I CHOOSE TO SERVE
MATTHEW 20:20-28
TODAY WE ARE STARTING ON THE LAST AND MOST IMPORTANT SECTION OF OUR SERIES ON CHOICES. “DESTINY CHOICES” ARE THE SUMMATION OF ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHOICES THAT WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY LOOKED AT.
DESTINY CHOICES PROPEL US INTO THE FUTURE, AND AS WE LOOK BACK OVER OUR LIVES WE ASK THE QUESTION, “WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED?” “WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND HOW DO WE COMMIT OUR LIVES TO ACCOMPLISH IT?”
DESTINY CHOICES INVOLVE SERVING OTHERS AND STANDING FOR THE GOSPEL. JESUS TAUGHT:
MATTHEW 20:28: JUST AS THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY.”
THE MOTIVATION FOR SERVING MUST BE RIGHT AS WELL. SERVING CAN’T BE OUT OF A SENSE OF OBLIGATION. WE USED TO SING THE HYMN “THERE IS JOY IN SERVING JESUS” AND THAT IS THE ATTITUDE WE SHOULD HAVE.
THE CHOICE TO STAND REMINDS US OF OUR WORTH IN GOD’S EYES, AND THE IMPORTANCE FOR US TO STAND FOR OUR CHRISTIAN BELIEFS. WHEN OUR LIVES ARE FINISHED WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY AS PAUL DID:
2 TIMOTHY 4:7-8:
I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED THE RACE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH. 8 NOW THERE IS IN STORE FOR ME THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH THE LORD, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, WILL AWARD TO ME ON THAT DAY—AND NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT ALSO TO ALL WHO HAVE LONGED FOR HIS APPEARING
MAKING DESTINY CHOICES NOW WILL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS, TO DEPEND ON THE POWER OF GOD, AND HAVE THE CONTENTMENT OF SAYING OUR LIFE WAS WORTHWHILE.
NOW, LETS TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE CHOICE TO SERVE.
JAMES MacDONALD WRITES:
“ I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART THAT YOU ARE DESTINED FOR GREATNESS. I BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE THAT INCLUDES FABULOUS BLESSINGS AS YOU MAKE CHOICES EVERY DAY THAT CAN BRING YOU FAVOR WITH GOD AND A LIFE OF GREAT SATISFACTION.”
GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE THAT LEADS TO GREATNESS. WHAT WE TEND TO DO THOUGH, IS EQUATE SUCCESS AND GREATNESS WITH THE ACQUISITION OF POSSESSIONS AND WEALTH. GOD’S GREATNESS TAKES A DIFFERENT APPROACH AND IS THEREFORE SOMETIMES HARD TO UNDERSTAND.
POINT ONE: WHERE GREATNESS IS NOT FOUND
TWO IMPORTANT AREAS WHERE GOD’S GREATNESS IS NOT FOUND ARE THE AREAS OF POSITION AND POWER.
GREATNESS ACCORDING TO THE WORLD IS MEASURED WITH AN ASCENDING SCALE. YOU MUST ALWAYS BE ADVANCING AND MOVING UP IN THE COMPANY. WE HAVE TO ALWAYS BE BETTER IN SPORTS, HAVE MORE TROPHIES, MORE ACQUISITIONS. THE KEY WORD IS MORE, MORE, MORE. THIS TYPE OF GREATNESS IS VERY FLEETING AND TEMPORARY.
THERE WAS A NIGHT A FEW YEARS AGO NOW, WHEN WAYNE GRETSKY WAS PLAYING IN EDMONTON. HE SCORED THE GOAL THAT MOVED HIM PAST GORDIE HOWE AND GIVE HIM THE RECORD FOR THE MOST GOALS SCORED IN THE NHL. DOES THAT MEAN THAT GORDIE HOWE CEASED TO BE A GREAT PLAYER? CERTAINLY NOT.
YOU AND I CANNOT MEASURE OUR GREATNESS BY THE POSITION WE HOLD OR THE POSSESSIONS WE HAVE, FOR WE COULD LOSE THEM ALL TOMORROW.
