[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hey, thanks so much for listening to this message. My name is Jason and I'm one of the ministers here at the Madison Church of Christ. It's our hope and prayer that the teaching you hear today will bless your life and draw you closer to God. If you're ever in the Madison area, we'd love for you to stop by and study the Bible with us on Sundays at 5pm or Wednesdays at 7pm if you have questions about the Bible or want to know more about the Madison Church, you can find us
[email protected] be sure to subscribe to this podcast as well as our Sermons podcast. Madison Church of Christ Sermons thanks again for stopping by. I hope this study is a blessing to you.
[00:00:39] Speaker B: As we look at the church, Paul tells us in Colossians chapter one in verse 18 and he Jesus is head of the church. The church is described as the body with Jesus as the head.
And recognizing the church has one body with Jesus at the head is so important to us to totally comprehend and understand because I appreciate the lessons that Brandon and Andrew have been presenting to us lately on following and getting closer to Jesus by more time with Him.
Remember this because at the end, near the end of the lesson tonight, that point will be brought up again and hopefully you'll remember that. But because we're not only called Christians, what, but we become his disciples, sometimes we might unintentionally, without even realizing, separate us as the church from Jesus, as the body, not physically and just kind of not realizing that everything that we do is for Jesus and as his disciples following him, that is the motivation for what we do.
Hopefully at the end of the lesson you'll better understand that. And I know I just muddied the water and but hopefully I can clear it or we can clear it. So in First Corinthians, chapter 12 and verse 12, Paul reminds us for just as the body is one and has many members, all the members of the body, though many, are one body and it is as so it is with Christ.
So in this parable, in this parable like explanation here, Paul teaches us how the physical bodies with many members work collectively as intended to make and to help this physical body function as it should. And of course the head with the brain and all but even the very insignificant what sometimes are referred to as we think about the hands or the foot or the ear or the eye, each make up the whole body and in order for it to function as it should.
Likewise in our spiritual body here, the church, we see that each member then contributes Each of you contribute to make sure that the church is successful in accomplishing its task in a unified way. So the entire body performs as a single entity, joined with Christ as our head in everything that we do and say.
Later in the same chapter there, Paul explains how the one unified body, the church, is able to experience and suffer the pain of an individual member when they are hurting and to also rejoice together. And as we think of this 1500 or so member body here at Madison, and to think that each one, each one is taken care of and that each one, as they are hurting, we reach out to them also is there rejoicing. And, you know, it's kind of sad sometimes, but it seems like for most of us it's easier for us to suffer with those that suffer than it is for us to rejoice with those who rejoice.
So what a blessing it is for to be a part of the Madison family and to enjoy the blessings that we share both in our sufferings and in our successes as we reflect on Jesus as the head of the church and trying to imitate and emulate him. That's what it's all about.
We know that even though he was king of Kings and Lord of Lords, he reminded us in Mark, chapter 10 and verse 45. For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom. For many, service is one of the traits of Jesus that we need to strive to achieve. Of course, our theme this year is connecting with others, connecting with ministries, and connecting with God. Remember on our vision Sunday at the first early part of the year in January, our shepherds got up and they shared the vision and what we're going to be doing this year. And they then gave us this theme of connecting. And remember how they used as the net there as a way for us to connect with one another. And as we think about each point of that net, each one of us then is a part of that connection.
So that total net then is able to stay secured. Each point helps. We usually, sometimes we talk about a chain and the links in a chain. Here they use the net. And of course, fishers of men, you know, what better illustration to use for that?
So then what better way to connect with other members here at Madison that's others than through service? As we serve others, we connect with them. Meeting a need. What is a need? Typically a need might be a ministry. And then we glorify God as we reach out and help each other.
So there are so many opportunities here at Madison for you to find a way to serve. And we're going to start with organized ministries at Madison here. So as we look at Romans chapter 12, verses 6 through 8, we're going to see that in the earlier verses, in verse 4 and 5 of Romans 12, Paul has just discussed how the church body has many members that do not have the same function. Not only are there many members, but they have different functions, different responsibilities to help each other.
