Serve: Servant Leadership

SERVE: servant leadership

RUMC 4/1/12

Yee Haw, here we are Palm Sunday and Jesus is coming into Jerusalem.  He comes riding on a blazing white stallion and kicking up a cloud of dust.  The people are in awe of his beautiful white horse but they are even more awestruck by the man who was riding it.  As Jesus passed by, you could hear the people say, "Who is that man?"

There were bad guys on the loose and Jesus had come to town to deal with them.  He is ready to save the people from trouble.  His disciple army is close at hand ready to strike down any troublemakers in Jerusalem. 

A large crowd of people gathered to see what the commotion was all about.  The stallion stood on its hind legs, neighed loudly, and pawed the air with its front legs.  When all his work was done, Jesus road off into the sunset, and you could hear the William Tell Overture in the background.  Du du dunt.  Du du dunt.  Du du dunt dunt dunt. 

That makes a great story and we might wish that Jesus' entry into Jerusalem was a bit more spectacular but that's not what happened on the first Palm Sunday. 

          There's no denying that there is a touch of glory in the entrance of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem.  Jesus was welcomed as a hero.  People heard how Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, he healed people who were incurably sick, the blind, the deaf, and the possessed.  The crowd was excited that this miracle-working teacher was coming to town.  They waved palm branches; they spread their coats on the road; they shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David.  Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord."  No wonder they cheered and paved the way with palm branches and clothing.  In the eyes of the crowd there was no doubt that Jesus was the promised king sent by God. 

This king, however, was different.  There was no white stallion.  No show of power and strength.  No William Tell Overture playing in the background.  Instead, he rode a humble donkey, a pack animal; Kings only rode donkeys when they came seeking peace rather than victory.  However, the people didn't want peace; they wanted victory over their Roman oppressors. 

I was trying to think of a modern equivalent.  We might expect a chauffeur driven, white leather seated, air conditioned stretch limo.  Or a sleek shiny black SUV with heavily tinted windows.  Instead, Jesus came riding into town on the tailgate of a rusty 1976 F-150… with a bad muffler …and a broken headlight… and duck tape holding in the back window.  Get the picture?

As Jesus rode along, he didn't smile or give royal waves to the people lining the street.  His heart was heavy.  Luke tells us that as Jesus got closer to the city, he wept. 

There can be no doubt about it.  Jesus is a king.  However, there is something different about this king.  He enters astride a lowly donkey.  On the tailgate of the F-150, no ordinary king… He is a servant king. 

 

Now, think about how you would describe a leader.  Do words like "tough, " "hard-nosed, " or "pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps" come to mind?  Or maybe you're thinking more like "popular", "smart" and "cool-and-collected." Wrong again!

How do words like "humility", "compassion", "gentleness", "merciful", "righteous", "pure-in-heart", and "peace-maker" sound?  Not exactly words that come to mind as we look at our world leaders today, are they?  If you heard last week's sermon, however, they sound familiar.  Those are the marks of a servant.

It has been said that our nation has a leadership crisis.  I'm not convinced that is true.  There are MANY people willing to experience the high of winning the election.  There are plenty of people who want the power and privileges that come with office.  There are plenty of people who seek to line their own pockets or manipulate the system so their friends can get wealthier.  There are plenty of people in our culture who want to be that kind of leader. 

Perhaps if the our administrative council ran more like congress, where the officers got all kinds of free perks, and influence, and kickbacks, and book deals and speaking engagements, and junkets--- perhaps if the ad council were more like that we would have people lined up to be committee chairs. 

No, this crisis both in the culture and in the church is not a leadership crisis.  It is a servanthood crisis. 

In politics and government, it doesn't seem that our elected officials perceive themselves as public servants any more.  Perhaps if we had more public servants and fewer career politicians who think the government is here to serve them, we would be one-step closer to solving our problems. 

The same is true in the church.  Too many members think the church is here to serve them, and seemingly don't understand that discipleship means not being served, but becoming a servant. 

When James and John wanted the seat on the right and left of Jesus.  Jesus said, "Well, that is the way it is in the world.  That is the way government would work.  I'll scratch your back, and you scratch mine is the way of the world.  But Jesus says "NOT SO AMONG YOU."  "Not so among you.  He who would be great must be a servant of all."

Jesus came not to be served, but to be a servant. 

