WEBVTT 00:00:00.981 --> 00:00:04.349 Good morning. 00:00:04.349 --> 00:00:10.782 I'm Tyler, I'm the lead pastor here at Trinity and I'm excited about sharing the Word of God with you this morning. 00:00:10.782 --> 00:00:14.551 Are you ready for that Just one day? 00:00:14.551 --> 00:00:26.292 I feel like I'm going to ask that and you're going to just say, in unison, no, and I'll just keep going because we're believing that God's going to make you ready right One way or another. 00:00:26.981 --> 00:00:36.673 So this year we started out talking about what we felt like the Lord spoke to us as an elder team which is together, growing deeper, so we can reach farther. 00:00:36.673 --> 00:00:48.527 And two weeks ago we talked about being together and the fact that, because of the sacrifice of Jesus, god has made us one with him and with each other, and so we belong together. 00:00:48.527 --> 00:01:09.831 Right Last week we talked about growing deeper and the fact that we are not supposed to just get saved and that's the end of our journey, but there's this process of sanctification, where God desires for our roots to grow deep, and the reason that we can do this is because Christ is in us and we are in Christ and that's good news. 00:01:09.831 --> 00:01:16.128 And this week we're going to look at our final value, which is serve and sticking with the growth motif. 00:01:16.128 --> 00:01:31.951 It's great to have roots that grow deep, but the purpose for that is to give us the strength and stability that we need so that we can have a canopy that stretches out far and wide, and on that canopy, coming from that canopy, is a lot of fruit. 00:01:31.951 --> 00:01:38.373 And how many of you know, the fruit that is produced by our lives is not intended to be consumed by ourselves. 00:01:38.373 --> 00:01:57.331 It's intended to be given and used by others, and so we believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God desires for us to be fruit producing Christians who live this life to honor him and to love him and to love each other, and that's what we're going to be talking about today. 00:01:57.391 --> 00:02:08.342 As we entitle this message Reaching Farther, let's look in our Bibles at Luke, chapter 22, luke 22, and we're going to be reading verses 24 through 27. 00:02:08.342 --> 00:02:19.001 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 00:02:19.001 --> 00:02:21.264 I love this. 00:02:21.264 --> 00:02:32.515 And he said to them the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them and those in authority over them are called benefactors, but not so with you. 00:02:32.515 --> 00:02:47.467 Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest and the leader, as the one who serves For who is the greater, one who reclines at the table or one who serves Is it not the one who reclines at the table? 00:02:47.467 --> 00:02:52.993 But I am among you as the one who serves. 00:02:54.075 --> 00:03:02.786 Let's pray together today, and we're also going to be praying for the families of those who've lost loved ones in the plane crashes that have happened this last week, and just asking for mercy for them. 00:03:02.786 --> 00:03:04.346 So let's pray together. 00:03:04.346 --> 00:03:20.949 Father, we thank you for this day that you have made and, father, we thank you for the ability that we have to come together to celebrate you, to praise and worship you with our heart, soul, mind and strength for us to love each other and for us to learn from you, lord, god. 00:03:20.949 --> 00:03:28.848 And so, lord, I ask that the words that you give me and speak through me would be filled with might that comes from your Holy Spirit. 00:03:28.848 --> 00:03:37.451 I pray, lord, god, that you would break down any walls that keep us from being engaged in serving you and serving each other. 00:03:37.451 --> 00:03:46.253 And, father, I also pray now for those, the family members and the friends of those who lost loved ones over this last week. 00:03:46.253 --> 00:03:49.711 Father, we pray for mercy and kindness and compassion. 