WEBVTT 00:00:00.689 --> 00:00:01.840 It's good to see you this morning. 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:09.250 As you've already heard, today is the beginning of Missions Week in our church, and so the purpose of this week is really very simple. 00:00:09.789 --> 00:00:27.660 It's all about highlighting our local ministries and our short-term trips, and my heart, as your missions pastor, for you, the church, this week, is not only that you would hear about opportunities to serve, but that you would actually go and then act on those opportunities and and live those opportunities out this week. 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:30.370 And so that's what this week is all about. 00:00:30.370 --> 00:00:34.899 If you would turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 17. 00:00:34.899 --> 00:00:35.799 Luke chapter 17. 00:00:35.801 --> 00:00:43.619 We're going to be in verses 1 through 10 this morning, and let me give you a little background as you're turning there to what we're going to be talking about this morning. 00:00:43.630 --> 00:00:55.659 This passage is Jesus teaching his disciples, and he tells them a story in this passage that gives an incredible illustration of what it looks like to be a true servant. 00:00:56.740 --> 00:01:11.650 And before we can get to that part on service and what it looks like to be a true servant, he instructs them, and he makes it very clear that our relationship to God and our relationship to others is critical for effective service. 00:01:12.010 --> 00:01:15.010 It is critical for effective service. 00:01:15.019 --> 00:01:27.790 And so really, before we can get to the place where we're ready to start, we have to look at these two things first: loving God, loving others, serving God, serving others, in our relationship to other people. 00:01:27.790 --> 00:01:32.319 So let's pick up in Luke chapter 17, and we're going to read the first six verses to get started this morning. 00:01:37.269 --> 00:01:44.109 It says,"He said to his disciples,'It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him to whom they come. 00:01:44.680 --> 00:01:54.250 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble. 00:01:54.760 --> 00:01:55.870 Be on your guard. 00:01:56.200 --> 00:02:27.599 If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times a day and returns to you seven times saying, I repent, forgive him.' Then, the apostles said to the Lord,'Increase our faith,' and the Lord said,'If you had faith like that of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree,"be uprooted and be planted in the sea," and it would obey you.'" Let's pray together this morning. 00:02:28.300 --> 00:02:29.650 Dear God, we thank you for today. 00:02:29.651 --> 00:02:36.849 We thank you for the opportunity to have the freedom to serve God in our country, to serve you. 00:02:38.110 --> 00:02:42.129 Lord, I thank you for each and every life that's here today, each and every individual. 00:02:42.131 --> 00:02:56.770 Lord, I pray that you would open their hearts to hear your word, God, that your spirit would come and fall in a mighty way, Lord, and that we would just remember the word"obedience" this morning, God, that you would call us to obedience and humble service, God. 00:02:56.770 --> 00:03:01.330 Lord, forgive me of my sin, for I am a sinner, Lord, saved only by your grace. 00:03:01.330 --> 00:03:04.539 Lord, that you would make me a clean vessel, Lord. 00:03:04.540 --> 00:03:09.849 Hide me behind the cross to allow me to deliver your word to your people this morning, God. 00:03:09.850 --> 00:03:13.360 And we just ask it all in Jesus' name. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:13.509 Amen. 00:03:13.510 --> 00:03:25.599 So this morning, as we look at these first six verses and this idea of focusing on our relationship to others first, in verses 1 through 4, is really where we're at with that. 00:03:25.600 --> 00:03:35.740 And so, the first verse makes it clear that others will cause us to stumble, that there will be stumbling blocks in our path, and it's inevitable. 00:03:35.741 --> 00:03:37.330 It's unavoidable. 00:03:37.330 --> 00:03:45.039 There will be stumbling blocks in life, and most of the time, the stumbling blocks often come in the form of other people, that other people will cause us to stumble. 00:03:46.580 --> 00:03:53.210 And so it's something in life that we have to be aware of and that we have to know is part of the enemy's attack and to see coming. 00:03:54.379 --> 00:04:03.000 But in the end of verse 1 and into verse 2, we get a very strict warning from Jesus. 00:04:03.001 --> 00:04:12.689 And the warning is this:"Although sometimes, people are stumbling blocks, although you're going to have stumbling blocks in life, don't be one of those people. 00:04:12.691 --> 00:04:14.370 Don't be one of those stumbling blocks. 00:04:14.371 --> 00:04:21.180 Don't be one of those people that cause others to stumble." And it's a very dangerous place, as you see. 00:04:21.180 --> 00:04:23.250 What would be better for someone like that? 00:04:23.250 --> 00:04:29.120 It's a very dangerous place to be someone who is a stumbling block. 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:31.009 What do I mean by stumbling blocks? 