Sermon

Serving One Another In Love

Plains Baptist Church

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  1. I've been going through a series here talking a little bit about family and the household

  2. ! And just even those principles that we've been looking at, you need to understand also apply

  3. ! in other areas of our lives. But we need to understand the importance of marriage, the

  4. importance of family. In that we've been understanding this through the context of Psalm 127 where

  5. it says, except the Lord build the house. The Lord needs to be centerpiece in the home. And from the

  6. very beginning, when the Lord joined Adam and Eve together in the garden, He established something

  7. not only for their good and protection, but something that was a benefit for us even today,

  8. for our benefit and for our protection. And it's a bond worthy of our devotion and worth guarding

  9. with our heart. And that's what marriage is, a covenant that asks each of us to lay aside what's

  10. best for ourselves and consider the other instead. You know, because as we think about this idea,

  11. we're going to talk this morning about serving one another in love. Now here's another principle that

  12. applies to anybody when it comes to serving. But this morning we're going to look specifically within

  13. marriage and the dynamics of that applying to us because what does it mean to serve your spouse?

  14. You know, have you really stopped to consider that in your relationship? What does it mean to serve

  15. your spouse? Have you ever noticed that serving another seems to come unnaturally to us? Because

  16. naturally instead of having a heart for service, we have a heart of selfishness, don't we?

  17. You know, we desire to protect ourselves what's best for us? Because I want you to understand and just think

  18. for a moment, could it be that the problem is not the serving but the source from what you're trying to serve?

  19. Because if we try to serve out of our own selves, our heart is always selfish of what benefit am I getting

  20. from this? What am I going to gain by this? In a marriage, I want you to understand, it's kind of like a

  21. two-person team. You know, there's a lot of two-person team activities out there. But one thing you'll

  22. notice that whether it's, if you've ever played ping pong with two people or tennis or other games,

  23. you know, when you see that, what happens if both of them try to fight for the ball every time?

  24. How successful are they? It fails pretty quick, doesn't it? You know, oftentimes, you know, we've been,

  25. our grandkids are getting a little older now and we're going back to watching youth sports again.

  26. And the one thing about youth sports that I found out is I don't even call it a game, I just call it

  27. bunch ball. Because you throw a ball on the field and they all bunch to it. Doesn't matter what it is,

  28. they all grab together and bunch together on it. But what are you trying to teach them? That they have

  29. to do what? They have to serve one another by being where they're supposed to be doing what they're

  30. supposed to do. Because if we all try to compete with one another, your team is going to do what?

  31. It'll lose. It'll be the loss. In a relationship, the same is true. If you're both trying to compete,

  32. compete, it's going to be a losing proposition. Because I want you to understand, God did not

  33. design marriage as a competition. But oftentimes, people enter into it with that mindset. You know,

  34. when we see that is in that dynamic is very important because when both are willing to set

  35. the other up for success, you know what? The team wins. A marriage wins when once, when they serve one

  36. another for each other's benefits. And we understand that, that's that championship mindset of saying, I

  37. want a team that's going to win. That means we need to serve correctly. To be in our place doing what we're

  38. supposed to do in the relationship. And to understand the importance of it because, but I want you to know that

  39. teamwork alone is not enough. Because the question is not only whether we are serving, but the source from which

  40. we serve. Because as a servant in marriage, a servant-based marriage draws its strength, not from yourself, but from

  41. Christ. Because if your relationship with Christ isn't right, you know what? You're going to have a hard time having a

  42. relationship in a marriage that's right. There's going to be a conflict that's going on always behind the background.

  43. And that dynamic is important this morning as we look together in this, as we take a look over here.

  44. Look over to Galatians chapter 5. Let's stand together this morning. As we look here, Galatians chapter 5

    Galatians 5 chapter mention Galatians 5 chapter mention

  45. in verse 13 tells us this. It says,

  46. Let's pray.

  47. Heavenly Father, Heavenly Father, as we come before you this morning, Lord, as we take a look a few moments in this

  48. reality of service and the opportunity that we have, Lord, we pray to you with the work and hearts

  49. here this morning, Lord, that we might consider, are we serving, are we doing what we ought to do for the

  50. right reasons? Lord, it is not selfish motivated, but out of love motivated. Lord, to love others just as

  51. you loved us. And Lord, as we look at this reality here this morning, Lord, you might just stir our hearts

  52. and our minds here this morning to contemplate the reality of it and where we stand with you.