00:03:49.711 --> 00:04:16.334 We pray, lord, god, that this tragedy would somehow be used for your glory, that you would reveal yourself in powerful ways in this nation, and I pray that this would be, like Kelly said, a time when people's hearts would begin to turn towards you and Lord, when we hear of things like this, that we would not consider even just our own lives, but we would consider, lord, god, eternity, that we would think about the importance of serving you. 00:04:16.334 --> 00:04:18.704 And so, lord, we ask you for that. 00:04:18.704 --> 00:04:21.810 We pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus. 00:04:21.810 --> 00:04:22.713 Amen. 00:04:25.060 --> 00:04:28.771 Growing up, I never considered myself a selfish person. 00:04:28.771 --> 00:04:38.024 In fact, as a pastor's kid I don't know if you know this or not, but when you're a pastor's kid and your dad is pastoring a small church, the kids get to do what? 00:04:38.024 --> 00:04:47.302 Everything A little bit of everything, I mean you name any kind of ministry within the church and within my life. 00:04:47.302 --> 00:04:52.954 Growing up, I was involved in some part, in some way, in doing that thing. 00:04:52.954 --> 00:04:56.908 So, again, I considered myself a pretty selfless person. 00:04:56.908 --> 00:05:00.041 In fact, not just not selfish, but selfless. 00:05:00.041 --> 00:05:04.432 And that all changed one day when we had our firstborn child. 00:05:04.432 --> 00:05:41.125 So Amy had been laboring for three days yes, three days and then, as she was waiting to be able to deliver this baby, her body stopped progressing and she ended up having to have an emergency c-section Now coming home after that, amy's mom came and helped out for a little while and I was so grateful for that, but then she left and went home and I discovered something about our firstborn child Not naming names, although he's out of the country right now so I could actually say his name. 00:05:41.125 --> 00:05:44.040 If you know me, you know it's Jordan. 00:05:44.300 --> 00:05:47.281 Okay, this isn't a bad story, it's just Jordan. 00:05:47.281 --> 00:05:48.365 He was a baby, right. 00:05:48.365 --> 00:05:50.593 I discovered something about Jordan. 00:05:50.593 --> 00:05:53.343 He could not do anything for himself. 00:05:53.343 --> 00:05:59.021 Well, there was a couple of things he could do for himself, but I'm not going to talk about that today. 00:05:59.021 --> 00:06:02.307 Everything else he couldn't do for himself. 00:06:02.307 --> 00:06:08.526 And Amy was bedridden, basically because she had been so exhausted by all that she had gone through. 00:06:08.526 --> 00:06:19.291 And so guess who got to help Jordan do everything that he needed to do this guy, and through that process, guess what I discovered? 00:06:19.291 --> 00:06:24.766 Tyler was a selfish man. 00:06:24.766 --> 00:06:46.233 Tyler was a very selfish man, and you know why I recognize that, because not only was I now taking care of every need, of well, most needs of this little baby, but also Amy wasn't able to take care of my needs, and up until that point in time, I could pretty much count on her to take care of my needs right. 00:06:46.233 --> 00:06:56.992 And so now I was actually having to help not only getting to help, getting to help, to use the right terminology my baby and my wife now as she's recovering. 00:06:56.992 --> 00:07:01.290 And in that moment I realized I desperately needed help. 00:07:01.290 --> 00:07:02.846 I desperately needed help. 00:07:03.800 --> 00:07:09.886 So we'll get back to that story in a little while, but think about this passage today. 00:07:09.886 --> 00:07:27.334 The disciples had just finished the last supper we just took communion in commemoration and just had finished the last supper with Jesus before he would be crucified, and they're having a dispute amongst themselves about who's going to be the greatest in the kingdom of God. 00:07:27.334 --> 00:07:31.786 You can't make it up. 00:07:31.786 --> 00:07:33.029 It's too good. 00:07:33.029 --> 00:07:37.250 They wanted to know who was on the top of the best disciple list. 00:07:37.250 --> 00:07:40.108 Did they make the cut Right? 00:07:40.108 --> 00:08:11.632 Can you imagine that, three and a half years after walking and talking with Jesus every day, eating meals with him, watching him love on people and minister to the needs of everyone, being so wise in the way that he taught and the way that he dealt with those who were in opposition to him, the authority that he had over demonic spirits, all of the things that he did and accomplished while they were with him, and still, these disciples were miles away from understanding what greatness was all about. 