In the Kingdom of God, the great ones are not the ones that write the books or have television shows.  The great ones are the ones who feed the homeless, rock crack babies, help children learn to read, empty the bedpans, and change the oil.  The great ones in the church are not the ones that stand behind the pulpit week after week.  The great ones are usually found in the nursery, or the 3^rd grade class, or baking cookies for the bake sale, or changing a light bulb, or plunging out the toilet, making phone calls to recruit for something or another, doing the dishes after the meal, or serving on the education commission or trustees.  The great ones are not the ones that are most visible.  The great ones are the ones who are almost invisible, but don't mind because they only do it because they love Jesus. 

In the secular business schools in the early 1970s Robert Greenleaf, proposed the servant leader model.  However, the concept of a servant leader is not such a modern concept.  It can be found in the biblical account of the life of Jesus Christ.  In Jesus, I see four qualities of a servant leader. 

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First, a servant leader is GOD HONORING.  It is not that they do not care about people, (in fact they do very much), but their one and only motivation is to please God. 

A. T. Pierson wrote: The supreme test of service is this: 'For whom am I doing this?' Much that we call service to Christ is not such at all.  ^[i]  If we are looking around to make sure that someone is watching us, we are not being a servant.  If we are upset that we don't get a thank you, we are not being a servant.  If we do something because it makes us feel good, we are not serving God (of course serving God may make us feel good, but that is not our motivation.)  If we do something because we feel like we have to, we are not serving.  No matter what our motivation, if it is not to please God, we are not serving. 

A brilliant young concert pianist was performing for the first time in public.  The audience sat enthralled as beautiful music flowed from his disciplined fingers.  The people could hardly take their eyes off this young virtuoso.  As the final note faded, the audience burst into applause.  Everyone was standing - except one old man up front.  The pianist walked off the stage crestfallen.  The stage manager praised the performance, but the young man said, "I was no good, it was a failure."  The manager replied, "Look out there, everyone is on his feet except one old man!"  "Yes," said the youth dejectedly, "but that one old man is my teacher."

Even if everyone one else is applauding, if everyone around you is patting you on the back.  If the whole world is bowing before you: if God is not honored, you have not served. 

In Galatians 1:10 Paul writes, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ"

A servant Leader lives to honor God. 

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Second, a servant leader is OTHERS ORIENTED.  The servant leader is motivated by God, but acts the servanthood out for the sake of others.  Philippians 2:3-4 says, Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  2 Other-centeredness is a trait that few exhibit. 

I am not saying that a servant has to have no self-esteem.  No, I am not talking about thinking less of yourself, I am talking about just thinking of yourself less. 

·        Who is more important, the child that needs a teacher on Wednesday night or you?

·        Who is more important, the hungry woman on the corner, or you with your comfortably pudgy tummy?

·        What is more important, putting that 20 dollars you have toward either the mission trip, or the sponsored child, or Homes for Haiti; or keeping it in your pocket to spend on stuff you know you don't really need?

When you have to chose between your comfort and convenience, and the comfort and well-being of others, whom do you choose.  A servant leader is oriented toward choosing others. 

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Third, a Servant leader is HUMBLE OR MEEK.  They don't complain, they aren't preoccupied with what they gain from leadership.  They are not interested in status or comfort.  They willingly undergo hardship and suffering, humbling themselves in order to meet the needs of others.  They are not too important or dignified to undertake even the lowest of tasks and they do so with no thought of personal gain. 

During the American Revolution, a man rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier.  Their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them.  Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, "Sir, I am a corporal!"  The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers.  The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, "Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again." It was none other than President George Washington.  [ii]

Washington could have Lorded his position over the corporal.  He could have gone past because he was too important to be bothered.  A servant leader, however, would never do that.  A servant leader is humble. 

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Finally, a servant leader is hopeful.  Hopeful that what they do might make a difference. 

You have probably heard the story of the boy with the beach full of starfish.  Throwing them back in to the ocean.  The man says, "Kid you're wasting your time, you can't possibly make a difference." 

The kid bends down picks up another starfish and throws it as far as he can SAYING, "I made a difference to that one."

Servant leaders do not always see how their efforts can change lives, or bring in the kingdom, or make any difference at all.  They sometimes never get to see the difference they make.  Nevertheless, they do their work with hope.  Hope that they can make a difference to this child, this nursing home resident, this class, this church, this neighbor.  A Servant leader serves with hope. 

