40 Days of Focus: Serving - Week 2
Day 1 – The Gift of Self
It is when we forget ourselves that we do things which will be remembered. - Unknown
Do you give to God from what you have or do you give to God all you have? Let’s start by acknowledging that the Christian Journey is just that, a journey. It has a beginning, middle and an end. As you journey it is easy to lose your way and find yourself in dry places. To walk well, you will need to keep your feet on the right path and the best path to follow is the path of Jesus. One of the greatest purposes for Jesus’ life on earth was to give us hope by demonstrating the incredible power of one person who’s aligned with the Father. So, as we discover what it means to serve, this week we will examine the life of Jesus from the vantage point of serving others and living according to Kingdom truth.
Truth: Jesus did not give from what He had, He gave all He had.
The Theological term associated with this is called, the Kenosis. It is the Greek word for “emptying.” Jesus poured Himself out for our sake. Picture a water jar being tipped over and pouring out until it’s completely empty. We read about this in Philippians 2:1-8:
1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Philippians 5:7 tell us that Jesus “made himself nothing.” That’s the kenosis moment that led to a life characterized by 33 years of kenosis events. What did Jesus give up? He gave up His omnipresence, His omnipotence, His comfort, His glory, His freedom, His riches and His life. In other words, He did not just give from what He had, He gave all He had.
When the rich young ruler approached Jesus and declared his desire to be a follower, “Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me (Mark 10:21).” This man had already given himself over to being a good man. Jesus told him he needed to give more still. He did not understand the example of the One with whom he spoke or the truth of the Kingdom value for selflessly serving others.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot
Questions:
1. How much of your fears are associated with holding on to things that you cannot control?
2. What are you most afraid of giving to God?
3. Do you agree that, “Sometimes losing is winning?”
Day Two – Becoming Like the One You Serve
To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity. – Douglas Adams
Jim Rayburn was the founder of Young Life, a campus ministry for High School students that has impacted multiple thousands of lives across the globe. He taught that in order to share Jesus with disinterested, unchurched teenagers it was important to first connect with them in their world. He believed that people must first know that you care before they will care how much you know. Each day Jim Rayburn would head to the local high school campus to hang-out with teenagers in their awkward, crazy world of hormones, sports and wild clothing fads. Later, he would come to call this ritual, “Contact work.” It was the work of going to meet with people on their turf, connecting with them and building relationships that would lead to an opportunity to share Jesus.
Where did Jim Rayburn get such an idea? It was simple. He found it in the life of Jesus Christ, the first evangelist. The theological term often used for this type of ministry is “incarnational.” It literally means, “in the same flesh.” At the heart of being incarnational is simply loving people like Jesus loved people. Jesus came to physically be with us and to reach us with the Father’s love.
The gospels tell us that Christ Jesus was a “friend of sinners,” (Matthew 11.19). He associated with tax collectors, prostitutes, the diseased, and the down and outers of society. The religious leaders despised him for it and called him a glutton and a winebibber, because he attended the parties of the sinners, (Luke 7.33-35). Socializing with these kinds of people ruined Christ’s reputation before the religious leaders of His day. At the same time it revolutionized the world and introduced real hope and healing to a world full of pain.
John 17:15-18, “I do not pray that you take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them in to the world.”
If we are to learn from the example of Jesus we must venture out of our comfortable place and wander into the broken places where the lost, the least and the lame live. We must identify with them in their pain and encourage them with the good news of the hope that is in the gospel message.
There is nothing more devastating for humans than to be truly alone. You were not created to be wholly alone. For many years one of the greatest forms of punishment for a prisoner has been solitary confinement. Many people in our City are physically surrounded but practically alone. Others settle for friendship with dangerous or destructive people because it’s better than feeling alone.
Questions:
1. What might contact work look like for you? Where could you go to connect with others “in the same flesh.”
2. How does it detract from the message when the person talking to you seems to lack any understanding of your true condition?
3. How else might Jesus have shared His message? Was incarnational ministry necessary or just convenient?
Day Three – Choose to Lose
He who gives when he is asked has waited too long. – Sunshine Magazine
We all make choices in life. Some are good and others are bad. But one thing is always true, we make the choices because at the time we think they are the best ones. They might be immoral or selfish but we still find enough value in the choice to make it. We do the best we can and yet our choices are often what end up hurting us the most.
