1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,860 Welcome to Walk in the Truth podcast. How do we know where to find answers to the toughest 2 00:00:15,860 --> 00:00:21,060 questions in life? While the simplest answer is the Bible, where do we start this search 3 00:00:21,060 --> 00:00:27,300 and how do we discover this truth? Today, in this teaching podcast, John Meador, lead 4 00:00:27,300 --> 00:00:32,440 pastor of Cross City Church, takes a specific text of the Bible and helps us find truth 5 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:41,800 for the life we're searching for. So glad you're with us this morning. If you have 6 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:47,200 your Bibles, please take them and turn to Mark chapter 10 today. Mark chapter 10, Jesus 7 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:53,160 is in an incredible conversation with his disciples about the act of servant here. So 8 00:00:53,160 --> 00:00:57,400 Mark chapter 10, beginning in verse 41 today. I want to talk to you about a deeper view 9 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:02,560 of serving. By the way, this Out of the Shadow series is going to take place this week and 10 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:08,500 next week and then the following week we'll be in a new series called the Holy Spirit. 11 00:01:08,500 --> 00:01:13,680 So we'll be walking through John 14, 15, and 16, the three chapters of John where Jesus 12 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:17,720 spends so much time introducing the work of the Holy Spirit and what that means to our 13 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:22,320 lives and so we're coming to the conclusion of the Out of the Shadow and we're getting 14 00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:27,240 ready to go into the series on the Holy Spirit. Please stand with me as we open up and read 15 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:34,520 God's word today. Mark chapter 10, verse 41. Now I'll give you some background behind this 16 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:40,040 text because the background is important to understand what Jesus is doing and saying 17 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:45,360 for these disciples. The background is that Jesus is talking about going to the cross 18 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:51,480 and he's letting his disciples know it's going to be a very quick but brutal kind of 19 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:57,680 encounter where he surrenders himself and he ends up dying on the cross and even says 20 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:02,320 he's going to rise again in three days. Well it's really interesting that the disciples 21 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:07,560 that are listening to this conversation have something in mind that's not quite in alignment 22 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:13,160 with that. James and John are talking about where they're going to be when Jesus comes 23 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:18,680 into his glory and so they make the request of Jesus, can we sit on your right and left 24 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:24,160 hand when you come into your glory? And I hope you can kind of catch the scenario, the 25 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:28,760 context of this. Jesus is having a very sober conversation and these disciples all of a 26 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:34,240 sudden are thinking about themselves. Where will we sit when you are in your glory and 27 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:40,560 that's where it picks up in verse 41 of Mark chapter 10. Hearing this, that is hearing what 28 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:45,920 James and John said, the 10 began to feel indignant with James and John calling them 29 00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:51,040 to himself. Jesus said to them, you know that those who are recognized as rulers of the 30 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:56,760 Gentiles lord it over them and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is 31 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:03,400 not this way among you. But whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant 32 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:09,200 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of man did 33 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:16,800 not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. Let's pray. 34 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:21,960 Father, we want to thank you for your words today that comes from the Bible. Father, I 35 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:27,120 pray for this conversation Jesus is having with James and John to be clear to us, to 36 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:31,640 convict us, to lead, direct us. And Father, more than anything else that we can walk away 37 00:03:31,640 --> 00:03:36,480 with this brilliant powerful example of what it means to serve one another that we see 38 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:40,720 in the life of Jesus Lord. Help us to walk away with that. We ask this in Jesus name 39 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:49,720 and everybody said amen. Please be seated if you would. You know not long ago the 9-11 40 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:55,280 commemoration shows took place and I happened to catch one of those. As you know 9-11 was 41 00:03:55,280 --> 00:04:00,200 when the terrorist attacks on New York City and other areas of the United States happened 42 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:06,400 and the twin towers of the World Trade Center both came down during those attacks. This 43 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:11,520 particular show I was watching was talking about the first responders that made it to 44 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:17,200 the scene. Firemen and other emergency personnel that had to make the decision as they looked 45 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:23,120 at the twin towers already on fire and people already obviously perishing as to whether 46 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:28,080 they would go inside and go up all those floors up to 80, 90 floors in order to try to rescue 47 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:33,600 those that were above that floor line. And the immediate quick willing decision that 48 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:38,920 each one of them made to say yes I'll go in there and I'll do my best. I'll give my life 49 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:45,040 if necessary to find those that can be found and to bring them to safety. I thought it 50 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:49,440 was an incredible moment where this decision making had to take place on the spur of the 51 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:55,960 moment unprepared in every way but willing for people to say I'll go I'll give my life. 52 00:04:55,960 --> 00:05:02,800 You may know that 343 first responders died in the twin towers when they came down. All 53 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:07,840 of them attempting to rescue people they did not know and had no other connection with 54 00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:12,880 other than the fact that they were human beings in need. Now I look at that and I think what 55 