"To Be Served or To Serve"

Hi there, this is long Solomon about like to welcome you to our program today. You know it's a tremendous honor the God's given us to be on stations all around the nation bringing the truths of God's word as it is uncompromising and straightforward and I'm so glad you tuned in to listen and be part of that.

Thanks again for your support and your generosity that keeps us on the radio and now let's get to the word of God's morning I want to talk to you about being a servant because that's what our passage is all about, and I hope that you listen. I hope you listen not just with your ears with your heart and let God talk to you because I'm convinced that nothing is more crucial to the success of your family.

Nothing is more crucial to the success of your personal relationships. Nothing is more crucial to the success of your ministry for Jesus Christ and the ministry of this church family than this single issue of you and I being servants and I hope you listen let's begin. Luke chapter 9 verse 46 it says that an argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest Jesus and the disciples were walking towards Jerusalem for the very last time Jesus is headed for the cross and remember that Peter and James and John and just been up on the Mount of Transfiguration, in which Jesus they seen his glory, they seen them transformed and now is there walking towards Ruth.

Remember the other nine guys didn't go up there.

There's this big argument that comes up about who is going to be the big cheese. It is going to be the second big cheese and is going to be the third-biggest cheese and on down the line. You would think that these guys having been up on the mountain. Having seen the glory of Jesus Christ revealed and then having realized that in spite of who we was. Jesus was not claiming his rights. He was not claiming his prerogatives he was giving all of that up to go to the cross. You would think it would've produced some humility in these God, but it did here. They are jockeying for position like a bunch of cheap carpetbaggers. Jesus confronted him head on verse 47 and Jesus knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him and he said to them, whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me, and if you want to know who's going to really be the greatest it will be he who is the least among you all base and what's Jesus talking about her lot as he say the way to be the greatest in the kingdom of God is open an orphanage and careful bunch of kids.

No, that's not what he say the point that Jesus is trying to make is a point about attitude. It's a point about perspective. It's a point about worldview and he was trying to do it by saying to them. If the person who cares for a little child you take that attitude and you make it your attitude and you will be the greatest in the kingdom of God. Now what is it take to careful little child well takes a whole lot of hard work, washing the laundry and changing the baby and feeding them and bathing them and cleaning the house takes a whole lot of hard work and it takes a whole lot of self-sacrifice. I mean, if you've got a child that you're taking care of you got a whole lot less time for yourself. You got a whole lot less energy for yourself and brother. You got a whole lot less money for yourself, believing I tell you the truth. You see, my dear friends when you're taking care of a child, you, like the Energizer Bunny. You just keep given and given and given and given and that child just keeps taken and taken and taken and that child can't return one thing to you. That's of any value in the eyes of this world, that child can give you power that child can give you money that child can give you prestige or fame or anything else. Basically, as a parent you become that child's servant. That's what you do you serve that kid. Now this is what Jesus was trying to communicate to these men that in God's eyes. Greatness comes through giving and that in the Army of Jesus Christ. Promotions are given to servants was interesting as it is not the only time these guys argue about this matter fact, if you read the gospel accounts. These guys are arguing about this all the time and every time they argue about it. Jesus gives him the very same prescription greatness.

Because you see, he tries to make them understand that greatness is not based on how much power you can amass is not based on how many people you can push around is not based on how much money you have or how many people know your name. That is the world's value system.

Jesus defines greatness in every one of these instances, the very same way he did here.

It's the one who serves and is the consummate example of that.

He offers himself he said in Matthew 20 when they were in the middle of another one of these arguments, he said whoever wants to be the greatest among you needs to be the servant of all. And just as the Son of Man, I did not come to be served but I came to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many.

Jesus said you want an example of greatness.

Look at me and I didn't come to be served but I came to serve others is Avalon.

I like what you're saying why don't we have more people like this in the world. Where are all these people.

That's a good question. And the reason we don't have more people like this in the world is because there are some enemies.

This kind of attitude has some enemies that work against it and I want to show you three of number one jealousy we can see it right here with the disciples.

They were jealous of one another, and friend. May I say to you if you're concerned about anybody getting ahead to you.

If you're concerned about somebody getting one up on you.

