1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,360 There are times when where we find ourselves in the cultural 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:06,160 moment line up with where we find ourselves in our journey 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,160 through the Bible. And, and this is in, in a way, 4 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:13,520 one of those times. For if you're joining us for the 5 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,480 first time, and just to remind you, we've been going through 6 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:19,480 this letter that Paul wrote to Timothy to give him the picture 7 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:21,840 of a trustworthy church. And for the last few weeks, 8 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:24,760 we've been looking at this section where Paul is 9 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:30,120 instructing Timothy how people are to honor one one another in 10 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:32,320 the church and all the different categories of honor. 11 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:37,520 And So what a what a great day as we take another look at the 12 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:42,280 call to honor one another, to just honor this incredible role 13 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,040 of mothers in our lives and in our church. 14 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,440 And so thank you for that. Before we get into the new 15 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:53,080 category of honor, let me start with a popular phrase. 16 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:54,680 You may have heard it in our culture. 17 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,800 It's simply there are levels to this. 18 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:02,160 Here's the Urban Dictionary definition. 19 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:06,480 It's a phrase used to humble someone by highlighting a 20 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:10,120 disparity in skill and difficulty. 21 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:13,600 I heard this phrase on the Joe Rogan podcast. 22 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,040 Maybe you heard it when he said, you know, you think you're good 23 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,640 at jiu jitsu until you roll with a world class black belt and you 24 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,960 realize there are levels to this. 25 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:32,200 Mastery takes a long time and some of you probably feel that 26 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,240 even on a day like today, the world does not pause to say 27 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,280 thank you to mothers. Being a mother is very 28 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:40,840 challenging. Maybe you felt the level up 29 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,960 happen when you went from, you know, the day where you aspired 30 00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:45,640 to be a mom. And now the newborn has come and 31 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:47,920 you realize, well, there's levels to being a mom. 32 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:51,560 And then the second child comes and you realize, wow, I'm, I'm 33 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,000 actually getting more stretched than I did the first time. 34 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,000 And it's true in other areas of your life where you go through 35 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,600 seasons and you finally feel like you figured it out. 36 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:04,320 And then the new season comes, you go from high school to 37 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:05,800 college and you have to level up. 38 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,520 You go from college to to now working and having someone to 39 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,280 answer to. And you have to realize, once 40 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:16,360 again, there are levels. And this is worth pointing out 41 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:21,760 because it's always true of the call to discipleship in your 42 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:25,040 life. There will be levels at which 43 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,880 you enter and there will be levels at which you grow. 44 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,600 And we think even today, the it's not hard for me as a pastor 45 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:36,200 to encourage all of you to show some honor and love to your 46 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:39,080 mother. But you're going to need some 47 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:42,080 Christian maturity to continue down the road of discipleship, 48 00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:46,680 to love your enemy, to honor and pray for them. 49 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:52,400 And before we get into the word, let us just consider where we've 50 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:59,120 come from in the exhortation to be a church that has a culture 51 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,640 of honor. Our very first sermon in in this 52 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,880 series, within the series honoring one another was the the 53 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:11,480 call to honor widows. And I have to say, I did not get 54 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,560 any pushback from anyone in our church giving a message to say, 55 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,880 let us honor and care for the most vulnerable people among us. 56 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,560 It's comes from a heart of compassion that all of us at 57 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,600 least accept is clearly part of pure and undefiled religion. 58 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:33,240 But then last week, Pastor Matt Cochran took it up a level and 59 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,280 he did a great job. By the way, thank you for all 60 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:36,920 the encouragement and listening ears. 61 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:39,320 He he is able to teach. Amen. 62 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,640 But he said, not only do you have to honor the widows, you 63 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,760 also have to honor the leaders, the pastors. 64 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:51,400 And that can for some be a stretch, a challenge, because 65 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:55,800 often times and more true of leaders than than than widows, 66 00:03:56,360 --> 00:04:00,560 you can have open wounds from bad leadership, pastors who were 67 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,400 not good elders who did not shepherd wisely. 68 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:07,760 And so that needs to be addressed and healed. 