Wanted: Servants for Christ (Sermon & Song) - DJ Dickerson

As you see before you, we have the title

for our sermon and song this evening,

and that is wanted servants for Christ.

There is something deep in the human

spirit. [clears throat] Uh that's moved

by being wanted. You know, we think

about wanted signs. Uh I think that kind

of fit perfectly for this sermon and

song. Uh

wanted posters. I remember one I was

growing up. I would always see Uncle Sam

horning, you know, wanted. You're

wanted. I'm like, "Yeah, I bet I am."

You know, and so we know that they put

that out. Of course, recruiting posters

all communicate the same thing.

Someone is looking for someone. That's

what it's communicating. And so this

evening, the message of scripture is

this is we are wanted.

God wants us for salvation. He wants us

in his service. And if this son couldn't

be clearer, we're wanted to be servants

for Christ. And the Apostle Paul

certainly understood this wanted status.

When we study the Apostle Paul, one

thing becomes unmistakably clear. Paul

lived a life and I use the words poured

out in service. Is that what we see in

our scripture reading a moment ago in 2

2 Corinthians 12:14

Corinthians 12:14 and 15 as he describes

himself as gladly spending and being

spent for the souls of the Christians.

That spirit continued all the way into

his Roman imprisonment where he declared

in Philippians 1:20 and 21, "According

Philippians 1:20

to my earnest expectation and hope that

in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with

all boldness, as always, so now also

Christ will be magnified in my body,

whether by life or by death. For me to

live is Christ, and to die is gain."

For Paul, life was service. death was

gained because it ushered him into the

presence of Christ of the one he served.

He later wrote in Colossians 3 23 and

24,

"Whatever you and whatever you do, do it

heartly as to the Lord and not to men,

knowing that from the Lord you will

receive the reward and inheritance, for

you serve the Lord Christ."

So I think it's clear from just a few

passages already that Paul understood

service very well.

He understood sacrifice.

And in Romans 12 and verse one he said I

beseech you therefore brethren by the

mercies of God that you present your

bodies a living sacrifice holy and

accept of God

which is your reasonable service. He

urged the brethren

to present their bodies as a living

sacrifice, their reasonable service. And

I want to ask and I want us to think

about this as we go throughout this this

sermon and song lesson this evening is

what does our service look like? Could

we could we say that we are spending and

being spent

in service to God in service in his

church?

Before we move deeper, let's lift our

voices to another song that reflects

Paul's heart and that is 128. Take my

life and let it be. We'll sing all

verses of this song where the Roland

Morris will lead us. Then we'll have our

next scripture reading from Matthew

20:es 25- 28 led by brother Keith Weise.

And following that scripture reading S77

Jesus let us come to know you. Brother

brother Kyle Copelan

[music]

to [singing and music] thee.

Take our hand

and

[singing]

take my

[music]

shall be.

[singing and chant]

Take my heart. For

I know

it shall be thy

[chant and singing]

[music and singing]

and I [music]

treure.

Take my [singing] soul.

And I will be

holy,

all worthy [music]

again. That's Matthew 20:es 25- 28. But

Jesus called them to himself and said,

"You know that the rulers of the

Gentiles

lord over them, and those who are great

exercise authority over them. Yet it

shall not be so among you. But whoever

desires to become great among you, let

him be your servant. And whoever desires

to be first among you, let him be your

slave. Just as the Son of Man did not

come to be served, but to serve and to

give his life a ransom for many.

Jesus, [singing]

let us

come to

know you.

Let us

see you.

Praise

to

>> [singing]

>> Oh God, [singing]

us

[music]

Jesus.

>> [singing]

>> draw us

nearer

Savior,

Have us [singing]

gentle [music]

presence

with the

Br.

When we think about being a servant and

all of that entails, of course,

[clears throat] think about Jesus, the

ultimate service servant that was

we read about there in Matthew chapter

Matthew 20 · chapter mention

20.

I would note that as I mentioned Paul a

moment ago, his devotion wasn't

self-generated.

He was following the perfect pattern of

service and that is Jesus.

Jesus didn't simply teach about service.

He embodied it. In Matthew 20:28, that

Matthew 20:28

verse read a moment ago, he said, "The

son of man did not come to be served,

but to serve and to give his life a

ransom for many." And when we consider

the life of Jesus in the song that we've

just sang, Jesus didn't just tell us to

know God. He showed us through his

intimacy with his father. He didn't just

tell us to hear God. He demonstrated it

through prayer and obedience. He didn't

just tell us to speak to God. He modeled

deep communication with his father. And

Jesus doesn't just tell us to to go and

serve. He shows us what service looks

like.

