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Core Value: Serve

Ashland GracePoint

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Introduction:

Today we conclude All In, a series designed to paint a picture of our mission, vision, and core values. Seeing with clarity in these areas in crucial to understanding who are so that we can see a picture of the future.

We understand our mission to be:
We understand our vision to be:
We understand our core values to be:

The last 2 weeks we heard about the importance of prayer and the pattern of prayer that Christ has given us in the Lord’s prayer.

Testimonies: How has God been speaking to you through this sermon series, ALL In and specifically in the last few weeks on prayer? How have you seen God at work through prayer?

How are we going to pray together?

Sunday’s from 10:15am – 10:30am prayer in the Sanctuary around the altars. All are invited.
Establishment of a Prayer Room. Location is yet to be determined but will be a project for 2018.
24 Hours of Prayer taking place 2 times per year. Once in the spring and once in the fall.
Sign up for the Weekly Prayer Email
A greater emphasis on the power of prayer in our worship gatherings
Prayer Guide
Community Prayer Night – Oct. 29 (tonight)

Today we are going to be looking at our final core value, serve.

Our text comes from Mark 10:35-45 and you can turn to that passage now.

In this passage, we hear from the infamous duo, the Sons of Thunder, much like another dynamic duo of our time.

Video: Hanz and Franz

James and John were brash and bold didn’t listen very well to teaching or direction. Like us many times, we are focused on the external rather than the eternal, the illusion of power and authority, rather than on the simple truths of the Gospel. “There are more important things than posing.”

Mark 10:35-45 (NLT)
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.”
36 “What is your request?” he asked.
37 They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”
38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”
39 “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”
Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. 40 But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”
41 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Pray

This is not the first time that the disciples are concerned about their future and who is the greatest among them. This passage smacks of a lack of spiritual immaturity, selfishness, and a short memory since Jesus had already answered these questions previously.

But here we are again as James and John as the Lord to give them whatever they ask – like a child at a candy store. This is like a teenager asking mom or dad to give them a blank check to go cash.

But Jesus is patient and responds by asking what he can do for them.

James and John, the Sons of Thunder as they are nicknamed, felt that Jesus was about to establish the Messianic kingdom. In their mind’s, it was an earthly kingdom. This earthly kingdom would look like Jesus as the King and sovereign ruler of the kingdom with the “grand vizier on the sovereign’s right hand and the commander-in-chief at his left.” They were seeking the positions of greatest authority in the kingdom.

“While He was thinking of the cross, they were thinking of crowns. His burden was matched by their blindness, His sacrifice by their selfishness He wanted only to give, they to get. His motive was service, theirs was self-satisfaction.” (Earle)

As with many times with Jesus, He responds to a question with a question. “Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”

Of course, James and John agree that they can – ignorantly and arrogantly declaring their confidence, not knowing that in due time, they each would suffer as Christ will suffer. James was the first disciple to be martyred and John spend his last days suffering in exile on the Island of Patmos.

Jesus addresses their request and dashes their hopes of securing their future. Places of honor and corresponding responsibility are not distributed upon request. “They come in the very nature of the Kingdom, to those who are prepared for them by qualities of character and spirit.”

At this, the other ten disciples got riled up and the dispute of who would be a greatest among them flared again. As Jesus watches, he patiently calls all of them over to him and begins to teach them, again.

“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.”

The disciples would be very familiar with oppression from those in power. He uses the term “lord over”. It implies this sense of heavy handed authority with no real freedom. He also implies a sentiment of taking advantage of those “under” them.

Jesus draws this parallel to help the disciples understand that this is not the type of authority he or his followers are to have.

“43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.”

Why? 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Christ came to set the example of what a true Christian is, what a true leader is.

Movement 1:

The word serve or a form of it appears in scripture 1,198 times.

Serve: diakonia
Minister: diakonos. A term used for waiting on tables and emphasized the lowliness of Christian service. Usually associated with Christian ministry.

Luke 22:27 (NLT)
27 Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.

diakonia and doakonos come from the same root. To serve is to minister.

When you add the word ministry and serve together it appears 1,297 times.

doulos: lowliness of Christian service, slave. Form of bond- servant that Christ assumed (Phil. 2:7) and following His example, the apostles and their fellow laborers are designated as the slaves of God or Christ.

abad: religious service of a congregation or an individual. Serve, servant, work, worshipers, service to one another. Worship.

To serve is to minister. To minister is to worship. As we serve and minister to others, we are offering worship to the Lord. And we serve and minister through what is called “spiritual gifts”.

Movement 2:

Joanne Stevens

Movement 3:

Each person has been given gifts that God desires to be used and we want to help each of you find avenues to use your gifts.

One of these ways is a revised NMI structure. NMI stands for Nazarene Missions International and is a ministry of the church that is at the center of mobilizing us outside of these walls.

NMI Structure

In conjunction with this change, we are committed to:

Providing consistent opportunities to be in our community through local partnerships 4th of July, Emergency Food Bank, Ashland Food Project, Ashland Middle School, service projects, and more.
Providing consistent opportunities to be in our world through global partnerships
Every ministry we do is driven by the desire to see our community reached. Our resources will not be wasted on things that do not help us accomplish our mission and vision. Christmas Eve, weekly services, Point Groups, kids, our spaces, clear communication, social media, website
Keep in mind: our role is to serve, not save. Saving is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit.

Conclusions

James and John were concerned about positions of authority, security, control, power.

Each of us have personal ambitions that cloud what God desires for us.

That is the wrong concern.

We are taught but we do not listen therefore we do not learn.

To be first is to last, to be last is to be first.

This series has been leading us to a moment. A moment of surrender and commitment.

Are you All In with God? Are you All In with loving God and loving others? Are you All In for GracePoint?

Are you willing, are you making yourself available to:

Serve God with our time (be in relationship with Him
Through daily prayer and scripture reading, attend weekly worship gathering, and be involved in a Point Group)
Our talent (find a place to serve)
Our treasure (money/possessions) Honor God with your finances and your possessions. Seek God and ask Him what He would have you give and be obedient. If you are not giving financially, I challenge you to pray about that.

Are you All In with God? Are you All In with loving God and loving others? Are you All In for GracePoint?

Places of honor and corresponding responsibility are not distributed upon request. “They come in the very nature of the Kingdom, to those who are prepared for them by qualities of character and spirit.”

How are your qualities of character and spirit doing today? Response: Prayer and contemplation card.

Core Value: Serve

Ashland GracePoint

published 7y ago

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