00:08:11.632 --> 00:08:18.028 True greatness, authentic spirituality, was what? 00:08:18.028 --> 00:08:19.651 Genuine servanthood. 00:08:19.651 --> 00:08:23.785 Genuine servanthood Right in the shadow of the cross. 00:08:23.785 --> 00:08:26.492 These men are grasping for position. 00:08:27.480 --> 00:08:36.447 Now it's easy for us to look back on that occasion and picture that story and put blame on them, and it's normal, natural. 00:08:36.447 --> 00:08:42.065 But how many of us think it would have been different if we had been one of the disciples? 00:08:42.065 --> 00:08:45.273 Would we have acted any differently? 00:08:45.273 --> 00:08:48.409 Would we have changed our tone? 00:08:48.409 --> 00:08:53.751 And not only that, would we have been, but are we any different now? 00:08:53.751 --> 00:09:12.032 Jesus begins, in his discussion with his disciples, to compare and contrast the difference between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God as a way of illustrating the point that the disciples aren't viewing things from the proper perspective. 00:09:12.032 --> 00:09:19.134 One of the things that I want for each and every one of us is I want us to have the right kingdom mindset. 00:09:19.659 --> 00:09:31.070 Jesus spent the majority of his ministry teaching and preaching about what the kingdom of God, and it's important for us to understand that from his perspective and not from our own. 00:09:31.070 --> 00:09:32.561 So let's dive into this. 00:09:32.561 --> 00:09:38.754 The first thing that this passage says to me is that this world wants to be served. 00:09:38.754 --> 00:09:41.081 This world wants to be served. 00:09:41.081 --> 00:09:42.182 Remember that first line. 00:09:42.182 --> 00:09:56.807 And he said to them how many of you would acknowledge this morning that the natural tendency of human beings is to desire what To be served. 00:09:56.807 --> 00:09:59.326 I want to be served. 00:09:59.326 --> 00:10:02.105 I'll give you a little proof. 00:10:02.105 --> 00:10:09.846 Bk, have it your way, I know, don't quit your day job. 00:10:09.846 --> 00:10:13.431 Okay, I'm not planning on it, but it's in the commercial. 00:10:13.431 --> 00:10:15.287 I mean, we want to be served. 00:10:15.287 --> 00:10:17.268 We want to be served our way. 00:10:17.268 --> 00:10:21.171 We want to get what we want in the way that we want, how we want it. 00:10:21.171 --> 00:10:24.711 It's all about me. 00:10:24.711 --> 00:10:35.568 How we want it, it's all about me. 00:10:35.568 --> 00:10:37.397 We could switch that song around. 00:10:37.397 --> 00:10:37.859 It's all about me. 00:10:37.859 --> 00:10:43.645 Jesus, no, no, I can hear him screaming no, please. 00:10:43.645 --> 00:10:50.192 But we've been trained by our culture to believe that life is all about us and therefore should be about others, taking care of our needs and our desires. 00:10:51.380 --> 00:10:57.504 And those in authority that Jesus is speaking about here tend to try to make others subservient to them. 00:10:57.504 --> 00:11:10.942 They want power, they want absolute power, so that they can exercise that power over other human beings and, ultimately, that those other human beings would do what Would serve them. 00:11:10.942 --> 00:11:14.087 Would serve them, would serve them. 00:11:14.087 --> 00:11:15.936 Now, here's the problem. 00:11:15.936 --> 00:11:23.563 It doesn't matter in that kind of scenario who you have to harm or who you have to run over in order to accomplish that. 00:11:23.563 --> 00:11:35.102 As long as I'm being served, my needs are being met, then I've accomplished whatever I need to do, and it doesn't really matter how it affects anybody else on the planet, right? 00:11:35.102 --> 00:11:40.490 So this world wants to be served, but it not only wants to be served, but it not only wants to be served. 00:11:40.490 --> 00:11:44.861 This world wants to be seen as serving people. 00:11:44.861 --> 00:11:47.457 It goes on to say in the passage. 00:11:47.570 --> 00:11:50.857 And those in authority over them are called benefactors. 