You'll never be able to serve God by serving them you're trying to make them a success, and if you can allow that success to go beyond where you are, you'll never be able to serve people. Second of all, the second enemy is arrogance look right here in Luke chapter 9 and it's interesting right here in this passage, all three of the enemies of servant hood.

The disciples display all three courts are usually good at display and everything that's bad and they are here to look at this verse 49 master said John we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him because he was one of us even come along with us even do it our way. Jesus said for whoever is not against you is for you. Arrogance is what these disciples had we're doing it right.

Nobody else does it right and friends. Philippians chapter 2 says that serving others has to flow out of an attitude that we consider others better than ourselves. While arrogance is the sworn enemy of servant hood because arrogance is the exact opposite third enemy of servant hood is not only jealousy, and not only arrogance the third and finally having a judge mental attitude always walk around judging everybody was wrong, as an antigen is nominated as an error in early awfully looking do this, verse 51 as the time approached for Jesus to be taken to heaven he resolutely set out for Jerusalem. Remember I told you galleys up here.

Jerusalem is down here in the space in between is a place called Samaria. So you want to go the direct route like to Samaria and it says here he sent messengers on ahead and they went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for but the people there did not welcome him because he was heading for Jerusalem.

Remember I told you the Samaritans and the Jews didn't get along so good and when they heard this party was going to Jerusalem. They said at no sorry you're not coming to hear well when the disciples heard about it. They went ballistic.

Look at this verse 54 and when the disciples James and John saw this, they said law are can you believe they didn't put his people think they are telling you that the human we can't come in here Lord why we call down fire on a heaven and turn these people up. This is John the apostle of love. But Jesus turned and rebuked said to them was wrong with you people. This is not being a servant.

I'm on my way to Jerusalem to die on the cross to make a way for these people have eternal life, and you guys want to burn them up is wrong with you people to service.

Don't judge other people. They just serve people and the reason the disciples were not better servants is very simple. They were jealous they were arrogant and they were judgmental and when you got those three things going on in your heart you not go be a very good serve, and the answer to the question why do we have more servants around the answer is because we got a whole lot of people dealing with that, stuff in their heart and that's why we don't have a lot more servants in the church or outside of those of the enemies that's the end of our passage, but it leaves us to ask important question and that is what right and I want answer that, you know, when you look to the New Testament, there's one thing that is so clear in the New Testament, and that is that Jesus Christ came into the world to be a servant over and over and over again. He says that the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and it's interesting when you look in the Bible that Jesus told us that as Christians, this is exactly the way he wants us to live. Let's go back to Philippians chapter 2. This is the letter Paul wrote the church at Philippi. Philippians chapter 2 verse three is what God says do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others. Verse five your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ and what was the attitude of Jesus Christ, the son of man didn't come to be served but to serve, and you know it's interesting as a God promises us that the more we live this way, the more he will bless and honor our lives us in the Luke chapter 6 Jesus says give and it will be given back to you good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running all over the sender that running over, will be poured into your lap. This is God's promise to servants.

Now I say from a human point of view that's incorrect.

It's much more blessed to receive cousin you got it when your giver together when you don't got no more. But you see Jesus said it's more blessed to give than to receive, because when you give then you activate the promise of God and supernaturally God gives more back to you than you ever gave away every time another world out there says this is stupid world out there were hear me say stuff like that go.

This is incredibly stupid line when you go out your house in the morning, brother. You got a lock and load. I mean, it's a tough world out there and all that stuff about serving other people and being nice of the last great church talk. God bless you.

We love you quite church talk on but you go out there in the real world when you try to live like that and people will eat you for lunch buddy is a great preacher talk don't go out there and try to live.

Now you know what I like to say two things in response to that, the first thing I'd like to say is that people who tell you that are right so they are right there right you go out there in the world and you try to show people a soft servant spirit, and they will try to take you for all your work there right but you see the problem is there right except that they left one small detail out of their equation and what they left out is a supernatural living God. That's what they left out if there was no supernatural living God and living this way would be stupid. You're right. When there's a supernatural living God, who has promised you give and I will give back to you running overall poured in your lap and that makes them wrong because God's promise is, no matter how much you give if you are willing to serve people. I'll fill your cup up faster than anybody out there can drain it you will have anything to worry about. Second thing I like to say is not only that they missed a very important point, but second of all, what's interesting to me is that the world may say living this way stupid, but if you look for a moment and who the world holds opposites. He rose, it's all the people who live the way there telling you stupid to live that way. Follow what I'm saying, look at all the heroes, the world holds up George Washington was the name of the man's life.

