Are You Serving and Why?
Mark 1:29-31
Mark 1:29-31
Let's pray...
In one way or another, we are all reactionaries. When we are stimulated, we respond. Our responses are positive or negative, depending on what the stimulus is and our responses are mild or extreme depending how much of our heart is invested in what is being done.
For example, when I have found a quarter on the ground, I react with a smile. If I find $10 in a pocket when I unpack my winter coat, I might do a happy dance.
Likewise, if I am insulted, I shrug it off. But if you insult my wife or child, I had better go to the Lord quickly for strength or else I'll have to go to Him later in repentance.
We are all this way in one way or another. Tonight we are going to look at one woman's response to the compassionate and healing power of Jesus Christ.
Let's read it again together.
First, before we look at her response, let's look at what she was responding to. Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever.
Now, if we get a fever, we can take some Tylenol or Advil and usually go about our day – maybe a little slower, but still functional.
It is only if the fever is long lasting or doesn't respond to the meds that we give it any consideration at all.
But in the time that Jesus was doing ministry in Galilee, fever's were serious business. In fact, in Luke's Gospel account, he makes clear that this was a high fever or in the Greek, a MEGAS fever.
So this was not some piddly sniffle she was dealing with. As far as the family knew and as far as we know reading back into it here, she may have been on death's door.
And so, seeing that she was sick, Jesus showed compassion and healed her. And, not only that He touched her while she was sick, which most of the Jewish leaders taught was not allowed, because then He would be made unclean.
We still see this in Christian circles today, don’t we? We bypass the very people we are called to help as if their sin might rub off on us and make us unclean. We need to squash that nonsense.
Jesus understood though that He was there to make unclean people clean again by His power. So He didn't hesitate, He healed her with love and compassion. As those with the Spirit of God in us, we need to take on the same attitude a s Christ in that respect.
Now back to the mother-in-law. What's her response?
Now the Greek word for waiting on them is the word deak-o-ne-o. It's where we get the word deacon in the church.
The same word is used later, in Mark 10:45, Jesus said He didn't come to be served (to be deaconed) but to serve (to deacon) and to give His life up as a ransom for many.
And the same word was used again in Acts 2, the Early church leaders appointed Deacons to take care of the service of the church that needed to be done, so that they could devote their energies to the ministry of the Word.
And in 1 Timothy 3, Paul sets out specific guidelines to determine the qualifications of a Deacon. But listen, whether or not you are appointed as a deacon for a particular service need of the local church here, YOU and I are to deacon – that is YOU and I are to serve others. It is an undeniable call on the life of EVERY true Christ follower.
Friends, this is the essence of what we are about on this side of eternity. You and I were not saved so that we could then have a clean conscious and a get out of Hell free card and then just go about our work-a-day lives till we die. We weren't saved to live the American dream of working hard for OUR benefit, for a bigger house, bigger car and better lawn than the next guy.
We were saved to serve: To serve Christ, His Bride (the Church) and the lost people around us. I listed that as three different areas, but really we serve Christ by serving the church and serving the lost.
And when (not if) we serve the lost people around us – we do it with the purpose of demonstrating Christ's love for them – so that we can find open doors to speak the Gospel into their lives AND have the Gospel that we speak match up to what they've seen in our lives.
Like we talked about last week – it's a matter of matching the message up with the messenger.
I'm telling you, He didn't come to make great lobbyists in order to make legislation that would transform hearts, He didn't come to make soldiers to force changed hearts with a gun to the head.
He came to make great servants.
He came to serve those who didn't deserve it (You and me and the good and bad people around you). He served us and called us to do the same to serve others. That's how He told us to live our lives.
In John 13, after washing His disciples feet, Jesus said:
And specifically, He taught in Matthew 25:31-46, that when we serve the most down and out people around us, the poor, the hungry, the homeless and the unclothed – that’s when we are really serving Him. AND, if we aren't serving Him in that way, it reveals that we are not truly believing in Him and that ends badly if you are in the camp with the faithless. Read that passage for yourself when you get home tonight, it's chilling.
Now I mention that passage and want you to review it later, but we are not going to dwell on it here tonight, because I don’t want to scare you into serving or guilt you into serving. That would violate the spirit of the text we are studying in Mark 1 tonight.
Alright, back to the mother-in-law, She served in response to Jesus' compassionate healing touch. That is good. She served because of what Jesus had done.
Now, turn with me to John 12:1-3 and we will see that there is more reason to serve Jesus.
Now, Mary served for the good reason, because of what Jesus had done. In her case, Jesus had raised her brother Lazarus, from the dead (John 11:43). That's reason enough to serve Jesus!
But she also serves Him as an act of worship to Who He IS! You see, before Jesus called Lazarus back from the dead, He told Mary that He was the Resurrection and the Life and she confessed that he was the Christ. The Son of God (John 11:25-27).
So she humbled herself in service, not only because of what Jesus had done, but also (and I would say, More Importantly) because of Who He is.
I say more importantly because, listen, there will be times in this life when we will see God's gracious hand upon us in awesome and wonderful ways. He will spill tangible blessings into our lives.
But, there will also be times of testing. Maybe like Job's times of testing and trial. Maybe like Stephen's time of testing.
If you only serve and worship Jesus, His Bride – the Church, and the lost when things are going well for you then you will dishonor God and hinder the Gospel in the rough times.
But, if your worship, if your servant focused life is a response mainly to WHO GOD IS – If you keep that in the forefront of your mind – If you continually remind yourself of His Holiness and His Love-for-you-ness in you most constant thoughts, than you will serve no matter what the circumstances.