00:11:50.857 --> 00:12:02.173 Benefactors the only thing better than being served for an ungodly leader is to be considered a servant by those who that they are making serve them. 00:12:02.173 --> 00:12:12.743 So if I can somehow make the people that are serving me feel like I'm serving them, then I'm going to feel really good about myself and they'll feel good about me. 00:12:12.743 --> 00:12:14.192 So you know how they used to do this. 00:12:14.192 --> 00:12:34.807 They'd give little token gifts to all the little people out there, and the little token gifts that were given to all the little people out there and the little token gifts that were given to all the little people out there were to change, to brighten up the attitude of the people towards their leaders, so that they would speak well of them, so that they would think well of them, so that they would call them their benefactors. 00:12:34.807 --> 00:12:41.591 These people are here and they're serving us, don't you see it? 00:12:41.591 --> 00:12:54.018 All the while, many times, these very leaders ended up being cruel tyrants, not caring at all about the people that they were supposedly serving. 00:12:54.018 --> 00:12:57.840 They were only interested in their own status and power. 00:12:58.200 --> 00:12:59.821 Why do we do the things that we do? 00:12:59.821 --> 00:13:02.822 Are we looking for something in return? 00:13:02.822 --> 00:13:06.464 Are we looking for some kind of adoration or acclamation? 00:13:06.464 --> 00:13:13.668 Are we looking for somebody to look at us and say, wow, they really love me, they really care about me, they really serve me? 00:13:13.668 --> 00:13:18.870 Are we doing that with the right motivation and the right heart and the right attitude? 00:13:18.870 --> 00:13:21.655 That's what Jesus was trying to get to with his disciples. 00:13:21.655 --> 00:13:25.003 Let's make sure our heart is right. 00:13:28.110 --> 00:13:32.558 Jesus goes on to say basically, in our terms, we are not of this world. 00:13:32.558 --> 00:13:35.104 We are not of this world. 00:13:35.104 --> 00:13:37.051 Everybody's wondering if there are aliens. 00:13:37.051 --> 00:13:37.711 Look around. 00:13:37.711 --> 00:13:39.052 This room is filled with them. 00:13:39.052 --> 00:13:39.331 This world. 00:13:39.331 --> 00:13:40.413 Everybody's wondering if there are aliens. 00:13:40.413 --> 00:13:40.753 Look around. 00:13:40.753 --> 00:13:41.653 This room is filled with them. 00:13:41.653 --> 00:13:42.533 We are not of this world. 00:13:42.533 --> 00:13:43.835 We belong to another kingdom. 00:13:43.835 --> 00:13:48.398 Peter actually called us aliens, right Strangers in this land. 00:13:48.398 --> 00:13:49.778 We are set apart. 00:13:49.778 --> 00:13:57.624 We are in this world, but we are not of this world, and so we live in this dichotomy between those two things. 00:13:58.524 --> 00:14:01.385 The kingdom of God isn't like this world system at all. 00:14:01.385 --> 00:14:04.388 In fact, jesus said but not so with you. 00:14:04.388 --> 00:14:15.654 You're not going to be like the Gentile leaders and the Gentile lords that require service or serve a little bit, so that other people will look at them and say, wow, look at how great those people are. 00:14:15.654 --> 00:14:17.475 We're going to be different than that. 00:14:17.475 --> 00:14:19.666 Not so with you. 00:14:19.767 --> 00:14:26.363 According to Jesus, greatness was the very opposite, in fact, of what the world says that it is. 00:14:26.363 --> 00:14:31.460 That's why some people have coined the kingdom of God as the upside down kingdom. 00:14:31.460 --> 00:14:57.976 Everything that we've been taught in our culture, everything that we believe to be true based on what we've experienced and seen and heard about and learned, many of those things are completely backwards of what they should be when we talk about the kingdom of God, and we have to continually remind ourselves of this, or else we could easily find ourselves slipping into the way that this world does things. 00:14:57.976 --> 00:15:04.644 So if we want to be great Jesus is talking to his disciples you're worried about being great. 00:15:04.644 --> 00:15:07.554 Here's how you're going to do it. 00:15:07.554 --> 00:15:10.085 If we want to be great, we must serve. 00:15:10.085 --> 00:15:12.576 We must serve. 00:15:12.576 --> 00:15:18.298 It goes on to say rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest and the leader, as one who serves. 00:15:18.809 --> 00:15:21.438 Jesus redefines the meaning of greatness. 00:15:21.438 --> 00:15:21.700 Here. 00:15:21.700 --> 00:15:23.909 He reverses the values of the world. 00:15:23.909 --> 00:15:32.565 The greatness is measured in terms of services that are given without thought of any kind of reward. 