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:17,920 an incredible picture of servanthood. What an amazing historical record of someone that 56 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:23,760 have given their lives to reach other people. And then I pause and I ask myself have we 57 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:29,720 lost the art of servanthood? Have we lost the joy or even the willingness to say I'll 58 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:34,640 do whatever I need to do to serve someone else? Maybe not that extreme of a need is 59 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:41,440 before you but have we lost the art of stopping long enough in our pursuit from getting point 60 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:48,000 to point A to point B and seeing the need around us and meeting that need? James and 61 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:54,680 John had missed that point in their conversation that we just read about a few moments ago. 62 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,840 And in Jesus' response to them we have this powerful picture of servanthood. How to go 63 00:05:58,840 --> 00:06:03,720 deeper when it comes to serving others. What does it mean to have a life of servanthood? 64 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:08,600 That's what Jesus is going to answer for us today as we look at Mark chapter 10. I want 65 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,940 to bring out three things about this text that are really important. First of all the 66 00:06:11,940 --> 00:06:18,240 warning that Jesus gives, what I call the great deception that sometimes happens when 67 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:24,000 we think we're serving Jesus. And that great deception is revealed in what the request 68 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:29,560 was that James and John had. Go back to verse 37 if you would and look at what happened 69 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:34,400 in this request. James and John come to Jesus after Jesus gives them this background. He's 70 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:39,360 about to go to the cross. He's about to die. He's about to sacrifice his life. And they 71 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:46,000 said to him, grant that we may sit one on your right and one on your left hand in your 72 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:52,400 glory. Now if you've got the chance to go back to the book of Matthew and see the parallel 73 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:59,400 passage the mother of James and John is making that same request. So here are the 12 disciples 74 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:04,320 along with a lot of others there and the mom of James and John are making this on. They're 75 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:11,320 all urging this question to come to Jesus. And the request is can you make my boys to 76 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:15,920 be able to sit on the right hand and the left hand of you Lord when you come into your kingdom. 77 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,800 And the disciples themselves, these two, James and John were saying I want to be in that 78 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:26,120 place of recognition when you come into your kingdom. You know there's a few places in 79 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:32,880 the Bible where a request is made of Jesus and the line is when you come into your kingdom 80 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:37,840 and one of those is when Jesus died on the cross, the two thieves on either side, remember 81 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:43,920 the one ignored Jesus or mocked Jesus. The other though said Lord remember me when you 82 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:49,840 come into your kingdom. A humble request, a request that says all I want to do, all 83 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:54,320 I want to do is know that I can be with you in eternity. But James and John are not in 84 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:59,040 that set of mind. In fact James and John are in that mindset that says listen I've got 85 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:03,760 ambition for what happens on the other side of whatever you go through Jesus. I want to 86 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:08,760 find a place of honor, not a place of humility, but I'm going for greatness in the kingdom 87 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:13,800 of God. There's no other way to translate, no other way to interpret what James and John 88 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:20,440 response is except let's see what Jesus can do for us on the other side of whatever he's 89 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:26,860 going to go through and that's the opposite of servanthood. And I think that's why this 90 00:08:26,860 --> 00:08:32,200 conversation is recorded for us. So that we can see what happens on one side when human 91 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:36,220 nature takes over and then we can see what happens on the other side when we really have 92 00:08:36,220 --> 00:08:41,320 our minds on the great servant Jesus Christ. So I want to look forward just a moment at 93 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:47,360 this great deception that's happening in this conversation. By the way whenever blind ambition 94 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:53,040 happens, whenever personal ambition is rising up into our heart, whenever we want honor 95 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:59,280 instead of willingness to serve we see blindness and we see division and we see all kinds of 96 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:03,120 arrogance taking place. I want to point that out to you for just a few moments. First of 97 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:10,040 all ambition for honor is blind. Now I want you to go back with me to verses 32, 33, 34. 98 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:14,560 Just look at that for a second. It says this, it says they were on the road going up to 99 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:19,480 Jerusalem and Jesus was walking on ahead of them and they were amazed and those who followed 100 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:24,400 him were fearful. And again he took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going 101 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:29,320 to happen to him. So this is a conversation with Jesus and the disciples saying behold 102 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:33,160 we're going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests 103 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:38,640 and the scribes and they will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles 104 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:44,680 and they will mock him and spit on him and scourge him and kill him and three days later 105 00:09:44,680 --> 00:09:52,400 he will rise again. This is a painful kind of conversation, a shocking conversation for 106 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:57,000 disciples who weren't fully aware that Jesus was going to go through this time of suffering 107 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:03,640 and an eventual brutal sacrifice on the cross. They weren't in touch with all that but he 