Servant Leadership: is our calling

Intro: *Talk about the 7 Values Series.

Honor. is our ______________________

Love is our ____________________

And today we are going talk about our 5th value counting down from 7, which is “Servant Leadership is our calling”.

Here at Pinewood we are going be a servant leader led church.

We are going to lean heavily on our servant leaders to lead our ministries, train up new leaders, and empower others to do the same.

There is no limit to what can be accomplished when the body of Christ brings what they have collectively together for the purpose of serving one another and building the Kingdom of God.

Servant leadership culture taps into the collective potential of the whole, not the giftings of a select few…

We love you guys too much to do it alone. If everyone looked solely to the staff to do all the work of the ministry then we would get burned out very quickly! Our current staff wouldn’t make it a week doing everything by ourselves. But when we shoulder the load together, then the tasks become more manageable. We are able to not only do the tasks assigned, but we have the flexibility to make them better and dream bigger.

Illust: I looked great when I had a team, but when it was just me and Jess, she realized how desperately I needed a team!

When servant leaders come together with all of their dreams, gifts, and passion then something special happens. Listen, I don’t want to be a part of something mundane and boring. Can we all agree on that? Jess and I said many times before moving to Boulder that we wanted to “enjoy the journey.” When you are servant leader led then you get the joy and privilege in seeing people live out their calling and find true fulfillment in serving God and others.

I bring certain gifts and resources to the table, Jess brings her wild creative genius, genuine compassion, and much much more. Matt and Tony bring their experiences, gifts, and expertise. Keegan, Karson, and Matthew bring their abilities, calling, and gifts. And so many more I couldn’t name them all. And together we become an unstoppable force! We lean on each other, pray for each other, dream together, and work together for the good of others and the glory of God!

Servant leader culture is not I do for you, but we do for others. How do we make it better for those that need to hear the good news of the Gospel? How can we be creative in serving our community so that they might see the love of Jesus? What can we do to serve one another in such a way that the city looks at us and sees a love like they’ve never known?

Jesus forever links serving and leadership together in a story found in Matthew 20.

Passage: Matthew 20:20-28 CSB

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached him with her sons. She knelt down to ask him for something. 21 “What do you want?” he asked her. “Promise,” she said to him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” “We are able,” they said to him. 23 He told them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right and left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. 26 It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Title: The Ultimate Paradox

Main Points: Principles on Servant Leadership

1. A Servant Leader seeks the interest of others

   1. Illust: Dan Huddleston
   2. The mother, James, and John were seeking self interest.

   3. Jesus seems to give her a pass by stating that “You have no idea what you’re asking.” They had a great misunderstanding of the Kingdom of God. Everything in God’s Kingdom is flipped on its head.

      1. To be first you must be last. To live you must die. To prosper you must give away. And to be great you must be a servant.

         4. The image that the mother of James and John had in her mind was of status, position, and a place of honor. Maybe if they serve faithfully, they’ll achieve this high honor. Maybe they will share your throne.
         5. I’m sure that in her mind her intentions were pure, but God is always calling us to something greater, something more. With God, He’s always going to take it to another level.
         6. Think about the people you admire? Think about the people that have inspired you the most? Are they people that look out for their own interest or the interest of others?
         7. We designed to flourish when we serve.

      2. “We feel good when we look after other people, that’s not an accident.” Simon Sinek

      3. Oxytocin (Love Hormone or cuddle hormone) - the chemical associated with feelings of love, friendship, and trust.

         1. When oxytocin is released in our bodies not only does it make us feel good, and boost our metabolism, but it makes us more generous.

         2. Serving other releases oxytocin, getting served releases oxytocin, and even seeing someone serve someone else releases that same chemical. 3. Cortisol - the chemical associated with stress, anxiety, and depression. Cortisol inhibits oxytocin.

         3. This is the opposite effect of serving one another. This negatively affects our emotional and physical health. 4. We are literally promoting health by serving others, loving others, and living in genuine community. 5. God designed us to flourish when we seek the interest of others and genuinely love and serve one another!

            8. True servanthood is serving others with no expectation of getting anything as a result

      4. Love Boulder Initiatives: paying for people’s parking, or giving out free coffee, or handing out free meals to the homeless in our city.