  53. And Lord, that we might not just think about it, but Lord, we might respond to it. Lord, to understand

  54. the need that is involved in actually doing what you would want us to do. And Lord, we ask these things

  55. here this morning in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. You know, we find here in our text, Paul,

  56. the Apostles, he's writing to a church at Galatia that's in an argument and a discussion about things,

  57. and he's beginning looking here because they're talking about salvation in Galatians, the argument

  58. of how is one saved. But I want you to understand is he says that we've been called to liberty.

  59. When you're saved, you are set free from the bondage of sin. You're at liberty. Now, this liberty,

  60. he points out very quickly, and he warns this just a little later, that freedom can turn towards the

  61. flesh. Because a little later in Galatians, he talks about those things of being self-seeking and

  62. strife and envy. I want you to understand, God doesn't set us free so we can go to those things.

  63. He sets us free that we might be apart from them. And when we understand this principle that he's

  64. pointed out here, we're called to liberty and to use that liberty to serve one another in love.

  65. That liberty is not, what is it in it for me? You know, that's a modern concept of liberty.

  66. Liberty, how do I gain from this? Where a biblical concept of liberty is how do I use my freedom

  67. for the benefit of others? How do I use what Christ has given to me for somebody else?

  68. Because just as he purchased us on the cross, as we'll look a little later, is the reality,

  69. he set us free. And he did that not out of self-seeking for himself, but for our benefit.

  70. He set us free. And we see here this morning that proper use of liberty to serve one another in love

  71. is something that transforms a marriage. It transforms a marriage. The same liberty purchased

  72. that Christ purchased for us at the cross is the liberty that he calls us to spend loving one another.

  73. And it begins in your own home. You know, it begins right where you're at. You know, oftentimes people

  74. take a lot of time to look outside. What can I do? How can I do this someplace else? But you know where

  75. it begins? It begins at home. Because what you're not willing to do at home, you're not willing to do

  76. truly someplace else. Because home is actually the hardest part, isn't it? You know, sometimes it's

  77. easier to serve strangers than to somebody that you're living with. It becomes a problem because

  78. as we notice here, service is the proper use of our freedom in Christ. You know, look again there at

  79. verse 13. Notice what he tells us here. And he says this, and for brethren, ye have been called unto

  80. liberty, only use not liberty for the occasion to the flesh. You know, the liberty Paul speaks about

  81. here is freedom from the law's condemnation. But he immediately turns that freedom of what's been

  82. given inwardly to an outward expression of it, to understand what's been transformed. Because true

  83. Christian liberty doesn't curve inward towards self, it curves outwards towards others. And in marriage,

  84. that's an important thing. This means using the freedom he's given you not to demand your rights.

  85. You know, that's a concept we use quite a bit, isn't it? I am free, so therefore you must.

  86. God says you've been set free, now lay them down for the benefit of others. You have now the freedom

  87. of how you're going to use that liberty, of how you're going to employ that in the life. Because

  88. today we face with radical individualism. You know, that's our concept. Especially in America,

  89. we have a very radical idea of individualism. You know, I pulled myself up by my bootstraps. I did this,

  90. I did that. You know, we have an eye problem. Because it's all about me. We live a generation,

  91. it's a me generation. You know, the cultural script says you need to come first, your identity is your own,

  92. and sacrificing for another person is optional or situational depending on how it benefits you.

  93. You know, oftentimes we carry those same concepts into a relationship and then wonder why it

  94. struggles. Somebody that you said you want to love and to honor and to cherish and want to be with

  95. becomes instead of mutual benefit, becomes how does this relationship benefit me? And that's the

  96. reason we see a high divorce rate. Because it's not about the other person, it's about self. As soon

  97. as it becomes uncomfortable for self, it's time to go. And you'll see that a lot in relationships today.