00:04:31.129 --> 00:04:36.290 Well, I think it would be anything that would hinder others from entering the Kingdom of God. 00:04:36.290 --> 00:04:49.069 And the truth is that all of us, no matter who we are, how old or young, or how influential we think that we may or may not be, there is always somebody watching us. 00:04:49.071 --> 00:04:52.209 There is always somebody who's seeing how we're going to respond. 00:04:52.379 --> 00:04:53.959 It's watching our character. 00:04:56.360 --> 00:04:58.759 It's watching our Christian witness, and that we can be a stumbling block to if we're not careful. 00:05:01.889 --> 00:05:09.329 You know, it might be in the form of gossip, or pride, or selfishness, or laziness, or deception, or anger, or bitterness. 00:05:09.331 --> 00:05:10.589 Whatever it may be. 00:05:10.591 --> 00:05:12.810 All of those things can be stumbling blocks. 00:05:12.810 --> 00:05:14.430 And that's not the full list. 00:05:14.430 --> 00:05:17.189 Those are just some ideas of what it could be. 00:05:18.180 --> 00:05:27.629 But we must be careful not to be a part of that group of people that make others stumble that he talks about and gives a warning to in this passage. 00:05:27.630 --> 00:05:45.209 Verse 3 goes on and talks about correcting your brother when he sins, that if we really love each other, if we really love one another, we have to hold each other accountable, and when we see our brother fall and we see our brother stumble into sin, it is up to us as fellow believers to pick him back up and to bring him back out of that sin. 00:05:46.199 --> 00:06:01.000 It may come across as a corrective measure, and maybe it is a rebuking, so to speak, but if we truly love those people that we see fall, they're our brothers or sisters in Christ, then we will help correct them and bring them back up and hold them accountable. 00:06:02.110 --> 00:06:13.689 Then, in verse 4, it talks about forgiveness and how we must forgive those who repent, and not only do we forgive him, but we forgive him as many times as necessary. 00:06:13.690 --> 00:06:16.810 That number seven in the Bible, we know it's a number of completion. 00:06:16.810 --> 00:06:25.870 We know that a lot of times when seven is mentioned in the Bible, it's symbolic for"as many times as it takes" or"an infinity amount of times". 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:31.180 You know, and so many times in life, we have such a hard time forgiving other people. 00:06:31.180 --> 00:06:47.800 We have such a hard time, because after all, this person hurt us in this way or that way, but one of the things that we should really think about, that will really help us forgive any offense from anybody, no matter how many times they offend us, is when we look at how Jesus has forgiven us. 00:06:48.220 --> 00:07:06.759 Every time I'm tempted to not forgive somebody for something, I'm reminded that someday I will stand before God, and Jesus has forgiven me as many times as it takes because of his love for me, and who am I to not forgive others even if it's more times than I can count? 00:07:06.761 --> 00:07:09.730 And so, Jesus starts with our relationship to others. 00:07:09.730 --> 00:07:14.560 That has to be right for us to be ready to serve effectively. 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:21.100 Then he goes on in verses 5 and 6, and he talks about our relationship to God. 00:07:21.100 --> 00:07:28.899 Can you imagine the disciples after hearing these hard truths and these hard things that's required of every disciple? 00:07:28.901 --> 00:07:30.870 What do they do? 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:33.699 They're kind of like,"Man, like, this is going to be tough, Jesus. 00:07:33.701 --> 00:07:35.410 We need more faith. 00:07:35.411 --> 00:07:41.560 Give us more faith if you want us to do these things," which is probably a pretty normal human response, right? 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:45.339 A lot of us would probably, initially, think the same thing. 00:07:45.341 --> 00:07:51.920 But as we see in verse 6, Jesus has a very interesting response. 00:07:51.930 --> 00:07:52.819 What does he say? 00:07:52.821 --> 00:08:00.740 Instead of granting their request, Jesus points out that it's not about how much faith they can offer, right? 00:08:00.740 --> 00:08:04.730 But it's about putting their faith into action. 00:08:04.730 --> 00:08:13.009 Even a small amount of faith, the faith the size of a mustard seed, when put into action, can accomplish incredible things. 00:08:13.011 --> 00:08:13.189 Right? 00:08:13.190 --> 00:08:14.029 And so we see that. 00:08:14.031 --> 00:08:18.529 We see him say that to his disciples. 00:08:18.531 --> 00:08:21.589 And out of these verses 5 and 6, we see a few things. 00:08:21.591 --> 00:08:26.839 First one is that we must be obedient to God, that obedience is putting our faith into action. 00:08:28.569 --> 00:08:31.240 We must trust him enough to do what he says. 00:08:31.410 --> 00:08:32.230 It's that simple. 00:08:33.190 --> 00:08:36.940 Sometimes, we try to complicate things about the Christian life, but it's that simple. 00:08:37.269 --> 00:08:38.950 He tells us to do something. 