joy in serving
TRANSCRIPT
BY PASTOR MARK JESKE
G R AC E MOM ENT S
Joy inSERVING
GRACE MOMENTS
Daily readings written to providestraight talk and real hope.
Copyright © 2009 Time of Grace Ministry
Direct quotations from theBible (NIV) are printed in bold.
Joy inSERVING
2 JOY IN SERVING
“I wanted to be my own boss.”
That passion is behind the start-up of tens ofthousands of businesses. And there is nothing wrongwith that desire. Some truly great Americancompanies have been started in basements andgarages of “ordinary” people who had the itch tobuild a new organization and develop new productsand services.
Actually, even if you lead your own business, you stillhave a boss. You must serve your customers andclients and make them happy, or your company will goout of business.
Serving other people is not a necessary evil orsomething to be endured until the day comes whenyou are finally rich enough to do absolutely whateveryou want. Serving other people is a central attitude
Foreword
TIME OF GRACE 3
that God seeks to build in every last one of hischildren, rich and poor, high and low, both now andin eternity.
An attitude of joyful service is learned behavior. Itdoes not come quickly and easily to sinful fools likeyou and me. I certainly need to “work on my serve.”To help you work on yours, I wrote this little bookletwith a minute meditation for each day of your month.
“Whoever wants to become greatamong you must be your servant,and whoever wants to be first mustbe your slave” (Matthew 20:26,27).Jesus said that.
Pastor Mark Jeske
4 ONE: MY SAVIOR
ONE:My Savior
The stories that children probably come to love firstabout Jesus involve his power. What a miracle workerhe was! Lord of the sea, master of storms, conquerorof disease, victor over demons, raiser of the dead—there is nothing he can’t do. He is the ultimatesuperhero, cooler even than Batman or Superman.
As you get older, though, you come to appreciateJesus even more in his acts of humble service. One ofthe most powerful stories in all of Scripture comesfrom Maundy Thursday evening. A few hours beforehis crucifixion, he taught his disciples a memorablelesson about how servant leadership looks.
Kneeling before each one, he took a basin of waterand a towel and washed their feet. It was by serviceand suffering that Jesus redeemed us. It is his exampleof humble service that informs and inspires ourattitude each day.
TIME OF GRACE 5
This morning I visited a new mom in the women’spavilion of a local hospital. What a palace forchildbirth! Comfortable and pleasant surroundings,soft music, soft lights, attentive nurses, experiencedobstetricians, dazzling arrays of technology ready forevery need. There were even handmade knit caps andbooties for each new babe. Did I mention themarvelous food?
When the Son of God decided to become the Son ofMan, he did not arrive on Planet Earth in a women’spavilion. He landed in a barn—a place for animals,not people. The expectant couple apparently wascaught by surprise. They had no booties or blankie.Joseph apparently had to tear up his shirt for thefirst layette.
“While they were there, the time came for the babyto be born, and she [Mary] gave birth to herfirstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths andplaced him in a manger, because there was no roomfor them in the inn” (Luke 2:6,7).
The humility of Jesus’ birth, chosen by his Fatherand no accident, sends a powerful message of whathe came to do. He came to experience all of ourhumanity. He came to suffer for us and with us. Hewas born in a barn so that we could live forever inhis mansion.
Born in a Barn
6 ONE: MY SAVIOR
When an accused person first appears in court, it iscalled an arraignment. It is there that the formalaccusations are brought forth.
The Bible teaches repeatedly that every human beingwho ever lived stands arraigned before God the Judge.Without divine intervention, every case would turnout the same. The Judge, who is also the Maker of all,has pure and holy expectations of all. His law, his will,was made known to all. All have sinned against it. Allare guilty.
The incarnation of Jesus made possible a divinesubstitute for all of us. He entered the “game” like allof us, subject to the law’s commands and curses.“When the time had fully come, God sent his Son,born of a woman, born under law, to redeem thoseunder law” (Galatians 4:4,5).
What a gracious act of humility! The Co-Creator ofthe universe submitted to the rules of others for thesole purpose of giving you his perfect record. By faithyou may claim his holiness as if it were your own.Through faith it now is your own!