  98. And this assumption is not neutral. It's a direct antithesis of Galatians chapter 5 here when Paul

    Galatians 5 chapter mention

  99. says use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh. He's describing to us precisely what

  100. individualism does. It takes freedom and turns it inward. You know, we understand that self-gratification,

  101. self-preservation. But here he tells us to do what to love one another. To understand the importance

  102. of this picture, he says, notice in verse 13, but by love serve one another. By love serve one another.

  103. In other words, he says the liberty you have ought to be used for the benefit of others also.

  104. Liberty is not something that's designed to be consumed upon yourself.

  105. Because that leads you into places that you're going to get in trouble. You know, think about even

  106. Jesus here this morning. You know, over in John chapter 13, here we find Jesus does something

    John 13 chapter mention

  107. for his disciples that's outside their mindset of how it works. It's contrary to how they think.

  108. Because what takes place is as they sit around getting ready for a meal.

  109. As the meal gets done, what happens? Jesus gets up and he puts a towel about himself and he kneels down

  110. and he washes their feet. Now, culturally, that doesn't mean much to us today. You know,

  111. there's some people that take that and they want it. Well, in church, you ought to wash one another's

  112. feet. And I'm like, nah.

  113. But I want you to understand the cultural picture. Because what was custom in the day was that when

  114. you had guests in your home, the lowest servant, that was their job, was to wash the guests' feet

  115. when they came in. It was considered the lowest position. I think we can all agree that's a pretty

  116. low position of servanthood. But here's the one who created the universe, gets up, and he puts

  117. himself voluntarily in this position to do something as a servant to his disciples.

  118. And we see that picture. And if you look there in John chapter 13, it tells us this in verse 14. It

    John 13 chapter mention

  119. says, if I then also, notice this, your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash

  120. one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. Now,

  121. notice the context here. He says, this is, verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater

  122. than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If you know these things,

  123. happy are ye if you do them. Now, I want you to understand here, Jesus isn't saying you ought to

  124. wash people's feet. He's used that as a picture, an illustration to say, you ought to be able to

  125. serve whatever it takes for the benefit of another. Even if you think it's below you.

  126. Does America have a problem with that concept?

  127. I can't do that.

  128. When you think about the one who is Lord and Master, I'm going to say, I'm going to give

  129. you an example of serving one another. And knelt down and washed those who were following

  130. him. He displayed exactly what it means to love somebody else. To say, I don't care what the level

  131. or what the dynamic is. You know, when we consider that question, are you using the freedom God has

  132. given you, your time, your energy, and your gifts to serve the one that you're married to? Or serve

  133. others? You know? Or are they quietly being consumed by your own comfort and preference?

  134. You know, today we have a lot of people who are even believers who say, I'll serve God as long as

  135. it's convenient. I'll serve God as long as it promotes me. As long as it shows for something that I'm going

  136. to benefit. You know what? Jesus said, the best servants are those who aren't self-seeking in glory.

  137. But by love, serve one another. Service isn't self-promotion. You know, have you noticed today

  138. there's a lot of people who do things to try to promote, well, look how much I can put on my resume.

  139. I served here. I did this. I did that.

  140. All, they serve not for the benefit of what they're serving. They serve for the benefit of

  141. themselves to say, hey, look what I did. Look what I'm a part of. That's not in love, by love,

  142. serving one another. That's an application that we need to understand. Now, number two here this morning

  143. is simply this, service fulfills God's law of love. You know, to serve one another is not a self-focus,

  144. but it's serving is that display of God's love. It fulfills God's law of love.

  145. You think about it, what did Jesus tell us? What does the apostle write here? You'll find this theme

  146. throughout scripture. This concept is not a New Testament concept. Because take a look here,

  147. look at our text first, and then we'll look in the Old Testament for a moment. But notice what verse

  148. 14 says, for all the law is fulfilled in one word, even this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

  149. Now, Paul's telling them that in this context of liberty. To understand that picture he's quoting

  150. here from the Old Testament. You know, he's quoting the Old Testament back in Leviticus chapter 19.

    Leviticus 19 chapter mention

  151. Leviticus chapter 19 and verse 18 tells us this. God's commanding his people.

    Leviticus 19 chapter mention

  152. And he says this, thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people.

  153. Think about the context of what he's saying this. He's saying even if somebody else isn't doing what

  154. they're supposed to do. Because isn't that a concept we talked about a few weeks ago?