108 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:08,720 was telling them here's what's ahead of me, here's what I'm going to go through on your 109 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:13,320 behalf, here's all that I'm going to experience in the days ahead. Now if you can catch the 110 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:20,000 contrast here after hearing all that they are saying what's our role, what's in it 111 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:25,840 for me. Can you go ahead and promote us before you get there because we want to sit on the 112 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:31,720 right hand and the left hand. I can almost see James and John saying I've served you 113 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:35,440 for three years, we've been following you for three years, we've left everything for 114 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:43,640 three years, what are you going to do from us? Blind to what Jesus was saying eyes only 115 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:50,000 on themselves. We're seeing a picture of the opposite of servanthood. Ambition for honor 116 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:54,800 is also divisive, it's easy for us to see in verse 41, hearing this for ten began to 117 00:10:54,800 --> 00:11:01,240 feel indignant. I can't think of anything that would destroy team dynamics more than 118 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:05,360 that kind of request when you've got twelve disciples and two of them are saying we want 119 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:10,120 the places of honor, we want the title, we want to be able to sit on the right hand and 120 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:14,800 the left hand, we want to be your favorite. And the Bible actually says the rest of the 121 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:20,160 ten were grieved and they were growing more resentful by the moment, present tense says 122 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:26,400 they were just growing increasingly indignant. I think you can learn a lot about team dynamics 123 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:31,400 here, you can learn a lot about organizational morale for that. Here's Jesus, the perfect 124 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:36,400 leader but the moment we began to have our eyes on ourselves, all that harmony and all 125 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:43,600 that unity begins to fall apart. It's divisive, it's also arrogant. Notice what Jesus says 126 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:48,440 in response to them in verse 42, you know that those who are recognized as rulers over 127 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:54,400 the Gentiles lord it over them and their great men exercise authority over them but it's 128 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:58,920 not to be among you. In other words Jesus is saying I know what you're doing. You're 129 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:03,560 looking at the leadership model of the world, you're looking at how the Gentiles do things 130 00:12:03,560 --> 00:12:08,120 and you're thinking that the way I do things in the kingdom and the way the world does 131 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:12,800 things in its organizations are going to be the same. And you're wanting that position 132 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:17,720 of authority, you're saying I want to leave this pack but I'm telling you God's got a 133 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:24,000 bigger vision than you have for His kingdom and it doesn't involve you being on the right 134 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:30,240 hand or on the left hand. I want to warn you today that no matter who you are, no matter 135 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:39,240 what group you're a part of, blind ambition can destroy relationships and morale in families, 136 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:47,560 in friendships, in marriages, in organizations, in the church. Anytime human ambition rises 137 00:12:47,560 --> 00:12:54,720 up it cancels out anything God might be doing at that moment. James has an even more blunt 138 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:59,360 way of saying it in the book of James, James chapter 3 verse 16. I've always been astounded 139 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:04,920 by the brutality of some of James' words and you see them here. He says where jealousy 140 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:12,240 and selfish ambition exists there is disorder and every evil thing. James doesn't say there's 141 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:16,600 a little bit of evil going on when all this is happening. No, he says there's every evil 142 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:24,040 thing. You open the door to all kinds of horrific kind of things whenever blind ambition is 143 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:27,880 happening. So we all know what's happening. The disciples are looking at the model of 144 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:32,720 the world and thinking that's what it's going to be like. We're going to be able to have 145 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:39,760 honor and authority instead of being servants. So in the background of that great delusion 146 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:45,240 Jesus gives an incredibly great call and that's really what this heart of this text is all 147 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:52,120 about, the great call to serve Jesus. Look in verses 43 and verse 44. And instead of 148 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:58,320 a desire for honor Jesus elevates and teaches the desire for serving. The desire for ambition 149 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:04,160 means that we want to be seen as great in the eyes of others or great in our own eyes. 150 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:08,520 We want to have that kind of esteem to have that kind of position but greatness in the 151 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:14,360 kingdom of God is not like that at all. Jesus is steering the disciples towards greatness 152 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:19,800 in the eyes of God. Do you know where I get that term greatness in the eyes of God? I 153 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:25,640 get that term from the life of John the Baptist. John the Baptist was one of those men that 154 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:30,480 stood out in such a huge way as being a pure servant. He was a man filled with the Holy 155 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:35,960 Spirit from early, early on. He was a man that had one job and that job was to point 156 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:42,140 to Jesus Christ, to point out that this was the Messiah, the Lamb of God. The Bible tells 157 00:14:42,140 --> 00:14:48,040 us that John's main statement that he made over and over is, I must decrease and he must 158 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:55,680 increase. In Matthew chapter 11 and verse 11 Jesus comments on John the Baptist as he's 159 00:14:55,680 --> 00:15:04,040 about to die. Jesus' comment about this man, John the Baptist, is this one. It is, I say 160 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:10,700 to you, among those born of women there is not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist. 161 00:15:10,700 --> 00:15:17,000 And yet one who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. The disciples knew 162 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:21,400 what that meant. They knew that John the Baptist was great in the eyes of God. They knew that 163 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:27,640 Jesus wanted them to be the same way. Jesus gives them this divine call that lets them 164 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:33,520 be what he really calls all of us to be. I want you to see it in two lines in verse 43 165 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:40,680 and 34. First of all, he said, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant. 166 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:45,280 Now that word servant is a word that we want to pay attention to for just a few moments. 