Which brings us to one of the clearest

demonstrations of servantthood

in all of scripture. I believe found in

John 13:es 1-17. Brother Kyle Hill will

lead us in this scripture reading John

13:es 1-1 17 at this time.

John 13:es 1-17.

Now before the feast of the Passover,

Jesus telling his hour had come that he

should depart out of the world to the

father. Having loved his own who were in

the world, he loved them to the end. And

during the supper, the devil having

already put the heart of Jesus, the son

of Simon, to betray him. Jesus known

that the father had given all things

into his hands and that he had come

forth from God and going back to God

rose from the supper and laid aside his

garments and taking a towel he ged

himself about then he poured water into

the basin and began to wash the

disciples feet and to wipe him down with

a towel which he was dirty and so he

came to Simon Peter and he said to him

Lord you wash my feet Jesus answered and

said to him what I do you do not realize

but you shall understand hereafter Peter

said to him Never shall you wash my

feet. Jesus answered him, If I do not

wash you, you have no part.

Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not only

my feet, but also my hands and my head.

Jesus said to him, he who has bathed

needs only to wash his feet, but is

completely clean. And you are clean, but

not all of you. For he knew that the one

who betrayed him. For this reason, he

said, "Not all of you are clean." And so

when he had t washed their feet and

taken his garments and are caught at the

table again, he said to them, "Do you

know what I have done to you? You call

me teacher and lord, and you are right.

For so I am. If I then, the Lord and the

teacher wash your feet, you ought to

wash another's feet. For I gave you an

example that you ought to do as I did to

you. Truly, truly, I say to you, the

slave is not a greater than his master.

Neither is one who is sent greater than

one who sent him. If you know these

things, you are blessed if you do them.

Jesus lesson in John chapter 13 speaks

John 13 · chapter mention

to us very simply that service begins

with humility

as we know this passage I believe very

very well as Jesus gathers with his

disciples in John chapter 13 he rises

John 13 · chapter mention

from the table he lays aside his

garments he takes a towel and he begins

washing their feet now you know foot

washing itself is not the command for us

today okay it was a practical ical

necessity and it was the cultural norm

in the first century. But Jesus' message

here is unmistakably clear and and that

is this is what humble service looks

like. So the challenge that Jesus gives

well he's challenging us he was

challenging them to examine whether our

relationship with God is nothing more

than a checklist on a Sunday. And when I

say that is, you know, that mental

checklist that we've talked about

before, a lot of times it comes down to,

well, I'm baptized, I attend, I sing, I

pray, I take the Lord's supper, I give.

And so that's the kind of uh mental

checklist that sometimes, you know, we

we might have that tendency to kind of

go through and say, well, you know, I

kind of got everything figured out. I'm

doing good. And then we base that and we

start comparing ourselves among

ourselves and among the world, all of

these things. And that's a very

dangerous psalm. Now I'm I'm not saying

all all of those that I mentioned in

that list, all of those are essential as

we see from the scriptures, but they do

not complete the Christian life.

What we do here is the equipping part.

This is equipping for us to go actually

and do something with it.

For Christianity is not simply about

assembling. It's about service. It's

about serving. And again, Paul

understood this. He said in 1

1 Corinthians 11:1

Corinthians 11:1, "Imitate me as I also

imitate." Who's he imitating? Christ. He

said

Paul lived in Galatians 2 and verse 20.

Uh, Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20.

Galatians 2 · chapter mention

Actually, I didn't copy that one over

very well, did I? Galatians chapter 2

Galatians 2 · chapter mention

and verse 20. If you look at it, this is

why I say prove all things, right?

Galatians 2 and verse 20.

He said

Galatians 2 and verse 20, I have been

crucified with Christ. It is no longer I

who live, but Christ lives in me and the

life which I now live in the flesh. I

live by faith in the son of God who

loved me and gave himself for me.

That's what he's talking about when he's

saying he's imitating Christ. Christ is

living within him

because he crucified himself so he could

serve Christ.

And by doing so, he's serving others

just as Christ said of his own mission,

his own self.

And so in John 13, what did we notice?

Jesus said

of himself, he is teacher and Lord.

What you notice about in John 13 in that

text that we just read that he was not

found reclining while his disciples

served him.