  155. The reality, oftentimes people enter into marriage to say, I will do this as long as it benefits me.

  156. What's my benefit? And he says, thou shalt not avenge or bear any grudge against the people,

  157. the children of thy people, but thou shalt what? Shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

  158. Paul's context here is from an Old Testament context. It says, liberty allows you to love and to serve

  159. despite what somebody else does. Today, our basis of love often is what is my benefit instead of how

  160. can I use what I have in Christ for the benefit of others? To serve one another. You know,

  161. let me ask you a question. When it comes to this context, in marriage, who's your closest neighbor?

  162. Very simply, it's the one that you lay down to by each night, isn't it?

  163. You don't get much closer than that.

  164. You know, we don't often think or talk our concept that in that reality, but that's the application,

  165. the first application of the principle. Because you know what? Oftentimes, there's problems within

  166. a marriage. And there's going to, when you have two people together, you're going to have problems.

  167. Liberty allows you to work through them properly.

  168. To not be hindered by a grudge or try to avenge. You know, that's trying to get even.

  169. That's a contest. And you know what? The people I've seen and I've counseled and I've talked to in

  170. life about when they're having trouble in marriage, you know what one of the biggest things is?

  171. Is, well, they did that. You know what? If you lived with somebody, you know, if you lived it yourself,

  172. you'd be upset pretty soon. Because trust me, you're not the perfect part of the

  173. relationship.

  174. The point isn't being perfect. The point is saying, Christ has set me free.

  175. I'm at liberty to love

  176. them properly.

  177. That's a choice of what you're going to do

  178. with that. Because when you think about our culture today,

  179. people enter into a marriage

  180. marriage as this 50-50 model.

  181. You know, that's one of those things people got to get rid of is this 50-50 mindset.

  182. Well, we're entering to a 50-50, we're going to make 100.

  183. I want you to understand that starts things off on the wrong dynamic.

  184. Because what it says, as long as each of you contributes equally and have the rights and

  185. responsibilities are balanced and the relationship is evaluated by whether both parties are getting

  186. what they deserve.

  187. Now, in your mind, in contract, that sounds reasonable.

  188. The reality, we already talked about that, marriage is not a contract.

  189. You're not dealing in contract law.

  190. Contract law says, I said, I agree to this if you do this.

  191. Covenant says, I'm all in no matter what you do.

  192. That's a thought process difference.

  193. And that's where the devil loves to twist

  194. because even though it sounds reasonable,

  195. but what a 50-50 relationship does,

  196. it produces a scorecard.

  197. It starts keeping track and tally.

  198. You know, when you sit down with a couple

  199. that's having a marriage, it's amazing.

  200. They pull out their scorecard.

  201. It might not be a physical scorecard,

  202. but you know what?

  203. As soon as they start talking, it's a scorecard.

  204. They didn't do this.

  205. They didn't do this.

  206. Or they did that.

  207. They did this over here.

  208. It's like,

  209. you're focusing on the wrong elements here.

  210. You're saying,

  211. they didn't fulfill their end of the contract.

  212. But remember,

  213. when you got married,

  214. you didn't enter into contract.

  215. You entered into a covenant.

  216. Two totally different things.

  217. And when we understand the picture here,

  218. because a servant-type marriage

  219. that Paul describes here is not doing math.

  220. It's asking,

  221. what more can I give?

  222. You know,

  223. take a look over in the book of Philippians

  224. for a moment.

  225. Philippians chapter 2.

    Philippians 2 chapter mention

  226. You know,

  227. Philippians chapter 2

    Philippians 2 chapter mention

  228. tells us here something very important.

  229. Philippians chapter 2.

    Philippians 2 chapter mention

  230. Look down at verses 3 and 4.

  231. Notice what he tells us.

  232. let nothing be done through strife or vainglory,

  233. but in lowliness of mind,

  234. let each do what?

  235. Esteem the other better than themselves.

  236. Look not every man on his own things,

  237. but let every man also on the things of others.

  238. To esteem the other better than themselves.

  239. Marriage is never meant to be a partnership of halves.

  240. It's not a 50 from you and 50 from the other.

  241. It's a covenant that calls one to 100%.

  242. Because if you enter in with a balance sheet,

  243. you know what follows a balance sheet in marriage?

