Real Discipleship - How to Become #1 in God's Eyes, Part 2

Servant leadership is a buzzword in our day. Unfortunately, it is often grossly misunderstood as some sort of passive man be Bambi let other people do whatever they want today you will learn the third aspect of becoming a servant leader is called positive ambition. You don't want to miss.

Thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge with Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry focused on helping Christians like Christians in this program will wrap up our series will discipleship how Jesus chose to change the really preacher challenge becoming a more general disciple of Jesus before we get started if you're new to living any part of the series connect with us through the Chip increment with that.

If you have a viable turnout of Mark chapter 10 part two of chips taught how to become number one in God's eyes. Third thing that grows out of this is not only gratitude and humility. But the people that I find there servant.

I get this right now.

This passage is a positive ambition, positive ambition to live a life of impact to live a life of love and to live a life of significant people who really are servants are not going around thinking oh I'm not worth anything. I'm not very good God could never use me know what they are there, grateful their humble and they have this positive ambition want to be great. They want their world to change.

They want their neighborhood to change and are motivated asking is how I channel this motivation and got really great yeah yeah's see that love and that impact positive ambition to do something significant if humility doesn't precede it. It's just ego and Christian clouds and gratitude doesn't precede it, then it's just energized on the flesh you remember Gondi you know that one point in Gandhi's life. He was very serious student of the Bible read all the gospel study the life of Christ and came to the conclusion that the life of Jesus and the teachings of Jesus were probably the best thing he'd ever read to break down the caste system in India and he began to investigate Christianity. So he went to, of all places, a Christian church and so he went to a Christian church, a Bible teaching church in India and when he came to the door. He was quite different than the group was meeting there and the ushers told him why don't you leave and find some group teaches about Jesus is like you and Gandhi walked away thinking. Apparently the Christians have a class system to and I might as well find out a different way to break it down.

Can you imagine what would happen if this ushers would set a rather in a matter what color the matter length of the hair, the matter where you come from a what man there's level ground.

The cross imagine what could've happened in India. So the first is the heart.

The second is the eyes and what what I've observed from people who are great servants is very very astute observers to the needs and the likes and dislikes of others. They not only flows out of the heart, but they have eyes when they come into a room. They look at what needs are they looking at people's eyes and in situations and there always looking what they might need my tenancy is I'm always looking about what I need. The third thing is the heart the eyes that I think the mind. People who are a real servants there. People who think ahead. They plan ahead for opportunities to meet the needs of other people, not even think about this thinking ahead to love someone got a good friend that went through a rural financial travesty last several months, I got a check in the mail from a guy don't know very well be honest and make a long story short, he just said you know of your friends going through a rough time in you. Find out how rough it is and then you fill in the number and we will love and helping and I don't know much about all that stuff.

There's a guy on our board is a banker and I turned it all over to him said you take care of it and he did a little research and found out that the fellow in his life, had a practice of beginning of the year they set aside X amount for an emergency fund in case someone was in some sort of trauma or tragedy here.

So when the thing came up that you said all so this is what God uses for you to tell you something that thought never occurred to me as if you but you see that's the mind, servant. It's it's looking at the people you live with the people you work with looking at their habits and their needs when they get up when they go to bed where they're struggling what they're sharing with you planning ahead and meeting a need.

After the eyes. I think next is a servant have a servant's ears and you cannot imagine to listen intently actively and enthusiastically the people what that does see a servant is more interested in what you have to share with me and what it means in your life. Most conversations go something like this and why am really struggling with something I'm feeling really depressed and gosh, I don't know you you I felt depressed last year to when I really had a rough time with it because show how you doing yeah you know boy was happen you know my mom is going through some rough times and what happened see in many of our conversations. You what we do, someone starts to share need instead of attentively, actively, enthusiastically listening to them asking questions that draw and just caring for them. We can have our motor running. We don't really listen. If we ever charted a chart of family conversation sometime. It's usually like a star shaped deal were what we do is we just interrupt one another and and we use keywords to jump off what they said to say what we want say psychological research tells us were the most powerful means of communication is to listen to servants listen listen to ask questions that care so we got the heart, the mindset of a servant we get the eyes it looks for needs. We have the mind the plans ahead.

We have the ears to listen and then out with the fee.

I think the key here is that you learn to be a servant like you walk. It's just a little at a time. Often I want to do something servant things I serve everybody spend a lot of money or do some big deal.

And what I've learned is the people that are really servants are people who realize that being a servant basically has to do with the little things got give you chances to serve big but Luke 16 says he was faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much. And he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also much I made a note of some little things that have really made an impact on me.

This may not sound like much to you, but several months ago we got electric blanket. You know it's really neat to little thing my wife turns on my side before I get there.

The little thing, but I like when you sit at a restaurant. Have you ever thought of where the best view is in walking and not make a big deal about just find the seats of the other person gets the best view seems a little thing, but what is it, it reinforces that mindset. Have you ever been in a eating situation, especially buffet style and realize that a lot of people a much food and just taking a little. I may not noticeable, servant available, I would suspect you know just how wise this to think about you ever eaten pizza with junior high kids. Whatever they do, do the opposite.