And then he goes on to say in verses six through eight, having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.
If prophecy in proportion to our faith, if service in our serving, the one who teaches in his teaching, the one who exhorts in his exhortation, the one who contributes in generosity, the one who leads with zeal, and the one who does acts of mercy with cheerfulness.
All of these gifts, as you look at them, except for prophecy, are things that we can achieve and are some of the areas of service that we can be a part of.
The interesting thing is that as we look at the other gift, one of the earlier ones is of course the appropriate one. That serve right after prophecy is service.
And then as we look at all of the other ways to serve, we really notice that they are acts of service. As we think about teaching, exhorting, contributing, leading acts of mercy, Madison has many organized ministries for you to participate in and to support.
We have, if I counted correctly, we have 65 deacons and ministry leaders here at Madison.
If you don't mind, would you deacons that are here tonight, raise your hand.
Okay. Wow.
Isn't that amazing? As I said, there are many men working and there are many opportunities for you to serve.
So if, if you want to know how to serve and many, this will be, this will be just for most of you, just a review, but maybe for some of you that are new on the website, all of these opportunities ministries are on the website.
And I was hoping, I thought that with my cursor that it would be pointed. There's nothing pointing. I don't have a pointer. Right, you don't, you don't see anything on the screen but see the login. If you go to the member login there kind of in the top right portion, you'll see the login there. And, and then if you click on that, you'll go to a lot of icons and areas just of information with different information.
If you go to the one on the right there, involvement info, and you click on that icon, then it will take you to this screen. Right here on how to get plugged in.
And if you look at the first section there, Organization of Ministries. That is a long list and then you see the click right under the 1. If you can see that little blue here, click on that link and then that will take you to the, to the organization of ministries document. It's a very lengthy long document there that always a Google document that, that you open.
You see one page. What I've done is just focus in. I picked this one maybe for two reasons. One is the men's ministry. If you notice there, the men's ministry gives the contacts Jeff Denton, Cam Walker, Peter Wingard, Brian Wisdom. It gives a mission statement there to provide an avenue by which every man may be appropriately involved in the service of the Lord's church. And under that then you'll see then the different ministries and there's the, the next, the first one there of course is Men's Prayer breakfast led by Brian Wisdom. Each Tuesday morning at 6:30 we have men's Prayer breakfast. There's the opportunities to serve, preparing breakfast, doing a devotion and all of that. So this document is laid out in order of the seven what we call or I call functional areas and that is Assemblies, edification, no education, edification, benevolence, missions, outreach and church operation.
Now I'm going to put a plug in pun not intended for one of the ministries. Another one of the ministries here and this one is the off site devotionals. Every Sunday afternoon at 1:30 at the Monarch Grove on County Line Road. We have a worship service there. We have two worship services. One, the 130 is in the memory care and the 215 is in independent living. And Lynn Turner is over this. And as all of you know, Lynn Turner is struggling now with joy and with her cancer and all. And so I'm just saying this is an area that if you're interested, an opportunity to serve. We also have five members here at Madison that are there. Joanne Glock, Gene Gilley, Nelda Highley, Gene Wilder and Paul Norain Noreen. That's Kathy Denton's dad. So take a look at that and see if you might be interested.
Now after you look at the organization of ministry, make all of your notes and everything on the areas that you're interested in serving because the next thing you do is to go to section 2 under ministry scheduler Pro and that that is the tool that we used to, for you to sign up for us to track all the ministries and then for the follow up notifications or whatever there that you will that you will be involved in. You'll also see that there's a create profile. There are tutorials on a lot of these things. So now what you do is you create a profile for msp.
Then you go into the document, it looks exactly like the organization of ministries document that you did before. So you just go in, click the ones that you're interested in serving in and then that, that will, then you'll be signed up for any of those.
The other thing about that is if you have any questions about ministry, Scheduler pro Lori Kendrick is knows all about it. Don't tell her I sent you, but she's a great resource for that. And also if you're interested, maybe you don't you see a ministry, you don't know much about it.
Wesley Kanarday is our deacon over the involvement of all ministry. So he's the man to go to if you have questions.