  244. Resentment.

  245. You know what else follows it?

  246. You have resentment,

  247. then you have bitterness.

  248. Then what do you have?

  249. You have anger.

  250. Are any of those beneficial for you?

  251. Are any of those beneficial?

  252. When we understand what Christ is,

  253. when loving us like Christ loved us,

  254. it's important.

  255. Because when we consider that dynamic,

  256. you know,

  257. and understand the picture,

  258. what is the one need your spouse has

  259. that you've stopped noticing?

  260. You know,

  261. sometimes it's easy when you hang out with somebody all the time

  262. to start missing things.

  263. You know,

  264. one thing I want to encourage you today,

  265. if you're married,

  266. find out what you can do for your spouse this week.

  267. Something that you may have forgotten about.

  268. You say,

  269. preacher,

  270. now you're getting uncomfortable.

  271. You've got to remember,

  272. I've got to go home too.

  273. It's not any more uncomfortable for me

  274. than it is for you.

  275. But you know,

  276. it makes a difference

  277. because I want you to understand

  278. when you do something out of love,

  279. it doesn't go unnoticed,

  280. even if the other person doesn't take note,

  281. God still takes note.

  282. God recognizes what you're doing.

  283. So understand here next,

  284. the mutual service

  285. builds a strong,

  286. wholehearted marriage.

  287. You know,

  288. builds a strong,

  289. wholehearted marriage.

  290. You know,

  291. as we look here this morning,

  292. I want you to understand,

  293. look back at verse 13 again.

  294. And it tells us this,

  295. it says,

  296. for brethren,

  297. you have been called unto liberty,

  298. but only use not liberty

  299. for an occasion to the flesh.

  300. You know,

  301. that's just like we read here

  302. a few moments ago

  303. in Philippians chapter 2.

    Philippians 2 chapter mention

  304. Let nothing be done

  305. through strife or what?

  306. Vainglory.

  307. What's vainglory?

  308. That's a good question.

  309. Empty glory.

  310. glory.

  311. What's empty when we spend it

  312. on ourselves?

  313. Whether that's in marriage,

  314. whether that's a personal,

  315. any dynamic,

  316. vainglory,

  317. empty glory is saying,

  318. I want to be magnified

  319. or lifted up.

  320. When Christ set us free,

  321. what does that do for us?

  322. It says,

  323. for His glory,

  324. Him to be glorified

  325. in us.

  326. And when we understand

  327. that picture

  328. and get the right perspective,

  329. it makes a difference.

  330. When both the husband

  331. and wife are competing

  332. to out-serve the other,

  333. it changes something.

  334. You know,

  335. the conflict deflates,

  336. the intimacy deepens.

  337. You know,

  338. when we understand,

  339. it helps you serve together.

  340. Because mutual service

  341. builds a strong,

  342. wholehearted marriage.

  343. Serving together.

  344. Loving together.

  345. Doing together.

  346. It makes a difference

  347. when people invest

  348. in that.

  349. You know,

  350. we have a great model of this

  351. within the Scripture.

  352. You have a couple

  353. by the name of Aquila and Priscilla.

  354. They're the only couple

  355. in the Bible

  356. that's always mentioned together.

  357. Where you find one,

  358. you always find the other.

  359. Interesting.

  360. But you know what they did?

  361. They served the Lord together.

  362. They were there together.

  363. It wasn't,

  364. well,

  365. one does this

  366. and the other does that.

  367. It said they were serving together.

  368. together.

  369. To understand

  370. that picture

  371. of working together.

  372. They never,

  373. it's never recorded

  374. that they were competing

  375. for credit.

  376. You know,

  377. of how one was serving.

  378. It was just,

  379. there was a mutual dynamic.

  380. But I want you

  381. to understand today

  382. that many times

  383. I believe people

  384. are genuinely

  385. trying to serve.

  386. but the problem is

  387. oftentimes

  388. we run on empty.

  389. We feel exhausted.

  390. You know,

  391. you think about today,

  392. you have two income households,

  393. youth sports

  394. that want to run

  395. seven days a week,

  396. a smartphone

  397. that demands

  398. your attention,

  399. a general exhaustion

  400. of modern life

  401. means that patience

  402. and generosity

  403. are the first casualties

  404. of a tired evening

  405. at home.