This being a servant on this series enormous call each other to death last defeat one I got nine pieces in his mouth is region unified pepperoni. You know this is a guy did this I do know what he was doing was an old navigator old navigators have unusual ways, but he and I were in the bathroom men's bathroom round-trip Dagestan going bathroom and think what you doing and that some things off the plane what all he said. Can you believe how people leave this for the next person. It took a paper towel couple dry paper towel to wipe off the seat. He went over the sink. It took him about 20 seconds max. That bathroom with 100% better than when we came in and said you know so-and-so discipled me. I guess I was learned from watching his life. A disciple always leaves something better than that I don't have to know the next person's can sit on that seat and you see it's not a big thing is it. See, the key to being a servant is starting to think that way. Well, that's the feed the little things and then finally the last part. Here's the back and what I mean by this is that a real servant looks for pats on the back from God, not from others, and that means they don't get ticked off when they don't get credit and they don't get ticked off when they get treated like certain the heart is the mindset.

The eyes are being observant. The mine is planning ahead years is listening. The feet is the wall little things in the back is where you get your strokes now grow quickly on how to serve wisely. Here's the axiom and then I want to give you three quick points on it. The axiom is as you and I must be willing to do any job at any time. There's nothing below us that axiom is you do what ever any time needs to be done for God tells you to do with that said, as a general rule, you need to serve your strengths need to do enough of everything to keep your humility intact, but as a general rule, serve your strengths, see sometimes I think servant hood and lowliness or servant hood in menial tasks get so tied together. A lot of people essence really skewed ideas about being a servant, you need to minister the great majority 80+85% of your time out of your strengths, so that you can make the greatest contribution a member, Dr. Rod Walker. One morning talking to us about being a servant, and it really bothered me walk by his office and there's a lot of weeds and he had about hundred 50 papers that needed to be graded in some important meetings and he just couldn't resist. Took office Japanese pulling weeds and get scared away about an hour later the students are shown upper-class and that when the students start sarcastically said all God's will this have more internal impact breast profit then you give me feedback on my paper is not backed me yet. How does a guy need to be willing to read a garden, you bet is the president of the seminary need to spend his time weeding the garden rather doing the things that only he can do so you get asked where can you make the greatest contribution in the body of Christ. What can you do that no one else can do or what can you do that no one else is willing to do and that's where you serve.

Serve your strengths.

The second thing you need to do is serve out of your passions and your gifts and this is that God has made you with the design. These given you a gift mix that is given you past experiences that is giving you a desire to do some things so serve in a way that is according to your design. Being willing to do anything but you do with your heart, you do want your I meet a lot of people that have a warped idea, but if it's fun and enjoyable and you feel energized and God is using you and you feel real joy inside that's obviously not God's will and what else I should know God's will is gonna be hard and coughing.

It's rigorous and not very fun and sacrificial and parents what kind of people you want serving your kids I went in her genetic people who think this is you know people and work with adults. Let them pick the missing it right where where the action is your strengths your gifts your passions. The final thing is minister out of your overflow instead of out of your overload and here's where what I really like the say is unconcerned, probably about you because I feel like some of us have it set a good example in recent months is that service for Jesus Christ. Primarily should be in overflow of the rich experience you're having with him. The rich experience with brothers and sisters in Christ. The rich experience with family and so that with energy and zeal and joy you have made very hard priority decisions in your life is not feel with hurry stress and push.

It's funny Jesus accomplished more than any man who ever lived, but he never heard he never heard, and what I'm talking about here is self-care not selfishness but self care recharging your battery not burning it at both ends. I just came to a realization after conning myself for several months that I was preaching a better game than I was living in all of you been there you know you pushing your push and just after this one more thing to step it is one more thing to step it is one more thing you have those times where you sing the chorus and for no reason you can feel the tears welling up a tells you near the I mean if it's positive emotion is great, but when you kind of burned out when someone says you know my dog. We named Fred to go to Stoke-on-Trent ghetto writer Dennis the owner say and then you get up in half of your quiet time is spent asking God for the energy to look at life the right way because he does feel like your fight depression all the time. Those are signs of burnout is assigned just push, push, push what I realizing great self-care.

Ask yourself, are you ministering and ministering without quality. Filling the spiritual tank quiet quality time with God refilling the emotional tank are you laughing having some fun is every night booked up for you with some people you're enjoying and kicking back and relaxing with what in the social tanker you get that filled out and then you physically.

I don't know what it is about, especially as evangelicals you, the body is the temple of God, that she was the way we eat the way, we don't exercise a what we don't take care of you think we don't believe it. If you don't take care of your body to temple all you're doing is saying I want to be a sprinter but I want to serve for the marathon because they tell us about 45 to 55 you to go down heart attack man with colon cancer in ladies, if you don't take care of yourselves and tell us of stuff that is do you see what we we we can start taking care of ourselves in such a quality way that we come to serve with overflow and energy and with some passion was some zeal, rather than you know if you get this done praying right up to the edge of old.

