Serving Like Jesus by Daniel Williams

God has called us all to love Him and love people, and part of loving people is SERVING them. If we are going to love people well, we need to serve them. 

Part of maturing and growing in your relationship with God is doing what He says and walking in His ways. The more we get to know God, to more we will find ourselves wanting to apply His Word to our lives because we love Him. And even though we cannot expect to do this perfectly, we should be striving more and more to be like Jesus through the help of His Spirit living in us!

One way we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us grow to be more like Him is through SERVING OTHERS. And as in all things, Jesus is our example of what it looks like to truly serve as He wants us to serve one another. We are going to look at just a few things that we can learn from Jesus about serving in the story of Jesus washing His disciples feet in John 13:1-20 (READ HERE). We are Jesus’s followers, and followers of Jesus need to learn to serve like Him (our Master). And when we do, we are so blessed.

1. Jesus served when it was inconvenient

First of all, it is important to notice that the story of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet took place during the week of the Passover. This would probably have felt like a good time to just enjoy a meal with one another.  It was supposed to be a celebration and would be exciting to see everyone all together. But Jesus chose to serve others even when it wasn’t the most convenient time. He chose to use a teachable moment that could easily have been missed—because He valued the chance to serve someone more than His own comfort.

2. Jesus served in everyday life

John tells us Jesus “loved them to the end.” Many times when I think of Jesus’s love for me I think about the cross…it was the great display of love. “No greater love has one than this: that he lay his life down for his friend.” But Jesus didn’t just serve His disciples once on the crossHe was serving and demonstrating His love for them over and over again. Many times we think we will serve God and others with these huge actions, but it is important we serve others in the little things as well. Jesus loved his disciples until the end…in both the small things and the little things. At this time, Jesus had not yet gone to the cross, but John knew he was loved by Jesus. You could almost say that the little acts of service prepared Jesus to step into the big acts of service. 

3. Jesus served imperfect people

It must be said…the disciples weren't perfect! Nathanael questioned where Jesus came from,  James & John fought for power, Peter rebuked Jesus, the disciples rebuked the little children and would continually not understand Jesus’s teaching, and Judas was a betrayer! These guys weren’t perfect, BUT Jesus had loved them in their everyday life and served them anyway. If we want to serve like Jesus, we need to be consistently showing love by serving imperfect people—not only those who deserve it. 

4. Jesus served when it was uncomfortable. 

Serving Jesus can be a lot of fun and very rewarding, but other times it can just be hard. Washing feet was a degrading job and not a fun thing to do. In their culture, seeing the bottom of people’s feet was offensive and the job of washing feet was saved for only the lowest of servants. I am sure that raising the dead or healing was very fun, feeding the five thousand people with a few loaves of bread was fun, BUT not all of that Jesus did was fun. He didn't serve for the fun experience but rather to obey and love the Father. This required Him being uncomfortable at times and doing hard things that didn't just please Him.

5. Jesus served with initiative

Jesus washing His disciples’ feet shows us that He saw a need and did something about it. Jesus and the disciples didn’t have any servants to wash their feet, and their feet were dirty. This is refreshing because most people see a problem and just complain. But I have found that if we see a need, it is probably because God wants us to do something about it! We are gifted in a certain way to identify certain needs and serve others in that way. What needs do you see in your family? Your community? Your church? Can you do anything about it? What can you do about it? How can you serve?

6. Jesus served with humility

The text tells us that Jesus knowing His identity allowed Him to serve others.  “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God…” Jesus knew that His identity wasn’t in what He did but whose He was. This enabled Him to humble Himself and serve His disciples because He was concerned with pleasing God over man. He was able to do this because He already recognized that He was God’s servant! If God wanted Him to serve people, it was the best thing for Him. Humility is having a right recognition of one’s self, and if we truly realize we are servants of God Almighty, it will help us serve others. I have found that when I am walking in humility before God, experiencing and receiving God’s love and grace, it helps me to serve others! And ministry becomes more enjoyable because I am doing it for God and not others. 

7. Jesus served to set an example

Jesus wanted the disciples to know what just happened…He wanted them to follow His ways! He told them, “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” Jesus commanded his disciples to do the same as he had done. I love that Jesus not only gives us words to live by, but lived those same words out so we can see them. He doesn’t leave us in the dark to figure it all out, but He lived His life openly for us to see and understand what it looks like to serve. When we serve as Jesus serves, many people will be able to follow our example as well. 

Remember, Jesus not only gave us a great example of how to serve, but He enables us to serve others by the power of His Spirit. So, may we walk in the ways of Jesus and apply these lessons of serving to our own life! When we do, we will be blessed just as Jesus told His disciples in verse 17: “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them!” 

What Does It Mean To "Serve The Body" by Laura Williams

As a believer in Jesus, His follower, and a child of God, I find myself wanting to know Jesus more deeply every day. I want to understand His heart. I want to see the people around me as He sees them. And I want to see God’s hand working in and through my life! If you are a lover of Jesus, you know what I’m talking about. We all want more. And as His child, I want to share with you one of the most wonderful lessons I have learned about knowing God more deeply and seeing Him working in and through me. 