Born Under the Law
TIME OF GRACE 7
One aspect of Jesus’ saving love for me is that hedoesn’t despise me for being weak. He doesn’t like mysins, and he does hold me accountable, but he doesn’tdespise me. One of the reasons is that he had towrestle with the devil too, and he knows how hard itis to choose and do what is right.
“We do not have a high priest who is unable tosympathize with our weaknesses, but we have onewho has been tempted in every way, just as weare—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Think ofit—Jesus loved you enough to subject himself toSatan’s tempting, teasing lures. Think of it—he nevercaved in. His perfect track record against temptationmade him a perfect sacrifice on the cross.
Those terrible experiences of wrestling with Satanlead him to be compassionate with us. “Because hehimself suffered when he was tempted, he is able tohelp those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18).
Where are you weak right now? With which satanictemptation do you need Jesus’ help today?
Subject to Temptation
8 ONE: MY SAVIOR
I had just finished praying with a seriously ill woman. Istepped out into the hospital corridor to talk with herson for a while. “John,” I said, “you’ll have to take careof the house while your mom is so sick. You’ll have tokeep it clean and make her meals.”
He shook his head. “That’s not my style,” he said.
We all like to be waited on. We all think we deserve tobe pampered. Working cheerfully for others is aforeign concept. Serving others is not our style bynature. It is learned behavior, and some, like John,apparently never learn it.
Jesus himself is our hero. He said once, “The Son ofMan did not come to be served, but to serve, and togive his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew20:28). If the omnipotent Lord finds fulfillment indoing things that bring benefit to other people, maybethat’s a clue how I will find satisfaction in my life. Isn’tthat just like Jesus’ way—that I will find joy in givingjoy? That I will get by giving?
An Attitude of Service
TIME OF GRACE 9
Have you ever noticed how casually we sling aroundthe words die and death? Like, “That tiramisu is to diefor” or “That kid will be the death of me” or “I justdied from embarrassment.”
Jesus didn’t die from embarrassment. He died frombeing crucified. But unlike the suicide bombers oftoday, he didn’t throw away his life in a cruel andhate-filled act of terrorism. He allowed his life to betortured and taken so that he could give life to thedying people of this world.
“For this reason he had to be made like his brothersin every way, in order that he might become amerciful and faithful high priest in service to God,and that he might make atonement for the sins ofthe people” (Hebrews 2:17).
Jesus humbly took on a body so that he could give itfor us. He assumed our blood so that he could give itfor us. His atonement is now yours, i.e., you and Godare no longer at odds but at one. Sweet.
A Human High Priest
10 TWO: MY FAMILY
TWO:My Family
The beautiful truth that Jesus Christ found joy inserving you doesn’t stop there. He redeemed you notonly to get you to heaven someday but to initiate yourpersonal transformation right now and to make youmore like him right now and to make you useful inbringing benefit to the lives of other people right now.
Joy in serving is not learned on the streets. Struttingand taking and bravado generally rule there. It doesn’tplay well in the movies either. The traits of beauty andstrength that we idolize in people usually turn out tobe pretty self-serving, don’t they?
You know where the attitude of a servant is besttaught and modeled? Right in your home. Youprobably can’t respect a boss until you’ve first learnedto respect your father. You probably won’t serve otherswell until you’ve first learned to serve your mother.The younger parents start with “joy in serving”therapy for their children, the better.
TIME OF GRACE 11
I read recently that China’s leaders are finding outthat their “one child” policy is producing a wholegeneration of spoiled and self-centered only children.I guess I’d have to agree that siblings sure can keepyou humble.
At our family’s last holiday gathering, the pictures andmovie clips that brought most shrieks of laughter andmockery were those that portrayed family members inan embarrassing way. I hope my relatives werelaughing with me and not at me.
It’s not such a bad thing to be taken down a few pegs.Satan is always trying to get us to self-inflate with theflatus of ego. It is a good thing to make oneself smalland others big. St. Paul wrote, “Submit to one anotherout of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).