Within the pages of Scripture there is a concept that is very much not of this world. In the Bible, God asks us to choose to lose. It feels all wrong. Why would I choose to lose when I don’t have to. None of us is finds great joy in being a loser. So, why does the Bible give us this mandate? Because when we lose others can win.
Philippians 3:7-15, 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
Paul reminds us in this passage that losing is part of the plan. One of the greatest obstacles to gaining Christ is gaining anything else.
John 3:30, “He must become greater; I must become less.”
Philippians 4:11-13, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Can you be content with less? Would you feel more free? The more you are entangled, the less you are free to help others. Jesus came into the world with nothing. He was born in a manger. His parents were poor and not influential. He lived a meager life as the son of a carpenter. There are no passages that tell us He was tall or handsome, strong or funny. In fact, it was never about Him. He always made it about others.
Luke 9:58, “Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Questions:
1. What would you need to give up to be more free to serve others?
2. Why do you think it is so hard to give away your stuff?
3. Would Jesus have been more or less successful in His earthly ministry if He owned everything you currently own?
Day Four – The Lost Sheep
“If you can’t feed a hundred people then feed just one.” – Mother Teresa
Today there are more than 6.7 billion people living on earth. The United States ranks third, behind China and India in population at 304 million. California has 38 million residents and the Sacramento Valley is home to more than 2 million of them. Yet, of out of the multitude of people, you represent only one. So, how important are your problems to the God of the universe? How crucial is your part in serving others? How much can one person do? Jesus spoke about this during His earthly ministry. In His opinion one was a very important number.
Luke 15:1-7, “1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
Can you make a difference in the life of one person? Where are the lost sheep in our City of millions? Are there lost people on your street or in your home? Consider the lost people at your place of work or on your kid’s soccer team. Who is hurting? Who is hungry? Who is crying?
When we are hurting we want someone to notice. We want someone to care. As a child I had the opportunity to go to youth camp several times. I’ll never forget how it felt to sit around the fire on the last night as we sang songs together. The girls cried. The guys swallowed their tears and in that moment someone would begin to sing, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around will warm up to its glowing. That’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it. You spread His love to everyone. You want to pass it on.” Someone once said, every fire begins with a spark. Maybe we lose heart when we think that changing one life is not worth the hassle, but that was not our Lord’s perspective.
What’s your part? Today there are more than 1,200 bible believing churches in the Sacramento Valley. If each one of those churches represented on average 200 people it would add up to an army of 240,000 men and women from all races, neighborhoods and socioeconomic classes. God is not asking you to reach thousands of people. He is asking you to just start with one.
Questions:
1. What areas are you talented in?
2. Who do you know that maybe the other 240,000 Christians in Sacramento don’t know?
3. Close your eyes and imagine the picture of Luke 15:7. What do you see?
Day Five – Who is First?
“No man is more than another unless he does more than another.” – Miguel de Servantes
Have you ever watched kids on a playground line up for some kind of a treat? You might hear things like, “Hey, he cut,” or, “I was here first!” No one has to teach us to desire first place when there is something good on the line. We all like to be first. But when we begin to imagine a life of serving others, we must change our thinking. The best reward you could ever gain is the approval of the Savior. Is King Jesus proud of you? Does He brag on you like He did on Job? God is into relationships and He desires to enjoy a fantastic one with you. But if you will please Him, you must serve others. He is keeping track of your good work. One day you will see Him face-to-face and He will evaluate your work. Will He say, “wow, we had some good times together. Remember when I showed you that woman in need and you stopped what you were doing and cared for her?” What will He say on that day?
Matthew 20:1-16 , “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.
“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing.6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
If you spend your life on earth trying to win, what does that say about your place in heaven? However, if you pour out your life on earth for others in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit, what does that say about your place in heaven?
One day two of Jesus’ disciples came to Him and asked if in the kingdom one of them could sit at His right and the other at His left. Jesus told them that the first would be last and the last would be first.
