Icebreaker: questions for us today:
1) If you could have a dinner with anyone in history (alive or dead), who would you choose?
2) How do you evaluate or measure if someone had a great life or not?
Text: Luke 2.1-7
Introduction: Can you imagine meeting anyone more special than Jesus? Can you think of anyone more powerful, anyone with more amazing attributes, than the Creator of the heavens and the earth?
The Bible tells us in the Gospel of John that Jesus made everything, and that everything that there is, was made through him; He is the Creator and He sustains all things!!!!
Jesus came to earth to serve. To serve God’s purpose, to serve you and me showing us the way to God (himself), serving us, paying for our sins and giving us the undeserved gift of forgiveness and access to God.
1) He didn’t demand or complain
Jesus came to this world, was born into a stable and was laid in a manger. That is no place for babies; it is smelly and dirty, it is dark and without ventilation, and that is how the King of the World came to serve the fallen world, by coming amongst the lowest and the least.
We need to rediscover the humility and purpose of service in our lives. We serve not because it is a “dream come true”, or because it is glamorous; true service comes when we serve even though we are in the smelly and ugly places, or when things are not as we would like them to be or how we would desire.
In true service, Jesus is at the centre, so we serve not for ourselves, but because we serve Him. This means that we LOVE to serve those who Jesus loves. There are no ‘ifs or buts’, we are called to serve and that’s the bottom line; it is our calling as followers of Jesus, remembering that it is not about us, but about the one who calls us, and who is our example.
2) He served those who were betraying Him
Jesus didn’t choose who he would serve. He did it according to purpose and principle and not because of how other people behaved towards Him. We are tempted to serve with an expectation of receiving gratitude and appreciation in return. I confess that I do that sometimes, and it is really hurtful when we serve and care for people and they turn their backs on us. In John Chapter 13 the Bible says that Jesus knelt down and washed the disciple’s feet. Through this action, He was doing the lowest service possible to serve and demonstrate His love. However, Jesus knew that Judas would betray him, that Peter would deny Him and that all the apostles would leave Him in the end. Jesus served not because of what they did, but because who Jesus was. Don’t serve others because of them or because of what they do, but because of who you are in Jesus.
3) He served until death on the cross
He served until death on the cross, and he did that without any pomp or fancy promotion. Jesus served God’s will even to the Cross. He served even when cost him dearly, and His call to serve cost His earthly life. Don’t expect to serve only when it is convenient or when it doesn’t cost you anything, that is not service but convenience!
We should serve even when it costs, even when the price is high. Jesus gave the example that in order to truly serve and bless we need to die. We need to die to ourselves, to our wrong priorities and to an easy gospel. That is the only way that we will serve as Jesus served, and that is the only way that we will find life serving the people who Jesus loves.
Conclusion: Would you like to serve in a way that glorifies God? So, a good way to start is to thank Jesus for what He has done for us. Then we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us to learn from Jesus so that serve with an outrageous and bold love. Let’s pray…..
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