Although he was teacher and although

he's Lord,

he showed them what service really what

it was all about. He served

them.

Jesus demonstrated humility

in action. Our next song that we'll sing

uh S97 servant song with the Joseph

Vonenstein will lead us in that song.

For even the son of man did not come to

be served but to serve and give his life

a ransom for many. Mark 10 and verse 45.

Then following this song, brother Robert

Ruden will lead us in our scripture

reading of Luke 22 24- 27.

Make me [singing] a serant

just like [chant] your son.

for he was [singing and music]

a serant.

Please make me one. [music]

Make me a [singing] ser

[singing]

to make me

a ser

Make me like you.

[music]

Take [singing]

all my

foreight [chant]

[singing]

[music]

to

All that I do

in [singing] the

[music]

me like you

make me [music]

a serant

by your mind

and May Allst

[singing]

[music]

forever. [singing]

Make me like [singing] you.

That's Luke chapter 22 verses 24- 27.

Luke 22:24–27

Now there was also a dispute among them

as to which of them should be considered

the greatest. And he said to them, "The

kings of the Gentile exercise lordship

over them, and those who exercise

authority over them were called

benefactors, but not so among you. On

the contrary, he who is greatest among

you, let him be as the younger, and he

who governs as he who serves. For who is

greater, he who sits at the table, or he

who serves? It is it [clears throat]

is it not he who sits at the table, yet

I am among you as the one who serves.

What Jesus did in that passage there in

that very instance [clears throat] is he

turned greatness upside down.

I want you to consider that moment

that's read forth there in Luke chapter

Luke 22 · chapter mention

22 and the disciples began you know

arguing basically over who was greatest.

Uh their minds were full of hierarchy

human glory.

But Jesus answered in verse 27. And you

noted, I am among you as the one who

serves.

See, that's the thing. The world

sees greatness in power, prestige,

position, authority, applause, right?

But Jesus overturns all of that. In John

John 13:14

13:14, what did we notice again from

that passage? If I, your Lord and

Teacher, have washed your feet, you also

ought to wash one another's feet. And

that's what I would call the challenge

of the towel.

The call of what it means to be wanted,

true servants for Christ. The challenge

to humble ourselves and serve others

because there is no true service without

humility.

We often quote James 4 and:e 10, "Humble

yourselves in the sight of the Lord and

he will lift you up

about humbling ourselves before God."

And Paul, Peter, James all refer to

themselves as bond servants of God. How

many times y'all see that in our opening

passage? We are bonds.

They call themselves.

But humility is incomplete when it stops

with God.

Scripture demands humility toward one

another as well.

And Peter writes in 1 Peter 5 and verse

5, he says, "Likewise, you younger

people, submit yourselves to your

elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to

one another

and be clothed with humility.

For God resists the proud but gives

grace to the humble." Our next scripture

reading that Paul expands on this deeply

I believe is the first eight verses of

Philippians chapter 2. Brother Bill Rose

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

will lead us in that scripture reading

at this time. Philippians 2 1-8.

Therefore, if there's any consolation in

Christ, if any comfort of love, if any

fellowship of the spirit, if any

affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by

being likeminded, having the same love,

being of one accord and of one mind. Let

nothing be done through selfish ambition

or conceit, but in loneliness of mind,

let each esteem others better than

himself. Let each of you look out not

only for his own interests, but also for

the interests of others. that this mind

being in you, which was also in Christ

Jesus, who being in the form of God, did

not consider it robbery to be equal with

God. But he made himself of no

reputation, taking the form of a

bondervant, and coming in the likeness

of men. And being found in appearance as

a man, he humbled himself and became

obedient to the point of death, even the

death of the cross.

That passage calls us to the mind of

Christ who humbled himself not only

before God but also for the sake of

others. And what does he say? Even to

the point of death on the cross.

Can we forget can can we forget the

image in John 13? Surely not. That image

should stand out to us. I I I believe

it's it's powerful as you get that

imagery in your mind of Jesus himself,

teacher and Lord, laying aside his outer

garment, tying that towel around

himself, bending down in loneliness,

the King of Kings, kneeling

to serve others and to show them and

demonstrate through his life what true

service is all about, what it truly

means to be a Christian.

And I'm asking, do we demonstrate

humility like that?

Not because it's the first day of the

week and you know there are certain

things that we well we do right

and worship to God and in service to one

another. But what about what happens

when we leave here and we have the rest

of the week before us? What do our kids

see even further? What do our neighbors

see?