Home is a great place to practice complimenting,comforting, and cleaning up after other people. Homeis a great place to practice treating other people asmore important than you, of extending yourself andexpending yourself to make somebody else’s lifebetter. If you can’t love your parents, siblings, and kidsunconditionally, you probably won’t be able to do itfor anyone.
Why put yourself through this? Out of reverence forChrist, of course.
Mutual Submission
12 TWO: MY FAMILY
Two generations ago married women were generallyreferred to by both their husbands’ names, e.g., Mrs.John Smith. One generation ago that was passé andwives’ own first names appeared—Mrs. Judy Smith.Yesterday’s trend was for married women to keeptheir maiden names even after marriage. Today’sfashion is just to live together and not bother to bemarried at all.
In these times, the Bible’s teachings about gender rolesin marriage must seem quaint and antiquated at bestand slavery at worst. “Wives, submit to your husbandsas to the LORD” (Ephesians 5:22). Wow! Seriously?
Yes. God really means it and not because the Trinity ischauvinistic. It’s because he designed male and femaleto dance together most gracefully when a kind andgentle man leads and a loving and supportive wife letshim lead.
Why do this? It’s not because men are smarter ormore important. Wives, you aren’t doing it primarilyfor him. You are doing it “as to the Lord.” Jesus wouldnever lie to you. Jesus would never hurt you.Remember—joy is in serving, not in being served.
A Servant Wife
TIME OF GRACE 13
Sometimes leadership is thought of as power to getwhat you want, power to control others, power tomanipulate. Christ-leadership—that is, servantleadership—has as its goal making the other person’slife better. In God’s world, husband-leaders are incharge first of the well-being of their wives andchildren.
Here’s the plan: “Husbands, love your wives, just asChrist loved the church” (Ephesians 5:25). Notice therole model for husbands. God doesn’t say that husbandsshould love their wives as James Bond “loved” hisgirlfriends or as Hugh Hefner “loves” his Playmates.
Christ made our forgiveness and salvation his firstpriority, more important than his own comfort,preferences, and even life. He literally loved us todeath—his death.
Husbands, God has asked your wife to let you lead.Can she see Jesus in the way you are doing it? Doesshe feel used or built up?
A Servant Husband
14 TWO: MY FAMILY
Why is it so hard to teach children to serve? Why is itso devilishly hard to get kids to think of other peoplebefore they talk and act? My eagerness to criticize myown children is tempered by some semifaint memoriesof scoldings I got from my own father about my ownyouthful selfishness.
Raising children to have a servant spirit is terriblyhard. But it is work that must be done. God providesboth guidance and power in his wonderful Word. “He[an overseer in the church] must manage his ownfamily well and see that his children obey him withproper respect” (1 Timothy 3:4).
Parents, if your children don’t learn to respect you,they will probably not respect their teachers. Or thelunch lady. Or the crossing guard. Or their boss atwork. Or speed limits. Or any laws. Or the police.
Or God.
Teach Your Children
TIME OF GRACE 15
It is a natural impulse in us all to look down on thosewe think dumber than we are and to take advantageof those weaker than we are. We fawn over thebeautiful, rich, and powerful and despise losers.
Can you respect someone in a wheelchair? Is it aworthwhile use of your time to help elderly relativesstay in their home a while longer? Are you too busyand important to be bothered with helping peoplewith shaky hands and bad hearing?
“If anyone does not provide for his relatives,and especially for his immediate family, he hasdenied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever”(1 Timothy 5:8). Jesus’ love is all about flowingdownhill. Everything he did was for people dirtierthan he—poorer, sicker, more ignorant, broken,unworthy, and lost. But he found joy in serving, andhe smiles and promises us that we will find fulfillmentin his steps.
Look up and look around in your family. Who needsyou today?
Take Care of the Seniors
16 THREE: MY COMMUNITY
THREE:My Community
Christian missionaries in Third World countries willtell you that a teaching ministry is much moreeffective if accompanied by a mercy ministry (clinic,agricultural training, disaster relief, etc.).
In post-Christian America, we have come full circle.Christians and Christian churches would probably dowell to envision themselves as missionaries andmission outposts once again. Their words can havean impact, but their words plus kind and authenticacts of joyful service make their overall witness muchmore powerful.