00:08:39.100 --> 00:08:43.809 We trust him enough to believe his plan is better than ours, and we do what he says. 00:08:43.811 --> 00:08:45.799 That's what faith is. 00:08:45.950 --> 00:09:04.899 But we also see that whenever we step out in obedience, whenever we are willing to step out and to do what God has called us to do, amazing things begin to happen, and God will multiply our faith in so many ways, and that's truly when our faith begins to grow. 00:09:04.900 --> 00:09:09.250 We see the third point there: that through obedience, our relationship with God grows. 00:09:12.169 --> 00:09:23.870 And so, as we begin to step out in faith and do what God calls us to do, and we begin to see him do incredible things for the kingdom with that faith, with that little bit of faith, we begin to realize it's not about us at all. 00:09:23.870 --> 00:09:25.370 It's not about what we can do at all. 00:09:25.370 --> 00:09:30.409 It's all about what Jesus can do through us when we trust him and when we obey him. 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:53.210 And then, as we begin to see him do all of these great and mighty things for the kingdom through us, that's when it increases our faith in him, because we realize it's all him and not us, and even though we're are not able to do on her own anything that God wants us to do, through his power, God can use us to do amazing things. 00:09:53.211 --> 00:09:59.240 And so, our relationship to others and our relationship to God requires humble obedience. 00:10:00.889 --> 00:10:03.889 That humble obedience is required to serve God and others. 00:10:04.100 --> 00:10:11.539 The humility part comes in in how we relate to other people: that if we're not humble, then we can't have a right relationship with other people. 00:10:11.541 --> 00:10:20.029 But if we're not obedient, we can't have a right relationship with God, and so humble obedience is really what he's trying to get to in these first 6 verses to his disciples. 00:10:20.030 --> 00:10:25.460 That you have to be right in these places, in these areas with other people and with God. 00:10:25.461 --> 00:10:34.370 You have to have a humble obedience to really be ready to do anything as far as service goes. 00:10:34.370 --> 00:10:43.039 And so, as our relationship with God and others comes into focus, that's when we will be truly unleashed for effective service. 00:10:43.041 --> 00:10:53.029 The chains will come off, and we will have an opportunity to freely run with all that we have by serving Christ and following him and to do what he has called us to do. 00:10:53.030 --> 00:10:56.629 When those chains come off, we are unleashed for service. 00:10:56.630 --> 00:11:00.940 When our relationship with God and others is right. 00:11:00.941 --> 00:11:04.179 We can't have a desire to serve someone that we don't love. 00:11:04.181 --> 00:11:08.830 If we don't love others, and we don't love God, why would we want to go serve them? 00:11:08.831 --> 00:11:15.610 Service is the ultimate action of what love looks like, and so, that has to be right with other people and with God first. 00:11:18.779 --> 00:11:24.629 And so, in the next few verses, Jesus gives us an incredible picture of what a true servant really looks like. 00:11:24.630 --> 00:11:31.450 Now that he's prepared them and has them ready and helps them understand what they must first kind of take care before they're unleashed to serve. 00:11:31.460 --> 00:11:33.149 Then, he gives us an incredible picture of service. 00:11:33.150 --> 00:11:37.620 Look at what he says in verse 17:7. 00:11:38.850 --> 00:11:44.909 He starts with a series of questions to his disciples as he tells them this story of a servant. 00:11:45.870 --> 00:11:48.899 Verse 17 is where we'll pick up, or 7 is where we'll pick up. 00:11:48.900 --> 00:12:21.409 It says this, it says,"Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field,'Come immediately and sit down to eat,' but will you not say to him,'Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you may eat and drink.' He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?"And look at what Jesus says to his disciples. 00:12:21.410 --> 00:12:32.299 Here's the teaching moment right here that really throws them for a loop, verse 10:"So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded, you say,'We are unworthy slaves. 00:12:32.570 --> 00:12:45.960 We have done only that which we ought to have done.'" We see this story, this teaching moment that Jesus is teaching his disciples, and he begins to paint this picture of what it would be like to be a master. 00:12:46.710 --> 00:12:47.580 And He begins to talk. 00:12:47.610 --> 00:12:53.220 He begins to ask them questions, and you can kind of just imagine they're hanging on the edge of their seat, right? 00:12:53.309 --> 00:12:55.559 Because you've got to remember, these guys came from humble beginnings. 00:12:55.561 --> 00:12:59.070 A lot them were fishermen, tax collectors, those kinds of jobs, right? 00:12:59.071 --> 00:13:05.610 They weren't these wealthy, rich guys that were used to being in charge or in control or masters or whatever you want to call it. 00:13:05.610 --> 00:13:19.169 And so, these guys are thinking about what it would be like to be a master, and I can just imagine them hanging on every word that Jesus is saying as he kind of paints this picture after each question, the thing more and more, what it would be like to be a master. 