 

The leaders of this world and our country are not often servant leaders.  Some are I am sure, but not many.  How different would our world be, how different would our country be… if we had more servant leaders in positions of power?  People who really wanted to honor God in their service, people who were really other centered, people who were really humble, people who really served with hope.  The world landscape, Washington and Des Moines would be unrecognizable.  Oppression would be a thing of the past, wars would be rare, revolutions would be artifacts in history books.  Gridlock would be broken, budgets would be balanced, and citizens would benefit from the work of the government instead of living in fear of what they will do next. 

How different would our church be if we had more servant leaders?  I think most of our current leaders try very hard to be servant leaders.  We have some wonderful leaders in this congregation.  But we need more who will lead by serving. 

God needs more servants who truly and deeply want to serve God.  Not just be members that show up one hour a week in order to be seen.  But people who seek in all that they do, to serve God. 

God needs more servants who are really other focused.  Not focused on friends, or family, or sports, or self.  But focused on finding ways to serve God by serving others. 

God needs more servants who are humble and meek.  There are way too many people here who pat themselves on the back saying "I've have done my part.  It is someone else's turn."  What if Jesus would have finished with Palm Sunday saying that, and returned to Galilee?

God needs more servants to serve with hope.  There is way too much work, way too many hurting people, way too many opportunities, way too many lives to be changed for a few of us to do it all.  Sure, the job of ushering in the Kingdom of God is big, that's why God just gave us a little corner of the world to serve.  Let's all serve with hope. 

 

Palm Sunday teaches us a lot about how Jesus worked.  He could have come riding in on a white stallion and brought an end to all the silliness and sin in the world.  He could have, by virtue of his divine power, destroyed his opponents and whisked the rest into the kingdom.  He didn't. 

He came humble and riding on a donkey.  The servant king.  Thinking only of pleasing God, thinking only of serving others, humbly putting others before his comfort and even his life, plodding step by step toward the torture, pain and despair of the cross, knowing that on the other side lay the hope of resurrection. 

Let us not stand by and idly watch the events of this holy week.  Let these events fill our servant hearts with a renewed desire and commitment to serve the God who sent Jesus not to be served, but to serve, and to call us to be servants.  The Servant God who rides the humble donkey, washes the stinky feet, accepts the deadly lashing and gives his life to serve salvation to all who come to serve him. 

 

AMEN

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[i] A.T. Pierson, The Truth.

 

[ii] Today in the Word, March 6, 1991.

 

SERVE: Pick up your broom and follow me

SERVE: Pick up your broom and follow me

RUMC

3/25/12

          Here we are in the 5^th week of the servanthood series.  It has almost flown by.

·        We talked about the Biblical basis for servanthood[i]

·        Our natural distaste for servanthood[ii]

·        We talked about servanthood not being as difficult as we think because it means laying down our life 25¢ at a time.[iii]

·        Last week Robyn got us started on characteristics of a servant talking about the importance of being content rather than resentful in our servanthood.

This week I want to continue with more characteristics of servanthood.

When I started researching this series, I checked the thesaurus to see what it had to say about the word "servant."  Synonyms include, "attendant, dependent, domestic, drudge, help, helper, hireling, menial, minion, retainer, serf, server, slave, underling, subordinate, lackey, stooge, vassal and assistant."

What does the Bible say, though?  What Does Jesus have to say about the qualities of a servant?  Charles Swindoll points out that the Beatitudes make a pretty good summary of Jesus' perspective on the characteristics of a Christian servant.  Let's take a look at them.

 

 

Jesus starts with BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT.  Jesus is not talking about the financially poor, or the politically poor, or the oppressed or the downtrodden.  Jesus says "poor in spirit."  The Hebrew word for poor actually has a spiritual component built into it.  One who is poor, is thought of as a person who is humble, knows that he is helpless, and therefore puts his whole trust in God.  That is the first characteristic of a servant: ONE WHO HUMBLY DEPENDS ON GOD.

What a great way to begin a servant's description: total humility.  It is the humility captured in the third verse of the great Augustus Toplady hymn "Rock of Ages." 

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;

Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;

 

How counter cultural is that in this culture of self-service?  In this culture of independence?  In this culture of self-sufficiency?

Yet, Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit."  You may remember that Jesus adds a reward to each beatitude.  This one reads, "For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."  Humility or poverty of spirit is absolutely required in order to be included in the kingdom of God.  Humility is an indispensible condition of kingdom living.  Humbly depending on God is the first essential characteristic of those who would come to be servants in the kingdom.

