be your mission focused and you need different friends. All right. And you bring them in one at a time as they come to know Jesus. Because if your, if your friend group is not planted in the house of God, it's not going to flourish. Don't look at me like I'm judging you. That's Jesus. You can straighten it out when you meet him. Tell Jesus how wrong he was. Don't tell me how wrong Jesus is. Right. I mean, it's just right there in the book. Look." [00:08:00] (59 seconds)

"So what flourishes? Things that are planted in the house of God. Seed flourishes when it's planted. Second thing is that going to church isn't the same as being planted. That's just not the same thing. Just showing up, you know, is not the same. Let me tell you a phrase I never heard as a child growing up. I never heard this phrase. Are we going to church today? Never heard that in my whole life. I was really blessed. We grew up in a little backwards church that has, you know, 30 people on Easter. Okay. But we were there, brother. Four of them was the lawsuits, you know. Every time the doors were open, there was never a question because church was not an event or an option or it was who we are. We were the church." [00:09:00] (48 seconds)


"And so we were planted there. And if I decided to try to get out of church, mom, I'm sick. I can't go today. She said, well, come on. We're going to pray for you at church. God's going to heal you. But mom, I just threw up. Well, don't you feel better? You probably come on to church. Now you feel a lot better. We were planted, you know. And my life has done just what scripture said it would do. It has flourished. He says, if you're planted in the house of God, you will, come on, say it with me. You will flourish. I want you to get this right. If you are planted, you will flourish. I've lived it. I have a wonderful family. I have a purposeful life. Like I have a reason to get up every day and I feel like it's purposeful. I have a lot of joy in my life. I am blessed beyond. I feel like if I put one thing in, God gave me 30 back at least. Just like the scripture said. But we were planted from the beginning. My dad was planted. He sang on the worship team. He ran the church. He ran the church." [00:09:48] (59 seconds)


"And he doesn't want you to be out there on your own. Every part of scripture, all of nature, once you start seeing the wisdom of scripture, you see it in all creation that God wants us dependent on each other and he wants there to be something deep beneath the surface that is deeper than the platform. I mean, what I'm doing here, standing up here today is above the surface and you get to see it and you can judge it for whatever. But if there's not something that you can't see in my life, then all of this will quickly go away. It won't last because dry seasons are coming. Rainy seasons are coming. Storms are coming in my life. And if all I have is whatever you see up on the surface, then there's nothing to sustain me. There's got to be something underneath the surface, a root structure. And I can tell you that that root structure is not just dependent on me. It's dependent on a faith community because we're all intertwined together. Our roots go down and we're all together." [00:18:44] (56 seconds)

"You see, the devil doesn't mind you going to church, but he's terrified of you being. the church. He's afraid you're going to start serving, that you're going to love others, that you're going to sacrifice, that you're going to become a giver. And because that's when his plan backfires. He wants you intertwined, but not with the things of God, with the things of this world. And that's why the Bible says, don't conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind through the word of God. You see, when you're planted, you're serving, you're worshiping, you're giving, you're praying, you're connected. That's when you're intertwined and there's a depth that protects you from what the enemy wants to do in your life. Those roots go down deep. Now, if they go down deep, they're going to produce a different kind of fruit. And that's the last point I want to make. Roots produce fruit." [00:19:41] (56 seconds)

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Transcript
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