00:13:19.889 --> 00:13:22.950 And you can imagine them nodding their head in agreement with Jesus. 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:26.850 Well, of course a master, that's how he would respond to a servant. 00:13:28.820 --> 00:13:34.820 And then, the teaching moment happens in verse 10, and Jesus immediately flips it back on them, right? 00:13:35.269 --> 00:13:39.230 And he says,"Actually, guys, you're actually not the master at all. 00:13:39.379 --> 00:13:42.490 You're the servants." What an incredible moment. 00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:44.230 Could you imagine how that must have hit them? 00:13:44.860 --> 00:13:48.250 I mean, everybody likes to be served, right? 00:13:48.250 --> 00:13:56.919 I mean, I don't get to be served very often, but have you ever been on, like, one of those cruises or, like, all-inclusive resorts, where you get there and you pay for everything ahead of time? 00:13:56.921 --> 00:14:01.899 And you get there, and for, like, however long you're there, you can eat as much as you want. 00:14:01.900 --> 00:14:04.659 You can, you know-- you get unlimited service. 00:14:04.660 --> 00:14:07.659 I mean, it's just incredible if you've ever done that. 00:14:07.660 --> 00:14:10.389 Everybody likes to be served, right? 00:14:10.390 --> 00:14:14.470 And Jesus is painting this picture of his disciples in the same way. 00:14:14.471 --> 00:14:18.090 They're thinking about what it would be like to be served. 00:14:18.389 --> 00:14:28.639 And so, let's look back at this passage, starting with verse 7, and see what kind of principles we can glean from this passage this morning and what it looks like to be a true servant. 00:14:29.779 --> 00:14:35.360 Back in verse 7, we see that the first question that Jesus asked his disciples is implying a negative answer. 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:38.120 Now, we do this all the time in the English language, right? 00:14:38.120 --> 00:14:41.899 It happens a lot between children and parents. 00:14:41.900 --> 00:14:47.559 And the parents, you know, maybe it's a question like,"What did you do wrong?" Right? 00:14:47.561 --> 00:14:52.299 Or,"Did you do something you shouldn't have done?" And maybe that would be a better way to say it. 00:14:52.301 --> 00:14:54.399 "Son or daughter, did you do something you shouldn't have done? 00:14:54.400 --> 00:15:02.289 What's the answer?" If you ask it like that, then it's an implied,"Yes, right, well, yes, I did this, and I shouldn't have done this, and this is what I did wrong." Right? 00:15:02.291 --> 00:15:09.049 Then maybe the next question would be,"Well, are you-- you're not going to do that again, are you?" And what's the answer? 00:15:09.860 --> 00:15:10.669 There's only one good answer. 00:15:10.671 --> 00:15:11.899 There's only one good answer. 00:15:11.900 --> 00:15:21.049 "Of course, Mom and Dad, I'm not going to do that again, because I know what the consequences are going to be." Well, that's the same kind of question that Jesus is asking his disciples. 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:25.519 It has an implied answer that he's leading them on how they should answer the question. 00:15:25.520 --> 00:15:35.009 And the first question has an implied negative answer, that no, of course the master will not ask the servant to eat first. 00:15:35.010 --> 00:15:35.789 That would be crazy. 00:15:35.791 --> 00:15:40.330 That's not how it works with a master and a servant. 00:15:40.331 --> 00:15:41.889 The word"slave" in this passage literally means"bondservant". 00:15:43.389 --> 00:15:54.570 A bondservant is someone who is tied to his master, and we, too, as Christians, as followers of Jesus Christ, are tied to our master. 00:15:54.571 --> 00:16:00.000 We are tied to Jesus Christ through his death and resurrection, through the Gospel. 00:16:00.059 --> 00:16:02.580 We are forever tied to Jesus Christ. 00:16:02.581 --> 00:16:04.019 We are his servants. 00:16:04.340 --> 00:16:06.580 We're his bondservant. 00:16:06.581 --> 00:16:19.539 But we also see that there's only one servant in this passage, and I think that what we can get out of that is that we are to serve our master as if we are the only one. 00:16:19.541 --> 00:16:30.389 So many times, when God calls us to do something, we are tempted or fail in that we don't do it, and we expect somebody else to do it, when God has called us to do it. 00:16:30.390 --> 00:16:35.070 And so many times, we think there's so many other people out there that God is calling to do this, and they can do it. 00:16:35.071 --> 00:16:36.330 I'm not going to do it. 00:16:36.331 --> 00:16:38.610 And we miss out on a blessing. 00:16:38.610 --> 00:16:44.220 We miss out on obedience, because we start thinking about how somebody else should do it instead of us. 00:16:44.221 --> 00:16:47.700 But the Lord wants us to focus on him and serve him as if we are the only one. 00:16:49.450 --> 00:16:52.090 That if he has called us to do it, we must do it. 00:16:53.850 --> 00:16:55.769 He's also working to please his master. 00:16:55.770 --> 00:16:57.519 We see that. 