Everyday GraceHumility and Freedom

Made me so mad!

I couldn't control the situation

Because of The Fall, we struggleWith the desire to control

We weren't meant to Control anything

The greatest fails come fromThe desire to control:- People- Behavior w/Contempt

The greatest fails come fromThe desire to control:

- Outcomes- Can't see

The greatest fails come fromThe desire to control:

The greatest fails come fromThe desire to control:

- Society- Can't be done

Culture Wars

"Let’s just stop doing business with those who promote sin

and stand against Almighty God’s laws and His standards…

(Bank and Jeweler)

Maybe if enough of us do this, it will get their attention"

- Big Name Guy

When did Jesus controlPeople and their choices?

We weren't meant to controlBut to influence

So that our world might glimpse Jesus and want to know

Him more

Our greatest anxiety comes From seeking to control

Or feeling like we shouldWhen it's clear we can't

Seeking to control outcomesIn order to get what we want

Blinds us to the real needs

Of the people around us

Matt. 20:17…

And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve

disciples aside, and on the way he said to them…

"See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death…

…and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and

flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day"

How can we help?What should we do?

You're our RabbiWe love you!

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something

And he said to her, “What do you want?”

Please don't go to the cross!

Does it have to be this way?

Trying to control an outcomeBased on selfish ambition

And what she thinks is best= Absolute arrogance

She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom”

Authority, CommandPower Over…

Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that

I am to drink?”

They said to him, “We are able”

He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father”

We want power

Yeah…no!

And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the

two brothers.

But Jesus called them to him and said…

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them

It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great

among you must be your servant

It's not wrong to want greatness

It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great

among you must be your servant

diakonos- errand boy

…and whoever would be first among you must be your slave…

…and whoever would be first among you must be your slave…

first= primary, most importantdoulos= slave, without ownership rights

If you belong to Jesus

This is an issue of recognitionNot choice

Most Important in Kingdom:

Seeks to glorify GodBy serving people

According to their needs

Even (especially) when:

It's inconvenientYou don't like them

It costs you something

The Disciples want greatness:Power and Position

They want to control

Jesus calls to Kingdom Greatness

Diakonos & Doulos: Errand boy/girl, give up rights

And serve to His glory

…even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many”- Matt. 20:17-28

To follow Jesus means to knowThat it's no longer about you

But about Christ, his gloryAnd serving people

Made in his image

Control= Pride and self-centeredness

- What I want- What I think is best- What makes me comfortable

Unbelievable Arrogance:

I know what's bestI know how you ought to be

What I want is what God wantsComfort no matter who it hurts

Diakonos and Doulos= Humility and God-centeredness- What God wants- What Jesus would do- Even when it's inconvenient- Or incredibly uncomfortable

Wanting to be greatIs a good thing

Defining it according to Our world is an Epic Fail

Our greatest anxietiesCome from trying to control

What we were never meantTo control

…shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight…

1 Peter 5:2…

…not domineering over those in your charge, but being

examples to the flock

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders…

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward

one another…

Diakonos and Doulos

Don't seek to controlBut serve one another

As God has called you

…for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”

Humble= tapeinós

Lowly, not self-exalting

Humble= tapeinós

Lowly, not self-exaltingDescribes someone who

Depends on the Lord Rather than self

Gospel:

Creation- Innate Value/WorthFall- Undeserving and HelplessRedemption- Loved & AcceptedRestoration- In/For/Through You

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you

Because God opposesAnd gives grace

Because he alone is mightyAnd so that He might exalt you

Quit seeking power overAnd start seeking to serve God

By serving one another

…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares

for you

Context: Proud Control vs. Humble Serving

Our greatest anxieties Come from:

- Trying to control - Thinking we need to control What we can't

Anxieties= Merimna- Dividing and fracturing a person's being into parts

We are only whole in ChristHumble- dependent upon God

Only when we cast our anxieties

on him, do we become whole

Because by faith we areFully following Jesus

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour

Pride leads to ControllingHumility leads to Faith

Controlling puts me on The devil's battlegroundAnd that's where I lose…always

Your adversary the devil… seeking someone to devour

I get what I want…it doesn't Turn out well

I blame God/shipwreck my Faith

Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced

by your brotherhood throughout the world

Resist him…

By being humble, depending on God and simply servingAs God gives opportunity

Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced

by your brotherhood throughout the world

Lie of the enemy-Nobody knows what you're going through. No one can help. You're all alone in this.

Pride. Separation. Fall.

My trials will make meSelf-centered and small (pride)

Or others-centeredAnd full of God's power

(humility)

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace,

who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will

himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you

Early Christians sufferedYou will suffer

You can't control it

But you can choose your focusAnd your hope

To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen- 1 Peter 5:6-11

When I seek to controlI'm looking to be God over

The people and circumstancesIn my life

God opposes it…actively

When I seek to serveI'm looking to God because he'sLord over the people and circumstances in my life

God gives great grace…

We were never called to control

But to influence

You are the salt of the earth…

You are the light of the world… let your light shine before

others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven

- Matthew 5

Influence by actionsThat point to Jesus

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt- Colossians 4:6-7

Influence by words of graceThat make people thirsty

For Truth

The Boycott…

Not biblical- 1 Cor. 5Not pragmatic- 1990's Disney

Trying to controlWhat Jesus wants to redeem

Is anti-biblical and works againstThe gospel we claim to follow

Relationships

Control the person?

Or point to JesusAnd live it so they can see it?

Circumstances

Try to control outcomes?

Or pray, live the gospelAnd trust God?

Wanna really experience GodAnd be great?

Diakonos and Doulos

As a Church…None of us are greater

Than anyone else

We seek to serve God byServing his people to his glory

Questions, CommentsDisagreements

Pray