Sermon Synopsis for September 7, 2008

“Spiritual Gifts with a Servant’s Heart” John 13:12-17 (Mark 10:45)

Maybe you heard …
A Sunday School teacher asked her students to draw pictures of their faith. As she arrived at one student who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.

The student replied, "I'm drawing God."

The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like."

Without looking up from her drawing, the student replied, "They will in a minute."

I wasn’t too worried about this until I heard it was an adult class.

Teachers have a special gift from God.

Today we continue looking at the use of Spiritual Gifts.
What you do is important = discovering and using your spiritual gift
In today’s scripture, we learn, HOW we use our spiritual gifts is also important.

In our worship service, we recognized those who have gifts of teaching

I like to test the knowledge of my grandchildren. Not too long ago Daniel was with me and I’d point to an object and ask what color it was. He’d tell me … and he was always correct. After we continued for a while he looked at me and made the comment, “Pop pop, don’t you know your colors?”

Sometimes the teacher looks the part of the fool.

Today’s scripture passage finds Jesus at the end of his ministry. He was in the upper room with the disciples. They had gathered for one last time together. This is a passage of scripture that is key to Mennonite Christian theology.

Jesus washed their feet – a simple act that taught so much. After that he put down the towel and returned to the table.

He asked them if they understood what he did.

He told them they should wash each other’s feet.

He told them that the best leaders in his church are servants.

I have some observations from this scripture passage.

A. JESUS TAUGHT BY DOING

I’ve learned that Girls have dolls, but boys have action figures
Children learn from action figures – role playing, etc.

Did you ever see a Jesus action figure?
In his book, “They Like Jesus, But Not the Church,” Dan Kimball speaks of the attitude of having a “Jesus Action Figure”
You can find them in some Christian bookstores; even Wal-Mart has carried them from time to time.
He also found a Jesus bobble head
He noticed Pamela Anderson’s clothing line “Jesus is my Homeboy”

This presents a Problem – making Jesus in our image – we make him what we want him to be.
But the real Jesus always surprised his disciples.

Dan Kimball – later on in the book he asks non Christian young people, “What kind of church would you want to be part of?”

“If I were to go to church, I’d want it to be like a family. A healthy family where you all are looking out for each other. Where they are glad to see you and it really feels like a community. A place where they love you, even when you aren’t doing well. …” (p.226)

That’s the kind of church Jesus created.

Jesus could have said: God wants believers (disciples) to love one another through humble service … but, instead, he washed their feet.

“Actions speak louder than words” = easier to remember.

B. JESUS TAUGHT BY EXAMPLE

There's a Common Phrase – “If you can’t do it right, don’t do it at all.”
“Doing it right” has more to do with our attitude, than our action.

Jesus could have made a big deal about washing his follower’s feet.
1. A show = “Look at what I’m doing” (see me? I’m a servant)
We know People who make a PR event of their acts of service (politicians – packing boxes for soldiers or working in soup kitchens – a photo op!)

2. A reverse criticism – “Look at what I’m doing” (and you’re not)
Pride can get in the way of our actions. (This is a common problem with spiritual gifts). We’re good at it – and we let others know.

Jesus did it … and asked a simple question, “Do you understand what I have done for you?”
This is a teaching moment.

Jesus was asking, “Do you get the message?”
He didn’t just show them – he lived it.

Jesus’ motto wasn’t: “Do as I say, not as I do.” It was “Do as I say and do.”
There wasn’t any inconsistency between his words and his actions. (Hypocrisy)

READ Philippians 2:5-8 for example.

C. JESUS WASHED PETER’S FEET (The questioning student, who thinks he knows it all)

Peter believed in hierarchy – leaders don’t do menial tasks! That’s what servants are for.

There are words often repeated by Jesus: “The son of man came not to be served, but to serve”

Think about God – think about all that encompasses God – God (through Jesus) came to serve us.

From Jesus, we learn a lot about God …
We would gladly do anything for God
But we have a God who washes our feet

Like Peter, we need to let God do this for us
And be willing to do it for others – That’s the servant’s heart

D. JESUS WASHED JUDAS’ FEET (Don’t give up on a troubled child)

This always astounds me. Knowing what Jesus knew, he still washed Judas’ feet.

A Servant’s heart – loves the unlovable, the enemy, the betrayer.

God’s message – no matter how bad (unlovable) I am – Jesus still love and cares for me

That’s the mark of a true servant.

The theme of this quarters Adult Sunday School lesson – birth of a new community
The church is a different type of community than the world knows – a community dominated by a servant’s heart. And this makes all the difference in the world.

Paul to the Philippians writes, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” (2:5)

THE SHOPPING TRIP
In the supermarket there was a man pushing a cart which contained a screaming, bellowing baby.

The gentleman kept repeating softly, “Don't get excited, Albert; don't scream, Albert; don't yell, Albert; keep calm, Albert.'”

A woman standing next to him said, “You certainly are to be commended for trying to soothe your son Albert.”

The man looked at her and said, “Lady, I'm Albert.”

I can just see Jesus pushing his disciples in a shopping cart – he has a true servant’s heart

How are we doing, pushing the cart for others?