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:00.690 There are so many times that people serve for the wrong reasons. 00:17:00.691 --> 00:17:13.410 They serv to get some kind of public recognition or to get a pat on the back or to be somebody that everyone looks up to or respects or so that they can be seen as a good person or so that they can feel good about themselves. 00:17:13.411 --> 00:17:16.380 And all of those reasons or for the wrong reasons. 00:17:16.381 --> 00:17:20.109 All those reasons are to please man instead of God. 00:17:20.111 --> 00:17:23.670 But we are to serve to please only one person. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:30.049 We're to serve only to please our master, Jesus Christ, and not to please men. 00:17:30.050 --> 00:17:35.059 We also see that he's moving from one act of service to another. 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:36.200 In this life, our service never ends. 00:17:37.900 --> 00:17:42.700 In this life, the end of one service is the beginning of another. 00:17:43.299 --> 00:17:48.609 So many times, we think,"Man, if I could just-- I've done so many great things over the last few months. 00:17:48.611 --> 00:18:02.000 I'm really feeling good about myself, and man, I've just really been doing a great job serving, and so I deserve a couple months' break," or,"I deserve a few years' break because man, I've been really doing well." And that's not what God calls us to. 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:05.150 God calls us to always be serving him. 00:18:05.151 --> 00:18:09.440 Different seasons of life may bring different types of service, different ages. 00:18:09.441 --> 00:18:16.819 As we grow older, maybe we're not able to do everything that we used to be able to do, but God is calling us all to do something. 00:18:16.820 --> 00:18:18.559 There is something for all of us to do. 00:18:18.560 --> 00:18:24.809 The work is never over in this life. 00:18:24.819 --> 00:18:34.279 God may call us to something different in a season, but he doesn't call us to take breaks in the Christian life. 00:18:34.280 --> 00:18:36.650 So we see the end of one service is the beginning of another. 00:18:36.651 --> 00:18:39.079 But then in verse 8, look at that. 00:18:39.349 --> 00:18:42.410 He asks them another question. 00:18:42.411 --> 00:18:43.849 Look what he says. 00:18:43.851 --> 00:18:57.349 It says,"But will he not say to him,'Prepare something for me to eat and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you may eat and drink.'" The second question is an implied positive answer. 00:18:57.351 --> 00:18:59.900 Certainly the servant will wait on the master. 00:18:59.901 --> 00:19:00.380 Yes, the servant will wait on the master. 00:19:03.940 --> 00:19:07.390 We see that he is focused on finishing his work. 00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:15.210 It kind of goes back to continually serve in this life, that we're never done as long as we're living and breathing. 00:19:15.211 --> 00:19:17.640 But serving his master is his top priority. 00:19:17.641 --> 00:19:26.400 We must make sure that as we, as Christians, grow in our faith, and we remember our priorities, that serving God should always be primary. 00:19:26.401 --> 00:19:28.170 That is our purpose in this life. 00:19:28.171 --> 00:19:29.910 That is why we were created. 00:19:29.911 --> 00:19:39.690 That is why we live and breathe is to glorify God with our life, to serve him because of what he's done for us and because of who he is. 00:19:39.691 --> 00:19:46.680 We must make sure that our priorities are straight and that we focus on finishing our work. 00:19:46.681 --> 00:19:49.529 And then, someday, the reward will come. 00:19:49.530 --> 00:19:52.829 But the reward will not come in our timing. 00:19:52.830 --> 00:20:00.269 The reward does not come in the timing of the servant, but it comes in the timing of the master. 00:20:00.270 --> 00:20:11.309 And we see this: the example in this passage is eating and drinking, that eventually, the servant will then get sit down and eat and drink. 00:20:11.310 --> 00:20:15.539 But not in his timing; in the masters timing. 00:20:15.540 --> 00:20:18.779 So many times, we want to get an immediate result, right? 00:20:18.779 --> 00:20:18.779 We want to get immediate rewards for what we do. 00:20:20.259 --> 00:20:30.990 But we must be patient and trust that it will come in time, that someday, we will be able to eat and drink at the marriage supper of the Lamb with the Lord. 00:20:31.000 --> 00:20:34.029 And someday, our reward will come in eternity. 00:20:34.030 --> 00:20:53.509 But not only do we have a reward in eternity for our service, but we must remember that the joy of the Christian life truly comes in serving, that we have an opportunity in this life to have-- be blessed and to have the joy of serving, but knowing that when we serve, it also increases our faith. 00:20:53.510 --> 00:21:01.390 Just like the disciples wanted an immediate faith increase, so many times, we want immediate rewards for what we do. 00:21:01.391 --> 00:21:11.779 But we see that God caused them to step out in obedience first, and then, as they see God work with their obedience, that is when their faith grows. 00:21:11.780 --> 00:21:15.109 Are we willing to labor for the Lord and grow in our faith? 