Fuente de Amor

Intro - "The 5"

Luke 22:7-27

You want to know one of my biggest pet peeves? (Either way, I'm going to tell you). It's when politicians talk about service. Call me cynical (which I am) but I never buy it. Maybe a small, seemingly insignificant position; but it's hard to listen to people running for a high office with power and perks talk about how they want this position so they can serve you and me.
I'm sure there are some people running for office who really want to serve. But as one of my professors used to say, "the exception proves the rule."
I don't think things were much different in Jesus' day. Vs. 24-27
Human nature hasn't really changed in 2,000 years. Most of the leaders in Jesus' day weren't really interested in service, they were simply looking to advance their career or extend their power. But Jesus looks at his disciples and boldly declares (vs 26) "but among you it WILL be different!" He didn't say "but among you it SHOULD BE different" or "it OUGHT TO BE different" or it CAN BE different." He said "it WILL be different." In speaking to his disciples, Jesus was also speaking to the entire church. Gutsy statement.
Didn't he know about modern televangelists living in mansions built by ripping people off? Didn't he know about medieval popes living in castles while the poor outside their gates starve? Didn't he know about church board members who vote down ministry initiatives simply because they want to stay in control of the church? Didn't he know about those who would hide behind the word "ministry" while all along promoting their own agenda?
Was Jesus ignorant in making this statement? Or worse, was he lying? "Among you it WILL be different"?
And to really make you question Jesus' sanity, he makes this statement right after he catches the disciples arguing with each other over who was going to be the greatest. "I'm the smartest, so I'll have the most power." "Jesus likes me more, so I'll be the greatest."
As he often does, Jesus ignores (or sees through) all the evidence to the contrary and boldly tells his disciples "it won't be like that among you, you WIL be servants."
Jesus confidence came with the knowledge of what was about to happen. Within 24 hours, Jesus would be hanging on a Roman cross. And he knew his disciples would see it and, even more, experience the cross.
At that moment, in the upper room, the disciples were all about power, prestige and position. But they were about to see their leader, the Messiah, mocked, whipped and nailed to a cross. Their leader would willingly take the nails and take the whip. With the disciples knowing that Jesus could've stopped it anytime he wanted.
Jesus knew they would see the cross. And the vision of the cross would transform them into servants.
Those who are ‘serving' for money or power or prestige, they've either never seen it or long ago taken their eyes off the cross. When we actually see the cross (not just talk about it). When we see the Creator of our universe hanging from the cross, we can't help but say, "oh, I get it now. I'm to give my life for others." Ephesians 2:3-11
Bill Hybels, one of the greatest Christian leaders in North America, calls this "downward mobility." Willing stepping down to become a servant. Taking the posture of being underneath others so you can serve them.
In just a few minutes, we're going to put on our work gloves, head to City Hall and become "downwardly-mobile" as we spend a couple hours picking up trash.
Some of you may be thinking, "boy, that will change the world." And yeah, you can take that attitude. Or you could realize that while we are picking up trash, we're doing a lot more than just picking up trash.
First of all, we're showing our community that they matter to our church. That Trinity Family does not exist just for ourselves. We're aren't here just for us, we're here for our community.
Secondly, we're engaging in a spiritual discipline. Last week, Randy Beckum gave us a great description of spiritual disciplines. He quoted Henri Noewen in saying that spiritual disciplines are about "creating space for God to act in our lives so every part of our lives is not filled with something else."
We often think of spiritual disciplines as only between us and God. Reading scripture, praying, fasting. And those are certainly important spiritual disciplines. But serving others is also a vital spiritual discipline.
The time we'll spend picking up hot dog wrappers and sticky beer cups is just as important to your walk with Christ as the time you spent in prayer last week. Serving Others is a spiritual discipline, which is exactly why it's one of our "5."
Thirdly¸ when you pick up trash, you're not just picking up trash, you're following Jesus' example. In John 13, we get a different picture of Jesus' last meal with the disciples than what we read in Luke. John doesn't record the discussion about greatness, he doesn't tell us much about the last supper, but he does show us an incredible picture of Jesus' commitment to service. John 13:1-7
