Freedom To Serve, Pt. 1
On the surface, I am currently in the middle of three books - one on marriage, one on leadership, and one on the history of Search and Rescue in our National Parks. (Update, even before I post - I sent this one back to the library. I did not enjoy it, so I didn't make the time to finish it.) However, it could also be said that I'm reading a fourth book: The Book of Isaiah. I've blogged many times this year about things I've gotten out of this book, or from reading commentaries regarding this book. As time's progressed, I have wanted to make sure that I don't just mutter platitudes about what I'm reading, but only write about things that truly impact me. Today's reading has been one of those days.
Today I read about Isa. 61. The commentary I read from is by Dr. David McKenna, a former president of Asbury Theological Seminary. His thoughts on this chapter are challenging and deep, and I could write several posts regarding this chapter alone. Here's what struck me, though. Dr. McKenna breaks down this chapter into four freedoms that Jesus brings into our lives: To live (vs. 3), to serve (vs. 4-7), to act (vs. 8-9) and to celebrate (vs. 10-11). I was especially struck by what he said about our freedom to serve.
Dr. McKenna lists four ways that we as a church are called to serve. As I read this list of service, I was once again challenged, not only to ask whether I'm serving or looking to be served, but with what attitude am I serving. Here are some thoughts for each role of service.
1) "The primary task of the church is to be the servant who serves others."
Our primary calling isn't to build ourselves up. Yes, we should do the work to grow in our faith, and help others do so, but our primary task, and the reason to grow in our faith and understand more about what it means to be a Christ-follower, is to serve others. Our church body should be doing that rather than making ourselves a neat club that we invite others into. As a pastor, I should be doing that - and calling people to do that - rather than just talking about ways to help people become more like Christ (this is a both/and thing, not an either/or thing, but our primary calling is to serve others). As a dad, I should be modeling this to my boys by serving people outside our family in tangible ways - without complaining - as well as by serving the boys and their mother, even when it's inconvenient and/or painful. Why is this a big deal? Because it goes against our flesh - MY flesh - so much to serve, or even to ask Jesus to help us serve. (We shouldn't need help is what our pride thinks, so I guess it still comes back to "the flesh.")
2) "The servant church exists to produce servants who serve others.
Dr. McKenna does a great job of explaining that God doesn't call us to go out and talk people into becoming converts to a religion. We are called to help people understand how God wants to set us free - from sin, but also to serve; to know Him, but also to communicate His love through service. Our measurement of our spiritual growth should not be how Biblically literate we are, or how involved in our church we are, though these things can be a sign of growth, but in how much we are serving others like Jesus did. After all, when we look at our goal, it's to become "little Christs," and Jesus was an amazing servant, even to doing the lowest, most menial task of His day: washing the feet of those who were supposed to be serving Him.
My boys are wanting my attention, so I'll write about the other two things we're called to later, I guess. It's time for me to put this into practice by serving my boys with my attention.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Today I read about Isa. 61. The commentary I read from is by Dr. David McKenna, a former president of Asbury Theological Seminary. His thoughts on this chapter are challenging and deep, and I could write several posts regarding this chapter alone. Here's what struck me, though. Dr. McKenna breaks down this chapter into four freedoms that Jesus brings into our lives: To live (vs. 3), to serve (vs. 4-7), to act (vs. 8-9) and to celebrate (vs. 10-11). I was especially struck by what he said about our freedom to serve.
Dr. McKenna lists four ways that we as a church are called to serve. As I read this list of service, I was once again challenged, not only to ask whether I'm serving or looking to be served, but with what attitude am I serving. Here are some thoughts for each role of service.
1) "The primary task of the church is to be the servant who serves others."
Our primary calling isn't to build ourselves up. Yes, we should do the work to grow in our faith, and help others do so, but our primary task, and the reason to grow in our faith and understand more about what it means to be a Christ-follower, is to serve others. Our church body should be doing that rather than making ourselves a neat club that we invite others into. As a pastor, I should be doing that - and calling people to do that - rather than just talking about ways to help people become more like Christ (this is a both/and thing, not an either/or thing, but our primary calling is to serve others). As a dad, I should be modeling this to my boys by serving people outside our family in tangible ways - without complaining - as well as by serving the boys and their mother, even when it's inconvenient and/or painful. Why is this a big deal? Because it goes against our flesh - MY flesh - so much to serve, or even to ask Jesus to help us serve. (We shouldn't need help is what our pride thinks, so I guess it still comes back to "the flesh.")
2) "The servant church exists to produce servants who serve others.
Dr. McKenna does a great job of explaining that God doesn't call us to go out and talk people into becoming converts to a religion. We are called to help people understand how God wants to set us free - from sin, but also to serve; to know Him, but also to communicate His love through service. Our measurement of our spiritual growth should not be how Biblically literate we are, or how involved in our church we are, though these things can be a sign of growth, but in how much we are serving others like Jesus did. After all, when we look at our goal, it's to become "little Christs," and Jesus was an amazing servant, even to doing the lowest, most menial task of His day: washing the feet of those who were supposed to be serving Him.
My boys are wanting my attention, so I'll write about the other two things we're called to later, I guess. It's time for me to put this into practice by serving my boys with my attention.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Labels: Family, Leadership, Mentoring, Parenting, Theology, World Views
posted by Pastor Paul at
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