It starts with understanding His Church, His Body.

If you are a new Christian, you may have heard someone refer to the people in the church as “the body.” We talk about ways to serve “the body” or bless “the body.” In fact, using this terminology so frequently may cause us to forget its significance even to those of us who have been a part of the church for a long time! Do you know why we use this term? Why don’t we just say “serve the church” or “bless one another?” 

I want to share what brought this to life for me and has radically changed why and how I serve.

The Apostle Paul in Romans 12, goes to great lengths discussing our relationships to one another as members of “one body.” The point being we are all different, valuable, necessary, and designed to work together! Romans 12 is a wonderful encouragement that no matter what gifts you have or do not have, God designed you to be a special part of the church you are in. You are designed to contribute, to give of yourself, to use your gifts, to love and suffer and live life as a part of a family. A body. You are not alone. And what you do or don’t do for others has a tremendous impact on other people.

We serve one another in so many ways. When we do, we see our relationships with each other grow deeper. The closest friends in my life even from many years ago are still those built during times serving with each other. It’s amazing the way Jesus uses our simplest times—like making coffee together before an event, planning a game night, or even time praying for each other’s needs—He uses each of these for OUR good! Just as Romans 8:28 says, He works ALL THINGS for the good of those who love Him. Even our simple or small acts of service wind up being a blessing to us.

And here is the greatest thing. 

As we serve the “body,” we are in fact serving the BODY OF JESUS. It is Jesus Himself we are serving! Can you grasp that along with me? When I serve those around me, I serve Jesus Himself. When I bring a meal to someone in need, I bless my savior. It is all worship to Him! Using the term “the body” has become so meaningful to me since I connected that term back to Jesus Himself. Maybe you’re thinking that this is obvious—well, for me, it changed my heart and my inward attitude toward serving.

Colossians 1:18 says: “He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”

Jesus Himself demonstrated this beautiful truth—that we are designed to worship God in everything we do! Singing songs of praise, yes! But also by living in a way that puts others before ourselves. Jesus said, “…the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many people.”

I want to be more like Jesus! I want to see His power at work in me. I want to worship Him in every way I can, and to see His Church as His Body. And I want to see how God will use all these things for my good and teach me more and more simple truths as I do.

Whether you are a brand new Christian or have known Jesus for many years, I want to encourage you to serve others with this understanding! Whether it is serving guests in your home, teaching children about Jesus, helping with set-up or tear-down on a Sunday, or simply reaching out of your comfort zone to start up a conversation to help someone else feel comfortable—God will show His power and His presence to you in those moments. 

If you are wanting to see more of God presence in YOUR life, see what happens when you begin to serve others as though you are serving Jesus Himself! 

“And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Jesus Himself.” -Colossians 3:23-24

Serve Sunday | An Interview with Ronnie

Keeping A Team Mentality by Travis Sinks

"None of us are as smart as all of us.” -Pastor Daniel Williams

The reality is that we, as individuals can accomplish a lot on our own… But we’ll never be able to accomplish alone what can only be done with all of us together.

"Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.” Genesis 11:6

"Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” Psalm 133:1

Even in scripture, we learn how importance teamwork, but it can be so difficult to obtain. At Redemption Church, we strive to keep teamwork a priority and making sure that we’re emphasizing the body of Christ in all of its diversity of gifts, and personalities. Here are three things we keep as a priority in order to bring about a team mentality:

Share a vision, not a task list

Yes, tasks will be shared, but what is most important is for all of us to be centered around a common vision and goal. This is why we emphasize our mission statement so much: To Pursue and Proclaim Jesus. We want everything we do to emphasize these two points.

Play everyone's strengths

What makes teams so difficult is that everyone is different, but this can also be our greatest strength. It’s amazing that we are not only good at different things, but how some people can absolutely love doing what others would never do. Learning these things is crucial to our success as a group. Jesus has gifted each of us differently, and made us to enjoy different parts of the work that goes towards the same vision. We want everyone to be able to not only work well together, but to thrive in the place God has made them to be in His Church.

Delegate everything you can

This one has been, and always will be the thing most struggle with. Handing over important tasks, projects, and especially management is extremely difficult. The reality is that the biggest bottle neck most teams will face is their leader. The best advice I’ve ever heard is that if someone can do something 60% as well as you then you should have them do it instead. This may seem easy, but you realize very quickly that 60% is a very far way from 100%. Nonetheless, teaching others and delegating areas of responsibility (and truly letting them take it over without you micromanaging them) is the only way to utilize a team well and will encourage everyone to take part and work as a team rather than a one man show with many helpers.

In order for us to function well as a church, we need to all be aware of what keeps a team running smoothly. Let’s continue to pursue a great vision together, to encourage each other in our unique gifting, and to continue to include others in the work so that Jesus may continue to be even more glorified in not only in the work accomplished, but in the love and service we have towards one another.