167 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:50,160 It means that one who serves. It's really our word for deacon. You see the word deacon 168 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:55,360 translated in the New Testament. It is that word diakonos. And basically it means one 169 00:15:55,360 --> 00:16:02,320 who renders an act of service. Someone is serving someone else. And so Jesus is pointing 170 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:05,920 to the disciples and saying, now it's not the position of leadership I want you to be 171 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:11,400 concerned about, but I want you to be concerned about the opportunity to serve other people 172 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:16,280 in my name. I want you to elevate that above the elevation of your own ambition and your 173 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:22,320 own desires and your own wish to be recognized. What I want you to do is lower yourself and 174 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:30,760 I want you to learn to do acts of service towards other people in my name. Do you remember 175 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:36,240 that great story Jesus told about the good Samaritan? You know, it was a story that he 176 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:42,080 told after the conversation about the greatest commandment. The lawyers come to him and say, 177 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:46,280 Lord, what's the greatest commandment in the law? He says, the greatest commandment is 178 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:51,180 to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, mark 179 00:16:51,180 --> 00:16:56,320 adds and all your strength. And the second is likened to it that you love your neighbor 180 00:16:56,320 --> 00:17:03,360 as yourself. In one of the gospels, the question comes back, so who is my neighbor? And Jesus 181 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:09,160 tells the story of the good Samaritan. Now the story of the good Samaritan is all about 182 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:14,000 meeting the need of a person that is a stranger to you. You don't know them, they're not in 183 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:21,000 your life. Two people walked by and left him on the roadside after he had been beaten and 184 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:25,800 been left almost for dead. And the third one, the Samaritan comes along and helps him. He 185 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:31,920 picks him up. He does his best to fix him up. It takes him and takes care of him and 186 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:36,120 says there's going to be money ahead of you if you keep taking care of him. I'm coming 187 00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:40,680 back through. So he takes care of his immediate need, his future need. All these are acts 188 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:48,320 of service, all these in answer to who is my neighbor and how do I love my neighbor? 189 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:55,040 So Jesus tells that story that helps us understand what an act of service looks like. And at 190 00:17:55,040 --> 00:18:03,320 the end of that he says you go and do likewise. I love that little line at the end of the 191 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:07,520 good Samaritan, go and do likewise. This is not just a fancy story. This is not just some 192 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:11,600 neat little novel that I'm making up. This is not just some example I'm telling you about. 193 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:15,760 This is how you're supposed to live. You're supposed to live looking at people and seeing 194 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:20,960 what needs they may have and how you might be able to meet that need in the name of Jesus 195 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:27,040 Christ. So in essence Jesus is saying at this point to his disciples in Mark chapter 10, 196 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:32,880 however you're going to stand out, stand out as one who is willing to serve other people. 197 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:39,520 Lead the way in serving and meeting needs and render service all along the way. There's 198 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:45,000 so many ways that we can do that day in and day out. So many ways on a day by day basis 199 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:50,880 we not looking just at ourselves but looking at the need others have. It means being aware 200 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:55,520 of those around me who need someone to help them, someone to encourage them, someone to 201 00:18:55,520 --> 00:19:01,040 point them to resources. It means my main ambition can't be just to get from point A 202 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:05,920 to point B on my journey through that particular day or on my journey through life. It means 203 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:12,840 being aware of everyone around me. After all the good Samaritan was on his way and was 204 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:17,560 on a journey and had to stop and look at the man that was beaten and left at the roadside 205 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:23,440 and Jesus says you do that same thing whatever you do, do the same thing. So Jesus' great 206 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:30,920 call begins with being willing to be a servant to those around you. So you should render 207 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:38,440 service, render service. But digging deeper Jesus makes another statement and that statement 208 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:44,640 takes us even deeper into the life of servanthood even more than rendering an act of servant, 209 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:50,240 be a servant, be a servant. Look at verse 44, whoever wishes to be first among you shall 210 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:58,160 be slave of all. Now a slave is someone who is bound to serve. Now the word has a bad 211 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:04,680 connotation in every era. So Jesus is actually using a word with a bad connotation in that 212 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:11,360 era as well as this era and he is giving a radical picture of what it means to serve 213 00:20:11,360 --> 00:20:18,000 the Lord Jesus Christ. He's saying be a slave to all servants who are bound to serve their 214 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:23,600 master and Jesus gives us very much a permanent picture of servanthood in our life. It's 215 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:29,440 not just a matter of looking around every once in a while, you are bound to serve. You 216 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:35,360 know early in the morning I often get outside my house and I look up into the skies and 217 00:20:35,360 --> 00:20:41,560 today was a beautiful day. Sixty-six degrees this morning, yes you heard me right, sixty-six 218 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:46,040 degrees this morning. Somebody say amen. Aren't you glad? Aren't you glad for the weather 219 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:50,640 change every once in a while? Sixty-six degrees. I mean it's almost Christmas so it's about 220 00:20:50,640 --> 00:21:00,080 time right? But not only was it nice and cool but man the skies were clear, crystal clear. 