Questions:
1. In what ways do adults act like kids on the playground trying to get to the front of the line?
2. Why do you think it is impossible to be both greatest on earth and in heaven as well?
3. Does it upset you that God is not fair?
Day Six – Let’s Get Practical
“Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful.” Unknown
You don’t have to be a Christian to get fed up with big talk and little action. Our culture has identified several sayings that remind us how little we value people who talk without taking action. When we hear things like, “all talk, no action,” or, “put your money where your mouth is,” we are reminded of this simple truth. It’s always going to be easier to talk about doing good than actually doing it. But only after it’s done will it have any good effect.
James 2:14-17, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
Without a doubt, Jesus could talk the talk. His words were sharp and challenging but they were never empty. When Jesus spoke He meant it and we know this is true because He lived it as well. He was always One to bring the truth in both word and deed. One day Jesus was ministering and preaching (words) by the Sea of Galilee, and He noticed that the people were hungry. So, He asked His students what they thought He should do and they replied, “Send them away to get something to eat.” They were all for truth and ministry but their idea of ministry was to tell people how to live. Jesus had a different plan. He told them to feed the people. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is!
Matthew 14:13-20, “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
Wherever Jesus went, He did practical things to help those in need. The people who received the help did not always thank Him, nor did they express faith in Him. Still, He healed the lame, fed the hungry and set the captives free.
Questions:
1. What is something practical you can do to serve others like Jesus?
2. What percentage of Christians do you think attend Church and Bible studies without ever helping people in practical ways?
3. What is the net effect of Christianity that talks a good talk and rarely helps those in need?
Day Seven – Word and Deed
“I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.” – Albert Schweitzer
You are what you do. If I try to convince you that I am a follower of the Lord, Jesus Christ and yet I don’t live like He lived, will you believe me? 1 John 14:23-24 Jesus says, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”
Some people would say that actions speak louder than words and most of us would agree. But is there a balance between words and deeds? Do good deeds need to also come with good words? Can we be true Christ followers without speaking the truth or do we need to match words with our actions?
If we are truly doing the work of the kingdom we will find many opportunities to serve others. But if all we do is serve and never speak truth, we have not accomplished what the Lord asked us to do. The goal of serving is to cause the those around us to ask these two questions:
1. Who are you?
2. Why are you doing this?
Once these questions have been asked, will we be ready to speak? Will we know what to say?
In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus gives these parting words to His followers, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Jesus commanded us to teach others the very same truth He taught when He walked on earth. Are you prepared to share the truth with others?
1 Peter 3:15-16, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
If the thought of having to share the gospel message is making you want to hang up your goody two shoes, hold on, there’s more. Your story is the gospel message. If you can tell others how you got saved, you are sharing the gospel with flesh on. That’s the best way. Who knows your story better than you? Plus, God promises to give you some divine help. In Matthew 10:18-20 Jesus reminds us that the Holy Spirit can give us the words we need when we need them.
Questions:
1. What happens when we do good deeds without ever telling anyone why we serve?
2. What happens when we tell others why we should serve without ever serving anyone?
3. How can you find a balance between serving and sharing?
Small Group Discussion Guide: Week Two
Open your time with prayer. Ask God to lead and guide you and welcome Him into your presence. Pray for each other and care for one another.
LOOK
John 13:3-17, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
LEARN
Any of the disciples could have volunteered for the foot washing job, but none of them made the slightest move. The room was full of proud hearts and dirty feet. These same men were willing to fight for a throne, but not for a towel.
Questions:
1. Why does the text remind us that the Father had put all things under Jesus’ power?
2. Who would normally do the foot washing?
3. What might this ritual look like in our modern world?
4. Do you think the disciples understood what Jesus did for them?
5. When Jesus says He set an example, did that include us or only those in the room that day?
6. What did Jesus promise would happen to us if we followed His example?
SHARE
1. Why do you think the Church has focused so much on teaching and so little on serving?
2. How can we encourage people to serve more?
3. Do you think there is a danger in focusing on serving in that we might forget to tell people about the gospel?
4. How has Jesus’ example of service encouraged you to serve others?
5. Which quote this week spoke the most to your heart?
6. Jesus said that the Church would do even greater things than He did? How is that possible since He is God and we are not?