69 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:09,920 But for the, for the most part, if you just take a little time 70 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:14,080 and you think about it, it's not hard to think about the pastors 71 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,040 or elders or leaders of the church that are poured into your 72 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:19,959 life and preach the sermons and think, yes, I, I have a heart of 73 00:04:19,959 --> 00:04:23,600 gratitude for that. I'm thankful and it's happy 74 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:28,640 Pastors appreciation moment. And then there is the level we 75 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:33,960 find ourselves at today, read with me in First Timothy chapter 76 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:39,640 6, starting in verse one. It says let as many bond 77 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:46,400 servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy 78 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:51,320 of all honor. This would be considered the 79 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:56,960 next level of honor, the one that does not come flowing from 80 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,320 an instinct of compassion or gratitude. 81 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:04,720 Discipleship becomes real when it actually pushes you to places 82 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:09,280 you otherwise would not go. And when Paul says now to the 83 00:05:09,280 --> 00:05:12,760 enslaved, to the servant, to the ones who are the lowest on the 84 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,760 on the ladder of hierarchy, you need to show honor up and and 85 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:19,400 count them worthy of honor. That's going to require some 86 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:23,560 discipleship. And before we get into the why 87 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:26,880 this is important and how it actually works, let's start by 88 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,760 just addressing the question that comes up hopefully in your 89 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:34,360 mind and especially in the mind of the critic of the Bible when 90 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:36,120 they come to a passage of scripture like this. 91 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:41,080 And they say, does the Bible condone slavery? 92 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:46,320 At first read, it seems like Paul is looking past a moral 93 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:50,760 atrocity or or maybe worse, even giving a quiet endorsement of 94 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,800 it. And so for that reason we pause 95 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:56,720 and like we have done throughout this letter from Paul to Timothy 96 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:01,480 in this time 1st century church, we remember that this is a real 97 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:04,760 place in a real moment of history with a real context. 98 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:09,760 And the context as you study what Paul is speaking to is very 99 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,720 different than what might be in your mind for the recent history 100 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:18,920 of how the word slavery is used. Slavery, bond, servant servitude 101 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:22,720 in the Roman Empire was everywhere present. 102 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:27,000 It it was just common. It was considered taken for 103 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,800 granted that somewhere in the the labor force there would be 104 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:34,920 people who would be considered servants of the household. 105 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:39,520 Some estimations say that that number is anywhere from 15 to 106 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,680 20%. One in five people would listen 107 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:44,840 to this message and think this applies to me. 108 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:50,720 But it's less almost nothing to do with a hierarchy of of race 109 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:55,120 and it's more to do with the the social fabric of the day. 110 00:06:55,840 --> 00:07:00,800 Considering how someone found themselves in the position of 111 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,080 servant in this day. There was all sorts of ways that 112 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:05,800 that were the safety net of society. 113 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,280 Some of them were in debtors prison. 114 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,840 There was no Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 115 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,480 The luxuries we have today to not fall under indentured 116 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:20,040 servitude, but back then, if you owed someone a debt, you had to 117 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:23,920 pay it and you had to pay it by working it off if you had no 118 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,560 other means. There was also voluntary 119 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:32,040 servitude for those who wanted to gain citizenship or had no 120 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,040 other way to, to form a household that they could work 121 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,560 in. They could offer themselves as a 122 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,480 servant and from that they would be considered bond servants to 123 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:43,480 the household that they've partnered with. 124 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,080 There was also just the family you were born into. 125 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:50,000 If you were born into a family in one of those categories, it 126 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,560 was assumed that you were going to join them in their work. 127 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:56,240 And every one of them, from the children to the, to the 128 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:59,680 indentured servant to the the person who's paying off that 129 00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:03,240 there was always a legal path to freedom that someone could be 130 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:05,200 granted. So it was different than what 131 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:07,600 you're thinking now. It's still not right. 132 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,480 It's still not God's perfect design for how he wants to see 133 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:16,040 humanity flourishing, still grieved his heart. 134 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:23,360 And so for that we can ask the question, why didn't Paul work 135 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:27,120 towards radical reform? Why didn't Paul write to 136 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:28,880 Timothy? Timothy, your first order of 137 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:33,039 business is to get on the rooftop and shout in slavery now 138 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:36,120 and the answer is found in the advice. 