We made it, and then you take a breather and then you go at it again. Let's close it out with the some evaluating questions on the back it says where and how do I seek significance. I like to ask you too little meditation who you trying to please when it's a penetrating one you really want to find out where you try to find a significance ask who you trying to please who you trying to impress apostle Paul said I wouldn't be a bondservant of Christ are still trying to please people. I don't get a horror that you get liberated. I got a hold of it lost its hold but lost about a dozen times in my life but ask and answer the question where are you seeking your significance. Second question is how well my servant, where is your mindset under pressure. Under pressure, you find yourself asking you how my doing what's going on with me. Are you observant find yourself walking into a room looking for needs find yourself and your family asking.

I wonder how my son my daughters feeling about this.

I wonder how my parents are feeling on how my neighbor is on how my boss is going. Are you looking for needs to have the eyes the listen intently kind of person the people of the talk to because you listen and don't interrupt him do anticipate needs to use your mind and think ahead.

Do little things matter to you and just little things in that little stuff to serve in an little stuff you do you care who gets the credit. Think about that you care insurance.

How wisely are you serving when you look at your service right now. Are you doing what no one else can do or no one else will do for you have some strengths and some gifts that you could really exploit your so afraid of what I can do that because of this, and does your service energize others and bring joy to your heart or the direct are you serving out of overflow or are you serving under overload.

What I love about this passage in this radical thinking about Jesus is you don't have to run a four 340 be great. You don't have to be able to hit a 98 mile an hour baseball be great. You don't have to have the social skills and ability to be the CEO of a major corporation to be great if you don't have a lot of money to be great you know you need servant heart and availability and just be you and say, God, you show me all doing and if you do that he says your number one vendor God's please come number one God's eyes series real discipleship in recent times it seems like more and more Christians are falling into the traps of hypocrisy, scandal and corruption. So how can we change that in the series chirp reveals that it comes down to two words real disciples as he teaches through Mark chapter 6 through 10 ensures how we can authentically follow after Jesus and avoid the obstacles and distractions that so easily entangle us. Don't miss how genuine disciples of Christ can radically change our world. For more information about our resources for this series go to LivingontheEdge.org or the chipping remap or call AAA 333-6003 as I come to the end of today's program. I just want you know we also come to the end of the midyear match. I am so grateful it's been so amazing at how generous people of been and I just know there's a lot of you that are like me, that probably procrastinate a bit and I just want to make sure you don't miss out. Thanks to some very generous donors. Every dollar given up till midnight tonight is going to be double dollar for dollar. Thanks so much for praying for turning this good intentions and actions. I'm so thrilled at what God is doing what is going to do so. Let me encourage you to go online or make sure it's postmarked today and read a press ahead by the grace of God in the midst of a world that is really hurting the light in the love of Christ can make a difference and we can do this together.

Thank you for praying and doing whatever God leads you to do. If you'd like to join us. There's never been a better time than today.

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Just go to LivingontheEdge.org and click on the donate button or give us a call at AAA 333-6003. Again that's AAA 333-6003 hapless nurse. Just Donate. Thank you in advance for doing whatever the Lord leads you to do will hear again is chip to share his application for today's message as we wrap up the series we've really been following Jesus on the road of discipleship and we've begun sort of in the middle of the book of Mark, and he's walking these disciples past that point where they say who do you think that I am on to do you know where I'm going all the way to take up your cross and follow me and says, we wrap things up.

Let me just as some kind of big picture questions for you to process begin to think about as you follow him because we are living in a day when it's never been more important.

I mean, I don't mean hyperbole.

It's never been more important for disciples of Jesus Christ to be Christians who really live like Christians. So let me ask you, are you empowering others. Are you a servant leader in your home you a servant leader at school.

What's your mindset are you are you the kind of person that is encouraging other people's faith. Are you concerned with, what everyone else thinks of you at work or school in your neighborhood or are you more concerned about what Jesus thinks of you mean all of us at some point and and maybe we don't verbalize it, but there is a King there's a CEO there's an authority in our life. There's an agenda that we have about if we do X, Y, and Z.

It will make us happy. And for some of us is actually our self and we've come up with the plan. We have the agenda and when we do that were focused on us, not Christ, so let me ask you, is he the king is he the CEO are you following him and this is in about a guilt trip. This is about. If you do like your way. The writer of Proverbs tells us the ending.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but it ends in death. Jesus goal his desire. He so loves you.

He so loves me that he wants the best for us, he that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not freely give us all things.

What I want you to hear is the heart of God. He doesn't want you to miss out but you will miss out. If you follow your way and you'll never lose if you follow his way. May you be a Christian who lives like a Christian with all your warts and all your struggles, just like I have mine, but as we live authentically and radically and become real disciples will never regret it.

Great recap chip. Thanks. Will before we go.

Let me give you one last reminder about our midyear match so many of you've already been incredibly generous. I just want to thank you for partnering with us, but if you haven't done that yet.

Up till midnight tonight. Every gift we received will be matched dollar for dollar. Your support helps us encourage Christians to live like Christians, if today's your day to join the team. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org or give us a call at AAA 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003 or go to LivingontheEdge.org hapless nurse top donate. Thank you in advance for your generosity one selects time. This is Dave really saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge