Sermon Cloud

Theme: Identity: We are Servants
Aim: Embody the Identity of Servant – a call to live into the reality of who you are!


INTRO: What it means to live out our Gospel Identities
    God has done something earth-shattering in the person and work of Jesus Christ
    When we repent and believe the gospel we are shifting our ID from our performance to his for us
        Humbles:
        Exalts:
    And then we LIVE from this new ID, applying this gospel framework to all that we are & do
    That’s why it is possible to do much of what Jesus says and yet not actually be a Christian
        We can read the commands and way of life he has talked about and think it’s a way to earn ID
        So we busy ourselves religiously, but we don’t have a new heart, full of gratitude and love
        And often – though we maintain it for a while – it comes crashing down on us:
            Sometimes, crashes because we just can’t keep it up: moral failure shocks & dismays us
Or, hardship comes into our lives: God isn’t keeping his end of the bargain to bless me!
Or, it just “stops working”: seemed to work for parents well enough, but not us
Or, not working in others – angry, judgmental, hypocrites – so we drop it quickly
    Problem is that we’ve seen Christianity as one among a host of ways to earn significance & approval
        And that, of course, is the opposite of GOOD NEWS or GOSPEL – that is more bad news!
        What happens when Christianity becomes a way to earn your IDENTITY?
The Good News is acceptance and love as a GIFT, despite me – we call this GRACE
        Gospel says, “You are more sinful than you dare admit – even good things wrongly motivated!
AND more loved than you dare dream: why Paul prays in Eph 3 for power to believe love!”
        The cross tells us that we need a Savior (humbles) AND that God has provided one (exalts)

SO we are saying that BECAUSE of the GOSPEL, this gift of grace in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection
    WE have become NEW PEOPLE with NEW HEARTS or MOTIVATIONS for LIVING
    FOUR key IDENTITIES that are OURS NOW because of JESUS

SUMMARY of FAMILY & MISSIONARIES:
Family: Adopted in Christ, filled with the Spirit of God, made new in him and called together to be his peeps!
    God wants us to KNOW HIM, to walk with HIM, places his SPIRIT in US, call him ABBA!

Missionaries: Priests of Shalom, ambassadors, sent ones with a kingdom work and message
    The FAMILY of God SENT on MISSION ALL WEEK LONG – that is the church, not this building!
    Actions and Words that proclaim the good news that God is making all things new!

Q: How are these GOSPEL IDENTITIES? Someone tell us what we mean by Gospel Identities?
    All of these are the IDENTITY of JESUS that becomes ours through FAITH!!
    Family – we are adopted and loved and declared “well done” – though we haven’t done anything!
    Missionaries – Jesus is making all things new – Shalom restorers, reweaving the fabric of creation

CALLING you to BE WHO GOD has MADE YOU TO BE: A people sent out on mission together!

   
Tonight: the WAY in which we embody this GOOD NEWS is as SERVANTS, our 3rd Gospel Identity

SERVANTS: we are servants of God who serve him as we serve others around us

READ Mark 10:35-45 – Anyone remember the context of this section…. Where are we in Jesus’ life?
    James & John’s question is a response to the 2nd of 3 predictions of Christ about his coming death
    Each time Jesus predicts the crucifixion, the disciples are in one way or another contrasted with it

Question: What is the contrast here between Jesus and his disciples?

Jesus: I am going down to heal the world
Disciples: Which of us will be most important when the world gets healed?
    NT Wright: Jesus had 3 options – grab the sword, run to the wilderness, or step in & bear the evil
The only way the world gets healed is if JESUS absorbs the brokenness, the sin, the evil of the world
The disciples are eager to do the first or second option – no idea about the 3rd!

Question: Which option do you tend to leans toward? What is your go-to?

Question: What do you think is the connection between Jesus as a RANSOM and his disciples as servants?
    Ransom is language from the slave-trade AND from OT story of the EXODUS: price paid for freedom!
    How is this Upward Mobility of the world SLAVERY?  How is servanthood FREEDOM?

READ John 13.1-20:
    What is so remarkable about what Jesus is doing? Served in the lowest possible way…
How does John say he is able to do such a thing? Because he knew authority and identity…
        Being a Servant is a Gospel Issue: who do you believe you are?
        What lies about our Identity keep us from living this out?
   
What does John Call this act of service? (Look at v.1)
        How is this the “full extent” of his love?  Laying down his life!
        Love is doing this, it is laying down our life: when you do what others want, you are loving
       
Question: What is the implication in v.12-20?
This is our way of life – he is our “example” in how to live under his reign, in his kingdom
This is our IDENTITY – not activities we ought to be doing, but WHO WE ARE b/c of JESUS!

SERVANTS: We are in Christ, sharing this ID with him
    The upside down dynamic of the kingdom – our posture toward one another & the world
    We bring healing, restoration, and a message of good news to the degree that we live as servants

Question: What difference would it make if this was your POSTURE or IDENTITY?
    What if you thought of yourself as God’s servant in the city – how does that change your approach?
    What would it look like for us to live under the reign of Christ as Servants sent into our city?
    What might happen if we rested in our Gospel Identities so fully that in joy we were free to serve?

OR: What if you don’t think of yourself as a servant but only as one who serves once in a while?
    Some don’t deserve it… they don’t even thank me! They don’t even care!
    Look how great a servant I am…
    I just don’t have the energy/time/resources, etc…

Servant of Jesus: Do Whatever he wants, whenever he wants, for whoever he wants…
    Holy Spirit leading and dependence – listening for God to speak and lead and guide!
    To a whole new level of listening in prayer for one another and for your neighbors & city!
OBEDIENCE is a servant activity – we obey because we’ve been bought, we are owned by God


[GET REAL PRACTICAL: what NEEDS are before you that you need to step into this week?]



How is this SERVANT IDENTITY a Good News Identity for us? Seems like bad news!
1.    Real freedom – you will serve someone or something… does it bring life or death?
2.    Not responsible for the results – if he says do it, you do it, and let him take care of the rest!
3.    When you actually begin to see the NEEDS, you recognize your Need for a FAMILY!
4.    “My power is made perfect in your weakness” – opportunity to experience need & fulfillment!

 
GOSPEL:
You are a SERVANT – everyone serves something or someone: one thing that drives us, a must-have
    We all find things or people and say, I will only have joy, happiness, meaningful life if I have this
Whatever or whoever you serve will end up controlling your life, dominating you, ruining you
    A certain person’s approval – become their slave!
    Control of your circumstances – constantly roller-coastering b/c of how life goes
    Power & Influence – someone gets in your way
    Freedom to do what you want – slavery to your own passions/pleasures – pain for you/others


What I want you to hear: ONLY IN JESUS does SERVING become FREEDOM
    He is the only master who says, LET me SERVE YOU, not just in his death, but daily, and at return
    He is the only master who, when you fail him, has died for you, to forgive and continue to heal you
    He is the only master who, though it cost you your life, will gain you real life & genuine freedom


WARNING: some of you are SERVANTS for all the wrong REASONS
    It is easy to “serve Jesus” and not be doing anything more than serving yourself
    You look like a servant, but actually you are after applause or approval or power
    Or some of you serve Jesus because you think it will keep him from messing with areas of your life

SO: as we come to the TABLE TODAY, remember we do so BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US, SERVED US
    He calls us to GIVE UP OUR LIVES for the GOOD of OTHERS b/c he has done so for us!





Weekend on Mission: October 4-5
    Chance to EMBODY THIS TOGETHER – where can you serve?