Wowed By His Servanthood

Today is Palm Sunday, a day in which we remember the Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, initiating the events of Holy Week. With the morning sun filling the sanctuary Pastor Brad welcomed us with these words, "We worship a living Savior," followed by remarks that would lay the groundwork for today's message pertaining to the manner in which Jesus came to us.

Announcements included the following:
1.) There will be an art show on April 29th with everyone invited to contribute. Think outside the box. It could be something sewed, built, canned, carved, knitted or remodeled. This is not the time for modesty. Bring something to share.
2.) There will be no Adventure Club this week.
3.) Thursday at 6:30 everyone is invited to the church to watch The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It's a powerful story based on the classic C.S.Lewis series. Because the film is PG, we're seeking a few volunteers to help in the nursery.
4.) Friday evening we will gather for a special Good Friday service beginning at 7:00 pm.
5.) Because of the activities here, the Women's Bible Study will next meet Saturday morning on May 2 starting at 9:00 a.m. Joanne stated that there will be two sessions that weekend, the first being a make-up session.
6.) Bob noted that the building committee will Thursday after Easter.
7.) Next Sunday is Easter. There will be an Easter breakfast at 9:00 a.m. followed by an Easter Egg Hunt at 9:30.

The quartet led us in worship this morning. During the processional hymn "Hosanna, Loud Hosannas" the children waved palm branches and marched to the front of the sanctuary to lay them down in commemoration of Jesus' glorious entrance into Jerusalem.

The Scripture readings this morning were from Isaiah 50:4-9a, Phil. 2:5-11, and Luke 19:28-40.

Wowed By His Servanthood

Today's message was based on the passage in John 13:1-17 where Jesus washes the feet of his disciples. Jesus knows He has but 72 hours to live. He knows Judas will betray Him. And He also knows, fully understands, that all power is His.

Brad backtracked to his Transfiguration sermon in which Peter, James and John were on the mountain with Jesus in Luke 9. They saw Him transfigured, saw the glory of God and suggested that this mountaintop would be a good place to stay. Peter didn't know, of course, what he was saying. The true glory is not found in the show of power. Rather, as exemplified in John 13, true glory is revealed in serving others.

Our natural tendency is to want power and recognition. We're enamored with things that are bigger, better, more amazing. Doing a flip on a snowmobile isn't enough. Now it takes a double-flip to wow us.

In the same way, we want our God to be big, to be all-powerful, all-knowing. Even terrifying. We like these attributes of God.

Ultimately, the mystery of who God is is more subtly grasped when we see God as servant. God's humility, His desire to serve us.

We'll never understand the cross without understanding this. God came not as a king or tycoon, but as a carpenter. He rode into Jerusalem on a colt. He came as a servant.

I've had people say to me, "how can you call God a servant? That's blasphemy. That's like a heresy. He's the one on the throne and we should be serving Him."

But what do you call someone who creates you with needs that only He can meet? What do you call someone who will come to you at any time, day or night, at your beck and call? What do you call someone who, no matter how much you've alienated yourself from Him, no matter how much you've betrayed Him, no matter how much you've hurt or wounded Him, no matter how much you've ignored Him, who you honestly and sincerely cry out to Him will come in that instant to meet your deepest needs? What do you call someone who says: don't worry about your clothes, because I clothed the flowers so I'll take care of your clothes.

I don't know what else you'd call someone who's there for everything you need that really matters -- if you'll simply depend on Him -- but a servant.

What's astonishing about God is how He radically alters the entire value system of humanity.

In Philippians 2 we see this picture of God as he comes into the world. Beginning in verse three:

3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When Jesus Christ came into the world in an act of servanthood and humility, it was not a stretch for God. God didn't have to alter His nature or His character or His essence. Serving was comfortable for God. God's action was service, His motivation love, His virtue humility.

For this reason we are most like God when we serve.

What we need to grab hold of is that when we serve others, when we begin to lay our lives aside, we will be blessed.

Note how Jesus washed the disciples' feet. He did not make a big announcement. He just put on the towel. Nor was His service at arm's length. He was engaged and directly involved.

Brad told an anecdote here about a businessman who went away to Europe only to return and find his business being badly managed. There were broken windows. The grass was unmowed. When he walked inside, they were all sitting around playing Uno. Yet they were proud of themselves for having memorized the memos.

The point was obvious. God's desire is for His people to live the truths of Scripture, not simply memorize them.

Serving is not something we do to earn points with God. Rather, our service is in response to God's act of servanthood having touched us, re-orienting us to others' needs and not simply our own.

Jesus invites us not to be served, but to serve... and thereby know His fullness.

A celebration of the sacrament of communion followed.

The True Character of God

It was another excellent service here at New Life Covenant, especially with the bright sun flooding into the sanctuary. Pastor Brad began by expressing gratitude for being able to be here, followed by comments about what we're about. "We're trying to help people take steps toward God," he said. His theme for today's message took its seed impetus from a Nightline program he watched this past week dealing with the question "Does Satan exist?"