00:15:32.565 --> 00:15:40.860 I'm serving because it's my heart's desire and I'm not looking for anything in return. 00:15:40.860 --> 00:15:44.926 It's amazing. 00:15:44.926 --> 00:15:47.758 That is the kingdom of God. 00:15:47.758 --> 00:15:53.039 This is the natural disposition of those who are a part of the kingdom of God. 00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:57.837 Don't give in to the temptation to come underneath the culture of this world. 00:15:57.837 --> 00:16:09.076 In this regard, let's make sure that we're standing strong and implementing, by God's grace and by the work of the Holy Spirit, the kingdom of God culture which says I live. 00:16:09.076 --> 00:16:12.403 I'm going to just give you the answer here to my dilemma. 00:16:12.884 --> 00:16:16.919 When Jordan was born, not long after that, the Lord dropped something in my heart. 00:16:16.919 --> 00:16:19.433 I don't even know if I heard somebody else say it I don't. 00:16:19.433 --> 00:16:30.696 I honestly don't know where it came from, but it became kind of a defining phrase for my life, and it's just simply this I live to give, I live to give. 00:16:30.696 --> 00:16:33.235 My kids will tell you. 00:16:33.235 --> 00:16:36.562 They know this saying because I say it all the time. 00:16:36.562 --> 00:16:38.618 I live to give. 00:16:38.618 --> 00:16:43.573 It's a part, it's becoming a part more and more every day, of who I am. 00:16:44.014 --> 00:16:49.745 The natural disposition of my life in Christ is that I live to give. 00:16:49.745 --> 00:17:00.974 It's my heart's desire, it's what God has placed in me and it's what I want to emulate around me and it's what I want to emulate around me. 00:17:00.974 --> 00:17:04.881 So the first service that we must offer is we must serve God. 00:17:04.881 --> 00:17:13.001 Deuteronomy 10, verse 12, says and now Israel, what does the Lord, your God require of you? 00:17:13.001 --> 00:17:25.102 But to fear the Lord, your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord, your God with all your heart and with all your soul, not just surface stuff, but from the depths of who you are. 00:17:25.102 --> 00:17:30.521 I'm serving because this God is worthy of my service. 00:17:32.411 --> 00:17:34.857 Remember when Jesus was asked what's the greatest commandment? 00:17:34.857 --> 00:17:35.780 What was his answer? 00:17:35.780 --> 00:17:40.520 You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. 00:17:40.520 --> 00:17:45.923 And then the second is, like unto it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 00:17:45.923 --> 00:17:49.979 Serve God and serve each other. 00:17:49.979 --> 00:17:51.502 That's the next point. 00:17:51.502 --> 00:17:53.076 We must serve each other. 00:17:53.529 --> 00:17:54.773 Galatians 5.13,. 00:17:54.773 --> 00:18:00.853 For you were called to freedom, brothers, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. 00:18:00.853 --> 00:18:19.117 How many of you know it's easy to serve him and love him Because he never does anything wrong? 00:18:19.117 --> 00:18:21.153 How many of you know it's easy to serve him and love him because he never does anything wrong? 00:18:21.153 --> 00:18:27.340 He never says anything wrong, although we disagree with him at times, if we're honest, right, he doesn't do anything that's wrong. 00:18:27.340 --> 00:18:33.416 Although we sometimes have question marks there, his motives are all pure. 00:18:33.416 --> 00:18:44.920 Everything about serving God is fairly easy in some ways because of the character and nature of who he is. 00:18:44.940 --> 00:18:49.733 But when we talk about loving and serving each other as a part of the body of Christ, how many of you know we're still in process. 00:18:49.733 --> 00:18:52.538 We're not quite there yet. 00:18:52.538 --> 00:19:05.760 We haven't yet arrived where we will one day arrive, when we see Jesus and we will be transformed and changed and we will be like him. 00:19:05.760 --> 00:19:14.079 We, as the body of Christ, need each other and the gifts that God's given to each one of us. 