Listen, we need an awakening, we need a move of God that transforms, individuals, neighborhoods, cities, states, nations and the world. If you don’t see that, you’re in denial or you are blind. BUT, Christian, it starts with you and I serving in season and out of season.
I'm not even going to talk to you about a particular kind of service. We need all kinds of serving workers here at the Church in the Grass, but I want you to see beyond that. If your heart is not transformed, then what you do one hour a week doesn't mean squat.
We want you to see every word you speak or write, every action you take, every hour you spend at your job or in the community or in the church as an opportunity to serve Christ and propel His kingdom mission.
Before you do anything, ask yourself, “Does this serve Jesus' purpose or does this hinder the message?”
Then act accordingly.
One more point and then we'll close it up with another look at the mother-in-law.
Last point is this. As much as I want you to serve, I am pleading with you – for you – don't serve if your heart is not in it for the right reason.
I used to be a person who encouraged people to “fake it until you make it.” But the Bible is pretty clearly against that.
As we grow, we will surely begin to have people who serve wonderfully with wretched motives - or at the very least misguided motives.
Some will serve with a great face, and volunteer for all the stuff in church, because in this country, it still pays to be a Christian.
A pastor friend of mine has a lot of known and influential people in his church. So, in that arena, there are also other “members” who rub elbows with them for career gain, societal gain or political gain. Sometimes it is obvious, sometimes not so much.
Other times, there will be wolves who come to church and serve and play the part well – not to glorify God – but, to prowl for weak willed men or women. Some will come in to the church for financial gain, not a problem here yet, since we have hardly anything for them to take, but stick around. You will see it all in the life of a church.
It was no different in Jesus' time or in the early church after He ascended to Heaven.
In John 12, right after Mary served in response to what Jesus had done and in response to Who Jesus was, Judas slams her for wasting the perfume, because he wanted to sell it. He didn't want to sell it to give the money to the poor (though that was the false front he put up) No, Judas wanted to sell it because he handled the money for Jesus and His crew and Judas was skimming off the top.
In the early church, in Acts 8, we see a guy who wanted to BUY the power of the holy Spirit for his own gain, so that he could be made much of instead of making much of Jesus. Thankfully, Peter was there to rebuke the guy and call him to repent. Listen that is the job of the church leaders. If we see you serving for selfish reasons, we are going to call you out and call you to repent. It's what you are called to do for us if we need it. Correction in the body of Christ is one of the most loving things that you can be a part of. So correct lovingly and take correction with love.
Now, before we dismiss you to go out and serve tonight and this week in your spheres of influence, I want you to think back to Simon Peter's mother-in-law.
Christian, if you are listening to these words with a regenerated heart, then you were in the same boat as this woman. Do you remember?
What Jesus healed in you and healed in me was much more than a sickness in our body- It was so much more than a fever, that might take our lives from this world. He healed our soul sickness that would have taken us to Hell.
Actually, more than sick we were dead in our spirit, unable to revive ourselves (Ephesians 2).
But He touched us though the power of the Holy Spirit just like He touched Simon Peter's mother-in-law with His hands, and we were made alive again. And, once alive we could respond by His grace, we could respond with FAITH. With Faith in Jesus Christ.
We placed our faith in Him and believed in the work He did for us at the cross. We believe that He took our sin and replaced it with LIFE.
If you have forgotten that, if you let that slip out of view in your heart and mind, then you will lose sight of the “why.” The WHY you serve. I fear some of you have lost sight of that already.
Remember that the mother-in-law served as a response to Christ. Everything else that was going on in her life took a back seat to her Christ-consciousness and so she responded to what was closest to her heart.
Like I said at the beginning, we are all reactionaries. What I would submit to you is that you are reacting with the greatest fervency to what is uppermost in your heart and your concern.
This week, I am calling you to reflect on what you have been responding to in the greatest volume. What things have come up that have caused you to be angry, or happy? What has caused you to physically or verbally respond? In other words, what made you want to yell or caused you to laugh? What made you want to hug someone or punch someone?
And listen, even the good responses should be evaluated. Is a joy in God the owner of your heart?
What has taken up the most space in your mind (when you have time to let you mind drift, what are you dwelling on)?
What is at the root of those reactions? I'm asking you to go beyond the surface this week – maybe you will need to journal and keep track of the things that cause a reaction – especially BIG reactions.
Are your most intense reactions coming as a response to the glory and power of God? Or are you only reacting strongly when your toes are stepped on, when your money is messed with (or with the season coming up – when “your team” wins or loses)?
Our reactions reveal our hearts. If you do what I'm calling you to do this week and you find something dark, call me or another Christian friend – one that won't shrug it off OR help you make excuses – call someone you can confess that darkness to – someone who won’t judge or condemn – someone who can pray for you and plead with God to turn your heart back to Christ.
I am praying that we as the Church in the Grass and WE as the CHURCH of all Christ followers everywhere will begin to live lives – STARTING NOW – that we will live lives that make non-believers say, “They must really believe all that stuff they say about having an awesome God who loves them.”
Lord forgive us. Lord forgive ME. That is not the first thing people say when they see our lives right now.
If that's not what people see in you it's not too late. The Gospel doesn't say do all of these good things and then God will save you. The Gospel doesn't say, serve Jesus, serve His Bride – the Church, and serve the lost and THEN God will save you.
No! The Gospel is that God loves you and has saved you so that you can serve Him with the right heart.
Our lives of rebellion are redeemed at the cross and your life of service that honors God, our lives of service that TRULY reflect His service to the world that service BEGINS at the cross.
If you have wandered away, go back to God. If you have never before believed in what Christ has done for you then I'm pleading with you tonight to repent and believe.
I love you. Let's pray...