  406. You're so done

  407. before you get there

  408. you don't even realize

  409. what's happening.

  410. You're exhausted

  411. and when somebody,

  412. when the mindset is

  413. and the reality sets in

  414. that I still have

  415. a responsibility

  416. to love,

  417. it's difficult.

  418. I want you to understand

  419. this isn't necessarily

  420. a character problem

  421. but it's a depletion problem.

  422. when you run

  423. your life

  424. on empty.

  425. The answer

  426. is not

  427. to try harder

  428. but the answer

  429. is to draw

  430. more deeply

  431. from the one

  432. who sets you free.

  433. He is the one

  434. that says

  435. I will have

  436. the ability

  437. to give you

  438. what you need

  439. to do

  440. what you ought to do.

  441. You know,

  442. when we look

  443. at the right picture,

  444. the right dynamic,

  445. the answer

  446. is not trying harder,

  447. it's drawing deeper

  448. from Christ,

  449. the one

  450. who has set you free.

  451. You know,

  452. I spoke a little bit ago

  453. about Aquila and Priscilla.

  454. You know,

  455. Acts chapter 18,

    Acts 18 chapter mention

  456. you find here

  457. that they pull

  458. Apollos aside together

  459. and instruct him together

  460. and to build

  461. those things together.

  462. Their marriage

  463. was a shared ministry.

  464. The two lives

  465. wholly given

  466. to one work.

  467. You know,

  468. think about this.

  469. Look here in verse 24.

  470. It says,

  471. And a certain Jew

  472. named Apollos,

  473. born of Alexandria,

  474. an eloquent man

  475. and a mighty

  476. in the scripture,

  477. came to Ephesus.

  478. The man was instructed

  479. in the way of the Lord

  480. and being fervent in spirit,

  481. he spake and taught

  482. diligently

  483. that things are knowing

  484. only the baptism

  485. of John.

  486. And we see here

  487. that as he comes,

  488. we find here

  489. that they pull him aside,

  490. Aquila and Priscilla,

  491. and give him

  492. what is needed.

  493. We find here

  494. that they taught him

  495. diligently.

  496. You know,

  497. being fervent

  498. in spirit and spake

  499. and taught diligently

  500. the things of the Lord.

  501. And we want to see

  502. Aquila and Priscilla

  503. pull him out.

  504. Is the next verse

  505. on the slide?

  506. Okay,

  507. let's get this continued.

  508. Because it's the one

  509. I want to get to.

  510. I'm like,

  511. did that get put in there?

  512. Notice this.

  513. And he began to speak

  514. boldly in the synagogue

  515. when Aquila and Priscilla

  516. heard.

  517. They took him

  518. unto them

  519. and expounded unto him

  520. the way of God

  521. more perfectly.

  522. Now I want you to understand

  523. there's a lot in that verse.

  524. We could spend a lot

  525. of time right there.

  526. Because there's a theological

  527. point they're making here too.

  528. But I want you to see

  529. what they do.

  530. They served

  531. the Lord

  532. together.

  533. It was a togetherness

  534. that made

  535. a difference.

  536. To understand

  537. the importance

  538. of it.

  539. You know,

  540. have you thought together

  541. for a moment

  542. of how

  543. the local church

  544. is enriched

  545. when marriages

  546. are built on

  547. mutual,

  548. wholehearted service

  549. and not rivalry?

  550. You know,

  551. serving one another

  552. is something

  553. that God

  554. has designed

  555. for us

  556. and for the benefit

  557. of everybody.

  558. To understand

  559. the reality

  560. of it,

  561. what would your

  562. marriage look like

  563. if both of you

  564. were more committed

  565. to serving

  566. than being served?

  567. Would that concept

  568. change a relationship?

  569. I guarantee you

  570. it would,

  571. doesn't it?

  572. It would alter

  573. a lot of things

  574. because you know

  575. what it does?

  576. It throws

  577. the scorecard

  578. out.

  579. it's no longer

  580. a contest

  581. or a competition

  582. because it's not

  583. about what you're

  584. getting,

  585. it's about

  586. your opportunity

  587. to love

  588. another.

