Are You Serving Like Jesus?

(Matthew 20:25-28)



I. Introduction.
A. Orientation.

Last time:

We saw that Jesus set His eyes/heart on the joy before Him

On pleasing His Father,

On loving His own/saving them,

And on the glory/honor that would be His

And that this gave Him the strength to endure the cross

And to think nothing of the shame it would bring Him

And because He did, He received the reward.


We saw that if we know Jesus, we will do the same

We will set our eyes on the joy before us

On doing what we know pleases the God who made us and saved us,

On laying down our life for the One who laid His life down for us,

On loving our neighbor, who is also in the image of God,

And just as capable of being saved as we were,

And on the reward the Lord will give us for doing this

Of being in heaven,

Of seeing the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ at His right hand,

Of being in the holy and blessed company of saints and angels,

Of being swallowed up in His love
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And because of this joy,

We will also pick up our crosses/crucify ourselves to this world,

Think nothing of the shame we will have to endure in comparison with the glory
we will receive,

And we will gain that reward.


But dont forget, just because this is what well want to do

Doesnt mean its going to be easy

We will have to battle continually against our flesh and fleshly desires,

It will be like cutting off our limbs and plucking out our eyes (Matt. 18:8-9).

It will be hard, but well still do it,

Because well want heaven more than earth.


B. Preview.

This morning, were going to look at something else that will be true of you if you
know the Lord: You will also enjoy serving, as Jesus did.

Jesus said He didnt come to be served, but to serve,

He told His disciples to do the same,

And to encourage them, He said that the one who serves best will be most honored.


Well consider two things:

1. First, a basic principle of nature that is true of all of us: we all live for pleasure.

2. And second, a basic spiritual principle: if you know Jesus, you will find that
pleasure in serving.

II. Sermon.
A. First, lets consider a basic principle of nature that is true of all of us: we all live
for pleasure.
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You always do what you want to do most at all times,

What pleases you the most,

What brings you the greatest possible pleasure

At least among the various pleasures within your reach.

This is another way of saying that we all like pleasure and do what we can to avoid
pain.

Pleasure and pain are at two ends of a continuum:

The more pleasure you experience, the less pain you have to endure,

And the more pain you endure, the less pleasure you experience.

And for each of you, the goal is to experience as much pleasure and as little pain as
possible.


Even when you choose things that arent necessarily pleasant,

You do so that you might experience more pleasure.

Do you enjoy your work? Then youre blessed not everyone does.

But do you have to do things you dont like, work that isnt enjoyable?

Most, if not all of us, do.

Why do you do it?

You might think its because you have to,

But really its because you want to

No one can make you do something against your will

You want to because of what will happen if you dont.


You work because you need money.

You need money to buy the things you need for yourself and your family.
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You work because its more pleasurable to do so and have your needs met,

Than not to work and have to face going without the necessities of life

Not to have a place to live, food to eat, or clothing to wear.

You work so that you can enjoy your evenings,

Enjoy your vacations,

Watch your children grow up with the things they need.

If you could have these without working,

You probably wouldnt work

Which is why Socialism always leads to poverty

But since you cant, you work.


Pleasure is why you endure pain

Why you go to the dentist and endure the cleaning, the drilling, the filling, the
crowning

So you wont have to go through the agony of an abscess, or lose one or all of your
teeth

Why you go to the hospital and submit to the surgeons knife

So you wont have to live in continual pain, or become disabled, or have to endure
an agonizing death.

You endure pain so that you might gain more pleasure.

Everything you do is ultimately for pleasure

Which is why you do it.


B. Lets consider second, a basic spiritual principle: if you know Jesus, you will find
that pleasure in serving.

Did you know that Jesus lived for pleasure as well?
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He was just like the rest of us.


We saw last week, that He endured the cross, thought nothing of the shame, and sat
down at the right hand of God.

The cross, the shame, Gods wrath none of these were particularly pleasant, but
painful.

But He still chose to do them. Why?