00:21:15.111 --> 00:21:17.059 Look at verse 9. 00:21:17.060 --> 00:21:20.000 The final question implies a negative answer once again. 00:21:20.930 --> 00:21:24.500 And this one is even more clear in the English language. 00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:34.490 "He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?" Well, no, of course not. 00:21:34.490 --> 00:21:38.539 Of course the master didn't thank the servant, because he was just doing his duty, right? 00:21:40.950 --> 00:21:42.970 You know, God doesn't have to thank us. 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:53.109 We don't need a thank-you note from God or other men to be able to serve, because he is not indebted to us, but we are indebted to him because of the cross. 00:21:53.170 --> 00:21:56.079 He has already done everything that we could ever ask for. 00:21:56.250 --> 00:22:07.690 I mean, more than we could ever ask for, in eternity, to save us from our sin, to give us hope, to give us an eternity with him someday in heaven, to have the joy of serving him in this life. 00:22:07.691 --> 00:22:15.019 We simply serve because we love him so much that we want to give back for what he's already done for us. 00:22:15.020 --> 00:22:19.529 He is not in debt to us, but we're in debt to him because of the cross. 00:22:19.619 --> 00:22:23.069 And then, the teaching moment comes in verse 10. 00:22:23.070 --> 00:22:27.059 Look at it again with me. 00:22:27.060 --> 00:22:34.640 Jesus is such an example, the greatest example of the greatest teacher the world has ever seen. 00:22:34.730 --> 00:22:46.940 And he flips it back on the disciples, and what he really tells them is, as we talked about earlier, Jesus reveals that the disciples are actually the servants and not the master. 00:22:46.941 --> 00:22:50.630 Could you imagine the objections that are going off in their mind? 00:22:50.631 --> 00:22:57.079 Could you imagine what they were thinking after thinking about what it would be like to be the master and then, all of a sudden, they realize they're the servants. 00:22:59.099 --> 00:23:15.609 They're thinking,"Objection! This is not easy!""Objection! This is not normal! Objection! The world says that it's all about me! The world says," you've heard the phrase,"You do you." Right? 00:23:15.611 --> 00:23:28.990 The world says,"It's all about my pleasure and my joy and my happiness!" Everything that we're taught is contrary from the world, is contrary to what God says is the true key to joy in life. 00:23:28.990 --> 00:23:29.799 It's all about him. 00:23:29.800 --> 00:23:31.079 It's all about service. 00:23:32.839 --> 00:23:37.380 And this is the the very job description of a disciple. 00:23:37.589 --> 00:23:40.980 This is what we agree to as a believer. 00:23:40.980 --> 00:23:52.740 And so, Missions Week is designed to talk about what it means to serve and then to actually go and do it, to actually go and act in obedience to serve others. 00:23:52.740 --> 00:23:53.940 There are so many opportunities. 00:23:53.940 --> 00:24:05.730 I want to point out first that we have an opportunity every single day, as a missionary ourselves, to go out and to do what God has called us to do. 00:24:05.910 --> 00:24:11.250 Wherever it is, whatever he's called us to do, we can do it for him every single day and be on mission for him. 00:24:11.250 --> 00:24:14.250 We can do it for him every single day, and we are all missionaries for the Lord. 00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:23.109 We're all called to serve in everything that we do, but this week, we're giving you some special opportunities, inside the church and outside of the church, to serve the Lord. 00:24:23.230 --> 00:24:26.170 And one of those is to learn about our local ministries. 00:24:26.171 --> 00:24:31.390 There's a list up here that you're going to see: all these local ministries that you see on this screen right here. 00:24:32.019 --> 00:24:41.380 We have so many different ministries that our church has partnered with financially, that our church has partnered with to come alongside and encourage and agree to be a part of serving and helping. 00:24:41.381 --> 00:24:44.890 And you have an opportunity to learn about those ministries today. 00:24:44.891 --> 00:24:50.589 Going out into the mall area and learn all about each of these ministries, to learn how you can serve. 00:24:50.590 --> 00:24:52.990 We have incredible mission trip opportunities. 00:24:52.990 --> 00:25:00.630 And I can say this because this was way before I ever came along, but we have so many different mission trips that you can go on. 00:25:00.631 --> 00:25:06.779 You know, some churches don't even have one mission trip that they have an opportunity to go on a year. 00:25:06.780 --> 00:25:12.930 And our church has opportunities for at least six or seven mission trips a year that you can go, and you can fulfill the Great Commission all over the world. 00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:15.869 Don't take that opportunity for granted. 00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:17.700 Take advantage of those opportunities. 00:25:17.701 --> 00:25:18.829 Learn about the trips. 00:25:19.019 --> 00:25:21.000 Learn about an opportunity. 