It is when we forget ourselves that we do things which will be remembered. - Unknown
Do you give to God from what you have or do you give to God all you have? Let’s start by acknowledging that the Christian Journey is just that, a journey. It has a beginning, middle and an end. As you journey it is easy to lose your way and find yourself in dry places. To walk well, you will need to keep your feet on the right path and the best path to follow is the path of Jesus. One of the greatest purposes for Jesus’ life on earth was to give us hope by demonstrating the incredible power of one person who’s aligned with the Father. So, as we discover what it means to serve, this week we will examine the life of Jesus from the vantage point of serving others and living according to Kingdom truth.
Truth: Jesus did not give from what He had, He gave all He had.
The Theological term associated with this is called, the Kenosis. It is the Greek word for “emptying.” Jesus poured Himself out for our sake. Picture a water jar being tipped over and pouring out until it’s completely empty. We read about this in Philippians 2:1-8:
1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Philippians 5:7 tell us that Jesus “made himself nothing.” That’s the kenosis moment that led to a life characterized by 33 years of kenosis events. What did Jesus give up? He gave up His omnipresence, His omnipotence, His comfort, His glory, His freedom, His riches and His life. In other words, He did not just give from what He had, He gave all He had.
When the rich young ruler approached Jesus and declared his desire to be a follower, “Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me (Mark 10:21).” This man had already given himself over to being a good man. Jesus told him he needed to give more still. He did not understand the example of the One with whom he spoke or the truth of the Kingdom value for selflessly serving others.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot
Questions:
1. How much of your fears are associated with holding on to things that you cannot control?
2. What are you most afraid of giving to God?
3. Do you agree that, “Sometimes losing is winning?”
Day Two – Becoming Like the One You Serve
To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity. – Douglas Adams
Jim Rayburn was the founder of Young Life, a campus ministry for High School students that has impacted multiple thousands of lives across the globe. He taught that in order to share Jesus with disinterested, unchurched teenagers it was important to first connect with them in their world. He believed that people must first know that you care before they will care how much you know. Each day Jim Rayburn would head to the local high school campus to hang-out with teenagers in their awkward, crazy world of hormones, sports and wild clothing fads. Later, he would come to call this ritual, “Contact work.” It was the work of going to meet with people on their turf, connecting with them and building relationships that would lead to an opportunity to share Jesus.
Where did Jim Rayburn get such an idea? It was simple. He found it in the life of Jesus Christ, the first evangelist. The theological term often used for this type of ministry is “incarnational.” It literally means, “in the same flesh.” At the heart of being incarnational is simply loving people like Jesus loved people. Jesus came to physically be with us and to reach us with the Father’s love.
The gospels tell us that Christ Jesus was a “friend of sinners,” (Matthew 11.19). He associated with tax collectors, prostitutes, the diseased, and the down and outers of society. The religious leaders despised him for it and called him a glutton and a winebibber, because he attended the parties of the sinners, (Luke 7.33-35). Socializing with these kinds of people ruined Christ’s reputation before the religious leaders of His day. At the same time it revolutionized the world and introduced real hope and healing to a world full of pain.
John 17:15-18, “I do not pray that you take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them in to the world.”
If we are to learn from the example of Jesus we must venture out of our comfortable place and wander into the broken places where the lost, the least and the lame live. We must identify with them in their pain and encourage them with the good news of the hope that is in the gospel message.
There is nothing more devastating for humans than to be truly alone. You were not created to be wholly alone. For many years one of the greatest forms of punishment for a prisoner has been solitary confinement. Many people in our City are physically surrounded but practically alone. Others settle for friendship with dangerous or destructive people because it’s better than feeling alone.
Questions:
1. What might contact work look like for you? Where could you go to connect with others “in the same flesh.”
2. How does it detract from the message when the person talking to you seems to lack any understanding of your true condition?
3. How else might Jesus have shared His message? Was incarnational ministry necessary or just convenient?
Day Three – Choose to Lose
He who gives when he is asked has waited too long. – Sunshine Magazine
We all make choices in life. Some are good and others are bad. But one thing is always true, we make the choices because at the time we think they are the best ones. They might be immoral or selfish but we still find enough value in the choice to make it. We do the best we can and yet our choices are often what end up hurting us the most.