139 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,760 He says it starts with the relationship between the slave 140 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:41,799 and the master. The Kingdom of God works from 141 00:08:41,799 --> 00:08:46,320 the inside out, which gives us the most simple answer when 142 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,400 these questions arise. It didn't happen then, it would 143 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:54,160 happen eventually because the Kingdom of God doesn't work that 144 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,920 way. Look what Jesus says of his 145 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:01,080 Kingdom, my Kingdom, John chapter 18 verse 36. 146 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:06,000 My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this 147 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:11,400 world, my servants would fight. But much to the disappointment 148 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,360 of the disciples that sat under the teaching of Jesus post 149 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:20,000 resurrection when they wanted Jesus to reform the whole system 150 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:24,840 and overthrow the Roman Empire and restore the glory of King 151 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:29,280 David, Jesus did not come to start a political movement. 152 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:37,320 The real enemy this is good for all of us to remember was not 153 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:44,480 Caesar, It was sin. And that's why we celebrate the 154 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:47,720 resurrection when the final enemy, sin and death is 155 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:49,760 conquered. And upon his resurrection, he 156 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,600 started a movement that would eventually, from the inside out, 157 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:57,160 transform everything else. But God brings reform to the 158 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:00,040 heart of the Christian before the law of the culture. 159 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:06,360 And hold that hold that because your life will follow a similar 160 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,400 pattern. Becoming a believer in Jesus 161 00:10:09,560 --> 00:10:11,760 does not reform your entire world. 162 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,880 There are moral atrocities that all of us have to live with. 163 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:20,600 Consumerism and greed and the filth of this sin soaked world 164 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:22,760 will still exist after your baptism. 165 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:26,760 But God will use a new light in the darkness to transform it 166 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:29,920 from the inside out. And that is what he is going to 167 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:37,000 do with the idea of slavery. And so for that reason, we now 168 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,440 understand that Paul is writing to Timothy to bring 169 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,720 transformation into relationship, not reform into 170 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:45,440 the government. It'll eventually get there 171 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:48,840 because of the believers, but it works like a mustard seed. 172 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:52,800 So with this said, we have to ask the question now, follow a 173 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,120 question. What does that do for us? 174 00:10:55,120 --> 00:11:00,120 Now there's a temptation to read a verse about slaves and masters 175 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,880 and export it in your mind to an ancient time or a distant part 176 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:05,920 of the world where this still matters. 177 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,160 So let's read it again. And now we're going to ask the 178 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:12,200 question, what do we do with this? 179 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,240 How does this verse apply to this sanctuary? 180 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:21,960 So again, read it with me. Let as many bond servants as are 181 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:25,360 under the yoke. Count the masters worthy of all 182 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:27,600 honor. So hold on to that phrase. 183 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,840 Under the yoke. It's going to do 2 things for 184 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:35,360 US1 It is pointing out a literal condition that some of these 185 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:38,640 workers are going to be able to relate to the yoke being the 186 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:42,160 tool of agriculture that you would put on the shoulders of an 187 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:47,320 oxen or man to get work done. But certainly he's not only 188 00:11:47,560 --> 00:11:49,560 speaking to those who could relate literally. 189 00:11:49,560 --> 00:11:53,120 It's very few. What the yoke represents is the 190 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:57,360 weight of the authority structure and all of us right 191 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:02,720 now can relate to the reality that the Kingdom of God lives 192 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:06,120 within authority hierarchy on this earth. 193 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:11,840 All of you have someone that you live under that you will answer 194 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,880 to and represent the person of God in your response. 195 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,080 We'll cover a couple categories and hopefully you can relate to 196 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:21,880 some, if not all, at one point in your life. 197 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,640 Children are under the yoke of their parents. 198 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:28,800 That's a reminder as a gift to the mothers in the audience. 199 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:29,960 They're like, remember what he said. 200 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,480 They're under the yoke of your rules and your guidance and your 201 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:38,160 bedtimes and your food. And they can listen to this and, 202 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:40,840 and hear how do you respond under authority. 203 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:45,160 Students are under the yoke of a teacher, under the yoke of what 204 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:48,120 to learn and and what will be on the exam and how you actually 205 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,760 pass according to their rubric of grading. 206 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,680 Employees are under the yoke within the context of their work 207 00:12:55,680 --> 00:13:00,000 environment, of the demands of their employer or their boss, of 208 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,680 their or their manager. And in all of this, we have a 209 00:13:03,680 --> 00:13:07,440 beautiful way for us to represent what a disciple of 210 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:10,360 Christ looks like. I've heard it said the 211 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:12,960 discipleship accomplishes 2 things in your life that will 212 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:15,960 set you apart. You will be an outstanding 213 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:18,600 neighbor and an upstanding citizen. 