TIME OF GRACE 17
Christians were persecuted as enemies of the state foralmost all of the first three centuries of their existence.The irony is that Christianity can indeed flourish in apolitical climate of great freedom, but sometimes itdoes even better in times of great oppression.
In those early centuries, the Jewish and Roman stateswere missing a great resource. Christians actuallymake outstanding citizens. Our God commands us tocare about our civic community, not just our churchcommunity. The God who loves us unconditionallytrains us to love all the people around us, not justother Christians, unconditionally too. “As we haveopportunity, let us do good to all people, especiallyto those who belong to the family of believers”(Galatians 6:10).
Of course God wants us to take care of our churchcommunity. But sometimes we can worship Godbetter on our own streets than in church. WhenChristians act like Christ in the world, they givehonor to the One whose blood actually paid for theworld’s sins. When we love people as Christ did, withreal and authentic caring, we destroy the caricature ofChristians as hypocritical and judgmental snobs.
Do Good for All People
18 THREE: MY COMMUNITY
Why are so many Christian congregations no longergrowing and now in decline? It may be that thesurrounding communities are unaware of anyimportant resources there. It may be that thecongregation is interested in gathering only peoplejust like those already there.
The sad truth is that even though neighborhoods maychange outwardly, the same desperate, inward humanneeds are still there—loneliness, depression, guilt,sickness, and fear. When there is a communicationgap between Christians and their communities, guesswho adapts? “Though I am free and belong to noman, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win asmany as possible” (1 Corinthians 9:19).
Did you catch that? The one who knows God willadapt. The one who is stronger in faith will bend. Theone more experienced in the Scriptures will take theposture of the servant.
It is my belief and experience that when a congregationmakes itself a slave to its community, it will have all thework it can handle and will never go out of business.
A Slave for Others
TIME OF GRACE 19
A strange paradox takes place when people becomecaregivers to those with special needs. If you didn’tknow the families, you would think that a child withDown’s syndrome or spina bifida or cerebral palsywould be a terrible burden. You’d think that it would bea terrible curse to be stuck with that care responsibility.
Actually the reverse occurs. The family is ennobledand lifted up by learning how to be servants. Familymembers find that the joy of helping someone,especially someone who is weaker, provides muchmore lasting satisfaction than playing video gamesand watching TV.
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure andfaultless is this: to look after orphans and widowsin their distress” (James 1:27). We all cravesignificance. What could be more significant thanliving our lives the way Jesus lived his—bringingbenefit to the lives of other people?
Care for the Weak
20 THREE: MY COMMUNITY
It is a great temptation to keep your Christianityparked in church, where expressing your faith is safeand expected. It is a step up to live the Christ-life ofjoyful service in your home. It’s a whole other level tolive it at work.
Even if overt Christian talk and testimony arediscouraged where you work, the way you treat yourcoworkers and customers says a lot about how realyour faith is. Especially the way you treat your boss:“Serve [your master] wholeheartedly, as if youwere serving the Lord, not men, because you knowthat the Lord will reward everyone for whatevergood he does, whether he is slave or free”(Ephesians 6:7,8).
in·teg·ri·ty \in-'te-gr -te–\ n. 1. Adherence to a code orstandard of values; 2. the quality of being whole orundivided; completeness. Joy in serving means thatyou are honest and work hard even when no one iswatching. Joy in serving means that you trust thatGod will reward you in his own way at his own time.
Serve Your Boss
e
TIME OF GRACE 21
FOUR:My Country
The Old Testament historical and prophetic bookshave a lot to say about the relationship between theIsraelites and their country. It’s a little tricky forAmerican Christians to navigate which of thosethings apply to us today.
Here is what America is not: we are not the newIsrael. Believers in Christ are the fulfillment of theprophecies of Israel’s restoration. We are not God’schosen people. God certainly loves America, but hehas richly blessed many other countries too. We arenot a theocracy where our laws come straight fromthe Bible and direct guidance for governmentaldecisions comes straight from God.