Within the pages of Scripture there is a concept that is very much not of this world. In the Bible, God asks us to choose to lose. It feels all wrong. Why would I choose to lose when I don’t have to. None of us is finds great joy in being a loser. So, why does the Bible give us this mandate? Because when we lose others can win.
Philippians 3:7-15, 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
Paul reminds us in this passage that losing is part of the plan. One of the greatest obstacles to gaining Christ is gaining anything else.
John 3:30, “He must become greater; I must become less.”
Philippians 4:11-13, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Can you be content with less? Would you feel more free? The more you are entangled, the less you are free to help others. Jesus came into the world with nothing. He was born in a manger. His parents were poor and not influential. He lived a meager life as the son of a carpenter. There are no passages that tell us He was tall or handsome, strong or funny. In fact, it was never about Him. He always made it about others.
Luke 9:58, “Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Questions:
1. What would you need to give up to be more free to serve others?
2. Why do you think it is so hard to give away your stuff?
3. Would Jesus have been more or less successful in His earthly ministry if He owned everything you currently own?
Day Four – The Lost Sheep
“If you can’t feed a hundred people then feed just one.” – Mother Teresa
Today there are more than 6.7 billion people living on earth. The United States ranks third, behind China and India in population at 304 million. California has 38 million residents and the Sacramento Valley is home to more than 2 million of them. Yet, of out of the multitude of people, you represent only one. So, how important are your problems to the God of the universe? How crucial is your part in serving others? How much can one person do? Jesus spoke about this during His earthly ministry. In His opinion one was a very important number.
Luke 15:1-7, “1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
Can you make a difference in the life of one person? Where are the lost sheep in our City of millions? Are there lost people on your street or in your home? Consider the lost people at your place of work or on your kid’s soccer team. Who is hurting? Who is hungry? Who is crying?
When we are hurting we want someone to notice. We want someone to care. As a child I had the opportunity to go to youth camp several times. I’ll never forget how it felt to sit around the fire on the last night as we sang songs together. The girls cried. The guys swallowed their tears and in that moment someone would begin to sing, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around will warm up to its glowing. That’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it. You spread His love to everyone. You want to pass it on.” Someone once said, every fire begins with a spark. Maybe we lose heart when we think that changing one life is not worth the hassle, but that was not our Lord’s perspective.
What’s your part? Today there are more than 1,200 bible believing churches in the Sacramento Valley. If each one of those churches represented on average 200 people it would add up to an army of 240,000 men and women from all races, neighborhoods and socioeconomic classes. God is not asking you to reach thousands of people. He is asking you to just start with one.
Questions:
1. What areas are you talented in?
2. Who do you know that maybe the other 240,000 Christians in Sacramento don’t know?
3. Close your eyes and imagine the picture of Luke 15:7. What do you see?
Day Five – Who is First?
“No man is more than another unless he does more than another.” – Miguel de Servantes
Have you ever watched kids on a playground line up for some kind of a treat? You might hear things like, “Hey, he cut,” or, “I was here first!” No one has to teach us to desire first place when there is something good on the line. We all like to be first. But when we begin to imagine a life of serving others, we must change our thinking. The best reward you could ever gain is the approval of the Savior. Is King Jesus proud of you? Does He brag on you like He did on Job? God is into relationships and He desires to enjoy a fantastic one with you. But if you will please Him, you must serve others. He is keeping track of your good work. One day you will see Him face-to-face and He will evaluate your work. Will He say, “wow, we had some good times together. Remember when I showed you that woman in need and you stopped what you were doing and cared for her?” What will He say on that day?
Matthew 20:1-16 , “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.
“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing.6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
If you spend your life on earth trying to win, what does that say about your place in heaven? However, if you pour out your life on earth for others in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit, what does that say about your place in heaven?
One day two of Jesus’ disciples came to Him and asked if in the kingdom one of them could sit at His right and the other at His left. Jesus told them that the first would be last and the last would be first.
