Saturday, November 01, 2008

The Servant King

A while back I did a sermon on the Servant King; based off a Philippians 2 reading. Sandy has done up a faithbook for it already, but I've finally got all the notes back together to put up.



The Servant King

 - Children's address
    - Who wears a Crown?
    - What would you do if you were King / Queen for a day?
       - Servants to carry out your will
    - King becomes a servant for a day
       - Sounds weird? Why?
       - ask everyone
    - God is the King, he became a servant through Jesus. Any clearer?

  - LOVE !!!
  - Service comes naturally
  - Parents don't expect children to feed & clothe themselves
     - Don't look at the costs
  - Voluntary services to others is a display of love  
  - Service to others is voluntary
    - When we think of a servant we think of a slave, doing duty against their will
    - Did Jesus come down to be a slave? or a servant? a voluntary servant?
       - Power to change the world
          - harness power
             - heal sick
             - raise dead
        - Temptations
           - Bread from stone
           - Jump and the angels will catch you
           - Worship me and I'll give you the world. no need to suffer
        - Jesus could clearly see through the temptation because his heart and soul were focused on love for us. Understood his power was not to be mistreated. For selfish reasons. There were no shortcuts to make us love him back. Why inherit the world if you destroy the people you came to save? Jesus only had eyes on the prize; to save us from sin. To break us out of our love for ourselves and to see God in others.
        - Jesus didn't come down to demonstrate service. Didn't say :look at me, this is the way to do it". He genuinely loved others and service naturally flowed.
  
  - Difference?
     - Pride vs Humility
        - Doing something for the glory rather than doing it because you see the need
        - QGL
     - Philippians 2: 3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should not only look to your own interests, but also the interests of others .... Your attitude should be that of Christ Jesus

  - Practical ways for us to show love for one another
     - Ask Sandy
     - Ask others
     - Serving in the Army, voluntary service. Life on the line.
     - Serving your country by leading it
        - Dictatorship  
        - Benevolent Dictatorship
        - Last King of Scotland. Idi Amin
     - Serving in Church
        - Singing
        - Ushering
        - Preparing morning tea
        - Giving time and encouragement
        - Organise the singing group

  - God LOVES us. Loves us so much he sent his son. That is his service to us. We can't spend eternity with God without Jesus clearing away our sin. We love God back by seeing God in others, and serving others with God's love.

So let us learn how to serve
And in our lives enthrone him
Each other's needs to prefer
For it is Christ we're serving

This is our God, the Servant King
He calls us now to follow him
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King