Do they see Christ living within us? Do

they see us with the mind of Christ

who again humbled himself not only

before his father God but also for the

sake of others? Our next scripture

reading in Matthew chapter 5 is 43-48.

Matthew 5 · chapter mention

Brother Keith Wise will lead us in that

passage. And then following that p that

scripture reading, brother Kyle Copelan

will lead us in 536. Oh the things we

may do

again. That's Matthew 5 43- 48.

You have heard that it was said, you

shall love your neighbor and hate your

enemy. But I say unto you, love your

enemies, bless those who curse you, do

good to those who hate you, and pray for

those who spitefully use you, and

persecute you, that you may be the sons

of your father in heaven. For he makes

his son rise on the evil and on the

good, and sends rain on the just and on

the unjust. For if you love those who

love you, what reward do you have? Do

not even the tax collectors do the same?

And if you greet your brethren only,

what do you do more than others? Do not

even the tax collectors do so.

Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as

your father in heaven is perfect.

Have you [chant and singing]

heavy

[singing]

load

of [singing] things we [music] can to

you and I

[singing]

love

if we [singing] try

a word or a song [singing]

as we're passing

along [chant]

[singing] the grave by and

spoken [singing]

A world full of hope and cheer. Have you

walked [singing] with a slow

[singing]

of heart

[chant]

took [music]

the [singing] race

for the things we [singing] may do? You

and I. You and all the love we can

[singing]

try.

Just a word [singing]

or a song as we're passing along.

They will count in the grave [singing]

by and

up your [singing]

shadow

so that

you [singing]

long

gaining [singing]

of victory.

All the [singing] things we may do, you

and I, you and I. All the love we

[singing] can give if we try.

Just [singing] a word or a song as we're

passing [singing]

along

in [singing] the great by and by

>> as noted love is the foundation of real

service.

Going back to that passage of John 13,

Jesus didn't wash the feet of men who

adored him. You might say that sounds

kind of weird when you say it out loud

like that.

Although [clears throat] they were

people who yes followed Jesus,

the realization he washed the feet of

those who he knew were fallible

certainly and those who would fail him.

Peter would deny him.

Judas would betray him. And the others,

well, they would abandon him in fear.

He healed Malcus's ear, a man who came

to arrest him

on the cross. He prayed, "Father,

forgive them." In Luke 23:34.

Luke 23:34

And what all that boils down to is that

on

true service is rooted in love.

Not toward those who love us, but even

toward those who oppose us.

As Jesus taught in that passage read a

moment ago in Matthew chapter 5, love

Matthew 5 · chapter mention

extends even toward enemies.

How often do we need reminders of

lessons just like this one?

That this service that looks

nothing like the world,

this is service that reflects God.

This is us

wanted servants for Christ demonstrating

love in action. And what is love? It is

greatest commands. We're going to sing

that song out of the supplement S64, the

greatest command. Noting 1 John 4 and

verse8 that says whoever does not love

does not know God for God is love.

Brother Kyle Kill will lead us in the

song.

It's been a long time since we sang this

song. Just for those who don't remember

this is first alto and second verse it's

alto and bass and then ten picks up the

third and fourth I'll be singing the

first verse through four times so I

won't mess you Another

[chant]

is of God.

He

[singing and music] loves

God and knows God. [chant and singing]

He [music] who does not love

does not

know God.

For God

is love.

God

is love

[music]

for love

is of God. [singing]

He

who is [singing] born

of God

and knows God

[singing]

[music]

alone

does not

know [music and singing] God

for God

is love.

God

is love.

Love [music]

one another. [singing and chant]

For love

[chant] is of [singing] God.

He

loves [singing]

God and knows [chant and singing] God.

who does [chant] not love

does not

know [singing] God

for God

is love.

God

is love

[singing]

[music]

one another

for [singing] love [music]

is God

[singing]

and God

who [music] does [singing] not

>> [chant]

>> does not

know God

for [singing]

God.

God

is

[music]

before we bring the lesson to a close.

One of the things that I always take

away, especially from John 13 and the

songs that we've been singing and as I

mentioned at the very beginning of this

lesson,

someone is looking for someone when

we're wanted and thinking about servants

for Christ

that God wants us for salvation. And

what does that mean?

that were saved to serve.

One of the most striking parts of John

13, I believe, is Peter's reaction when

he says, "You shall never wash my feet."