214 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:24,640 So believers in Jesus, wherever they live are incredible self 215 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:28,080 sacrificing, loving neighbors. And there are people that live 216 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:30,640 within their society in an upstanding way. 217 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,880 And there's no greater way to practice the second part by 218 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,320 looking the authority that exists over you and says I will 219 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:42,240 be a person who honors up. And so we consider the list that 220 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,440 I shared and let's use this as a Mother's Day call back. 221 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:49,440 Here's your entry level practice for honoring authority. 222 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,960 Every child is born under the authority of a mother and 223 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:57,400 father. And today we celebrate the 224 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:00,840 reality that God has given us all a free bingo square. 225 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,160 The first person that you are under the authority of is the 226 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:08,440 most incredible, loving and kind and patient and self sacrificing 227 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:12,280 person in the person of your mother that God could have given 228 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:16,680 you as a starter pack. So when you came today, you 229 00:14:16,680 --> 00:14:19,240 practice this in a little way. Some of you, no doubt I meant 230 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:20,760 some first service. I'm sure they're here some 231 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:24,520 today. You are only here today because 232 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:29,760 the one thing that your mom wanted from you as her gift was 233 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:34,240 that you would sit next to her in church and you would honor 234 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:38,360 her by joining her. And let me just say, if you 235 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:40,640 don't come to church often, you probably don't like religion. 236 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:43,120 So let me warn you, you're getting close to religion. 237 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:47,960 If the only thing you do today is sit next to your mom and take 238 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:51,160 a picture at the flower wall and then brush off the dust of your 239 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:53,160 hands and get get on with your actual life. 240 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:56,400 You are a religious, dutiful person who has no devotion. 241 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:00,920 The actual thing she wants is for you to honor her and love 242 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,000 her with your whole life. And how do you do that? 243 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:08,040 You realize some of you still in this context, that she is an 244 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,200 authority figure in your life for your child childhood. 245 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:13,520 She you look at her and she has instruction for you. 246 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:16,560 And one of the great ways you can celebrate her beyond today 247 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:21,520 is to say, yes, mom. In fact, that's one of the 248 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:23,480 things I actually have a daughter that wasn't planned, 249 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:26,160 but my one of my daughter's came today. 250 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:28,240 So I hope that you'll hear this. I'm going to speak just to you. 251 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:32,960 One of the things that I want all of my kids to be very 252 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,240 disciplined in is when their mom asked them anything or tells 253 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:40,840 them anything, I want their response to be yes, mom. 254 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:46,360 Now we live in a culture where, you know, I think just respect 255 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:51,760 is somewhat of a dying virtue. So I do that to practice what I 256 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,960 think is just good and honorable behavior. 257 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:59,600 But I also do that because their mother and their father are 258 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:05,920 training them for a real world of honor up every Yes Mom is 259 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,960 designed to give credit to the mom in the moment and also 260 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:12,360 prepare you for a real world where you're higher ups will not 261 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:16,400 be so loving and gracious. So yes, mom is actually training 262 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:24,040 for Yes coach, Yes, boss, in a in a situation hear this yes, 263 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:26,120 officer, make sure you say that one. 264 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,040 And if you give you don't say it right, practice with yes, your 265 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:37,120 honor. And ultimately, all of these are 266 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:43,320 practice and and overflows of the heart of the believer that 267 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:48,120 at the core of all of them say, yes, Lord, there's no greater 268 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,080 honor that you can pay your mother than by becoming a child 269 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:56,320 who grows up to be an adult that says, yes, Lord, I honor you. 270 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:01,640 And this is where we go from applying this to our sanctuary, 271 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,359 not just in the hierarchy of our current culture. 272 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,240 This is where Paul goes from speaking to slaves to speaking 273 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:13,319 to disciples. Read it again. 