 

 

Jesus continued, "Blessed are those who mourn."  The word Jesus used for "mourn" is the strongest word he had available to him.  It conveys the sorrow of a broken heart, or the ache of the anguished soul.  It is mourning over the loss of a close personal relationship: spouse, child, or parent. 

Alternatively, this Greek term can convey a deep empathy for the hurts and losses of others.  It is the ability to connect with, and empathize with, someone who has experienced that devastating loss.  It is sincerely caring for the hurts and sorrows of others no matter what the cause.  Therefore, the beatitude might read, "Blessed is the one who cares intensely for the hurts and sorrows and losses of others.  Not mourning for our own loss, but hurting for the troubles of those around them."

We live in a world in which people have completely ignored a robbery or assault on another person.  It would never happen here, we hope, but we have all heard stories of people in large cities beaten to death and no one even calls 911.  That is so unlike Jesus who came to bear our grief and comfort us in our pain.  It is also unlike the servant Jesus describes in the beatitudes.  "Blessed are they whose hearts break for others who hurt, for they shall be comforted."  The reward is, "They shall be comforted."  Isn't it interesting that Jesus does not identify the source of comfort.  Perhaps comfort comes from the one Jesus calls "the comforter," or it might even come from the people we serve, as someday we find that the tables have been turned.
So, a servant is compassionate.

So far, we have found extreme humble dependence, and great compassion to be servant characteristics.  Let's see that else we can find in here.

Jesus goes on to say, "Blessed are the meek."  Not blessed are the weak.  Blessed are the MEEK.  This word meek is as about as far from weak as it could be.  Perhaps a better word for us would be, "gentle."

·        Wild stallions were described with this word we are translating as gentle, when they were ready to ride.  (That is certainly not weak)

·        Ointments that ease the pain of wounds were described as being gentle using this Greek word.

·        Those who treated others respectfully and with dignity, even when they were of a lower social class were described as gentle using this word.

Far from being weakness, we are talking about having our strength under control, being calm in a heated atmosphere, having s soothing effect, and maintaining one's composure so others might keep their dignity.

The same word is used to describe Jesus in Matthew 11 "Take my yoke upon up you and learn from me, for I am gentle (same word as meek) I am gentle and humble of heart." [iv]

The promise that goes with this beatitude is, "They shall inherit the earth."  Now I do not think that means there is going to be a great property transfer to the gentle people.  I do think it means that in the end meekness wins out over force.  Gentleness wins out over might. So, a servant is gentle.

The 4^th characteristic of a servant is, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness."  I referred earlier to the stories we have heard where a terrible crime was completely ignored.  That is doubling up the wrong: one for the crime, and another wrong for not stopping it.  This beatitude says that they are actually tripling up the evil act.  Once for the act, another for not reporting it and another for not doing something ourselves.  There many times where people just ignore something bad right under their noses.  Jesus is saying a servant would never do that.

·        The housekeeper had better not just ignore the dirty socks on the floor.

·        The waiter had better not tell you "tough noogies" when you inform them that your dinner is not properly prepared.

·        My mechanic had better not see something that is about to fail on my car and forget to tell me about it.

·        And a servant of Christ cannot stand by and watch wrong being done without acting.  The servant cannot watch theft, abuse, prejudice, or hatred without trying to do the right thing.

The servant is so anxious for things to be right that they are willing to do whatever it takes.  Even at risk to themselves.

The reward, Jesus says, is that those who do right, "will be satisfied."  The Greek word here is derived from the Greek word for fodder, as in animal fodder.  The word picture is of animals contentedly grazing in the sun on the owner's pasture, fat and happy, like we were after that prime rib dinner Friday night.  Doing the right things does not leave us empty, but fills us with all of God's good things.

 That's ½ of the beatitudes and we have learned that

·        humble dependence,

·        great compassion,

·        strong gentleness

·        And doing right are characteristics of servants.

 

Number 5, Jesus says Blessed are the merciful.  Chessed, the Hebrew word for mercy has a long and rich history of use in the prophetic literature of the Old Testament where people were called repeatedly to show mercy just as God shows them mercy.