OUR GREATNESS IS MEASURED BY THE GRACE AND MERCY OF GOD. HE SAW IN US SUCH GREATNESS THAT HE CREATED A PLAN OF SALVATION FOR US. HE HAS AN ETERNAL HOME PREPARED FOR US. GOD’S GREATNESS IS NOT FLEETING OR TEMPORAL, BUT IS ETERNAL AND PERMANENT.
MATTHEW 6:33: BUT SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS WELL.
OUR WORTH IS NOT GAINED BY ANYTHING THAT WE DO, BUT IN SEEKING THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.
THE ACCOUNT THAT WE READ TODAY SHOWS WHY WE ARE NOT TO PURSUE WORLDLY GREATNESS. I MUST ADMIT I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE BIT AMUSED WITH THE ACCOUNT OF JAMES AND JOHN IN CHAPTER 20.
JAMES AND JOHN WANTED POSITIONS OF IMPORTANCE IN THE KINGDOM THAT JESUS WAS ABOUT TO SET UP. FEARING THE COMPETITION FROM THE OTHERS, THEY DECIDED TO BRING IN SOMEONE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY NO TO. THESE GROWN MEN TOLD THEIR MOTHER TO HELP THEM.
CAN YOU JUST HEAR THE CONVERSATION. “HEY JESUS. MY BOYS THEY ARE GOOD BOYS. THEY HAVE SERVED YOU WELL. THESE OTHERS ARE JUST A BUNCH OF FISHERMEN AND A TAX COLLECTOR. THEY ARE NOT REALLY WHAT YOU NEED TO GOVERN A KINGDOM. MY BOYS ARE WHAT YOU WANT, WHAT YOU NEED.”
THE BOYS AND THEIR MOTHER HAD NO IDEA WHAT THEY WERE ASKING. JESUS KNEW WHAT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.
MATTHEW 20:22-23:
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE ASKING,” JESUS SAID TO THEM. “CAN YOU DRINK THE CUP I AM GOING TO DRINK?” “WE CAN,” THEY ANSWERED. 23 JESUS SAID TO THEM, “YOU WILL INDEED DRINK FROM MY CUP, BUT TO SIT AT MY RIGHT OR LEFT IS NOT FOR ME TO GRANT. THESE PLACES BELONG TO THOSE FOR WHOM THEY HAVE BEEN PREPARED BY MY FATHER.”
JESUS KNEW THE SUFFERING THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY GO THROUGH FOR HIM, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE NOT READY YET. JAMES WOULD BE ONE OF THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR’S, THE RECORD OF HIS BEHEADING IS IN ACTS 12.
JOHN WOULD FACE A DIFFERENT KIND OF PAIN AS HE WOULD BE THE LAST OF THE APOSTLES TO DIE. HE WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH THEIR DEATHS, UNTIL DEATH CLAIMED HIM.
JAMES AND JOHN WANTED POSITIONS WITH POWER, AND THEY HOPED TO ATTAIN IT THROUGH THEIR MOTHER. WHEN THE OTHERS HEARD WHAT THEY HAD DONE THEY WERE OUTRAGED. THEY MAY HAVE WANTED THE POSITIONS FOR THEMSELVES.
THE PROBLEM WITH GAINING SUCH POSITIONS IS THAT WE CAN LET THEM GO TO OUR HEADS AND GO ON A POWER TRIP. JESUS SOLVED THIS ISSUE FOR US BY TEACHING THAT WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE, NOT BE SERVED. WHEN WE ARE SERVED WE ARE ACTUALLY ABUSING OUR POSITION OF POWER AND ALWAYS LEADS TO PRIDE.
A GREAT MAN OF GOD IN MY HOME CHURCH WOULD OFTEN SAY, “TRY YOUR LIGHTS YOUR HORN WORKS FINE”, IF SOMEONE WERE BRAGGING ABOUT THEIR TITLE OR POSITION.
2 CORINTHIANS 4:7: BUT WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN JARS OF CLAY TO SHOW THAT THIS ALL-SURPASSING POWER IS FROM GOD AND NOT FROM US.