      5. Love Boulder initiative coming up with giving kids backpacks and school supplies.
      6. A Servant Leader exercises great humility

   4. Great leaders exercise great humility

   5. Jesus washing the disciples feet. (John 13)

      1. “Jesus' was aware of His position from the Father. He knew that the Father had put all things under his power (literally, "into his hands") and that he had come from God and was returning to God (v. 3). This knowledge does not simply give Jesus the security to wash the disciples feet--he was sharing in the divine character of God himself. Jesus said that he only does what he sees the Father doing (5:19), and this footwashing is not said to be an exception to that rule. John's introduction to the event ensures that we understand God's glory is revealed in Jesus in this sign. This is what God himself is like--he washes feet, even the feet of the one who will betray him!”
      2. “Having taken off his outer garment, Jesus was left with his tunic, a shorter garment like a long undershirt. Slaves would be so dressed to serve a meal. Jesus tied a linen cloth around his waist with which to dry their feet, obviously not what one would expect a master to do. In Jesus' case, there is an obvious reversal of roles with his disciples. The one into whose hands the Father had given all now takes his disciples' feet into his hands to wash them.”
      3. “What are the implications from this story? Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you (vv. 14-15). What does Jesus have in mind? Some have established a foot washing ceremony, either as a separate service or as part of the Maundy Thursday service. Jesus, however, does not say to do "what" he did but "as" he did. The cleansing and the further footwashing are symbolic of the revelation that Jesus gave of the Father, and thus the disciples are called upon to embody this same revelation. The disciples are to pass on the same teaching that he, their teacher and Lord, has done by conveying as he has, both in word and deed, the selfless love of God. The community Jesus has brought into being is to manifest the love of God that he has revealed through serving one another with no pride or position. There will be recognized positions of leadership within the new community, but the exercise of leadership is to follow this model of servanthood.”

      4. It is impossible to be a great servant leader and operate out of a prideful spirit.

         3. In traditional leadership you put your best face forward

      5. Traditional leader creates an atmosphere of “fake it till you make it.” You boast in all your accomplishments and spend the majority of the time name dropping. It’s more about climbing over people to get where you want than lifting people up with sincere motives.

         4. In Kingdom leadership you come as you are

      6. Servant leaders create an atmosphere of authenticity. Where people can come just the way they are, wounds, scars, fears, and all. In that authenticity you find genius creativity and genuine community. You find people not ashamed, but people with a story to tell.

         5. You can serve and still have ulterior motives.

      7. Maybe you are serving because you know it will give you favor

      8. Maybe you are serving because you hope to get something later
      9. You could also be serving others because it simply makes you feel better about yourself.
      10. True servanthood is grounded in genuine humility and the motive is others, never self.
      11. A Servant Leader gives themself away

   6. At the core of servant leadership is sacrifice. The more I thought of this word sacrifice, the more I kept coming back to the idea of giving yourself away!

   7. Jesus gave his life as a ransom for many
   8. The greatest plots are the ones where somewhere gives themselves away. Right? The rich authoritarian is always the villain in the story.

   9. Question: What will your legacy be?

      1. Will you be known as a person that lived your life to better your career, status, and position.

      2. Or will you be known as a person that followed the example set by Christ and be a servant leader to all.

         5. Illust: My grandpa’s legacy

      3. I remember like it was yesterday attending my grandpas funeral. He was the best example of a servant leader that I know.

      4. One by one people came up to his wife and shared a story of how Henry Hampton came and helped them when they were in trouble. How he visited them in the hospital. How he cared for their farm when they were injured or away.
      5. He left a legacy of a true servant leader. And it is my prayer that I can continue that legacy.

Closing:

The image that the mother of James and John originally had in her mind was of her sons next to Jesus on the glorious throne. Yet Jesus had a different image in mind. When Jesus was on the cross, she was there watching, along with James and John. They saw the true image Jesus had in mind of servant leadership. Instead of two sons on a throne, she saw two thieves on a cross. Jesus giving His life as a ransom for those that would hurt him, deny him, and reject him. He gave himself away, literally to the point of death.

We know that this greatly impacted Salome and her sons. Jesus looks down and gives John the greatest honor by asking him to care for his mother.

James goes on to serve the Lord faithfully and ultimately gets martyred for his faith. And John suffers greatly on the Isle of Patmos.

Let’s be a church known for servant leadership. Always seeking the interest of others, exercising great humility, and giving ourselves away.

In what ways is God calling you to serve. What is God calling to lead? We are all called to follow Christs example and serve.