Serving, an Expression of Love

"Serving, an Expression of Love" – Matthew 20:28 "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." When you serve, the service is an expression of love. In the world the great ones are those who dominate; in the kingdom of God, great is the one who gives himself. This study sets the disciples' argument over who would be greatest against the Lord who chose to humble Himself, washed feet the night before He died, and carried His own cross; and it brings that home with Joshua 24:15 and into all of life with 1 Samuel 12:24: serve Him in truth, with all your heart, moved by gratitude.

I. To serve is to give your life to God and to your neighbor

A. In the Bible, serving is giving your life to God and to your neighbor: both. "I am independent, nobody matters to me, I don't have to speak to anyone" is living in pure flesh and in rebellion against the one who sets the rules.

B. "I don't like anyone meddling in my life" is not love: the right word for it is hatred.

C. It is easier to put a foot toward the world than to stand firm in the kingdom; and easier to say we are something than to be anything.

D. When Christ cleansed us with His blood He began a perfect work. The question is how much we enjoy the Holy Spirit who guides us, and how stubborn we are in the laziness of the flesh.

E. No one can harm you: only you. You build or destroy your own life.

II. Lukewarmness enters slowly

A. The lukewarm God abhors; and from whatever a person is enjoying, thinking salvation is already in hand, let the darkness not overtake him.

B. Lukewarmness makes us mediocre. We keep talking, opining, and advising; but there is never a tear for anyone or a phone call for anyone.

C. A person does not know how much courage he has until he decides to serve the Lord. Living in "maybe yes, maybe no" keeps a person weak.

D. Excuses belong to whoever makes them.

E. Our rules count for us; in heaven they do not. Our rules are God's and the Holy Spirit's. If the Holy Spirit were in us, there would be the willing and the doing, like a flame of fire.

III. Who is the great one

A. The disciples' argument was who would be greatest in the kingdom, and they had it in front of the Son of God Himself. It is the same struggle today: someone brushes past you and you are already wounded; someone speaks a certain way and you are already offended.

B. In the world, the great ones are those who dominate. In the kingdom of God, great is the one who gives himself.

C. The great one is the meek, the humble, the one who knows how to love, who knows how to forgive, who knows how to wash another's feet.

D. Great is the one who sees a sick person who has been in bed a week and brings him food all week until he gets up. That, and not commanding, is true greatness.

E. The work is done in purity, not so it will be talked about; in love, and sometimes in pain, when the soul is worn out.

F. The household example: the child lost his sneaker. "Let him find it" is talk; looking for it together is service, and that is where love grows.

G. Do not go looking to be loved: you will always be frustrated. Love, because the good you do to another ends up being yours.

IV. "Not to be ministered unto, but to minister" (Matthew 20:28)

A. Jesus, being Lord and King, never claimed privilege: He chose to humble Himself and walk with the poor. That was His privilege.

B. He washed the disciples' feet the night before He was crucified. We, by contrast, set conditions for everyone when it comes to washing another's feet, because we want to be seen.

C. He carried the cross. He did not shout or call down fire: He carried it. And do we carry any cross, or do we want to get even with whoever wronged us?

D. This reveals the character of God: a love that bends down. And refusing to love, rising up in hatred and strife, is cursing the one in front of you.

E. His service was not only outward help: it was compassion for the sick —the leper, the paralytic, the woman with the issue of blood, Lazarus—, forgiveness for sinners, and the teaching of eternal life. He had three years and could not waste a minute.

F. "And to give his life a ransom for many": a wholly voluntary sacrifice that no one imposed on Him. A ransom is a price paid to set free; and that price opened heaven so that we can pray to the Father.

G. He served not only with actions but with His own blood; and it is by that blood that the Holy Spirit can come into a life.

V. "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15)

A. Joshua never sought anything for himself and never showed off. As a young man he followed Moses like a lamb, unable to approach him because of the glory upon him; he was immature, but full of strength, passion, and surrender, and nothing made him tremble.

B. At the end of his life, at a hundred and ten, he gathers the people, reminds them of God's faithfulness from Abraham on, and asks whom they will serve. It weighed on him, because he knew the Lord would call for him.

C. Parents ought to ask their children that same question; but they are afraid, because they did not sow from childhood, loving them and looking them in the eye. When a father cannot look his child in the eye, it is because he cannot love.

D. "Choose you this day": God grants freedom to choose, but allows no neutrality, no indifference, no apathy.

E. Three truths: personal decision —his faith is firm even if all others fail—; spiritual leadership in the family —service to God begins at home—; and public resolve —faith is not secret.

F. Children are sweet when you carry them as babies; but the first rudeness and the first defiance are aimed at the parents, and the parents cannot cope, because they did not sow as Joshua did.

VI. Serve Him in truth, with all your heart (1 Samuel 12:24)

A. It is a call after failure: the people had erred in asking for a king, and the king they got turned away from God. And even so God gives them a way back: failure is not the end.

B. "Fear the LORD": the fear here is not terror, it is deep respect, holy reverence, recognizing His authority. And that fear produces sincere obedience.

C. "Serve him in truth": without hypocrisy or religious appearance.

D. "With all your heart": not halfway, but with complete surrender, and steadily, as a way of life; not an outward act, but a heart given over.

E. "Consider how great things he hath done for you": the motivation for serving is gratitude. Remembering what God has done kindles the desire to serve Him.

F. Gratitude turns service into worship; and then, in the singing, the flesh dies and the spirit joins itself to the Holy Spirit.

VII. Application

A. Measure your greatness by what you give, not by what you command.

B. Do something concrete for someone this week: food for the sick, a phone call, a prayer with a name in it.

C. Stop waiting to be loved first. Love, and the good comes back to you.

D. Carry the cross instead of getting even; getting even only pleases the enemy.

E. Begin your service at home, and sow into your children before the defiance arrives.

F. Remember daily what God has done with you: there faith is kindled and service becomes worship.