IF PLACED IN POSITIONS OF POWER, WE ARE PLACED THERE BY GOD TO SERVE HIM. THANK HIM AND THEN ALLOW HIM TO USE YOU FOR HIS PRAISE AND GLORY.
POINT THREE: THE NEED TO SERVE
MATTHEW 20:26-28:
NOT SO WITH YOU. INSTEAD, WHOEVER WANTS TO BECOME GREAT AMONG YOU MUST BE YOUR SERVANT, 27 AND WHOEVER WANTS TO BE FIRST MUST BE YOUR SLAVE—28 JUST AS THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY.”
THE DESIRE FOR TRUE GREATNESS IS GOD-GIVEN AND IS AN AWESOME THING. GREATNESS IN JESUS’ EYES IS MEASURED IN OUR SERVING.
THERE ARE MANY AVENUES OF SERVING FOR CHRISTIANS TODAY. THE NEED IS VERY GREAT.
1. CHRISTIANS CAN VOLUNTEER TO HELP IN THE COMMUNITY. WE CAN BE INVOLVED AT THE LOCAL FOOD BANK, OR DRIVE FOR MEALS ON WHEELS. WE CAN VOLUNTEER AT THE HOSPITAL OR SEEK TO HELP SENIORS IN THE AREA. THERE ARE MANY POSSIBILITIES OF SERVING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
2. WE CAN VOLUNTEER TO HELP AREAS HIT BY THE RECENT HURRICANES. THE CBC DID A STORY OF A 67 YEAR OLD MINISTER AND VOLUNTEER CHAPLAIN, WHO IS GOING TO HELP THE PEOPLE IN TEXAS, AS HE IS ALSO A LICENSED PLUMBER.
3. WE CAN VOLUNTEER FOR SHORT TERM MISSION PROJECTS. WE CAN BE INVOLVED IN SUCH PROJECTS AS OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD.
4. WE CAN BE ACTIVE IN VARIOUS MINISTRIES OF OUR CHURCH
MANY TIMES THOUGH OUR REACTION IS SCORN AND CYNICISM RATHER THAN REACHING OUT IN LOVE. THE NEED IN THE WORLD IS GREAT, BUT SO IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE. GOD DIDN’T CALL US TO BE THANKED FOR OUR EFFORTS, NOR DID HE CALL US TO PLACE A VALUE JUDGMENT ON THOSE IN NEED. JESUS CALLED US TO SERVE, AND HE WILL BLESS US AS HE CHOOSES.
POINT FOUR: TRUE GREATNESS IS ACHIEVED WHEN I CHOOSE TO SERVE
JAMES MacDONALD WRITES:
“THIS IS A CHOICE THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. MY LIFE IS NOT GOING TO BE ABOUT MYSELF. I’M GOING TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM. I CAN’T CHANGE THE WORLD, BUT I CAN CHANGE MY OWN DESTINY. I KNOW WHAT GOD WANTS. I KNOW WHAT GOD IS LOOKING FOR. I’M GOING TO BE A SERVANT.”
WHEN WE COMMIT OUR MINDS TO SERVING OTHERS FOR THE SAKE OF GLORIFYING GOD, AND FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH ACTION, THEN WE WILL KNOW THE DELIGHT OF BEING GREAT IN GOD’S EYES.
ECCLESIASTES 9:10: WHATEVER YOUR HAND FINDS TO DO, DO IT WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT,
WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO THE CHRISTIAN IS THAT THE LONGER WE ARE A CHRISTIAN THE MORE WE SHOULD MATURE IN CHRIST. A NEW BORN SHOULD FEED ON MILK, BUT A TWENTY YEAR OLD SHOULD FEED ON SOLID MEAT.
WHT HAPPENS TO MANY CHRISTIANS THOUGH IS JUST THE OPPOSITE. WE BEGIN BY TAKING IN THE THINGS OF THE FAITH. REMEMBER WHEN YOU COULD SIT FOR HOURS UNDER STRONG BIBLE TEACHING.