Also he's the man to go to if you say, hey, I didn't see anything on here. I'd kind of like to do this. And if you are interested and you are interested in not only providing information about what you what it is and you would like to be a part of it, go to Wesley and maybe you can work something out. Working with our shepherds and all. For any new ministries, there are other ways to serve than the, what I call the organized ministries there.
So all of you probably know what, what is everyday evangelism? What does that mean, everyday evangelism? You know, we have campaigns where we might, the seed sowers may go do a stateside convention somewhere. Convention. What is it? State.
A door knocking. Door knocking campaign. Campaign. That's what I meant, campaign.
And it's organized and you go and we do all of these things.
But what is everyday evangelism when you're in a grocery store, wherever you are?
Our ultimate mission is described in Matthew 28, 1820, that we are to go and disciple others.
And so that is our mission as evangelists, to teach others about Jesus so they can become disciples.
So then I have I guess created a term called everyday service. What do you think that would be okay? Seeing needs and filling them wherever you are, you know, wherever you are in your everyday, everyday living. That's what, that's what it's all about. So taking advantage of everyday moments in the grocery store, at work, wherever you are, to serve others.
Jesus healed a woman with an issue of blood as she passed by.
And he touched and she touched him. Mark five. We know he fed the 5,000 when there was a need. John, chapter six.
Of course we can't do miracles, but we can serve others and we can help others.
The key to everyday service is being able to differentiate between what appears to be just a normal day event you walk by, or I mean everywhere we go, when, when we're just wandering around through the day or we're on doing something, we see people and usually we can tell if they need help, if there's something going on there.
So it's being able to differentiate between this normal event and recognizing, hey, that is an opportunity for me. Not only an opportunity for me to see and observe, but to respond to the need.
As we look at the Good Samaritan, you know, In Luke chapter 10, we had the Good Samaritan, we had the priest and the Levite, all just on their normal everyday journey between Jerusalem and Jericho.
What was the difference? The priest and Levi saw the man desperately in need, beaten and robbed and lying there.
They just went on their way. But we know what the Good Samaritan did. So that's everyday service. We have opportunities all the time. There's no schedules needed, no planning in advance.
So in everyday service, we serve where we can.
We serve whenever, wherever we are right now, today finds us where we are. Serve there, no matter where we may be in the future. For now, serve in our homes, on our jobs, in the park, wherever. Serve where we can.
In everyday service, we serve when we can.
The problem with making plans is to help others is that we assume that the people will be around long enough for us to fulfill these plans. You know my personal experience, I remember so vividly planning on visiting one of our members on Monday.
Guess what happened over the weekend?
I never had that opportunity.
So if we have the strength to serve, do it now. Don't wait. The opportunity may not return.
Also, in everyday service, we serve how we can.
We don't all have the same gifts, but we can serve others using the gifts that God has given us.
Remember the parable of the talents? One had five, one had two, and one had one.
You may be any one of those, but at least we all have one.
Also, there are situations where you have some kind of a crisis. And I know many of you are going through right now challenges and struggles with your families.
And so as you go through these struggles, you, you are gaining experience, real life, living it out in the moment situations. So what does that do for you that then gives you an opportunity firsthand as somebody who has not just that sympathy of. Well, I'm. I can try to understand or Feel what you're feeling. But no, you've been there. You have the empathy. You, you've done it. You've been there. You can then help other people with what you've learned.
So you also have a new ministry for you and a special gift of empathy for others. Share it.
Serve with humility.
Not only did Jesus teach us that he came to serve and not be served, but he showed us the ultimate example of humility recorded in John 13, verses 14 and 15.
If I, then your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you also should do as I have done to you.
How powerful is that demonstration statement to say have done for you so that you can do for others?
And you notice that's the theme of all of our serving. It's. That's. I just jumped the gun. And here we go. In a minute we'll get to the real theme of what that particular service was.
So what is serving with humility?
What is the difference between just serving and serving with humility?
There, Jesus, think about what was so different about what he did for these disciples there as he got down on the ground and took that towel and washed the feet of the disciples.
What is it? What's different about it?