That word chessed, however, is more than feeling sorry for someone.  It is feeling sorry with them.  It is getting in their skin and feeling their hurt.  But it is more than feeling.  The prophets talk about dong mercy.  They are talking about the kind of mercy that isn't afraid to roll up its sleeves and get dirty.  Visiting the dump people in Juarez Mexico, is doing mercy, so is visiting our friends at Parkview.  Sitting beside orphans in Haiti, is doing mercy.  So is sitting next to a child who has few friends. Eating lunch with the hungry and homeless in Waterloo, or companioning a friend through the deepest grief of their life are both "doing mercy"

The reward for those who are merciful is "they shall receive mercy."  Those who remain aloof and detached when others are hurting will receive the same treatment from God.  Can it be any clearer than that?  Servants of Christ are merciful.

 

 

Jesus says Servants of Christ are pure in heart.  It is about time Jesus came back to an inner characteristic.  While I was writing I began thinking, "this is easy.  I am compassionate and gentle and I seek the right over the wrong, and I am merciful.  I began to think I was in the clear.  Not quite!

Pure in heart means that my motives matter.  It is not enough to do the right thing.  We must do the right things for the right reasons.  It is not enough to act like a servant; servanthood must grow from a pure heart inside of us. 

Christ's promise for the pure in heart is, - "if your motives are pure, you shall see God."  If your right behavior flows from your right motivations, there is no doubt about your destiny.  You will stand before God and hear those magnificent words, "Well done good and faithful servant."  Could there be a better reward than that?  I hardly think so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then Jesus adds, "Blessed are the peacemakers."

Let me define this in the negative:

·        Jesus does not mean blessed are those who avoid conflict

·        Or blessed are those who ignore conflict

·        Those who will bow down to anything in order to have peace

·        It doesn't mean blessed are the passive

 A peacemaker is just what it sounds like.  One who actively and proactively seeks healthy relationships with others.  I have to admit the church has not always done that.  The history of Christianity is hardly peaceful.  We don't know who the author was, but this little poem tells us what peacemaking is not.

Believe as I believe--no more, no less;
that I am right (and no one else) confess.
Feel as I feel, think only as I think;
Eat what I eat, and drink but what I drink. 
Look as I look, do always as I do;
And then--and only then--I'll fellowship with you.[v]

 

We know people like that, don't we?  And they are not peacemakers.  That is really is too bad because Jesus promises that peacemakers "shall be called children of God."  Peacemaking is so close to the heart of God that those who make a life of making peace are acting like the direct offspring of the God of peace.  Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.  A servant is a peacemaker.

 

 

The last beatitude seems, at first, misplaced.  It is different from the rest.  But it is an unfortunate reality-

·        those who would be humbly dependent on God,  

·        have great compassion and gentleness with neighbors,

·        Seek righteousness and mercy out of a pure heart are often misunderstood and mistreated. 

Unfortunately, mistreatment is not the exception, but the rule.  Blessed are the persecuted.  Jesus says blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and utter all kinds of evil against you."  Not IF they mistreat you, when they mistreat you.  Being a servant is hard.  Harder than most of us imagine.  But staying the course, serving the master is fundamental to being Christian. 

Notice the reward?  We are right back to where we started with the rewards.  It is the same reward as the first beatitude.  "For theirs will be the kingdom of heaven."

Remember in the beginning, that I said that the reward meant that humility is absolutely required in order to be included in the kingdom of God?  We have to say the same thing here.

Servant living and its difficulties are required in order to be included in the kingdom of God.  Servant living (even with its difficulties,) is an indispensable condition of the kingdom of God. 

 

         

 

Jesus said, "Take up your cross and follow me."  It is hard for us to understand that because crucifixion seems too unthinkable.  I kind of like the broom as a symbol of servanthood.  So, today I want to translate and update that saying by calling you to "take up our broom to follow him into servanthood."  

·        Pick up your broom to sweep away your independence in favor of humble dependence.

·        Pick up your broom to sweep away cold-heartedness in favor of great compassion

·        Pick up your broom and sweep away weakness in favor of meekness or gentleness.

·        Pick up your broom and sweep away blindness in favor of seeing wrong for what it is.

·        Pick up your broom and seep away self-centeredness in favor of mercy.

·        Pick up your broom and sweep away wrong motives to make way for  purity of heart

·        Pick up your broom and sweep away rigidness to make room for peace making.

·        Pick up your broom and sweep away safe discipleship in favor of taking the risk of being a servant.

Come servants of the living Christ pick up your broom and follow him.