IN THE COURSE OF TIME THOUGH, THAT EDGE YOU HAD WHEN YOU FIRST ACCEPTED CHRIST WEARS OFF, AND THE EXCITEMENT FALLS. OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH REACHS A PLATEAU, LEVELS OFF, AND EVENTUALLY BEGINS TO DECLINE.
THE ONLY WAY TO NOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN IS TO SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED. AS YOU EVANGELIZE YOU WILL BECOME EXCITED AT WHAT GOD IS DOING THROUGH YOU. YOU WILL SEE THE KINGDOM GROW, AND THERE IS NOTHING MORE EXCITING IN THIS WORLD THAN THAT.
CONCLUSION:
MAIDA PICKARD WAS A WOMAN IN HER EIGHTIES WHEN I KNEW HER. SHE LOVED THE LORD DEEPLY, AND SOUGHT TO SERVE HIM IN ANY WAY SHE COULD.
I HAD MAIDA INVOLVED IN OUR YOUTH GROUP AS A RESIDENT GRAND-MOTHER. SHE LOVED TO TALK WITH THE CHILDREN, AND HAD A GREAT WAY AROUND THEM. SHE WAS INVOLVED WITH THE W.M.S. GROUP, TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL, JUST A PLEASURE TO BE AROUND. LESLIE WOULD STAY WITH HER WHEN SHE CAME TO TEMPERANCE VALE BEFORE WE WERE MARRIED.
MAIDA WOULD DRIVE ANOTHER LADY WHO WAS BLIND AND ELDERLY TO CHURCH. IT WASN’T FAR AND I DON’T BELIEVE IT STRESSED HER TO DO SO.
ONE SUNDAY MORNING, THE W.M.S. HAD THE SERVICE AND SHE WAS TO TAKE PART. WE SAW HER DRIVE BY TO PICK THIS OTHER WOMAN UP. SHE EVEN WAVED TO US. WHEN THE SERVICE STARTED, THERE WAS NO MAIDA. I DIDN’T HAVE A PART TO PLAY IN THE SERVICE, AND MY DEACON AND I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG, SO WE DROVE UP THE ROAD TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED.
WE DROVE RIGHT BY THE PLACE WHERE HE CAR WENT OFF THE ROAD, OVERTURNED, AND WAS PARTLY SUBMERGED IN WATER. THE OTHER LADY WAS ALL RIGHT, BUT MAIDA HAD A HEART ATTACK AND WAS IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
CAN YOU IMAGINE STARTING OUT TO GO TO CHURCH, AND TWENTY MINUTES LATER BE IN GOD’S PRESENCE. WHAT A REWARD FOR A FAITHFUL SERVANT.
PHILIPPIANS 2:3-5:
DO NOTHING OUT OF SELFISH AMBITION OR VAIN CONCEIT. RATHER, IN HUMILITY VALUE OTHERS ABOVE YOURSELVES, 4 NOT LOOKING TO YOUR OWN INTERESTS BUT EACH OF YOU TO THE INTERESTS OF THE OTHERS. 5 IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONE ANOTHER, HAVE THE SAME MINDSET AS CHRIST JESUS:
JESUS IS THE ROLE MODEL WE SHOULD FOLLOW, AND HE SET THE BAR HIGH. HE CAME TO SERVE, CAN WE DO ANYTHING LESS.
JAMES MacDONALD WRITES:
“AFTER THE CHOICE TO FOLLOW CHRIST, THE CHOICE TO SERVE HIM IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CHOICE YOU WILL EVER MAKE. ALL OF LIFE COMES INTO PERSPECTIVE WHEN YOU SEE YOURSELF AS A SERVANT. PRIORITIES COME IN LINE WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE “I’M HERE TO SERVE HIM.” THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT ABOUT JESUS SERVING ME; IT’S ABOUT ME SERVING HIM.”
GREATNESS IS YOUR GOD-GIVEN DESTINY, AND IT ALL BEGINS WITH A DECISION THAT ONLY YOU CAN MAKE: I CHOOSE TO SERVE JESUS CHRIST.