Okay, that's it. Key one is selfless. You're not doing it. He's not going to gain anything from it. Right.
He's going to gain a whole lot from it.
That was totally wrong. But thinking from the perspective of what we think about being selfish and being prideful of what? What am I going to gain from it? Oh, the world gained from what he did. But.
So that's it. Number one is selfless.
What else?
[00:24:25] Speaker A: Never thinking that any service is beneath you.
[00:24:28] Speaker B: Okay, that. That is so important.
The smaller. And that's going to lead right into one of the next slide. But it doesn't matter. That's the point.
The less significant, the smaller that it is, the more profound it is for the receivers.
And kind of. There's one last thing that I wanted us maybe to think about. And I know you can't read my mind. I'm glad you can't. But what about.
[00:25:01] Speaker A: Yes, it doesn't matter who we serve, Right? Like in that group was Judas.
[00:25:06] Speaker B: Okay, that's a great point. You know, it's. It's for anybody.
And that's. It's for people that, you know, we don't even know. And that's the other part that the relationship of it, of course, There Jesus was the closest to them.
And so there's a part that says, hey, the closer you are, the, the maybe the less like.
And think of this other, this other point that, that was so kind of profound to me. How many opportunities had Jesus had to wash their feet? And of course we know this was the Passover, but there had been other Passover three years. Right. So.
But why do you think he did it when he did what was about to happen?
This was.
Yes, this was his last opportunity there so that he took advantage right before going to the cross there. One other thing kind of think about is you don't expect any kind of a reward or recognition when you're dealing with humility. And that's one of the big difference. We are always, you know, want something in return.
So then what did Jesus teach us through by washing the feet of the disciples there? He taught us servanthood as leadership.
We see there, Jesus, despite being their teacher and Lord, chose to perform the role of a servant. He emphasized that true leadership is rooted in humility, not in authority or power. It's the total opposite. By washing their feet, he modeled how leaders should serve those they lead.
What else do we. Yes, Ronnie, the disciples had just had a fuss about who will be the greatest in the kingdom. Exactly. He was trying to help them understand that what you just said there, hood, is leadership, not in positions of authority.
And that's, that's total. That's total religion and that's total.
The theme of Jesus's teaching is the least. It's the opposites of what the world does and thinks the least shall be the greatest. Good point, Ronnie.
So then love and sacrifice. As we look, look at what he did.
Jesus knew that he would soon be going to the cross. As I said, this act of washing their feet was a reminder to them he showed the ultimate sacrifice on the cross then.
So love and sacrifice require humility and selflessness.
And then we know that Jesus said, I did this also. Just so then he instructed them to do the same thing.
Reinforcing his actions were meant to guide his followers. And then the last, what he taught them, is a call to action.
Each of the disciples to embrace a spirit of humility and to serve others selfishly. Reflecting on the love that Jesus had demonstrated, let's look at some other ways to serve.
As we think about mentoring and leading, you might be saying, I'm not a leader for whatever reason. You might say, I'm too young, I'm inexperienced, I don't know how.
That's too hard. That's too difficult.
Well, let's look at first Thessalonians. No, let's look at next slide. Titus 2, verses 6 and 7.
What is Paul teaching Titus? In verse 6, he says to urge or to teach the young men to be self controlled.
What is self controlled?
Turn it around.
Self controlled is what controlling yourself in righteousness.
So as we look at that, as we look at controlling yourself, then we can see that it's self control is the discipline of restraining one's thoughts, one's actions and one's words so that they align with righteous living.
And then, okay, that was to the young men. Now Paul gives Titus, who of course was maybe an older person or whatever, he gives him some.
Some responsibilities or something to do. And in verse seven to be a good role model and to notice.
Notice what he says next in your teaching show.
So you're going to be teaching them some things as we see integrity, dignity and sound speech.
What does then self. That sounds pretty much like self control, right?
So what he's saying is that you then need to show and demonstrate. You need to be a role model to them.
And so if we say you are practicing self control, that you are demonstrating control of your actions, your words and your thoughts.
Yes.
So then you are being a good role model.