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:33.203 It matters which local church you're a part of, and it matters that you choose to serve the other people that you're connected with within that body, because each one of us provides a different aspect of the life of Jesus that is needed within that body. 00:19:33.203 --> 00:19:44.659 Each one of you have tremendous gifts and things that God's put in your heart, and strengths and things that are unique to you as a person and this body. 00:19:44.659 --> 00:19:49.214 If you're a part of Trinity Community Church, I'm telling you right now this body needs you. 00:19:49.214 --> 00:19:55.352 We desperately need you, and we need you not just in attendance. 00:19:55.352 --> 00:19:59.038 We need you not just you know, in a peripheral way. 00:19:59.038 --> 00:20:03.865 We need you as a part of the lifeblood of this body. 00:20:03.865 --> 00:20:18.653 And one of the ways that we can interact in that way, one of the ways that we can engage in that way, is to think about how can I serve one another, how can we serve one another, how can we serve each other? 00:20:18.653 --> 00:20:24.307 I want to say to you that this church is unique. 00:20:25.194 --> 00:20:29.946 Most churches and most leaders that I talk to talk about the 20-80 rule. 00:20:29.946 --> 00:20:31.140 Do you know what that rule is? 00:20:31.140 --> 00:20:35.786 That is a rule that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. 00:20:35.786 --> 00:20:39.904 20% of the people do 80% of the work. 00:20:39.904 --> 00:20:44.821 How many of you know if you're trying to do anything much, that's not going to work for long. 00:20:44.821 --> 00:20:47.763 Because what happens to the 20% of the people. 00:20:47.763 --> 00:20:51.884 They get burnt out, they get weary, they grow tired. 00:20:51.884 --> 00:20:53.900 It's just too much. 00:20:53.900 --> 00:21:04.707 In this church, 80% of the people do 80% of the work and I want to say to you thank you very, very much. 00:21:04.707 --> 00:21:10.439 It is an unusual situation that we find ourselves in. 00:21:10.439 --> 00:21:12.345 It is rare beyond belief. 00:21:12.946 --> 00:21:23.308 And so, as I speak these things to you today, I'm not speaking them to you in some kind of tone that comes from frustration or like I wish that you would serve. 00:21:23.308 --> 00:21:28.801 It's more like can we make sure that our serving is aligned with where the areas of need are? 00:21:28.801 --> 00:21:39.407 Can we connect the gifts and strengths and character and personality that God has placed in each one of us with the areas of need? 00:21:39.407 --> 00:21:43.845 Now, if there's an 80-80 rule here, guess what's left. 00:21:43.845 --> 00:21:50.374 Now, if there's an 80-80 rule here, guess what's left. 00:21:50.374 --> 00:21:52.320 Some of the mathematicians in the room can help me with this. 00:21:52.320 --> 00:21:53.403 There's no trick questions here. 00:21:53.403 --> 00:21:56.691 What's left? 00:21:56.691 --> 00:21:59.684 20%, to be honest with you, that's where we're lacking. 00:22:01.076 --> 00:22:16.375 We have a 20% need within our church when it comes to the ministry teams here, and so what we'd ask if you are not currently serving in a ministry team, or if you are serving in a ministry team but you feel like you have more time that you could dedicate or donate. 00:22:16.375 --> 00:22:24.526 If you're serving, maybe, say, once a quarter, and you'd be willing to serve once a month, or there's all kinds of scenarios that Derek can talk to you about in a few minutes. 00:22:24.526 --> 00:22:34.288 I won't get into all the details, but we're just asking you to prayerfully consider stepping up and being a part of the solution to our 20% need. 00:22:34.288 --> 00:22:35.491 Does that make sense? 00:22:35.491 --> 00:22:37.556 Appreciate that very much. 00:22:37.556 --> 00:22:43.547 You guys like I said before, you guys are amazing. 00:22:43.547 --> 00:22:45.150 I'll just give two or three examples. 00:22:46.556 --> 00:22:50.366 There are some of you who visit people that are shut-ins. 00:22:50.366 --> 00:22:53.263 Did you know we took communion together today? 00:22:53.263 --> 00:23:03.421 There are people in our church that take communion elements to the shut-ins that can't come to church and they sit with them and they pray with them and they take communion together. 