274 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:18,280 Let as many bond servants as are under the yoke. 275 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:20,839 Hold on to that phrase, the yoke. 276 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,520 There are 4 great metaphors of the Christian faith for us to 277 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:29,520 know and relate to the love of God, so we would quickly review 278 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:32,880 them. There is the love of a father 279 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:35,560 towards a child. You want to know how much God 280 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,280 loves you. Think of a loving father loving 281 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:40,400 a child, a son or daughter and he loves you. 282 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:44,520 More than that. There is the care of a shepherd 283 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:47,360 to a sheep. You want to know how God cares 284 00:17:47,360 --> 00:17:49,760 for your life? Think of a shepherd who will 285 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:54,120 leave 99 sheep who are well and go fight off lions and bears to 286 00:17:54,120 --> 00:17:56,480 go after the one who has lost and bring him home with great 287 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:01,800 rejoicing that he's been found. So God cares for you as a 288 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:05,600 bridegroom and a bride. You want to know with what 289 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:08,480 expectation we await heaven or the return of Christ? 290 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:11,600 Well, you think about the ancient culture a bridegroom 291 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:15,560 goes off to to prepare a place for his bride to come and enter 292 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:16,720 into. Now they're married and they're 293 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:18,760 going to live together and he's going to come back when the 294 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:20,840 house is finished and he's going to marry his bride and he's 295 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:24,560 going to take her home. That is the expectation. 296 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:26,960 You want to know how to relate to what we're waiting for. 297 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:32,880 Relate to that. And then there is the 4th great 298 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:38,960 metaphor, and it is often forgotten or it is purposely 299 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:45,400 avoided and it is master and bondservant. 300 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:52,800 When Paul uses the phrase bondservants as are under the 301 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:58,760 yoke, he is not only speaking to the bottom of the social class 302 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:00,880 that could relate to that according to their physical 303 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:05,480 labor. He is also perfectly echoing 304 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:10,720 Christ call for disciples me read it to you Matthew Chapter 305 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:15,600 11 verse 28. Jesus says to disciples, come to 306 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:21,280 me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you 307 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:23,680 rest. Here it is. 308 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:30,080 Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and 309 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:34,440 lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 310 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:38,200 In case you missed it, He finishes by saying, For my yoke 311 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:43,760 is easy and my burden is light. No doubt you've heard this 312 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,760 verse. We love the part about anyone, 313 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:52,200 everyone who is burdened with life, who is heavy laden with 314 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,000 trial. Come and receive rest from 315 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:59,880 Jesus. It's a beautiful invitation, but 316 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:03,800 all too often we stopped reading at where the exchange happens. 317 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,040 You're exchanging the heavy burdens of the world for the 318 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:12,280 light burden of following Jesus with now ownership on your life. 319 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:19,360 Christianity can easily be sold as an upgrade to your lifestyle, 320 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:24,680 and God is a counselor or a therapist or someone who will 321 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:28,120 give you advice or a cosmic vending machine in the sky. 322 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:32,080 And you consult Him on the plans that you have for your life, and 323 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:34,880 he gives you your best life now, and you come back if you ever 324 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:38,640 need him. And that's why it's so important 325 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:42,880 for us to realize what this final metaphor is saying. 326 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:44,760 There are levels to the metaphors. 327 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:48,880 They're saying you have been bought with a price. 328 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:54,360 You are not your own. Following Jesus and accepting 329 00:20:54,360 --> 00:21:00,600 Him into your life is not to make you an earthly ruler, it is 330 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:08,640 to make you a heavenly servant. And without Jesus in view this 331 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:13,600 verse becomes for someone else. And without the gospel in view, 332 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:18,000 this verse is something you do by grip, gripping your knuckles 333 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:22,720 and clenching your teeth. But with with the view of the 334 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:27,120 cross that Jesus is inviting us to exchange the burden of the 335 00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:29,280 world for the joyful burden of his Kingdom. 336 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:35,560 We actually see the gospel and it is this Roman says we were 337 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:42,440 once slaves to sin and now we are slaves to righteousness. 338 00:21:44,120 --> 00:21:49,040 We once were owned by sin. Selfish desires change that we 339 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:51,640 could not break. Why do I do what I don't want to 340 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:53,280 do? Why do I keep returning to 341 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:56,120 things that make me feel guilty and shameful and distant from 342 00:21:56,120 --> 00:22:00,000 God and people? And then the gospel breaks 343 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,920 through and says, there is a loving God who will give you a 344 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,040 new life by His Spirit. And when you accept that free 345 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:08,240 gift, you are no longer chained to sin. 346 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:15,000 You're now chained to Him. Yes, Lord, send me where you 347 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,640 want. Tell me what to do with my life. 348 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:24,040 Reform my heart. So bitterness gets exchanged 349 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:28,400 with forgiveness so that my plans get exchanged with your 350 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:31,920 plans. And this is the reason with your 351 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:36,200 discipleship in mind where we get to the why this is so 352 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:39,440 important. Paul gives the answer in the 353 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:43,520 second part of verse one. Let as many bond servants that 354 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:46,800 are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, 355 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:51,280 so that where there's a rule, there's a reason. 