  589. To understand

  590. that picture,

  591. that dynamic,

  592. you know,

  593. when we serve,

  594. I want you to

  595. understand,

  596. I want you to

  597. challenge you

  598. to try to do

  599. one thing

  600. this week

  601. of unexpected

  602. service

  603. for another

  604. with no

  605. strings attached.

  606. Zero

  607. expectation

  608. attached

  609. to yourself.

  610. You know,

  611. oftentimes,

  612. we do do

  613. a lot of service,

  614. but sometimes

  615. there's always

  616. a string

  617. attached.

  618. But we

  619. ought to

  620. serve not

  621. for what

  622. it benefits

  623. us,

  624. but for

  625. the well-being

  626. of the

  627. other.

  628. To understand

  629. that picture

  630. clearly.

  631. You know,

  632. this idea

  633. of service,

  634. we've been

  635. set free

  636. in Christ

  637. because even

  638. Jesus,

  639. you know,

  640. Jesus when

  641. he came,

  642. Jesus came

  643. not to be

  644. ministered unto,

  645. but to

  646. minister.

  647. You know,

  648. in Mark

    Mark 10:45

  649. chapter 10

  650. verse 45,

  651. the word of

  652. God makes

  653. it very clear,

  654. for even the

  655. Son of Man

  656. came not

  657. to be

  658. ministered unto.

  659. In other

  660. words,

  661. God didn't

  662. come for

  663. his benefit.

  664. And it

  665. tells us

  666. exactly why

  667. he came.

  668. but to

  669. minister,

  670. to serve,

  671. and to

  672. give his

  673. life a

  674. ransom for

  675. many.

  676. Have you

  677. stopped to

  678. think that

  679. when Jesus

  680. went to the

  681. cross,

  682. it was a

  683. service for

  684. your benefit?

  685. He was

  686. ministering

  687. for your

  688. benefit.

  689. benefit.

  690. That benefit

  691. of being

  692. able to

  693. offer

  694. salvation

  695. full and

  696. free for

  697. you.

  698. He shed

  699. his own

  700. blood as

  701. the ransom

  702. for your

  703. sin.

  704. The price

  705. that sin

  706. demanded.

  707. He

  708. He

  709. He

  710. He

  711. Why did

  712. he do

  713. that?

  714. Because

  715. he understood

  716. this principle,

  717. this reality,

  718. that you're

  719. a sinner

  720. who needs

  721. a Savior.

  722. He died

  723. in your

  724. place.

  725. The Bible

  726. says the

  727. wages of

  728. sin is

  729. death.

  730. He died

  731. in your

  732. place and

  733. rose again

  734. so that you

  735. might be

  736. forgiven,

  737. that you

  738. might be

  739. able to

  740. call upon

  741. him,

  742. accept the

  743. free gift

  744. of salvation.

  745. You know,

  746. the reality

  747. is oftentimes

  748. people are

  749. self-seeking,

  750. but salvation

  751. isn't about

  752. self-seeking on

  753. anybody's part

  754. because salvation

  755. is recognizing

  756. that yes,

  757. he is right,

  758. I am a

  759. sinner.

  760. I have

  761. broken the

  762. law.

  763. I have

  764. done that

  765. which is

  766. contrary to

  767. the things

  768. of God.

  769. It's

  770. recognizing

  771. who you

  772. are,

  773. your need.

  774. When you

  775. recognize your

  776. need, he

  777. says you need

  778. to do

  779. something and

  780. that's to

  781. recognize it

  782. to him.

  783. That's called

  784. repentance.

  785. It's

  786. recognizing

  787. you're a

  788. sinner and

  789. he's the

  790. perfect one,

  791. he's the

  792. savior.

  793. Turning from

  794. your sin

  795. to the

  796. savior.

  797. To say,

  798. I want what

  799. he has

  800. provided,

  801. the liberty

  802. to set me

  803. free.

  804. To understand

  805. the reality

  806. of it,

  807. your need

  808. to repent

  809. and to

  810. recognize you're

  811. a sinner that

  812. needs to turn

  813. to him and

  814. call upon him

  815. because you

  816. know what,

  817. it's not

  818. enough to

  819. recognize you're

  820. a sinner.