221 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:05,280 A few clouds floating by but man I could see the stars. I could see the stars and along 222 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:10,720 about six fifteen or so sitting on my front porch I could watch that sun come up and I 223 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:18,400 could see all of glory for a moment worshiping the Lord. Did it ever occur to you that the 224 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:26,200 sun, the moon, the stars, the clouds and everything God has created exists to serve our creator? 225 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:31,600 You want a good picture of servanthood? Look at everything God created and put in the heavens. 226 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:38,240 I mean how fateful does the sun come up? How fateful are the clouds move across the sky, 227 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:43,260 the stars out to point our way. They do everything they were designed to do because their creator 228 00:21:43,260 --> 00:21:47,940 has asked them to do it. And as I've said before human beings are the only ones that 229 00:21:47,940 --> 00:21:54,080 really argue with God about their purpose in life. But we're called to be servants of 230 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:59,640 the Most High God. To be as faithful in serving as the sun is in coming up every day as the 231 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:04,840 stars are in making their trek across the sky. We're called to be a servant for the 232 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:11,600 purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is saying to the disciples live your life this 233 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:18,120 way. See yourself as a servant. They were really quickly trying to see themselves as 234 00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:22,620 leaders but he says no no I want you to see yourself as a servant. Now next week we'll 235 00:22:22,620 --> 00:22:27,480 get into leadership because we'll talk about what it means to take a deeper dive into leading 236 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:31,440 but I'm going to tell you today what I'm going to say next week. That means you still 237 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:35,120 need to come back and find out what it means but here's what I'm going to say next week. 238 00:22:35,120 --> 00:22:39,680 That serving well is leading well and leading well is serving well. They're practically 239 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:47,680 synonymous. So here's Jesus saying to the disciples who later became very much the pillars 240 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:53,160 of the New Testament church I want you before I put you in a position to lead to learn to 241 00:22:53,160 --> 00:23:00,160 follow and learn to serve well. No leader can lead well if he has not learned to follow 242 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:06,760 well until he's learned to serve well. So you should render servants but even more than 243 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:15,640 that you should be a servant. Serve me by serving others Jesus is saying. By the way 244 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:19,000 as you think about what it means to serve one another and as you think about what it 245 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:24,960 means to love one another these two are hand in hand. I love one another is to serve one 246 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:30,400 another. You literally cannot love someone without serving them. The word for agape the 247 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:35,560 word love in the New Testament is not a feeling word it's not an emotion word it's not a word 248 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:39,320 that means I get anything in return it's a word that says I'm going to do whatever I 249 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:46,800 need to do for their betterment. So to love one another is to serve one another. And when 250 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:51,840 you read the rest of the New Testament there's no doubt that this conversation in Mark chapter 251 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:57,960 10 has impacted the disciples. This and many others that Jesus had in the way of conversations 252 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:04,080 about servanthood have impacted them. For example I look in the book of 1 Peter chapter 253 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:10,360 4 the epazopeter said as each one of you has received a special gift employ it in serving 254 00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:16,520 one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whatever gift you have whatever 255 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:22,240 passion you have whatever opportunity you have you serve one another as someone who's 256 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:27,280 been given the grace to do that by God. Or Paul says it really well in Galatians chapter 257 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:32,400 5 verse 13 talking about being free from sin he said you're called to freedom brethren 258 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:41,280 but don't turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh but through love serve one another. 