356 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:55,800 So that the name of God and his doctrine may not be blasphemed. 357 00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:00,280 You bear the name of God. This is actually incredible news 358 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:02,400 in the context that Paul was writing to. 359 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:07,360 Remember he is writing two slaves and in the Roman Empire 360 00:23:07,360 --> 00:23:12,760 the slave had zero influence. 0 Ability to move the culture. 361 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,200 There was no expectation putting on them that the way they live 362 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:17,560 mattered to the people around them. 363 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,480 They got their duties from their master, and that was their 364 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:27,480 life's mission. But now Paul is saying in the 365 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:33,160 Kingdom of God, the slave who believes in Jesus is entrusted 366 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:37,160 with the name above all names. He's gone from a nobody to an 367 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:42,520 ambassador, and how he lives will affect how others who live 368 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:48,520 around him see God. Are you familiar with this call 369 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:53,320 on your life that the way you live determines the way those 370 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:55,360 who live around you? See God. 371 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:04,000 Student, athlete to coach, worker to boss. 372 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:08,160 The name of God is now attached to you. 373 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:12,600 Let's think this through in terms of a parable. 374 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,960 Jesus often told a parable. So I, I came up with a, a modern 375 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:17,560 parable for us to understand this. 376 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:22,640 I call it the parable of the dis dis disrespectful worker. 377 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:28,080 And I want you to imagine there is a growing and thriving lawn 378 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:29,680 care business. It's going so well. 379 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,640 They've gone through it from a couple lawns to now not one man 380 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:34,680 can mow it by himself and he has to start hiring people. 381 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:37,400 We're going to have some physical labor that he needs 382 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:39,640 help with. And so he puts out word and he 383 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,920 gets word back that someone is ready to make some extra money. 384 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:46,560 And so he hires them, invites him into the work at hand. 385 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:53,640 And the person shows up late, unenthused. 386 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:57,960 They lean on the, the, the shovel more than they actually 387 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,320 get any work done. As they receive instruction, 388 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:04,560 they roll their eyes. They disagree with the, the 389 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:07,520 ideas and the ways that the, the job is going to unfold. 390 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:11,520 They actually make the, the workplace harder, not easier. 391 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:15,560 And then they instead of giving it a full day, they come up with 392 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:16,960 a reason that they have to leave early. 393 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,720 And so they they, they leave the tools a mess. 394 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:22,960 They clock off for the day, say goodbye to the man that just 395 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:26,240 hired him and walk out to the parking lot and get inside of a 396 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,840 truck. And on the back in big 397 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:32,080 lettering, there's a sticker that says Rock Harbor. 398 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:37,080 And the person sits backs and thinks, my goodness, what do 399 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:42,240 they teach over there? Now this could happen to any 400 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:43,520 church. The only reason I use them as 401 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:45,320 examples because we don't have stickers. 402 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:48,200 Otherwise I would I would have said Calvary Boise. 403 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:51,240 But they're they're they're risking it all over there and I 404 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:54,200 love Keith. So so this is by no means them. 405 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:59,560 It happens in every area. What just happened. 406 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:05,160 The person may know nothing about Jesus, but what he saw 407 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:09,720 from a Jesus follower has caused him to discredit God's 408 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:14,720 character. Blasphemy is when someone, 409 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:22,400 something, drags the name of God through the mud by their poor 410 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,960 character and that is what is at stake here. 411 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:29,440 We've got a baptism after service. 412 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:32,200 It's been announced. What a beautiful reminder pre 413 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:35,720 baptism and a beautiful reminder for anyone who's been baptized. 414 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:40,800 To go into the baptismal waters is to identify with the life of 415 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:44,960 Christ and to come out is to declare to the world that you 416 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:49,400 now bear His name. You are now living as a light in 417 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:52,480 the dark. A disciple of Christ lives like 418 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:57,560 you live, and the danger is that your life would actually become 419 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:00,040 a counter testimony of who Jesus is. 420 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:05,080 The way that you live in the hierarchy ladder ladder is 421 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:08,040 actually how disciples live in that ladder. 