He served his country right or Gandhi or we can hold of Winston Churchill or Albert Schweitzer, Francis Nightingale mother Teresa Corrie 10 boom, even Abraham Lincoln. Isn't it interesting, isn't it interesting that the world says nobody in their life.

I live that way and yet years later, it's not the Rockefellers and the Hitler talk and pushed and shoved and hadn't gotten that the world honors and reveres the world that want to do with those people. Years later, but rather it's the people who live the way Jesus is saying to live in interesting those of the people that the world holds opposites, heroes, but if the world tells you you can't live that way.

Something makes sense and what does make sense is the world Jesus is telling you right, you know, I often have people ask me what this church needs the most well, what is the Clay Bible Church need the most like and pray for what you think. Answer the question more money about more parking, more staff, more Bible studies. What's the greatest need of our church.

You know, when I answer. None of those are the answer I give the greatest need of our church family is more servants. By the way what is your home need the most. It needs more people with servant spirit are willing to care for one another and wait on one another and love one another and put the needs of one another ahead of their own needs. That's what your home needs. What is our Senate and our Congress need the motion say all I all kinds ideas about what those folks need well I'd like to suggest to you what our Congress and Senate need the most is more servants, men and women who are willing to serve, who aren't interested in their career who are interested in their pocketbook who are interested in older perks born interested in all their own leisure and pleasure but were genuinely interested in serving the needs of Americans and making the hard decisions that need to be made to do it regardless of what it costs them.

That's what our Senate and Congress need my friend Jesus Christ knows what he's talking about is a big difference between success Washington style and success Jesus style and if you don't believe Jesus is right, and I would like to invite you just take a good hard look around and at this world system is so smart if they know how to live so well it felt so right about everything that Jesus is so wrong then you tell me why this world is so screwed up.

Would you do that if there are so right in there so smart Jesus Christ tell us how to live and what he's calling us to us Christians is a different value system than the one this world operates a value system that will make us happy and fulfilled human beings. A value system that will bring the supernatural blessing of God to bear on our life and of value system that Jesus Christ will produce inside of you. If you just surrender your will to him and leading to. I'd also like to say if you're here and you're not a Christian, God has the same value system for you to but the problem is that without Jesus Christ in your life you can ever live this way you can ever do it.

You can want to do it can do it and the reason for that is that these forces of jealousy and these forces of arrogance and these forces of a judgmental spirit are so strong in our flesh that there's no way in your own energy and power you can overcome that stuff you need and I needed a change from the inside out supernatural change to enable me to overcome those courses and really live as a servant in order for it to be genuine. Only Jesus Christ working inside your life to make that happen you fake it, but if you want to be authentic as a servant. You need Jesus Christ to do a supernatural work on the inside. I hope you think about it when I was in high school I hated English and the worst part about English Shakespeare hated Shakespeare. I know he's great but putting in the library where he belongs and let us read normal stuff anyway. I remember much from Shakespeare, but I remember tiny little bit from Hamlet to be what or not to be that is the question that's about my total recall Hamlet but I got that and I remember out out spot almost got myself in trouble.

Remember that not all I Shakespeare rolled up and no one anyway. I want to change Hamlet's question around just a little bit and I want to ask you to serve or to be served. What your purpose in life. You are in every relationship, either as a taker giver. I mean it just boils down to the so what your purpose in life are you here to take her to give what Jesus says is that the people he rewards, and the people he promotes and the people who make a difference are the ones who make it their purpose to give little children's book ever seen.

It's called the giving tree you never read this book go by me read it to you because it applies once there was a tree and she was a little boy and every day the boy would come and he would gather her leaves and he would climb up her trunk and swing from her branches and eat apples and they would play hide and seek, and when he was tired he would sleep in her shade and the boy love the tree very much and the tree was happy by-and-by. Time went by and the boy grew older and the tree was often alone, and then one day the boy came to the tree and the tree said come boy come and climb up in my trunk and swing for my branches and eat my apples and play in my shade and be happy if the boys I'm too big to climb and play. I want to buy some things I want to have fun. I want some money. Can you give me some money. I'm sorry said the tree. I don't have any money.

