A Serving Life - SERMON NOTES

Below are Pastor Ben's sermon notes from this past Sunday, in case they may be helpful for further study. To listen to the sermon, click the link above.

Intro: (1) series recap (2) teen anxiety, retiree purpose (3) how do we become servant-minded?

The Service of Jesus (1-5)

1. His heart (1,3): (1) timing → background of passover (cf. 1:29), something before meal (2) bigger timing → departing, back to Father (3) “Father had given all things into his hands” → control of situation (cf. 10:17-18) (4) heart characterized by unlimited love in v.1b (5) foreshadowing of cross → Rom. 5:8 (cf. Czar Nicholas) (6) spiritual practices to help remember Jesus’ heart toward us (7) emphasis on Jesus’ love for his followers (8) motivation to serve others grounded in remembering God’s love for us (9) when/how have you experienced God’s love?

2. His example (2,4-5): (1) Judas mentioned here as a way to show just how deep/unique Jesus’ love really was (2) treachery of Judas seen in reference to him being in league with devil → Jesus is going to wash even his feet (3) would you humbly serve the person who has wronged you the worst? (4) physical description in v.4-5 pictures of spiritual realities → incarnation, setting aside divine privilege, taking on servanthood, pouring out blood (cf. Mt. 20:28, Philipp. 2:5-11) (5) shock due to cultural background (cf. soccer with DW) (6) danger of getting over shock of grace

The Service of Jesus’ Followers (6-17)

1. Preparation for service (6-11): (1) Peter loudly objects (2) response → something larger about to happen, which Peter will only understand afterwards (3) to resist this is to reject Jesus → Peter moves from one end of spectrum to other (4) further response → full cleansing accomplished through the cross (5) once-for-all cleaning vs. daily cleaning (6) eternal service only possible by first being cleaned by Jesus (7) showing up to jobs with wrong stuff → policeman with cooking utensils, fisherman with plumbing tools, lifeguard with business suit

2. Practice of service (12-17): (1) Jesus’ question perhaps connected to argument recorded in
Luke’s account (2) Jesus begins the answer to his own question by referring to his own
respected status (3) if he has performed humble service toward them, how much more should they to others (4) primarily focused on fellow Christ-followers (5) examples → family (chores, finances), job/school (quality of work, attitude), church (showing up, meals, checking on people, mission opp’s, borrowing stuff), society (driving, social media, tipping)

Conclusion: life-giving nature of serving others (cf. exercise lady becoming a trainer)