Questions:
1. In what ways do adults act like kids on the playground trying to get to the front of the line?
2. Why do you think it is impossible to be both greatest on earth and in heaven as well?
3. Does it upset you that God is not fair?
Day Six – Let’s Get Practical
“Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful.” Unknown
You don’t have to be a Christian to get fed up with big talk and little action. Our culture has identified several sayings that remind us how little we value people who talk without taking action. When we hear things like, “all talk, no action,” or, “put your money where your mouth is,” we are reminded of this simple truth. It’s always going to be easier to talk about doing good than actually doing it. But only after it’s done will it have any good effect.
James 2:14-17, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
Without a doubt, Jesus could talk the talk. His words were sharp and challenging but they were never empty. When Jesus spoke He meant it and we know this is true because He lived it as well. He was always One to bring the truth in both word and deed. One day Jesus was ministering and preaching (words) by the Sea of Galilee, and He noticed that the people were hungry. So, He asked His students what they thought He should do and they replied, “Send them away to get something to eat.” They were all for truth and ministry but their idea of ministry was to tell people how to live. Jesus had a different plan. He told them to feed the people. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is!
Matthew 14:13-20, “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
Wherever Jesus went, He did practical things to help those in need. The people who received the help did not always thank Him, nor did they express faith in Him. Still, He healed the lame, fed the hungry and set the captives free.
Questions:
1. What is something practical you can do to serve others like Jesus?
2. What percentage of Christians do you think attend Church and Bible studies without ever helping people in practical ways?
3. What is the net effect of Christianity that talks a good talk and rarely helps those in need?
Day Seven – Word and Deed
“I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.” – Albert Schweitzer
You are what you do. If I try to convince you that I am a follower of the Lord, Jesus Christ and yet I don’t live like He lived, will you believe me? 1 John 14:23-24 Jesus says, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”
Some people would say that actions speak louder than words and most of us would agree. But is there a balance between words and deeds? Do good deeds need to also come with good words? Can we be true Christ followers without speaking the truth or do we need to match words with our actions?
If we are truly doing the work of the kingdom we will find many opportunities to serve others. But if all we do is serve and never speak truth, we have not accomplished what the Lord asked us to do. The goal of serving is to cause the those around us to ask these two questions:
1. Who are you?
2. Why are you doing this?
Once these questions have been asked, will we be ready to speak? Will we know what to say?
In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus gives these parting words to His followers, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Jesus commanded us to teach others the very same truth He taught when He walked on earth. Are you prepared to share the truth with others?
1 Peter 3:15-16, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
If the thought of having to share the gospel message is making you want to hang up your goody two shoes, hold on, there’s more. Your story is the gospel message. If you can tell others how you got saved, you are sharing the gospel with flesh on. That’s the best way. Who knows your story better than you? Plus, God promises to give you some divine help. In Matthew 10:18-20 Jesus reminds us that the Holy Spirit can give us the words we need when we need them.
Questions:
1. What happens when we do good deeds without ever telling anyone why we serve?
2. What happens when we tell others why we should serve without ever serving anyone?
3. How can you find a balance between serving and sharing?
Small Group Discussion Guide: Week Two
Open your time with prayer. Ask God to lead and guide you and welcome Him into your presence. Pray for each other and care for one another.
LOOK
John 13:3-17, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
LEARN
Any of the disciples could have volunteered for the foot washing job, but none of them made the slightest move. The room was full of proud hearts and dirty feet. These same men were willing to fight for a throne, but not for a towel.
Questions:
1. Why does the text remind us that the Father had put all things under Jesus’ power?
2. Who would normally do the foot washing?
3. What might this ritual look like in our modern world?
4. Do you think the disciples understood what Jesus did for them?
5. When Jesus says He set an example, did that include us or only those in the room that day?
6. What did Jesus promise would happen to us if we followed His example?
SHARE
1. Why do you think the Church has focused so much on teaching and so little on serving?
2. How can we encourage people to serve more?
3. Do you think there is a danger in focusing on serving in that we might forget to tell people about the gospel?
4. How has Jesus’ example of service encouraged you to serve others?
5. Which quote this week spoke the most to your heart?
6. Jesus said that the Church would do even greater things than He did? How is that possible since He is God and we are not?
posted by pastordan at 3:46 PM
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