Foot-washing makes trash-pickup seem like a top floor/ corner office type of job. Foot-washing was reserved for the lowest of the low. When entering the room, the disciples would've passed the bowel of water where a servant should've been stationed to wash their feet. But for whatever reason, there was no servant. But there was no way any of the disciples were going to stoop down to that level, so each one walked right by the bowl.
But Jesus, took the bowl, took a towel and washed the feet of each one of his disciples. Listen to what he said after this act of service. John 13:12-17 And not long after Jesus said that, he went to the cross.
It's obvious in scripture. You'd have to intentionally look away to miss it. As followers of Jesus, we are to be servants. People who give away our lives in service to others.
So what does that look like in our church as we aim to be a community of Christ-followers? It's real simple. We serve others. We serve inside the church through our internal ministries and we serve outside the church, by serving the community. We live out this discipline of service by doing both.
Outside the church is a way in which God is changing us and shaping us as a church. On this Sunday one year ago, anyone remember what we were doing? We had our big 1st birthday celebration. It was week late, but we didn't want to compete with the Chief's home opener. We spent about $3,500 for that day. Now it was a good time, good celebration, and we can do events like that in the future. But God has done a serious change in my heart over the past year.
That party last year was Trinity Family saying to the community, "come to us, come and see what we have here." We sent out 5,000 mailers. A lot of you invited friends and we had some guests there, but you know what (it's hard for me to say this) but there is no one that's a part of TF now because of that party. And for God to get my attention, it's taken some failure or unmet expectations. God's been speaking to me.
One year later, we aren't saying to the community "come to us" instead, we're going into the community.
Even my philosophy on sending out mailers has changed. We're sending out 5,000 mailers to announce our Porn Sunday on Oct. 7th. I'm no longer viewing the mailers only as a tool to get people to our church (although we are inviting people to join our conversation that day) but the mailers themselves are an act of service. These mailers can bring this sin out of the darkness and into the light.
Maybe the mailer prompts a parent to talk with their child? (I'm not looking forward to the calls from angry parents) Maybe it prompts a husband to confess to his wife or a wife confess to her husband (porn isn't just a problem for guys). Surveys show that in at least 3,000 of the 5,000 homes receiving this mailer, porn is a problem. Every single one of those homes will learn of the website xxxchurch.com which is a resource for helping people out of their porn addiction and even out of the industry.
We're taking an offering on Sept. 30th for this mailer. Our goal is $700 beyond our regular giving. This is serving the community.
Say a person working in the adult industry walked into our church. I'm confident they'd be loved, they'd encounter God's grace. But you know what, that's probably not going to happen. Which is why my wife felt God's leading to start our Love Wins ministry. Sharing God's love with the exotic dancers in our community. And we need some more donations for the gift bags that we hand out. Talk to my wife after church.
We'll always value inviting people to worship. In a couple weeks I'll be talking about the discipline of investing in unbelievers. Your invitations matter. But we're not only saying "come to us" but we're leaving these four walls and going out to serve.
The other way we live out this discipline is serving inside the church.
If our Sunday morning worship and our other ministries are going to help people encounter God, it takes an army of volunteers. From the time the trailer is opened to the time it's closed, a lot of sweat and work takes place on a Sunday morning.
You should have a piece of paper with a list of ways you can serve within the church. If you've yet to plug into a ministry, you'll find a bunch of opportunities. And you can hand it to me after worship.
While you're filling that out, I want you to hear of a way God's working through our church and a way you can serve. Michelle Corbin
If you're passionate about helping teens, we'll have you fill out a background check and then you can get involved. If teen ministry isn't your passion, then there's a big ol' list there you can choose from.

Before we head downtown, we're going to take communion together. Communion reminds us of Jesus' ultimate act of service for us. How his body was broken on the cross, just as we'll break the bread. How his blood was poured out, just as we poured the juice into the cup.
As you take the elements, allow what Jesus did on the cross to shape you into a person who serves others. And there are also offering baskets here for you to live out one of our other disciplines, that of sacrificial giving.

Serve servers

Communion

Prayer

Final instructions

blessing