259 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:47,480 Paul gets it Peter gets it why don't we get it why didn't James and John get that 260 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:53,000 the opportunity we have is to serve one another. Now I see service going on all around me I 261 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:57,720 mean I don't know if you realize this but it takes hundreds of people to serve the Lord 262 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:02,920 every single week in a church like ours and they are serving all over the place many of 263 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:07,880 you in this room are serving in one way or another. It's powerful to see people step 264 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:12,560 up and say you know I'm here I want to serve someone I want to help meet the need of someone 265 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:15,800 I want to answer questions I want to lead people to the place where they can hear the 266 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:20,600 gospel of Jesus or get connected to somebody else in the church. I want to work with children 267 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:24,800 or preschool or student ministry I want to work with adults I want to do something for 268 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:30,600 the kingdom of God. I've been saved by Jesus I want to serve Jesus and I'd love to watch 269 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:38,040 that unfold. Literally we all have that opportunity. Others say you know I have a certain vocation 270 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:42,760 and I want that vocation or whatever I am able to do through that vocation to help further 271 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:48,760 the kingdom of God. We recently went through a rebuilding process of our buildings and 272 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:53,040 it was astounding for me to see different people of different professions and backgrounds 273 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:58,600 in the building industry in the banking industry and the financial wisdom industry step up 274 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:04,560 and help us see something great happen here through the willingness to serve for that 275 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:10,800 particular project here the Generations Project in our church. I'm just astounded by that. 276 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:16,320 And the truth is that when people have connected with us and done that they walk away saying 277 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:21,200 man it blessed me to be a part of something like that. That's what it means to serve it 278 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:26,160 means to help advance the cause of those around you and advance the cause of the gospel in 279 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:33,840 your area of concentration in some way serving really makes a difference. That's why Jesus 280 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:42,240 wants us to serve. Besides that serving others is providing goodwill and is contagious. Have 281 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:46,320 you ever noticed when someone serves you with a smile and they encourage you and help you 282 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:52,240 in some way it's actually contagious. You want to frown off your face and you want to 283 00:26:52,240 --> 00:27:02,680 help somebody else right. Just one word that describes that Chick-fil-A. Chick-fil-A. Anybody 284 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:07,080 in the room not know what a Chick-fil-A is. Most of you know what a Chick-fil-A is. Somehow 285 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:16,240 Chick-fil-A has managed to train their people to serve with gratitude. Serve with gratitude. 286 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:18,960 And they even have three words they use at the end of that. You know what those three 287 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:22,840 words are at the end of their service. You get your food you pay the money. They say 288 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:27,240 it's my pleasure. My pleasure right. And you hear that every single one of them. Did you 289 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:31,040 know that that in Chick-fil-A restaurants and I'm not trying to advocate where you're 290 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:38,960 going to eat today because they're closed today. You cannot be a franchisee unless you 291 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:45,520 work in the store. You can't be a remote owner. You can't just own a Chick-fil-A. You have 292 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:51,640 to put your blood sweat and tears into that. You have to put your hands to the side. In 293 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:58,280 other words you have to serve your clientele your customers. You wonder why it's so successful. 294 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:03,320 That may be why it's so successful. It uses a little bit of Jesus leadership model. And 295 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:08,680 that leadership model is we're in this for the long haul for you. It's so important for 296 00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:15,320 us to learn to serve. That we need to be asking questions of ourselves. How can we treat people 297 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:20,880 today in a way that reflects Christ. In a way that's encouraging. In a way that makes 298 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:27,400 them want to know him more. How can we do that. Let's do it that way. Let's do it that 299 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:35,720 way. Last week I shared with you some statistics about those that have left the church over 300 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:40,560 the years and those that have left the faith after they've left the church. And for many 301 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:46,460 of them whether we believe that that survey is completely valid or not for many of them 302 00:28:46,460 --> 00:28:53,840 how the church treats their friends was a big reason why they left. In other words what 303 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:59,260 they saw instead of kindness instead of friendliness instead of a smile there was a judgmentalism 304 00:28:59,260 --> 00:29:02,720 about it. That's when they said I'm going to distance myself from the church and I'm 305 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:07,000 going to distance my friends from the church. The argument wasn't about whether something 306 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:11,160 was morally right or wrong or whether the Bible was true or not. It was the attitude 307 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:18,200 through which it was conveyed. Servanthood doesn't have to be mean. Servanthood doesn't 308 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:25,760 have to have a frown on his face. Servanthood doesn't have to say I told you so. Servanthood 309 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,920 doesn't have to play the part of the Holy Spirit in someone's lives and I absolutely 310 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:34,440 believe there's absolute truth in the Holy Spirit. I absolutely convicts that we are 311 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:44,120 to represent Jesus well by serving other people in that kind of a heart. Towards the end of 312 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:49,800 Jesus earthly ministry before he went to the cross he gathered his disciples again for 313 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:57,040 another one of these conversations. This conversation is recorded in Matthew chapter 25. He's actually 314 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:06,480 going into a future conversation that will be held in heaven. In Matthew chapter 25 Jesus 315 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:11,800 says this to his disciples before he goes to the cross. I'm just going to read some 316 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:18,280 verses to you. It won't be on the screen but Matthew 25 beginning in verse 31. When the 317 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:22,280 Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him then he will sit on his glorious 318 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:27,760 throne. That's a conversation the disciples are having as well. And all the nations will 319 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:32,400 be gathered before him and he will separate them one from another as the shepherd separates 320 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:37,960 the sheep from the goats and he will put the sheep on one side and the goats on the left. 321 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:45,680 Then the king will say to those on his right, to the sheep, come you who are blessed of 322 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:50,240 my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And 323 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:57,480 then here it is. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat and I was thirsty 324 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:04,120 and you gave me something to drink and I was a stranger and you invited me in. I was naked 325 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:13,320 and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. Can 326 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:17,000 you imagine the disciples some of them having just argued about wanting to be on the right 327 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:23,240 hand and left hand but most of them not really thinking about servanthood yet still. Can 328 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:30,160 you imagine those disciples being perplexed by why Jesus was bringing this up? And so 329 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:35,520 one of them actually articulates through thoughts, Lord when did we do that to you? When did 330 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:41,160 we bring you something to eat? When did we bring you water? When did we bring you clothing? 331 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:47,760 When was all this? And Jesus responded, truly I say to you to the extent that you did it 332 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:56,280 to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me. In other 333 00:31:56,280 --> 00:32:05,960 words, serving is not an end in itself. I am the end to which you are to serve. That 334 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:12,680 when you serve someone else, an act of service, when you consider yourself to be one who has 335 00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:20,880 a life of servanthood, you're doing it to me. You're doing it for me. You're representing 336 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:30,000 me on this earth. And when we do this, we serve Jesus by representing Him to people. 337 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:36,480 Wow, we've got a big job. And that big job is not sitting on the right hand or the left 338 00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:42,520 hand. The big job is being out there with people, are representing Jesus well with people. 339 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:47,720 And then Jesus gives us a great example. See this passage in Mark chapter 10 comes around 340 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:51,240 to one of the greatest statements in the Bible that we quote all the time, but I want you 341 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:56,160 to see why Jesus said what He said here in verse 45. He said, for even the Son of Man 342 00:32:56,160 --> 00:33:04,160 did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. I'm going 343 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:10,600 to paraphrase what I believe Jesus is saying to these disciples, but this is my paraphrase. 344 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:15,520 You've been watching me serve others for three years. You're convinced that I'm the Messiah 345 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:21,720 and the coming King. Over and over, you've seen me put others first. I've served the 346 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:27,280 lowest and the most lost. I've been getting my hands dirty to help others. I'm telling 347 00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:33,160 you memorable stories about sacrifice and service. Now the day before I die, I'm going 348 00:33:33,160 --> 00:33:37,960 to get on my hands and knees and I'm going to wash your feet and then I'm going to get 349 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:44,480 on the cross and I'm going to wash your heart. I'm the example of what a servant is. Serve 350 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:56,000 people like I've served you. That's what Jesus is saying. Even the Son of Man didn't come 351 00:33:56,000 --> 00:34:03,320 to be served, but to serve. And then that last line, man, that last line is the exclamation 352 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:09,040 point that every act of service that's ever been rendered, it's the greatest act of service 353 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:14,520 that could ever possibly have been rendered to the most undeserving of us all. And it 354 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:21,040 says this, and to give his life a ransom for many. Now we know what the word ransom mean. 355 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:27,960 The idea behind ransom is a substitute. Jesus used this word for a very real purpose. And 356 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:33,360 that substitution demands that it be provided before we be released. Ransom is one of the 357 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:37,680 ways and one of the many pictures of salvation is explained in the New Testament. It means 358 00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:43,920 to get the buying back of people who are in bondage otherwise. Or they may be in prison, 359 00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:49,400 but the ransom is given, the price is paid and they're released. And we're familiar with 360 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:54,440 the idea of ransom because of kidnappings that we read about in the news or years ago, 361 00:34:54,440 --> 00:35:01,600 hijackings, skyjackings that we've heard of in the past where ransom dollars were required. 362 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:07,600 Anybody remember the name J. Paul Getty? That phrase, that name, some of you remember that? 363 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:12,920 That name was prominent in 1975 when I was a kid. A teenage grandson of J. Paul Getty 364 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:20,120 was actually kidnapped and held for $3 million ransom. And the kidnapper said we're going 365 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:24,600 to take his life if you don't provide the ransom money. And they actually cut off his 366 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:30,280 ear and mailed it to a newspaper to help them know how serious they really were. Provide 367 00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:35,520 the ransom or you'll never see the release of this young man. And I remember seeing the 368 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:40,480 headlines once that ransom money was paid and that boy was actually released and we 369 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:43,600 were all celebrating. It was one of those things that everybody kind of stopped and 370 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:49,840 watched as it unfolded back when I was a teenager. That