The Zone Gathering

When I graduated from Taylor University, I received two things as I walked across the stage in front of my family and classmates. The first was my diploma, the symbol of academic achievement and the completion of my degree. The second was a linen towel. The towel bore the Taylor seal and was inscribed “Christ, our example of servanthood, John 13:3-17.”

The message to me and my fellow graduates was clear: you have been equipped to serve. We had been given the gift of education and were now encouraged to go into the world as servant-leaders who would emulate Christ’s example.

John 13 always has been one of my favorite passages because it beautifully illustrates the nature of a servant. Pastor Joel preached on “Y Serve” last Sunday and talked about what an incredible act of love Jesus exhibited when He washed His disciples’ feet. John 13:1b says, “having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love” (NIV). The NASB puts it this way: “He loved them to the end.”

Service is an act of love. Gary Chapman, in his book The Five Love Languages, talks about acts of service being one of the five fundamental ways to show love to another human being. The most common Greek word for servant in the New Testament is doulos, which indicates “subjection without the idea of bondage.” This word, used in John 13, is also used to describe Jesus in Philippians 2.

Philippians 2:5-8 – Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!

When Jesus came to earth as a human He was, in fact, taking on the nature of a servant. He Himself asserted that He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). The Greek word for serve is diakoneo and means “to minister, to render any kind of service.” Read through the Gospels and see what types of services Jesus rendered – He healed the disabled and the sick, He raised His friend from the dead, He prayed for His disciples and the world, He laid down His life to save us from eternal separation from God. He lived among and served those with whom He came into contact, and He did it because He loved them, just as He loves and serves us today.

On earth, the rewards for Jesus’ self-sacrificing love and service were few and far between. He endured derision and scorn; He was mocked and beaten and crucified. But God saw and was pleased with His Son’s obedience, service and love. Philippians 2:9-11 says that God “exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”

God clearly prizes service and love. Pastor Joel gave several excellent reasons for serving others – service gives our life meaning and fulfillment, it creates community, it breaks down barriers to evangelism. As disciples of Christ, we are called to influence those God brings into our life through acts of service and our love. But as important as it is to serve others, true service is rendered to God for His glory.

Galatians 1:10 – For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

In this passage, Paul makes a distinction between pleasing men and seeking the favor of God. He is not arguing that service to others is not important; rather, such service should flow out of our love relationship with God. I think it is easy to get caught up in the trappings of leadership and ministry and to take pride in what we are doing in the lives of others. In reality, God is allowing us to join Him where He already is working in others’ lives. Our service must result from the outpouring of God’s love in our own lives. Disciples should not feel forced into performing acts of service; acts of service are opportunities for us to worship God by imparting the love He has given us to others.

There are many men and women at NCC who give of themselves so freely to others. It is evident that those acts of service stem from a deep appreciation for God’s abundant love in their lives. I am convinced that God treasures these acts of service as a fragrant and pleasing offering to Him. Ephesians 6:5-8 demonstrates the value God places on service and the promise of reward to those who serve others:

Ephesians 6:5-8 – Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

Serving others can take many forms – it may entail meeting a physical need through NCC’s wonderful In-Service ministry, or it may mean giving someone a hug or sending them a note of encouragement. Part of belonging to a community of believers is serving one another to the glory of God. As part of their daily lives, the Acts 2 believers “gave to anyone as he had need” (Acts 2: 45). As we prepare to start the new small group semester, let’s challenge one another to approach God with hearts of love and service and allow Him to lead us to serve others.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 25th, 2006 at 9:24 am and is filed under Bible Drills. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.