  821. today we

  822. have call

  823. in therapy.

  824. You know

  825. what most

  826. of the

  827. problem is?

  828. It's sin.

  829. And they

  830. expect a

  831. therapist to

  832. solve it

  833. who's charging

  834. you by the

  835. minute.

  836. And Christ

  837. said, I

  838. have the

  839. solution for

  840. sin and I

  841. picked up the

  842. check.

  843. what greater

  844. thing is

  845. that?

  846. By love

  847. serving you.

  848. To understand

  849. that ransom

  850. that he

  851. paid is

  852. counted as

  853. yours.

  854. The ultimate

  855. example of

  856. serving one

  857. another.

  858. Your very

  859. salvation is a

  860. picture of

  861. God's love

  862. for you.

  863. to call

  864. upon him.

  865. You know,

  866. maybe you

  867. can understand

  868. the reality

  869. of a time

  870. when you

  871. called upon

  872. him.

  873. But you

  874. know,

  875. if you're

  876. saved,

  877. it still

  878. can sometimes

  879. be draining.

  880. but I

  881. want you

  882. to let

  883. the love

  884. of Christ

  885. be the

  886. fuel for

  887. your

  888. service.

  889. Because

  890. that empty

  891. tank of

  892. life gets

  893. refilled and

  894. refreshed

  895. when we

  896. refocus and

  897. draw from

  898. the well

  899. that's

  900. endless.

  901. Of what we

  902. have in

  903. Christ.

  904. From the

  905. resources of

  906. his grace,

  907. you know,

  908. to serve

  909. another,

  910. to serve

  911. your spouse

  912. today.

  913. But let

  914. it be an

  915. act of

  916. worship.

  917. You know,

  918. we don't

  919. do it for

  920. ourselves.

  921. Colossians

  922. 3.23

  923. says,

  924. and whatsoever

  925. you do,

  926. do it

  927. heartily as

  928. unto the

  929. Lord and

  930. not unto

  931. men.

  932. Have you

  933. ever thought

  934. about by

  935. serving your

  936. spouse,

  937. you're honoring

  938. the Lord?

  939. Do it

  940. heartily as

  941. as to the

  942. Lord and

  943. not unto

  944. men.

  945. You know,

  946. that attitude

  947. alone will

  948. get rid of

  949. the score

  950. card.

  951. Because what

  952. Christ did on

  953. Calvary was

  954. remove the

  955. score card.

  956. Your sin

  957. is gone.

  958. Now I want

  959. you to consider

  960. something else,

  961. and we're going

  962. to get into

  963. this a little

  964. more next

  965. week.

  966. to be a

  967. week.

  968. But when

  969. you serve

  970. your spouse,

  971. it's the

  972. first sermon

  973. your kids

  974. see and

  975. hear about

  976. loving one

  977. another.

  978. The first

  979. message your

  980. kids see is

  981. how you

  982. parents love

  983. and serve

  984. one another.

  985. We're going

  986. to look at

  987. that next

  988. week, so

  989. make sure to

  990. be back.

  991. But I want

  992. you to

  993. understand,

  994. how are you

  995. serving in

  996. love one

  997. another today?

  998. Have you

  999. loved your

  1000. neighbor as

  1001. yourself?

  1002. Because our

  1003. well is not

  1004. us, it's

  1005. him.

  1006. As heads

  1007. are bowed

  1008. and eyes are

  1009. closed this

  1010. morning,

  1011. what about

  1012. you today?

  1013. Are you

  1014. willing to

  1015. say,

  1016. Lord,

  1017. I need

  1018. to use

  1019. the liberty

  1020. that I

  1021. have in

  1022. you because

  1023. of your

  1024. salvation

  1025. to serve

  1026. the one

  1027. that I'm

  1028. married to

  1029. or to

  1030. serve somebody

  1031. else because

  1032. the application

  1033. goes far

  1034. beyond just

  1035. marriage.

  1036. It applies

  1037. to everybody

  1038. but directly

  1039. in a

  1040. relationship

  1041. together.

  1042. What are you

  1043. doing?

  1044. Is it

  1045. selfish

  1046. or is it

  1047. serving?

  1048. away may

  1049. may

  1050. may

  1051. may

  1052. may