All I've got is apples but want to climb up and take my apples boy and sell them in the city and then you have money in, and you will be happy and so the boy climbed up the tree and gather all apples and carry them away in the tree's happy, but the boy stayed away for a long time in the tree was sayer and then one day the boy came back in the tree shook with joy and she said come, boy, climb up my trunk and swing for my branches and be happy. I'm too busy to climb trees, said the boy. I want a house to keep me warm. I want a wife and I want children and so I need a house. Can you give me a house. Why don't have a house of the tree, but you can call my branches if you wanted take him and build a house for yourself and maybe then you'll be happy. So the boy cut off all the branches of the tree and carried them away to build his house. The tree's happy with the boy stayed away for a long time and when he came back. The tree was so happy to see and she could hardly speak convoy she whispered come and play. I'm too old to play said the boy to said I want boats them take me away from here.

Can you give me about well cut down my trunk and make a post of the tree. Then you can sail away and be happy. And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat sailed away the tree's happy after a long time. The boy came back again, but he was an old man now. I'm sorry. Boy said the tree.

I don't have anything left to give you my apples were gone, my teeth are too weak for apples. Soon my branches are gone, said the tree can swing on the mom to old swing on the branches. My trunk is gone, said the tree you can't climb onto tired to climb your trunk boy said I'm sorry side the tree. I wish I could give you something, but I have nothing left. I'm just an old stone. I'm sorry.

Well the boy said I don't need very much now just a quiet place to sit and rest. I'm very tired. Well said. The tree straightening herself up as much as a stump 10.

She said no. He is good for sitting and resting come boy sit down on my stump said rest, so the boy did and the tree was happy and I read that book this weekend. I sat back and I tried to think about all the givers in my life. People who've given and given and given given to me gifts and trees in your life where the lady in our church a very dear lady who just passed away. Her name is Elinor Simon and you know I got to thinking. This is one of those ladies who when I think of this tree I think of this will.

The last time I ever saw her here in our church a few months ago she was dying of cancer. Very painful and she came in and the first thing she said to me as she said how is your little girl to stop praying for you will drop a few little girl every day how she do and I thought something's wrong with this picture. This woman's dying of cancer. She could hardly even walk. She still and she's sick and here she is asking about my problem.

Something is wrong with this picture, but not really, not really, because this was a woman who was tree.

She never talked about associate asked about her self.

The whole conversation I had with her. All she one knows how I was doing how my family was doing how my little girls.

How could she pray for, so I guess my question to you is for you tree or you boy are you a taker or you giver you know after I thought about all the givers of my life. I took a moment to think about the takers and you know what it seems to me takers live very lonely lives and takers make very little impact on this world being a takers of said life. God doesn't want you to be a taker. God wants you to be a cure for even though you might end up as just an old stone when assault on Sarai. God blesses people who give so my question for this morning as I leave you is if you're more of a taker than you'd like to admit. The question is are you prepared to ask God to change from the inside out and make you more serve spray father, I thank you for the word of God this morning. And Lord, we know the word of God is no good if it doesn't change our life. Theology is no good if it doesn't change the way we live. Preaching is no good doesn't change the way we view ourselves and the world. So Lord I pray that you would allow the word of God to accomplish in our hearts today which you gave it to accomplish that she would change the very way we see ourselves that you would change the very way we see the world redefine greatness for us, Lord, forgive us for being so caught up in pursuing it.

The world's way that we been walking right by the living room just like McClellan did with you sitting in the room saying if you just do it my way. I'll show you how it's done.

Lord make us more like the tree, less like the little boy make us more like you because you didn't come to be served but to serve, to give your life for others, make a servants Lord and in doing so, make us a blessing to others. Help us make a difference for the kingdom of God in the process. We know will live meaningful and fulfilling lives change our lives by what we heard today, we pray in Jesus name and listening to their wetland nonchalance. Solomon plan is an outrage of lines found in ministering to listen to today's message, or for more information visit our website. Solomon ministries.org. Thank you for your support. If you would like to contact us, please visit our website or call us. 68788777 we have.

You will join us next time in line and someone in life, my stand