Because of the joy/pleasure set before Him.

Its like our examples of going to the dentist or the hospital

These arent enjoyable, but necessary to gain a greater pleasure.

Jesus endured these things because of the pleasure they would bring.


What was true of these things was also true with regard to everything else He did:

He found greater pleasure in serving His Father, in serving His disciples, and in
serving you,

Than in being served by others.


Thats what He was pointing out in our passage to His disciples:

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men
exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes
to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first
among you shall 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 (vv. 25-28).

The people of this world want authority,

So that others will serve them.

Maybe thats what you want.

But you are not to be like that!

You are to serve others,
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Even as Jesus did.


Who was greater than Jesus?

And yet who served more than He?


His whole life was that of service.

Did He spend His time seeking merely to please Himself?

No. He said, I always do the things that are pleasing to the Father (John 8:29).

Was He only trying to protect His own life?

No. He said, I lay down My life for the sheep (John 10:15).


When it came time for the customary foot washing at His last Passover meal,

Did He sit back and wait for someone else to wash His feet?

No. He washed the disciples feet (13:3-5).


When the soldiers came out to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane,

Did Jesus send His disciples out in front to fight for Him?

No. Jesus stood between the soldiers and His disciples and defended them,

If youre looking for Me, let these go their way (18:8).


When it came time to die on the cross,

Did Jesus call on the twelve legions of angels to rescue Him (Matt. 26:53)?

No. He went to the cross and willingly sacrificed Himself

So that you and I could live.


Jesus didnt come to be served, but to serve,
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And to give His life as a ransom for many (20:28).

Jesus wanted His disciples to follow His example

To be servants

The better they did, the better it would be for them -

The greater would be their joy.


What He said to them, He says to you this morning: Follow My example.

You are not here to be served, but to serve.

He says, This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved
you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends
(John 15:12-13).

You need to be willing to lay down your life for one another.

Husbands for your wives, wives for your husbands (Eph. 5:24-25).

Parents for your children, children for your parents (6:1-4).

Dont wait for someone to serve you, you serve them.

Dont expect the lost to come to you to ask you about salvation, you go to them.


Is Jesus talking here about acts of service here and there?

No, Hes talking about a life of service.

Everything you do you are to do for His glory and that of His Father,

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1
Cor. 10:31).

Your life is to be a continual sacrifice of service to the Lord,

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a
living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of
worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
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renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that
which is good and acceptable and perfect (Rom. 12:1-2).


Now, if youre doing all this serving, how are you going to have any fun?

Wheres the pleasure in this?

Youll find it in the same place Jesus found His:

In the joy of serving your heavenly Father,

Of being a blessing to your brother or sister,

Of leading a lost sinner to salvation in Jesus Christ,

Of receiving the reward God promises

Having all your needs met on earth,

And receiving the blessings He has to give you in heaven.


You will find joy in the Holy Spirit,

As He fills your soul with His presence,

As He continues His work of making you more like Jesus.


We usually think of servitude as humiliating, as something we dont want to do.

But Jesus says its an honor to be a servant,

And the best servant will be the most honored

The slave of all will be first of all in His kingdom.

Jesus was the servant of all, and so He is first of all in His kingdom.

But who will be second? Will it be you?


Now, wed all admit, its not easy to be a servant, at least not at first.

When we first start off with Christ, we have a lot of flesh to crucify.
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Its hard at the beginning, but after a while, we learn what Jesus said is true,

It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).


Have you discovered this for yourself?

You only can if you have trusted Jesus.

Jesus has gone to prepare a place in heaven

For all who will turn from their sins, trust in Him, and serve Him.

Jesus said, He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world
will keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I
am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor
him (John 12:25-26).


If youre not serving Jesus if you havent trusted Him I would invite you to do
so this morning.

Repent of your sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

But for those of you who have, remember:

Jesus didnt come to be served, but to serve.

That is what He wants you to do as well.

Thats what it means to know Him. Amen.


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