00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:23.460 Some of you have been on mission trips before; some of you have not. 00:25:23.461 --> 00:25:39.599 But I can tell you: my heart, as your missions pastor, is to cast a wider net, to get more and more people from our church going on short-term mission trips, because when we get people to go and to serve in those ways, it lights a fire in the church back home. 00:25:39.601 --> 00:25:46.440 It begins to get people excited back home, when they come back, about serving Jesus Christ. 00:25:46.441 --> 00:25:50.569 Don't let it scare you, but take that step of faith to go on a short-term mission trip. 00:25:50.589 --> 00:25:55.980 Maybe you're not able because of your health to go, but you can give. 00:25:55.980 --> 00:25:57.269 I encourage you to do that as well. 00:25:57.270 --> 00:25:58.950 So we have so many different opportunities. 00:25:58.950 --> 00:26:04.109 One of the opportunities that was mentioned this morning is our fall festival next Sunday from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. 00:26:04.259 --> 00:26:10.980 You have an opportunity to come and serve and to love on people from our community that come and show them the love of Christ. 00:26:10.980 --> 00:26:12.359 What an incredible opportunity, just next Sunday, to serve inside the church as well. 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:19.900 You know, Jesus doesn't need us, but it is a privilege for us to serve God. 00:26:20.259 --> 00:26:28.240 The fact that he has given us the opportunity to serve him is a privilege, because if we're not willing to do it, he will find somebody else to accomplish his mission. 00:26:29.049 --> 00:26:30.160 He doesn't need us. 00:26:30.170 --> 00:26:34.180 We need to see that we have the opportunity to serve him. 00:26:34.181 --> 00:26:35.710 We have been given a blessing. 00:26:36.130 --> 00:26:36.819 It's not a chore. 00:26:36.820 --> 00:26:38.349 It's a blessing to serve the Lord. 00:26:41.339 --> 00:26:45.279 You know, there's a difference between choosing serve and being a servant. 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:47.259 Let me explain that. 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:50.680 When you choose to serve, you are in control. 00:26:52.329 --> 00:26:55.420 When you are a servant, God is in control. 00:26:56.500 --> 00:26:58.450 So how do we know if we're a true servant this morning? 00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:17.150 I think there's a great measuring stick for this, and this is the statement: if there's anything that we will not do or anyone that we will not serve, then we are not true servants. 00:27:17.151 --> 00:27:19.369 Let me say that one more time. 00:27:19.460 --> 00:27:33.609 If there is anything that we will not do or anyone that we will not serve, we are not true servants, because we're choosing when and how we serve. 00:27:33.611 --> 00:27:36.430 Then, we are in control in that point. 00:27:36.431 --> 00:27:44.470 We can only arrive at this place when we see Jesus and others as the most important and we see ourselves as least important. 00:27:44.471 --> 00:27:50.289 That's the only way we can get to that point in the Christian life, to see things the way that God wants us to see them. 00:27:50.290 --> 00:27:53.500 You know, one of the things that helps us: this is a hard message. 00:27:53.500 --> 00:28:03.599 This is a hard message to hear, because service is not always easy, but aren't you glad that Jesus never asks us to do anything that he hasn't already done? 00:28:04.990 --> 00:28:05.529 Let me say that again. 00:28:05.530 --> 00:28:09.789 Jesus never asked us to do anything that he hasn't already done. 00:28:10.839 --> 00:28:15.940 Luke chapter 22, verse 27, if you want to flip over a couple of pages. 00:28:15.941 --> 00:28:19.839 This is a verse that shows that. 00:28:19.839 --> 00:28:24.849 Verse 27 of chapter 22, it says,"'For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? 00:28:24.851 --> 00:28:57.309 Is it not the one who reclines at the table?' Jesus speaking to his disciples says,'But I am among you as the one who serves.'" Jesus Christ is the greatest example the world has ever known of what it looks like to be a true servant, someone who was such a servant that he laid down his life for every single one of us, somebody that was such a servant that he stepped out of heaven, the most incredible place we could ever even fathom, and spent 33 years on this earth because of his love for us. 00:28:57.310 --> 00:28:59.410 Can you imagine what this earth would have been like after being in heaven? 00:29:01.900 --> 00:29:02.779 And what he went through? 00:29:04.009 --> 00:29:07.789 But we also see another passage of scripture, Luke chapter 12, verse 37. 00:29:07.790 --> 00:29:08.839 Look what that says. 00:29:09.740 --> 00:29:11.359 Luke chapter 12, verse 37. 00:29:11.361 --> 00:29:15.950 It says,"Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on alert when he comes. 00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:28.099 Truly I say to you that he will gird himself to serve and have them recline at the table and will come up and wait on them." We see, back in Luke chapter 17, verse 9. 