Here is what America is: a place richly blessed byGod; a place that enjoys many spiritual freedoms,including the right to believe and practice our faithand to share it freely; a place richly blessed with thefinancial resources to spread the Word beyond itsborders through missionaries and mass media; andyour place to find joy in serving.
22 FOUR: MY COUNTRY
During the 2008 presidential campaign, candidateBarack Obama’s connections with his longtime pastor,Rev. Jeremiah Wright, caused him some severepersonal and political discomfort. Wright’s church inChicago is intensely Afrocentric, and Wright himselfhas such contempt for America’s racist past (and, hewould say, present) that he used language from hispulpit calling on God to damn, not bless, America.
Rev. Wright is not alone. Some find it tempting tomock and deride our country because of its faults andfailings. Sociologists say that the current generation ofyoung adults has no confidence in any institution ofany kind, including the national government.
St. Paul lived and worked in an empire with far fewercivil rights than ours. The Roman Empire officiallysanctioned the murder of his Savior, Jesus. And stillhe wrote, “There is no authority except that whichGod has established. The authorities that existhave been established by God” (Romans 13:1). Thatwould seem to include China, Zimbabwe, and Cuba.
With all their flaws and shortcomings, nationalgovernments prevent things that God thinks are farworse: chaos and anarchy. God bless America.
’Tis God’s Gift
TIME OF GRACE 23
It might seem as though Christians would be subversivecitizens. After all, we acknowledge a monarch who issuperior to our president, and our first allegiance is toChrist. The Bible to us has authoritative force greaterthan the U.S. Constitution.
And yet our heavenly Sovereign commands us to showrespect, even submission, to our earthly government.“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to everyauthority instituted among men: whether to theking, as the supreme authority, or to governors,who are sent by him to punish those who do wrongand to commend those who do right. For it is God’swill that by doing good you should silence theignorant talk of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:13-15).
Think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, whowillingly worked in service to the Babyloniangovernment that had destroyed their own country.Today many Christians throughout the world live incountries whose Communist or Muslim leadership isoutwardly hostile to the Christian faith. An attitudeof loyalty and cooperation even to a government withwhich they have some strenuous disagreements will makeChrist look good and bring God’s blessings.
Christians have a mandate not to be socialrevolutionaries but to spread the love and forgivenessof Christ. That process goes better if the ignorant talkof foolish men is silenced.
Submit
24 FOUR: MY COUNTRY
In Daniel’s visions of the four great empires that wereto rule the Middle East for the next millennium(chapter 7), the Babylonian Empire, in whosegovernment he was serving, was depicted as a beast.Daniel himself had been deported from Judea as anunwilling captive following the crushing defeat of theJudean armies. It was Babylonian soldiers who hadlooted the temple and carted the sacred worshipvessels back east.
And yet the prophet Jeremiah had this to say to thoseexiled in Babylon: “Seek the peace and prosperity ofthe city to which I have carried you into exile. Prayto the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you toowill prosper” (Jeremiah 29:7).
If the Israelites were expected to pray for Babylon,how much more should our hearts overflow on behalfof America? What a wonderful place to live! Howprecious are our personal and religious freedoms!How blessed we are! Thank you, Lord!
Pray for Its Prosperity
TIME OF GRACE 25
I will admit to being a tax grumbler. There. I’ve said itand am ashamed. Perhaps you too have grumbledwhile filling out your Form 1040. Many first centuryIsraelites resented Roman taxation as well. Jesus’enemies once tried to play on those popularresentments to trick him into advocating tax evasion.
“Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, ‘Youhypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Showme the coin used for paying the tax.’ They broughthim a denarius, and he asked them, ‘Whoseportrait is this? And whose inscription?’ ‘Caesar’s,’they replied. Then he said to them, ‘Give to Caesarwhat is Caesar’s’ ” (Matthew 22:18-21).
I love seeing national forests and wilderness areas,driving on interstate highways, enjoying the securityof strong armed forces, and trusting a strong judicialsystem. Why am I not more willing to shoulder myportion of the burden of paying for all those wonderfulthings? Just selfishness, I guess.
I’ll be better this April 15. I promise.