00:23:03.421 --> 00:23:09.506 That's amazing to me that people would have the heart to do something like that. 00:23:09.506 --> 00:23:28.298 There are other people who take in other people's kids that they barely know into their home to take care of them, to watch over them, to help them, so that the family can focus on one child that is in need of medical help for an extended period of time. 00:23:28.298 --> 00:23:39.165 That's happening right here in this church, not a program that we started, not anything that we, you know, begged or asked for anybody to be involved with. 00:23:39.165 --> 00:23:41.679 This is just in your hearts to do this. 00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:49.541 I got an email this week from somebody that was we were praying for them and they were just thanking us for the support. 00:23:49.541 --> 00:23:57.267 They had an injury, a physical injury that's kept them out of church for a certain period of time, but they really want to get back with us. 00:23:57.267 --> 00:24:03.048 And what I didn't know was that some of you have been preparing meals for them and taking them to them. 00:24:03.048 --> 00:24:18.596 Some of you have went and sat with them as they were trying to recover and trying to get through the physical therapy and all of that stuff that goes on with trying to get better from something physical, you know, something difficult physically. 00:24:18.596 --> 00:24:25.627 The other thing that I'll just nail this as the over the top thing I guess they have poodles. 00:24:25.627 --> 00:24:33.259 Somebody's been taking care of the poodles and they mentioned that in the email and I'm like talk about going above and beyond. 00:24:33.259 --> 00:24:37.276 I mean, you care, some of you care even about the dogs in the house. 00:24:37.276 --> 00:24:40.080 That's amazing to me. 00:24:40.080 --> 00:24:42.384 That's amazing to me. 00:24:43.066 --> 00:24:45.630 Keep it up, let's keep going. 00:24:45.630 --> 00:24:51.395 Let's engage all of us in this kind of thought, in this kind of imagination, lord? 00:24:51.395 --> 00:24:55.045 How can you use me today to be a blessing to somebody else? 00:24:55.045 --> 00:24:58.820 Amen, let's finish up here. 00:24:58.820 --> 00:25:08.586 There are several teams within the church that are here to serve you the elder team we are servants of the Lord and we are here to serve you. 00:25:08.586 --> 00:25:10.128 And I mean that. 00:25:10.128 --> 00:25:17.807 The deacon ministry, same thing, the staff, our oversight team, the ministry teams within this church. 00:25:17.807 --> 00:25:21.763 I could go on and on and on. 00:25:21.763 --> 00:25:25.664 And then, finally, we must serve the world. 00:25:26.648 --> 00:25:27.412 Matthew 28,. 00:25:27.412 --> 00:25:35.278 We know, as Jesus is speaking to his disciples before he gets ready to ascend, he says all authority in heaven, on earth has been given to me. 00:25:35.278 --> 00:25:53.817 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and behold, I'm with you always, to the end of the age. 00:25:53.817 --> 00:25:55.882 God's kingdom plan is for us to partner with him in reaching the world for Jesus. 00:25:55.882 --> 00:25:59.454 God doesn't just want us to serve within the confines of this church. 00:25:59.454 --> 00:26:09.310 He wants us to reach out with his love and his compassion and his kindness to a world that is in desperate need of Jesus. 00:26:10.134 --> 00:26:11.577 Some of you young people over here. 00:26:11.577 --> 00:26:28.590 God is going to be calling you to a life of missions and serving him around the world, and I want you to know that you being in church and paying attention to what we're talking about is something that God's going to use in your life as a preparatory step. 00:26:28.590 --> 00:26:37.106 And wherever you go, whatever you do, your life is on mission, whether you're in Zimbabwe or whether you're in Knoxville, tennessee. 00:26:37.106 --> 00:26:42.943 So I just want to encourage you with that Don't resent this time in your life. 00:26:42.943 --> 00:26:49.107 This is some of the best times that you have to be able to focus in on what's really important. 00:26:49.107 --> 00:26:51.663 So we can serve the world by going. 00:26:51.663 --> 00:27:01.930 We have trips scheduled to go to Cuba as an exploratory trip to see if God might make a connection point there for us to take more short-term trips to Cuba. 00:27:01.930 --> 00:27:04.544 We also have a potential trip to Poland. 