00:29:28.101 --> 00:29:33.470 It talks about the master won't thank his slave, obviously, because he's the slave, right? 00:29:34.460 --> 00:29:37.009 That word"thank" literally means to grace someone. 00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:48.289 It's saying that that master wouldn't grace his slave, but we know that Jesus Christ, from the verse I just read, is the only master that graces his servants. 00:29:48.290 --> 00:30:02.890 He's the only master that graces his servants, that someday instead of just being his slaves, he has given us the right to be his heirs, to be his children, to be with him in eternity someday and to be able to celebrate with him. 00:30:02.900 --> 00:30:16.339 And he's going to include us in-- bring us into his family in eternity, that we have an opportunity to be his heirs and his children, the children of God. 00:30:16.340 --> 00:30:21.109 What an incredible master we have! We have the perfect master. 00:30:21.111 --> 00:30:30.829 So because our master is perfect, there is no reason why we wouldn't want to serve our master because of who he is and what he's done. 00:30:30.830 --> 00:30:39.029 So as you think about the video we saw earlier, kind of just reiterate that the joy of the Christian life comes not in just doing church. 00:30:39.030 --> 00:31:03.630 Obviously we come to church to be full of the Lord and for him to fill us with his spirit and to fellowship with other believers and to be able to serve him in that way and to grow in him in that way, but he does all of that-- all the purpose of church is for us to be filled up so that we can then go out and share the gospel, to share the hope, the joy that we have, to a lost and dying world. 00:31:05.660 --> 00:31:11.150 You know, someday at the end of our lifetime, every single one of us will stand before God. 00:31:12.200 --> 00:31:25.519 And the greatest thing that we could ever hope to hear from our Lord and Savior, on that day, is,"Well done, thou good and faithful servant." That is the prayer of my heart. 00:31:25.520 --> 00:31:42.109 If we are blessed enough, someday, to be able to be obedient enough in our life, to be able to hear those words, and someday, you imagine yourself standing in all of the power and the glory and the majesty and the joy and the love that surrounds us. 00:31:42.111 --> 00:31:53.599 When we stand in the presence of God someday, and we we think about, visualize what it would be like to stand in his presence and to feel all of his holiness. 00:31:53.750 --> 00:31:58.720 There's only one response that will ever be appropriate in that moment. 00:31:58.720 --> 00:32:12.460 We will be so overwhelmed at that moment that there will only be one appropriate thing to say, and that thing that will be appropriate to say in that moment is,"We are unworthy slaves. 00:32:12.461 --> 00:32:17.910 We have done only that which we ought to have done." Is that the attitude of your heart this morning? 00:32:18.569 --> 00:32:20.970 Are you willing to be a true servant? 00:32:21.750 --> 00:32:29.759 Are you willing to serve anyone and do anything because of what Jesus has first done for you? 00:32:30.779 --> 00:32:31.950 Let's pray together this morning. 00:32:33.390 --> 00:32:35.279 Dear God, we thank you so much for today. 00:32:35.910 --> 00:32:40.049 Lord, we thank you for your word and what a great teacher you are to us, God. 00:32:41.759 --> 00:32:56.710 Lord, and there are people here this morning that are already serving you, God, and Lord, I pray that you would not allow them to get weary, that they not get tired, Lord, but to remember the joy of the Christian life comes in serving. 00:32:56.759 --> 00:33:09.109 Lord, that you would direct them as they move forward in their life and how they should serve and what you called them to do, Lord, that you would help them to use their gifts for you, inside and outside of the church, in their families, in their workplaces. 00:33:09.730 --> 00:33:16.549 That they would serve you, God, through our local ministries and our opportunities here, that they would serve you. 00:33:16.549 --> 00:33:23.150 Lord, those that are here this morning, that if they were honest, Lord, as all of us at times fail, Lord. 00:33:23.151 --> 00:33:24.950 If they were honest to say,"I'm not really serving. 00:33:24.951 --> 00:33:27.799 I'm just coming and sitting on a pew. 00:33:27.800 --> 00:33:44.119 I'm not really doing anything to advance the kingdom." Then Lord, I pray there would be conviction, Lord, but even more so than the conviction, I pray for obedience this morning, God, that every person in this room would not leave this place this morning until they are truly obedient to what you have called them to do. 00:33:44.121 --> 00:33:54.259 That you have made each of us uniquely with different gifts and abilities for the purpose of not keeping it for ourself, but to give it back to you because of what you've done for us. 00:33:54.260 --> 00:34:01.640 God, that we will be faithful servants and that we would just do our duty, God, what you have called us to do. 00:34:01.641 --> 00:34:08.960 So this morning, whatever it is, I pray for obedience all across this room, in this place, and we just ask it in Jesus' name. 00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:08.960 Amen.