Sermon Central
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Serving
Contributed by Rick Stacy on May 27, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: You may never get the kind of recognition or applause that you might like or that you see others getting for doing the same kind of work. But Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount that the Father sees what is done in secret.
UNSTOPPABLE: Serving Others
July 20
Knowledge Understands – Values Transform
Knowledge Understands – Values Transform
Values determine who we are.
I remember being taught the importance of values when someone – I really don’t remember who – told me about a young man who joined the marines where he learned how to spit shine his shoes, organize his locker neatly, fold his pants with a crease and make a bed that was so tight that if you dropped a quarter on it the coin would bounce waist high. But when this same man left the marines and went to college his room was became an example of chaos theory on a bad day. He didn’t make his bed for weeks at a time. The floor was covered with torn blue jeans, grubby t-shirts, dirty skivvies, and the crusts of old pizzas.
Now I ask you – how is it that a young man, who knows how to keep a neat bunk, and spiffy clothes, chooses to live in such a way? The answer is simple – although he knows how and understands what it takes to live neatly he does not value living that way – knowledge is not enough.
Knowledge is not the same as Values. Knowledge understands – Values Transform
Over the last several weeks we have been examining the core values of Meridian Christian Church. I think that this is critically important for us as a church family. Knowing what we should do is not enough if we don’t hold the values deeply in our minds and our hearts.
If we hold these values – then we are UNSTOPPABLE!
Helping People Find The Way Home
Welcoming
From Visiting to Belonging
The first week we spoke of Barney – Barnabas, the son of encouragement – and how everyone needs a Barney in their life. Everyone needs someone to encourage and help them to belong. We all need that incredible sense of connection with the family of God.
At MCC we’re working on creating an atmosphere where you can stop visiting and start belonging!
Worshiping
From Watching to Worshiping
The second week we spoke of Tommy – Thomas the apostle – who upon seeing the resurrected Lord fell to his knees and cried out, “My Lord and My God.”
Every one of us needs to worship Jesus as Lord. Our desire is that you’ll stop watching and start worshiping!
Growing
From Seeking to Following
Peter (not Petey!) – in his growth as a disciple moved through four distinct decisions leading to real change in his life. Each built on the foundation of the last as he eventually became a sold-out radical dynamic follower of Jesus.
All of the teaching, preaching, and studies we do here at MCC are designed to help you transform from a seeker into a follower of Jesus.
Serving
From Consumer to Contributor
Today we speak of James and John (not Jimmy and Johnny – You just don’t call the “sons of thunder”, Jimmy and Johnny, now do you!!) – These two apostles who were among the closest of Jesus followers and friends.
Why do we speak of them today? Let’s look at their lives and see how they became servants of the Lord Jesus. We will see how Jesus changed them from the type of men who proudly demanded, “What can I get!” and instead made them into the kind of men who humble bowed before the Lord and whispered “What can I give?”
Let’s read together in Matthew 20. We’ll start in verse 20…
Reaching
From Transformed to Transforming
They Wanted the Best Seats…
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21 “What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
Let’s camp here for a few minutes…
James & John were called the “sons of thunder” which ought to tell you something about their explosive natures. These guys were brothers and were likely extremely competitive – and they had a were being pushed by their stage mom – Zebedee’s wife. They had to have their stage mom ask Jesus for the best seats in His coming kingdom.
This passage illustrates something that I keep telling people: that the Bible deals with stuff that you and I deal with all the time.
In this case, it’s two guys whose ambitions clouded the really important stuff. You gotta admit – this doesn’t put James and John in the best light, does it? And now we’ve got this eternal record of these guys and their mom asking for special favors, and the rest of the gang jumping all over them for it.