422 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:13,280 And Paul says you bear the name. Every person who has put their 423 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:16,040 faith in Christ is an ambassador to Christ. 424 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:19,120 Show honor. So no one disrespects God. 425 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:24,360 And then he says there's another reason, so that the name of God 426 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:28,480 and his doctrine may not be blasphemed. 427 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:31,080 So we have for the sake of the name and for the sake of the 428 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:34,440 doctrine, not only do you bear the name of God, you also bear 429 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:38,120 the message of God. Your life is actually an 430 00:27:38,120 --> 00:27:42,280 overflow of your theology, your doctrine, what you say, what you 431 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:47,040 believe is actually clearly seen in how you actually live. 432 00:27:48,120 --> 00:27:52,640 And what a great follow up reminder for what we talked 433 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:56,400 about on Easter Sunday. We celebrated the resurrection. 434 00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:57,880 He has risen. He's risen indeed. 435 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:01,120 But before we did our final moment of worship, we asked the 436 00:28:01,120 --> 00:28:04,120 question, what if he hasn't risen? 437 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:10,920 If Christ has not risen, then our teaching is in vain. 438 00:28:12,120 --> 00:28:17,360 This whole thing only works. The slave can only show a hope 439 00:28:17,360 --> 00:28:20,480 that goes beyond the current sufferings if the resurrection 440 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:23,120 has actually happened. Which means that the slave has 441 00:28:23,120 --> 00:28:28,360 to have solid doctrine. How the slave lives with hope in 442 00:28:28,360 --> 00:28:34,520 his heart is how the slave proclaims the doctrine of 443 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:38,280 eternity. Paul says that the weight of 444 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:43,520 glory far outweighs the weight of the current sufferings. 445 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:48,600 The weight of glory far outweighs the weight of the yoke 446 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:53,800 on the shoulders of the slave. And wherever you live, if you 447 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:57,080 don't believe that, or if you believe it but don't live it, 448 00:28:57,440 --> 00:29:00,640 your life will actually say as you grumble and think, I don't 449 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:03,200 like my circumstances. I don't like my boss, I don't 450 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:05,360 like my landlord. I will give them no respect. 451 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:08,080 I will give them no honor. All I want is for this 452 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:11,520 circumstance to be worked out. You're actually denying the hope 453 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:18,600 that fuels the Christian life, how you respond to suffering and 454 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:23,760 trial and difficulty and the weight of this world preaches a 455 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:27,760 message about what you believe in the next World. 456 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:33,960 So Paul says you're a disciple. Get this right for the name of 457 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:36,160 God and for the truth of doctrine. 458 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:40,840 Finally, we'll end with a couple of ideas on how to do this. 459 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:45,440 What does this practically look like in verse 2, he says, and 460 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:48,400 those who have believing masters, let them not despise 461 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:51,480 them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because 462 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:54,600 those who are benefited are believers and beloved. 463 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:58,640 Teach and exhort these things. Couple principles just to think 464 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:02,760 about as you survey your own life and wonder what it would 465 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:05,040 look like to show honor to the people above you. 466 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,720 Here are some things that Paul lays out for Timothy. 467 00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:13,080 He says, those who have believing masters, let them not 468 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:18,240 be despised. There is a natural tendency in 469 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:22,240 the human heart to do something outwardly and despise it 470 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:23,600 inwardly. Have you ever noticed that, 471 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:26,680 mothers, can you relate to the instructions you sometimes have 472 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:31,200 to give to your kids? There is a way to obey outwardly 473 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:35,280 and grumble, grumble inwardly. There is a temptation that a 474 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:38,520 servant serving a master, he, he might listen to this word, but 475 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:41,920 actually want to just in everything in him, deny it. 476 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:47,520 This is what Jesus calls honoring with lips and having 477 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:52,240 hearts that are far. So Paul says there is no honor 478 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:57,200 where you despise someone, which means something else has to come 479 00:30:57,200 --> 00:30:58,560 into your life as the motivation. 480 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:02,040 It cannot be duty, otherwise it will just turn into resentment. 481 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:04,680 And so here is that motivation. He says. 482 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:07,440 Why? Because they are brethren and 483 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:11,080 they're believers, and when you serve them, they benefit. 484 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:14,720 So here is another helpful principle. 485 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:23,880 Christian honor will work gladly for the benefit of others in the 486 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:26,640 Kingdom. You think about all the ways 487 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:28,560 that we are called to honor and serve one another. 