So then what is being a good role model?
You are then being. You're influencing other people for good.
And what is a leader or a mentor?
Somebody that's influencing others, helping others, teaching others, showing by example or a one on one so young and old. We need we lead others. Do not underestimate your fl. Your influence as a mentor and leader.
Encourage and build up.
First Thessalonians, chapter 5 and verse 11.
Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up just as you are doing.
We live in a worldly society that's constantly trying to do the opposite, to discourage, to belittle or to criticize others.
And so we have the opportunity to be that light in a world of darkness.
Get out of your comfort zone, be transparent with others and encourage and build them up.
Here was the little things that you said.
Little things are the most impactful.
So they mean the most to us.
Why is that?
There's this surprise element there, right? That you did something, you helped somebody without them expecting you to do you. Also there is the connect element. You connect with them. You made a special effort to be there. You took the time and then the rewards element. Both the receiver and the giver benefit from it.
So let's look at ways to encourage. Be warm and inviting from the heart.
When we take the time for consistent prayer and Bible study, God's presence rubs off on us, helping us to bring peace and joy to others.
Notice when we take time for consistent prayer and Bible study. That's the key.
Use our gifts to help others. How many times have I said that, you know, okay, instill the word of God when the opportunity arises. I want to have the last five minutes to listen carefully when they're, when they.
Or speaking.
Demonstrate encouragement with your attitude and actions.
Understand their difficulty instead of downplaying it.
Pray with them.
Now, this is leading into when we spend time in prayer.
So tonight, let's take a little detour.
What is, what have, what have I been talking about the entire time?
Service.
Service requires time and, and requires us to be active in all. And what happens when we get so busy in our service?
Okay, we're. We're having to make choices and decisions.
How do. So then we realize we have a situation from being too busy and trying to find the time to do those things for church service.
And then we've just had Brandon and Andrew preaching to us for the last several weeks.
What I want to spend a little time on is I've been talking about do, do, do, do, do, and service, service, service, service. What has Brandon and Andrew been reminding us of for weeks and weeks and weeks? Not to just be called a Christian, but to what, be a what, Disciple? What's the difference?
How were they teaching us to be there? Right? Follow. Remember, we started the way in following. Then we started following.
And then this two weeks ago, Brandon talked about.
Brandon talked about alone with Jesus, Andrew. Transformation. It's all about our transformation to being from pondering something, help me understand more about slowing the value of it. I believe it's important.
Now, our action this week was to reprioritize. I'm shifting from my entire life around as I slow down to be with you my entire life. It's not a checklist. And I'm doing it. I'm doing it, I'm doing it. It is a lifestyle. So that is wherever you are in whatever you're doing, how do you get there? And that's what we'll continue to learn about so that we can finally reach that point of I own it, it's part of me. It's not something I have to schedule. It's not something that I have to give a whole lot of thought and dedication to. And that is, of course, all of our goals as we continue through life there.
So then the last one basically was stand firm in the truth as we. As we talk. Look at Ephesians, chapter 6, verses 13 and 14.
I was hoping to get into some personal experiences about.
About my.
About my life and some of the things that I've gone through.
I've had many health issues. Heart attack at 32, gallstones and acute pancreatitis at 41, prostate cancer at 15, colon cancer at 16, radiation, chemo. All of these things. Why am I telling you this? Number one, this. Except for the heart attack, everything I've had was here at Madison with the Madison family starting in 1991. The family is here for you. Number one, though, is God. It's only because of prayers, God answering prayers that I'm alive. I. The doctors acknowledged it. They said, we can't explain it. We don't understand it. Give God the glory. That's what I'm doing. The other thing is that you are going to be going through storms and you want to have these new ministries. Also. You will look back to say, I know why it was going on. Look at the good. Look for the good in it.
Then help other people as you then have this new ministry. Let's see if that was everything and that's it. The Madison. The key to it is God is going to be there for you and the prayers answered. The other thing is the Madison family is going to be here for you. And all of these things we've talked about. Ronnie, you know so many here, every one of you.
And I know the Gibson family now is starting.
Love you and appreciate you. Have a good one.