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[i] SERVE #1 Like Jesus

[ii] SERVE #2 not me

[iii] SERVE #3 lay down our what

[iv] Mtt 11: 29

[v] Leslie Flynn, church Fights

SERVE: “Lay down our what?” RUMC 3/11/12

SERVE: "Lay down our what?"

RUMC

3/11/12

 

There are  77 hard sayings of Jesus in FF Bruce's book called "The Hard Sayings of  Jesus"[i]  Today's passage "Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me," is chapter 37.  In my mind, in today's world, perhaps it should be number one.

One could spend a lifetime counting the problems in today's world.  Many of them, however, can be traced right back to our arrogant, bull-headed, self-centeredness.  

Wasn't that the issue in Genesis?  Adam and Eve didn't disobey God in order to be disobedient.  Adam and Eve disobeyed because they thought they entitled to the fruit and deserved the knowledge.

It's too bad they didn't understand the words "Deny yourself."

The Greeks had a character named Narcissus, from whom we receive the word narcissistic.  Narcissus was so in love with himself that he could love no one else.  In fact, he was so consumed with himself that when we caught a glimpse of his reflection in a pool, he couldn't take his eyes off his beauty.  He stayed there gazing into the reflection of his own eyes until he died.

It's too bad he didn't understand the words "Deny yourself."

The Narcissuses of our day die in spirit as they stare all consumed into their TV's, their video games, the pornography on their computers, their investment accounts, or one more material possession that they are sure will make them happy.  After all, no one deserves to be happy more than they do.  Their hearts shrivel up and die as they are consumed with being a winner, being wealthy, being popular, being powerful.

They wouldn't deny themselves anything because they deserve it all.  That's how you know that you have crossed the line to narcissism.  You begin to believe that you deserve everything.

It's too bad more people don't understand the words "Deny yourself."

Think about the word deserving.  DE-serving.  It could also be NON-serving, UN-serving or my favorite ANTI-serving. 

We don't understand serving because we live in an ANTI-serving society.

 

Contrast that with Jesus' hard saying "If anyone wants to be my follower, let them deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me."

The MESSAGE Bible says it this way.  "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead.  You're not in the driver's seat—I am.  Don't run from suffering; embrace it.  Follow me and I'll show you how.  Self-help is no help at all.  Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self." 

 

The AMPLIFIED Bible says "he must deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself]"

 

The phrase "deny himself" literally means, "To completely disown, to utterly separate oneself from someone."  It is the same word used to describe Peter's denial of Jesus outside the High Priests home![ii]   Each time he was confronted about his connection with Jesus, Peter more fervently denied knowing him (vv. 70, 72, 74). 

We are to deny ourselves: to utterly disown ourselves, to refuse to acknowledge the old narcissistic person.

·        Have this mind in you which was in Christ Jesus who did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself.  (Phil. 2:5-8).

·        Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 6:11).

·        I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Gal. 2:20.

·        This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16)

·        By the mercies of God, present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1

Oh, man . . .  it just keeps getting worse.  Now we have gone from denying ourselves to laying down our lives and being a living sacrifice . . .   but let me tell you there really isn't any difference.  Denying ourselves is just laying down our lives a little bit at a time.

 

I like the way the great preacher Fred Craddock, explains it.  He says, "We think giving our all to the Lord is like taking $l,000 bill and laying it on the table—'Here's my life, Lord.  I'm giving it all.'  "But the reality for most of us is that God sends us to the bank and has us cash in the $l,000 for quarters.  We go through life putting out 25 cents here and 50 cents there.

·        Listen to the neighbor kid's troubles instead of saying, 'Get lost.'

·         Go to a committee meeting.

·        Give a cup of water to a shaky old man in a nursing home.

"For most of us, giving our life to Christ isn't glorious.  It's done in all those little acts of love, 25 cents at a time.  It would be easy to go out in a flash of glory; it's harder to live the Christian life little by little over the long haul." [iii]  Does that make more sense laying down our life a quarter or 50cents at a time?  It does to me.

 

Now let me add one more concept that I think helps us to understand laying down our lives or denying ourselves.  You all know the Principle of Tradeoffs.  The principle of tradeoffs says that some things need to be denied in order for other things to be gained.

Think about your budget, you might have to skip that vacation in order to buy that car.  You all understand that.

In this passage, Jesus says that we must deny ourselves in order to gain some other things.
What does he mean?