Pay Your Taxes Cheerfully
26 FOUR: MY COUNTRY
Being a cooperative citizen in America is really notsuch a terribly heavy burden, is it? But what if you wereblack or American Indian and lived in the overtlyracist times in our country? What if you had to live ina country today that would not allow you to live andshare your faith? Could you still be a good citizen?
Many of the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews chapter11 had to live lonely and isolated faith lives—think ofAbraham and Sarah in Canaan, for instance, orJoseph in Egypt. But what sustained their faith andhelped them get along with other people is that theywere encouraged by God’s wonderful Word andpromises. They knew that their hardships were onlytemporary, and they decided to be useful to God inwhatever situation they found themselves in, knowingthat they had a far better life to come.
“They were longing for a better country—a heavenlyone. Therefore God is not ashamed to be calledtheir God, for he has prepared a city for them”(Hebrews 11:16).
You know, you can probably bear almost anything ifyou know it’s temporary. Hang on! It’s almost time forthe grand surprise.
Your Real Home Is Heaven
TIME OF GRACE 27
FIVE:My Church
God invented congregations for many vital purposes—public worship, teaching and learning, enjoying theprecious Sacraments of Baptism and Communion,fellowship, and spiritual care.
One of the most wonderful features of congregationallife is the opportunity it gives for people to getinvolved in serving others. Jesus’ foot washing was ademonstration of attitude, not so much a literalcommand. Today we don’t wash other people’s feet,but we can wash each other’s dishes. We can continueJesus’ joyful spirit with acts of service great and small:cooking, accounting, snowplowing, painting,transporting, caring for children, organizing andplanning, sending cards, mentoring, singing, managingIT, and landscaping.
Just like countries, no congregation is perfect. Theyare all conglomerations of sinners with many flaws,shortcomings, and only partially pure agendas. Theyhave gaps in their ministries and sometimes hurtpeople instead of helping and healing. And yet you’vegot to love ’em because Jesus gets so many good thingsdone through them.
28 FIVE: MY CHURCH
One of the words about life in America that I havecome to dislike is consumer. I wouldn’t like that wordapplied to me, as though my principal function onearth is just to consume, use up resources. It seems todefine me as just another potential customer tosomeone who wants to sell me something, just a userof goods and services, just a me-oriented materialist.
God doesn’t want you to settle for being just aconsumer of religion either. He has bigger dreams foryou than simply to be a pew sitter, just a passiveconsumer of religious experiences, critiquing aSunday service the way you and your friends mightcritique a movie. When you were brought to faith inChrist, you were drafted into God’s ministryorganization with the title “royal priest.”
“To him who loves us and has freed us from oursins by his own blood, and has made us to be akingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever!”(Revelation 1:5,6).
Make it a priority to find out what being a royal priestmeans. Act like one.
Act Like the Royal Priests You Are
TIME OF GRACE 29
Much of the Christian life involves stringing yourhammock between two seemingly contradictory ideas.Are we sinners or saints? Well, er, the truth is we’reboth. Should we plant and build for the next onethousand years or assume that the world could endtomorrow. The answer is Yes.
Are we kings and priests of God, free to serve him aswe will, or part of an authority structure? You knowthe answer—both are true. A congregation is a familyof ministers who gives leadership roles and a promiseof loyalty and cooperation to certain qualified peoplein their organization.
How you treat them shows what you think of God.“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.They keep watch over you as men who must givean account. Obey them so that their work will be ajoy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantageto you” (Hebrews 13:17).
Leaders can’t lead if people will not choose to follow.
Build Up Your Leaders
30 FIVE: MY CHURCH
Years of TV watching have made most of us passiveaudiences of the performances of others—music,acting, sports, politics. How dreadful if God’s army ofroyal priests preferred to watch a few “churchprofessionals” while imagining that they had nothingto offer.
You may never play in the NBA or NFL, but youmost certainly have a role in bringing blessings fromGod to the people in your life. Not only are yousurrounded by opportunities for sharing God’s love,you also have been given unique gifts that make youuseful to God’s agenda.