idea of ransom is what Jesus is bringing 371 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:58,340 up and applying to us. And here's what he's saying. Mankind is in bondage. Mankind is 372 00:35:58,340 --> 00:36:05,040 locked up in the sand, all of us held by the grips of sin and Satan. And I'm going to give 373 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:13,520 my life as a payment for, as a ransom for sin and Satan's bondage that he has us set. 374 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:18,680 And you're only going to be set free when I give my life for you. And the price of that 375 00:36:18,680 --> 00:36:25,760 ransom? It was the entire life, the physical life of the sinless son of God. Man, what 376 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:31,080 a picture. What a picture of servitude. Jesus said I'm going to give everything I have so 377 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:38,200 that you might be set free. Like the ultimate first responder, Jesus went to the cross knowing 378 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:44,880 that his act on the cross will be of self-sacrifice and he would bear the sins of all mankind 379 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:52,560 on his shoulders for us. How can we forget that act of service? Every time I think about 380 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:57,440 my salvation, I think about how unworthy I was to accept the gift of eternal life or 381 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:03,240 to be forgiven for my sin. I think about how not only unworthy but undeserving and I couldn't 382 00:37:03,240 --> 00:37:08,600 possibly pay it back. I realized how far I was from God. I mean, every one of us that 383 00:37:08,600 --> 00:37:13,800 have come to faith in Jesus Christ understand that there's no way we could save ourselves. 384 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:17,520 No amount of religion, no amount of doing good, no amount of changing in our lives can 385 00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:22,680 make us righteous enough for a holy God. But Jesus gave his whole life so that we might 386 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:29,800 be made right with God. So having had that happen to us as believers in Jesus Christ 387 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:40,280 should powerfully impress upon us our call to serve others in his name. He saved me so 388 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:51,600 I serve him. He saved you so you serve him. Just before Jesus went to the cross, now moments 389 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:57,760 before he goes to the cross, he's washed the disciples feet. They've had the Passover 390 00:37:57,760 --> 00:38:02,360 meal and he greets them in that upper room for the Passover meal and he's talking to 391 00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:07,680 them about servanthood one more time. I mean, he was always talking about servanthood. But 392 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:14,480 that's one last time he leaves this indelible impression upon them with this line. He said, 393 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:23,760 I am among you as one who serves. And then he went to the garden of Gethsemane and then 394 00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:31,120 he went to the cross. Is there any doubt about what Jesus is calling us to do? To serve him 395 00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:37,200 and to serve others as we serve him. In just a few moments I'm going to give an invitation 396 00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:43,720 to you. One of those is to come to Christ to secure the freedom that he paid for, for 397 00:38:43,720 --> 00:38:48,800 you to have. We have decision stations at the back of the room. The reason we have those 398 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:53,520 decision stations is because we would love to have a conversation with you about whether 399 00:38:53,520 --> 00:38:58,080 you know for sure that you have eternal life or not. Now sometimes people attend church 400 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:01,760 and they say, you know, I don't really know if I've ever been at that moment in my life 401 00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:06,680 where I have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior or I have some doubts about whether I've ever 402 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:11,240 been there. And maybe somebody came in today and said, you know, I just never really have 403 00:39:11,240 --> 00:39:16,880 ever had anybody encourage me to put my faith and trust in Christ. But we're going to encourage 404 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:22,280 you to do that today. Jesus paid the ransom, the price for your sin so that you might be 405 00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:30,400 set free. Accepting Jesus accepts the freedom that his ransom secures for you. It's a simple 406 00:39:30,400 --> 00:39:34,440 act of asking him to be your Lord and Savior, forgiving you of your sins and giving you 407 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:38,120 the gift of eternal life. We'd like to have that conversation with you at our decision 408 00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:42,520 station. That is the first decision and the first invitation I give you. The second one 409 00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:47,000 is this, I encourage you to come to our guest reception center just outside the center exit 410 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:51,160 doors and across the hallway. I'd love to tell you more about Cross City Church and 411 00:39:51,160 --> 00:39:55,840 about the things ahead for our church. Love to visit with you personally. The third invite 412 00:39:55,840 --> 00:40:01,640 is I invite you to reach out to somebody else and bring them with you as you come to worship 413 00:40:01,640 --> 00:40:06,540 and gather with God's family next week as we look at leadership and what servanthood 414 00:40:06,540 --> 00:40:11,560 and leadership have to do with each other. Would you stand with me as we close this day 415 00:40:11,560 --> 00:40:16,960 in prayer? Father, I want to thank you today that you are the ultimate service through 416 00:40:16,960 --> 00:40:22,080 Jesus Christ the Son. You gave your son's life on the cross. Thank you Lord Jesus for 417 00:40:22,080 --> 00:40:27,840 doing that for us. Thank you for paying the price, the ransom for our sin. Father, I pray 418 00:40:27,840 --> 00:40:35,000 today that you would help us understand and grasp this meaning of servanthood, this life 419 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:40,160 you've called us to. Father, help us know what that means in our life, what kind of adjustments 420 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:46,080 we need to make, what kind of opportunities we need to look for. Lord, for every one of 421 00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:53,080 us it's the same call but has different applications. You use us everywhere. Father, we have this 422 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:58,180 gratitude in our heart that you security turned a light for us. We have a home in heaven for 423 00:40:58,180 --> 00:41:03,920 us after we die. Lord, we want to serve you while we're here. Help us to do that well. 424 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:08,240 Thank you so much for this congregation today. Help us to go out to serve you well. In Jesus 425 00:41:08,240 --> 00:41:35,240 name we pray, amen.