Ø Well, one example is that we have to deny our time to some things in order to gain other things.  If you want to pursue a certain career, you have to deny yourself time that would have been spent on other things in order to devote yourself to education, training, and experience required for that career.  You are denying yourself certain other uses of that time, such as traveling the world, or starting a family, or dating; in order for you to gain something else.

Ø The same is true for raising kids.  One has to trade sleep, and peace and quiet, and time, and money, and late nights on the town and many other things-- but you are not just denying them- you are denying them in order to care for and love the child you brought into the world.

Ø If you have a garden, you trade the hard labor of weeding and tending for fresh vegetables and flowers.

Ø If you are on a team, you trade hours of practice for the opportunity to win the championship.

So--- you see what I mean.  Life is a series of tradeoffs.  When Jesus told his disciples that they must deny themselves, he was saying that as a disciple of Christ, they will need to give up certain things in order to follow him.  Discipleship requires that we give up-- lay down-- deny certain things in order to gain the benefits of following the forgiver, the prince of peace, the lord of life.

Don't think only of what is denied, though– that will only make you feel cheated out of something – instead, think of what you are choosing to gain.  Salvation, hope, love, and joy.

 

Now to bring those two things together: the incremental 25 and 50 cent acts of love and service, and the Tradeoff Principle.

When Jesus laid down his life for us he did it in one great and glorious event of the cross and resurrection-- laying everything--- his whole $1000 on the table in a trade for our salvation, our faith, and our faithfulness.  However, we aren't Jesus.

When the apostles and martyrs lay down their lives they do it in one grand and glorious sacrifice for the sake of the gospel-- they lay everything--- their whole $1000 on the table in exchange for fulfilling their call to be faithful. 

However, God willing we will not be called to be martyrs for the faith.

So what does it mean for most of the rest of us- the 2 billion Christians that live our lives in the trenches trying to be servants every day in our families, our jobs, and our communities? 

o   Being a servant means, that we trade 25¢ worth of comfort today so that someone can have a warm blanket when they sleep under the bridge tomorrow night.

o   Being a servant means, that we trade 50¢ worth of time while we hug a child scared of the thunder.

o   Being a servant means, that we trade 25¢ worth of our favorite television show to join a committee.

o   Being a servant means, that we trade 50¢ worth of gas to drive the neighbor kid home from school when mom is sick.

o   Being a servant means, that we trade ½ a day to help someone move.

o   Being a servant means, that we trade a week to go on a mission trip with the youth.

o   Being a servant means, that we trade that fancy $5 coffee in order to contribute to Homes for Haiti.

o   Being a servant means, trading a few words for the opportunity to invite someone to go to church with us.

o   Being a servant means, we trade 25¢ worth of time in order to change the light bulb we notice is burned out at the church.

o   Being a servant means, that we trade a penny's worth of gossip with our friends after church in order to greet the people who come to visit for the first time. 

o   Being a servant means, you trade a few Wednesday nights in order to teach a child about Jesus.

o   Being a servant means, you trade a few words of encouragement to ease the tears of a mother who just experienced a miscarriage.

o   Being a servant means, that you penny by penny, minute by minute trade your life away in favor of loving others, joining the kingdom of God and following Jesus Christ.

 

Do you see what I am saying?  Being a servant is offering everything we have to the service of Christ one quarter, 1 word, one minute, and one day at a time.  

If you are looking for the big flashy ways to serve you may have the wrong motivation. 

If you are looking for opportunities to serve that maximize your gifts you may be thinking about this all wrong.

If you are waiting for God to call you to be a missionary or pastor, you have the wrong idea about servanthood. 

We have been bought by God.  Yes, Jesus traded all he had for you. 

o   We have been bought by God.  One jagged lash at a time.

o   We have been bought by God.  One jeering, spitting mocker at a time.

o   We have been bought by God.  One nail at a time.

o   We have been bought by God.  One agonizing breath at a time.

o   We have been bought by God.  One dark moment at a time.

o   Bought with a price! And what a tremendous price that was!

Servanthood is trading your life away one quarter, one word, one minute, one day at a time to the one who bought and paid for our sins.

Brothers and sisters let us serve one another.

 

 

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[i]  F.F. Bruce, Inter-varsity Press / 1983 

[ii] Matt. 26:34

[iii] Darryl Bell - www.bible.org/illus/nt/nt-71.htm