“Each one should use whatever gift he has receivedto serve others, faithfully administering God’s gracein its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10). Let no Christianever say, “I’ve got nothing.” St. Peter states that allbelievers have gifts, gifts intended by God to beshared. Romans chapter 12 gives some examples toget you thinking.
Not sure what yours are? Do two things: ask a friendwhat he or she thinks you’re good at, and then have aconference with yourself and determine what you’rereally passionate about that could help somebody else.That passion may be the Spirit’s clue.
Use Your Gifts
TIME OF GRACE 31
A congregation is not only a place where you canfind, develop, and use your gifts. Church is a retreatfrom the street. It is a place where the contrarianphilosophy of Christ can be taught and modeled.
Mass media, hip-hop culture, and the streets adoreand reward boasting, selfishness, and ego. A churchcan help people see that being gentle doesn’t meanyou become a doormat; that serving doesn’t meanyou’ll just get used; that strength in a man showsitself in self-restraint, not violence, in giving, notjust taking.
“Young men, in the same way be submissive tothose who are older. . . . Clothe yourselves withhumility toward one another, because, ‘Godopposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’ ”(1 Peter 5:5).
Far too many young men will not learn this in theirown homes. Will you help them learn joy in servingin your church?
Create a Servant Culture
32 FIVE: MY CHURCH
Why do husbands and wives not serve each othermore willingly? Why do people hesitate to volunteerfor ministry and social projects at church? One guess:They expect an insufficient reward. It just doesn’tseem worth their time and energy.
Here is where church leaders can show someleadership: in clearly outlining what needs to be done,in ceaseless recruiting to bring in new talent, intraining and encouraging, and in constant thanking.
But God’s people can find joy in serving even whentheir leaders seem disorganized, when the samepeople seem to get stuck with the same jobs, andwhen nobody says thank you. We can alwaysremember that we’re really working for God and thatlabor is never in vain. “Humble yourselves,therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he maylift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on himbecause he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6,7).
God always pays off. Always.
Wait for God’s Reward
TIME OF GRACE 33
SIX:My God
Whose approval do you most crave in life? The way inwhich you answer that question will show whom youare working for. Is it your parents? your friends? yourcoworkers? your boss?
I hope you answered, “None of the above.” I hope youwould say that you crave God’s approval most of all.That seems obvious, doesn’t it, but we all suffer fromoccasional amnesia and forget things. We forget thatwe are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to dogood works. We forget that it is he who will evaluateour lives in the grand judgment at the end of time.
It’s never too late to refocus. What would God thinkof how you spent today? As you make your plans fortomorrow, what would God like to see in your wordsand actions?
34 SIX: MY GOD
Everybody works in heaven. Jesus said once, “TheFather works, and I also work.” That is, the threepersons of the triune God not only exerted themselvestremendously when they designed and built theuniverse, but they work each day to maintain andsustain it.
The angels work too. They don’t just hover around ingreat winged clouds, waiting to see what’s going tohappen, watching God and watching us. They areGod’s spirit-agents, carrying out his gracious will onour behalf. “Are not all angels ministering spiritssent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”(Hebrews 1:14).
When you say your prayers this evening and takeinventory of your day and plead for help with yourfinances, your health, your family, your job, and yourhome, take a moment and thank the Lord for theinvisible army of servants that he sent, which isworking on your behalf even while you speak.
Someday you may be told of the guidance, whispers,and nudges by which they got you where God wantedyou. Someday you may be told about the bulletproofprotection they provided against disaster and againstthe evil one.
Servant Angels
TIME OF GRACE 35
Man-made religions find human guilt and fear veryuseful in getting people’s attention and in gettingthem to do what the organization wants. Voodoo, forinstance, thrives on threats and curses. For another,the (false) teaching of purgatory made even believersdread the day of their death, for then would comecountless years of torment to “pay” for their sins.
Fear and guilt come from the law, amplified by ourconsciences. But the gospel of Christ drives out fear.Have you noticed how God’s angel messengers at thedawn of the New Testament age kept saying the samething to startled and terrified saints—“Don’t be afraid”?