Announcements, which preceded the worship time led by Chuck and Darlene, included the following...
1. There will be a 9:00 a.m. breakfast served at the church Easter morning, followed by a 9:30 Easter egg hunt. Next Saturday morning anyone interested can join us at the church to stuff eggs.
2. Holy Week begins next week as we celebrate Palm Sunday. A Good Friday service will be held in the evening at 7:00 p.m. Last year's Good Friday service was especially meaningful for those who were here.
3. If you did not get your photos taken for the new church directory, please call Norm Livgard to be included in the final photo shoot a week after Easter.

Today's Scripture readings were from Jeremiah 31:31-34 and John 12:30-33. After the offering and a time of prayer we listened to the sermon.

The True Character of God

Brad began by asking how many people saw the Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ. There is a scene in which Jesus, as depicted in the film, crushes the head of a snake with His heel. It is a powerful image, and Brad said it made him want to cheer, not because he hates snakes (which he does) but because of the Biblical symbolism. Mel Gibson had done his homework.

This week on Nightline there was a faceoff regarding the existence of Satan. Pastor Brad asserted unequivocally, "I believe Satan is real and that evil is real."

From the very beginning we see the existence of evil as the enemy of our souls in the form of a serpent appears in the Garden of Eden. The snake is successful in deceiving Adam and Eve, causing evil to enter the world. But right from the start God had a redemption plan, as stated in Genesis 3:15... "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Those who saw the film might have found one of the images somewhat incongruous or disturbing. There was a person carrying a baby in the crowd watching Jesus at one point, but when the camera went in for the closeup the "baby" looked like an 80-year old man. When Gibson was asked about this image, he said that he wanted to portray evil as something that from a distance appears attractive, but upon closer investigation one sees that something is seriously wrong.

Jesus had a lot to say about the evil one. He called him a liar. He called him the father of all lies, as well as the prince of darkness. Jesus also called him a thief who came to steal our souls and destroy our lives.

And Jesus knew these things first hand. In point of fact, Jesus Himself was tempted by this dark tempter. Though tempted in every way, He did not sin. His character was flawless.

Brad turned to the beginning of our Lord's ministry in which John the Baptist, forerunner of the Messiah, encounters the Christ. John is baptizing at the Jordan when he sees Jesus and declares, "Behold the Lamb of God." Upon baptizing Jesus the Spirit descended upon Him like a dove and a voice from heaven declared, "This is my Son, whom I love, with whom I am well pleased."

From here Jesus went into the desert to fast for forty days. And guess who came slithering into the wilderness to join Him? Yes, if Satan could succeed in tempting Jesus to sin here, there would be no cross. "I believe Satan didn't want Jesus anywhere near the cross."

There were three primary assaults. The first came in this manner, after the Lord must have been exceedingly hungry. "Just think... you can turn these stones into bread."

Jesus refused. He would not indulge His appetites for Himself because there was something deeper going on.

Brad noted that there is a differentiation between temptation and sin. Temptation is not sin. The sin is in giving in to it.

It says in Luke's account that after Jesus resisted Satan, the enemy left Him for a more opportune time. When do you think this was? Brad said, "I think it was the next day. Day after day we battle temptation. Life is a daily, lifelong journey and a daily struggle. Jesus shared this same daily struggle."

Temptations will not go away till the day we die. They can come when we're on top feeling strong or when it seems we have bottomed out.

Brad noted that the "Battle of the Bottle" has grown during our bad economy. Many of those being laid off or going through hardship due to economic struggles are turning to drugs and alcohol.

Satan's second temptation of Jesus in the wilderness pertained to our human lust for power.

5The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7So if you worship me, it will all be yours."
8Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'" ~Luke 4:5-8

In essence, Satan says, "Check out this view from the mountaintop. You can rule the world." There's a catch, of course. "Just bow down and worship me."

The third temptation, Luke 4:9-10. runs this way. "Let me show you how to get a crowd. Let's go to the temple. It's Holy Week, so there's lots of people in town. You do a swan dive from the top. The angels will catch you, so there's nothing to worry about." Satan encourages Jesus to play the crowd, to get His name in lights.

Citing Scripture Jesus replies, "Don't put the Lord your God to the test."

Jesus knew that He was not sent simply to wow the people. Or to be simply a good example or wise teacher. Jesus came for one purpose: to go to the Cross on our behalf. To free us from our sin,the barrier that keeps us from God.

Never forget that Jesus was born to die for our souls. The reality is, Jesus couldn't get your face out of His mind.

From the beginning, God's plan of redemption was dependent on a sinless human person who would die, a spotless lamp. For this reason, Jesus had to remain unblemished in order to accomplish this ultimate aim.

Scripture says that at a certain point Jesus set His face like a flint toward Jerusalem. He would not be detoured. In the end he made His ultimate commitment.

As for the initial discussion, and the questions.. Yes, Satan is real, but I want to talk about Jesus.

Is Satan real?