That's what he said there. But the way

Jesus answered, he says, "If I do not

wash you,

you have no part with me."

Peter had to learn something vital. You

know what that vital points were?

Jesus came to serve. Jesus came to

cleanse. Jesus came to give his life

life as a ransom. Peter had to humble

himself to be served by Christ. And in

doing so, he learned that we in turn are

saved to serve.

We cannot cling to our own preferences,

our pride, or our own preconceived ideas

or notions and still walk with Jesus. It

doesn't work that way. We must let him

wash us through baptism,

repenting of our sins, confessing Jesus

to be the son of the living God, and

being immersed, buried with him in

baptism to rise and walk in what's

newness of life. That's Romans 6 3 and

4, isn't it? And what do we do after

that? Is that the end all? Well, no. It

says we walk in newness of life. Our

sins have been washed away. We become

members of his body, his church. And

what do we do with it? We are saved to

serve. That's what we have been reading

from the the scriptures and that's what

we've been singing together throughout

this sermon and song.

We take of the towel and we serve.

This lesson has been a time of We might

say, "Well, DJ, we know all these

scriptures and we know these psalms.

These are all pretty familiar songs.

We've said over and over again, the

question that I'm asking,

are we really a servant for Christ?

As you define a servant, would you

consider yourself a true servant for

Christ based off of how you live every

single day

and what he's called us to do by many of

these verses, by these songs that we've

sang? Do they resonate with us?

Are we evangelizing?

Are we helping? Are our hands doing the

work needs to be doing? our feet,

our hearts,

our words. All of these things tie

together.

I'm simply asking,

how is your service today?

Is your faith, your relationship with

God founded on humble, loving service?

I'm asking as well, have you allowed

Jesus to wash you? Or are you still

saying like Peter, not me, Lord.

But Jesus plainly says, "He who believes

and is baptized shall be saved." Mark

Mark 16:16

16:16. John 13:8. What did he say to

John 13:8

Peter? If I do not wash you, you have no

part with me.

If you have not been baptized, you have

not been washed.

And Jesus said in John 13:1 17, "If you

John 13:1

know these things, blessed are you if

you do them.

If you have been baptized, are you still

living out the call to serve as Jesus

served?

Because blessing is in the doing, in the

serving, in the humbling, in the loving,

all of those things.

And again, I go back to the beginning of

the lesson, and it's the pull of being

wanted.

There's something deep in the human

spirit that is moved by being wanted.

Just as the wanted sign that you have

seen throughout this lesson,

they all communicate the same thing.

Someone is looking for someone.

And this evening, the message of

scripture and song has been clear. You

are wanted.

You're wanted for salvation. And you're

wanted for service.

And I'm asking, does your idea of

service

match with God's

what he wants of us as servants?

It's a very sobering question because as

I said many times before, my kids can

see me in the pool pit and they can see

me doing things here at the building and

all of that. And

I don't want them to think, well, DJ's

service, you know, daddy's services, he

folded some bulletins this week. You

know, that's important, by the way. They

help me do that all the time. Stapling

handouts. That's important. I appreciate

that.

But we realize the realm of service

is more than that, isn't it?

It's also to the point of evangelizing.

It's the point of living out our life

before others,

helping others, being good to others,

even if they are our enemies.

Now, we ask ourselves again, are we true

servants for Christ?

What are we doing with his word, with

his will? What are we doing with Jesus?

I hope that we will exclaim in this

invitation song

that I want to be a worker. I want to be

a worker because that's exactly what God

wants us to be. That's what he's called

us to be.

Because that's how we show our faith,

isn't it? Isn't that what James 2:18

James 2:18

says? I will show you my faith by my

works.

Are you showing your faith by your works

today in service to him and your service

to each other

and his kingdom? I hope that we can say

that we are doing that and we just keep

on doing that. I encourage you keep on

doing whatever those tasks are. No

matter we say how little. We might say

how little they are. We might say that

may seem insignificant.

Write those cards. Make those phone

calls. Visit people. Do all of those

things. That's service.

That's doing what we have been called to

do. And I pray that that's what we will

continue to do. But if you have not put

on the body of Christ and in baptism,

you can do that now. And you can

exclaim, "I want to be a worker." And

you can be baptized and rise and walk in

newness of life. You know what you can

do? You can pick up a towel and you can

serve right along with each of us. And I

encourage you to do that tonight. If

you're sub invitation call, won't you

come as we stand and sing the song

that's been selected?