00:27:04.544 --> 00:27:11.988 Rob and Chris obviously have a Buffalo trip that they'll be doing in the summer and other things to be involved with. 00:27:11.988 --> 00:27:13.137 We can go. 00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:23.000 We can also serve the world by sending, by equipping people, by discipling, by working with people to make sure that they're ready to go, and also by giving to the work. 00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:24.541 Again, this is a giving church. 00:27:24.541 --> 00:27:25.403 Thank you so much. 00:27:25.403 --> 00:27:28.387 And we can serve the world by praying. 00:27:28.387 --> 00:27:30.810 There's no distance in the spirit. 00:27:30.810 --> 00:27:31.978 There's the same reward. 00:27:31.978 --> 00:27:41.836 Mark is on mission right now and Yuri's getting ready to join him in just a short while, and we prayed for them last week and I ask you that you would continue to pray for them, lord. 00:27:41.836 --> 00:27:45.846 We just pray for Mark right now and for Yuri, lord, as he goes to meet him. 00:27:45.846 --> 00:28:06.903 They're going into areas that there's a lot of darkness but, lord, we know that the light of Jesus is upon them and shines in them and through them, and we just ask that you would do the good work that only you can do Protect them and keep them safe, fill them with your spirit, help them to have maximum impact in Jesus' name. 00:28:06.903 --> 00:28:07.204 Thank you, lord. 00:28:07.224 --> 00:28:09.757 Finally, jesus is the greatest servant of all, it says. 00:28:09.757 --> 00:28:10.741 For who is the greater? 00:28:10.741 --> 00:28:13.544 One who reclines at the table or one who serves? 00:28:13.544 --> 00:28:15.863 Is it not the one who reclines at the table? 00:28:15.863 --> 00:28:17.239 That's the way the world thinks. 00:28:17.239 --> 00:28:18.924 Who's greatest? 00:28:18.924 --> 00:28:20.181 The one who's being served. 00:28:20.181 --> 00:28:27.577 Jesus says but I am among you as the one who serves To drive the point home. 00:28:27.577 --> 00:28:29.265 Jesus is making this illustration. 00:28:29.265 --> 00:28:31.803 Jesus came as a servant of men. 00:28:31.803 --> 00:28:38.786 This is the character of his own life and his own ministry, and all who would follow him must imitate him in this. 00:28:38.786 --> 00:28:42.260 How did Jesus serve? 00:28:42.260 --> 00:28:54.027 He came into this world, gave up everything, humbled himself, lived a perfect life, and he humbled himself to the point of death on the cross. 00:28:54.027 --> 00:29:01.008 He served God and he served the world by doing these things. 00:29:01.008 --> 00:29:03.621 He's our example. 00:29:04.214 --> 00:29:16.105 And as the story continues on in the book of John, it says Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. 00:29:16.105 --> 00:29:21.559 He laid aside his outer garments and, taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 00:29:21.559 --> 00:29:29.067 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 00:29:29.067 --> 00:29:32.999 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him Lord, do you wash my feet? 00:29:32.999 --> 00:29:40.938 Jesus answered him what I'm doing now doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand. 00:29:40.938 --> 00:29:44.241 Peter said to him you shall never wash my feet. 00:29:44.241 --> 00:29:48.287 There must have been some bad feet right. 00:29:48.287 --> 00:30:04.662 And Jesus answered him if I don't wash your feet, if I don't wash you, you have no share with me. 00:30:04.662 --> 00:30:09.626 And Simon Peter said to him Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head, all of me. 00:30:09.626 --> 00:30:12.170 And Jesus said to him the one who is bathed does. 00:30:12.190 --> 00:30:14.311 Did you ever think about the fact that Judas was here? 00:30:14.311 --> 00:30:18.801 For he knew who was to betray him. 00:30:18.801 --> 00:30:20.722 That was why he said not all of you are clean. 00:30:20.722 --> 00:30:28.332 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and returned, resumed his place, he said to them do you understand what I've done for you? 00:30:28.332 --> 00:30:32.722 You call me teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 00:30:32.722 --> 00:30:45.305 If I, then your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet, for I have given you an example that you also should do just as I've done to you. 00:30:45.305 --> 00:30:52.884 Truly, truly, I say to you a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 00:30:52.884 --> 00:30:57.369 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.