488 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:31,520 One principle has to be in mind. When you honor and serve people, 489 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:34,480 no matter their rank or file, you are actually honoring and 490 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:40,000 serving the King. Christian honor works for the 491 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:43,800 benefit of others. Remember their brethren, 492 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:46,320 remember their believers, Remember your work benefits 493 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:48,440 them. And so this will be my second to 494 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:54,680 last Mother's Day recall. I know when I was young one of 495 00:31:54,680 --> 00:32:00,000 the the gifts that my mom would ask for every year was for her 496 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:03,640 kids to just get along. I see some mothers nodding their 497 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:05,320 heads. It took me a while to give her 498 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:08,880 that gift, but I think we're I think we're coming to a place 499 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:10,120 where we can honor her in that way. 500 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:14,480 Mothers are not unique in that desire. 501 00:32:15,920 --> 00:32:19,720 There's no greater joy for the one that overseas the household 502 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:23,440 than when the household is honoring one another and loving 503 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:26,440 one another. So once again, kids, if you're 504 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:32,960 here sitting next to your mom as a gift to her, honor her by 505 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:37,480 loving your siblings, whether they're older or younger. 506 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:41,720 Wherever you land in the hierarchy ladder, show, honor up 507 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:45,440 and show service down. And you will be doing that to 508 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:52,080 honor your mother Believers. Show honor to the coach and the 509 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:55,440 teacher and the landlord that is part of the brethren. 510 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:57,560 And in doing that, when you honor those people, you are 511 00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:00,520 actually honoring God. To honor in the Kingdom is to 512 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:06,000 honor the king. And then finally, he says for 513 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:13,240 one last reason, and their beloved Paul is just taking for 514 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:18,040 granted that a slave and a master who are both part of the 515 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:20,680 Kingdom of God are part of the beloved. 516 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:26,960 This one word changes everything about the Christian call to 517 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:30,560 serve one another, from religious duty to heartfelt 518 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:35,600 devotion, that we are the beloved, You are the beloved of 519 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:38,640 God, and every one of us are the beloved of one another. 520 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:42,520 And so he's saying, servant, honor your masters because you 521 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:45,600 love them. This whole thing falls apart. 522 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:50,560 Every one of our little sermons on honoring within the church 523 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:54,960 breaks down at this word. You cannot honor widows if you 524 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:58,480 do not love them. You cannot honor the leaders and 525 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:02,080 the elders of the church just out of duty, and you will not 526 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:06,080 honor anyone above you unless God's love has been shed abroad 527 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:09,679 into your heart and you are motivated by His love for them. 528 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:16,639 So the final Mother's Day moment, a picture of how all of 529 00:34:16,639 --> 00:34:20,480 this works when a person is within the aim of your love, 530 00:34:20,639 --> 00:34:23,320 serving them becomes an instinct. 531 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:29,040 And so for that I say to mothers, thank you, because this 532 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:31,120 point is clearly seen in every one of you. 533 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:39,280 A mother is the servant of her child from the day she finds out 534 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:42,199 she's pregnant and serves them for nine months, giving up her 535 00:34:42,199 --> 00:34:44,000 body. And then she serves them the day 536 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:46,480 that they were born in the greatest pain a human can go 537 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:48,480 through. And then she serves them with 538 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:51,480 her sleep and her emotion and her prayers. 539 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:54,880 And she serves them when she feeds them and she changes their 540 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:57,240 diapers and when she helps them with their homework. 541 00:34:57,240 --> 00:35:06,080 She serves them because she loves them, because the child is 542 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:09,760 her beloved. And with that picture in mind, 543 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:15,040 this is how the church has to serve, because they are the 544 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:17,480 beloved. And as we end, it's almost 545 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:20,360 backwards to think about Mother's Day and instead of 546 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:24,280 looking up at mothers, we actually see that mothers are 547 00:35:24,280 --> 00:35:27,720 the servants. But this is how it all starts, 548 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:31,400 because your call to discipleship does not start with 549 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:34,920 Jesus putting a yoke on you, it starts with Jesus putting the 550 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:37,680 yoke on himself. Jesus came. 551 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:41,520 I did not said I did not come to serve to be served, but to serve 552 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:44,200 and to give my life a ransom for many. 553 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:48,680 Paul echoes this in Philippians when he says, have this mind in 554 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:53,480 you, which was also in Christ, who became a bondservant, a 555 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:58,680 slave to the point of death, even death on a cross. 556 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:06,280 So all of this is a response to the God of eternity that so 557 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:13,200 loved us that he sent his Son to die for us as he honored his 558 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:18,040 Father. So here is the picture. 559 00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:20,680 To become a believer is to say of your own life. 560 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:24,240 I did not come to be served, but to serve. 561 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:28,240 I did not come to Lord, but to lay down my life. 562 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:34,600 My Master is worthy of all honor, and to Christ receive all 563 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:38,040 glory for any way that our life could bless someone else.