When Zechariah finally was allowed to speak, heshowed that he got it. Inspired by the Spirit, he utteredmarvelous words at the birth of his miracle son:“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, becausehe has come and has redeemed his people . . . torescue us from the hand of our enemies, and toenable us to serve him without fear” (Luke 1:68,74).
The joyful service that you render to your God is notto amass points so that you can qualify for heaven. Orfrantically to undo some of your old sins. Or to gethim to like you. Remember: No fear. We like to servehim because he likes us.
No Fear
36 SIX: MY GOD
A man I know who grew up in central Michigan toldme once that you can’t root for both Michigan Stateand Michigan. You have to pick one or the other. Youcan’t love them both. It’s either green and white ormaize and blue.
Satan will present you with rationalizations toencourage you to make deals in your mind and play avariety of games. He tried to get Jesus himself to playit both ways. He promised that Jesus could avoidsuffering and the cross and still accomplish hismission. “Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan!For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, andserve him only” ’ ” (Matthew 4:10). It was the Father,not Satan, who defined Jesus’ mission.
I will never forget the words of a recovering alcoholicwho told me once that the bottle had become his god.Where do you go most often for a feeling of self-worth, for comfort, for your identity when you’restressed or afraid?
Exclusive
TIME OF GRACE 37
God has a lot of competition in the category of whatpeople most desire. Jesus had been watching humanbehavior for many millennia and had seen a sadpattern emerge. He saw it in the materialistic heart ofone of his closest friends, one of his own chosendisciples, Judas. He saw how easily money couldbecome an idol, a substitute god that ruled inpeople’s hearts.
He said once, “No one can serve two masters. Eitherhe will hate the one and love the other, or he willbe devoted to the one and despise the other. Youcannot serve both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24).
How can you tell whom you’re serving? If you serveMoney, you will find justification for lying andcheating to get it. If you serve Money, you will findjustification for stealing it, hoarding it, and flaunting it.
If you serve God, you will acknowledge that it allbelongs to God. You will see yourself only as atemporary manager who is accountable to the greatKing. You will find greater joy in using money toaccomplish God’s agenda than in acquiring possessionsor experiences for yourself.
Money
38 SIX: MY GOD
It seems to me that there is a terrible amount ofmisinformation out there, even among Christians,about what heaven will be like. Some think we will belike the angels. (Wrong! They are spirits; we will havephysical bodies.) Some think we will be up in the sky,sitting on the clouds. (Wrong! We will walk upon thenew earth that the Creator will create.) Some thinkthat we will be reincarnated for another go-round onearth. (Wrong! We will be raised once from the deadwith our bodies and personalities intact and then liveforever with the Lamb.)
And some people think that heaven will be tentrillion years of vacation, where we will just lie aroundand do nothing, being waited on for ever and ever.Wrong! We will have work to do in God’s new world,work that will be pure joyful service. “No longer willthere be any curse. The throne of God and of theLamb will be in the city, and his servants will servehim. They will see his face” (Revelation 22:3,4).
God knows that the greatest satisfaction in one’sheart comes from accomplishment, not from beingpampered. Perhaps Bach will write more great music,King David more great poems, and C. S. Lewis moregreat books. He will let you know what he needs youto do. Know this—serving the Lamb who once servedyou will be the greatest thrill of your eternity.
Heaven
TIME OF GRACE 39
NOTES:
40 JOY IN SERVING
Every week, Pastor Mark Jeskebrings his message of God’s
unconditional love,forgiveness, andacceptance to you throughTime of Grace’s broadcast,a half hour Bible study.
You or someone you know also mayfind additional Time of Gracepublications, DVDs, CDs, or tapeshelpful. These messages by PastorJeske are being produced so thatpeople can stay close to God’s Wordand/or share the materials withothers. The titles for variouspublications currently available arelisted on the inside of the envelopeenclosed with this booklet. And ifyou are able, your donation wouldbe appreciated. Thank you!
For more information,visit timeofgrace.orgor call 1.800.661.3311.
RESOURCES AVAILABLE
P.O. BOX 301
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN 53201-0301
T 414.562.8463 OR 1.800.661.3311
F 414.562.8464
WWW.TIMEOFGRACE.ORG