Salome, The Mother of John & James

Mother’s Knows Best?

Aimee is a mother who wants what is best for her children but she was only able to give them her best after she encountered the Lord

Because of selfless workers in the ministry, Aimee was served and now she’s serving..

Because of people who are willing to pass on the love of God, Aimee was loved and now she’s passing on that love to others..

What a very beautiful cycle of life offered for God’s purpose

How many of you here had felt the love of God through another believer?

By the quick raising of hands, how many of you have experienced being served by another believer?

And how many of you here are now willing to serve?

Let’s pick it up from where we left off last Sunday

We heard from the life of Eunice, that Timothy’s love for God grows deeper with the help of his mother

He received from his mother a love for the Scriptures, a genuine faith and a desire to serve others

BREATHE!

Today we’ll get into the life of another mother who wants only what is best for her sons

BREATHE!

by the way, before that, Today we also celebrate the day of the Pentecost

Pentecost is the 50th day after the passover

It is a Jewish festival to celebrate their harvest and give their firstfruits

It was observed from the time Israel was liberated from slavery in Egypt

But in 31 AD, the year when the Lord died and resurrected during passover, something very spectacular had happened on the day of the Pentecost

The advocate promised by Jesus, who is the Holy Spirit came upon His disciples and dwelt among them

This promised was fulfilled 10 days after His ascension to heaven

And on that day, the church begun after the monumental preaching of Peter calling every people, from every nation, culture and language to repent

BREATHE!

After Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit, He predicted His death a third time

Before predicting His own death for the 3rd time, He told His disciples the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16)

He told them this parable so that they may understand things about the kingdom of heaven

That in heaven, it is the total opposite of how it is here on earth

That in heaven, the last will be first, and the first will be last

What does He mean by that?

Upon hearing this, our subject mother for today, her name is Salome, came to Jesus with her 2 sons James and John

Salome is the wife of Zebedee and believed to be the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus

That makes John and James first degree cousins of Jesus

And perhaps their affinity to Jesus is what gave this mother, Salome, the courage to come forth and make this request

Take a listen

Matthew 20:20–28 NIV

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 21 “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” 22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. 23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

What is the motive behind this mother’s request?

Selfless or Selfish?

Mothers wants what is best for her children

But Paul said

Philippians 2:3–4 NIV

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

And Jesus said to them… you don’t know what you’re asking for

He obviously sounded that what Salome is asking for comes with a great responsibility

Luke 12:47–48 NIV

47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Luke 12:48 NIV

48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

1 Peter 5:6 NIV

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

BREATHE!

Service To Church

This is a story about four people in the church whose names were Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

The church had financial responsibilities and Everybody was asked to help. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it. But you know who did it? Nobody. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Then the church grounds needed some work, and Somebody was asked to help. But Somebody got angry about that, because Anybody could have done it just as well and, after all, it was really Everybody’s job. In the end the work was given to Nobody, and Nobody did a fine job.

On and on this went. Whenever work was to be done, Nobody could always be counted on. Nobody visited the sick. Nobody gave liberally. Nobody shared his faith. In short, Nobody was a very faithful member.

Finally the day came when Somebody left the church and took Anybody and Everybody with him. Guess who was left. Nobody!

BREATHE!

Proverbs 29:18 AMP

18 Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]—blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he.

Share Agape’s Vision & Mission Statement

ARTICLE 3 of Amended Church By Laws

Our Vision:

“To Glorify God by building communities that are spiritually healthy, morally upright, physically fit, mentally alert, emotionally happy and financially stable. To share His love to the unchurched, unloved, uninspired, unmotivated and specially to the believers of Jesus Christ.”

OUR VISION, MISSION AND VALUES STATEMENT

“To Glorify God by building communities that are spiritually healthy, morally upright, physically fit, mentally alert, emotionally happy and financially stable. To share His love to the unchurched, unloved, uninspired, unmotivated and specially to the believers of Jesus Christ.”

Our Mission:

3.2 Our Mission:

“Making disciples to save the lost. Planting churches to share the gospel. Sending disciples do the same.”

In our church program entitled “SOW & REAP”

The “A” their stands for assimilate, it is a place where we can assimilate/integrate believers in a small community of Jesus’ followers where they can grow and serve together

We call these communities of Jesus’ followers as Life Groups

Acts 2:46–47 NIV

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

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BREATHE!

The “P” in the word REAP stands for proliferation, in other words multiplication of churches to start at homes where we can find a person of peace

Luke 10:5–7 NIV

5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

The vision that I received from the Lord is for Agape Church of Santiago to become a training center for missionaries

We can train couples that may be potential missionaries to popular OFW destinations

Just like Paul who was a tent maker, they can work to support themselves while Agape can assist them to start a Life Group that could potentially become a “House Church”

Why Couples?

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Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 5640 Artist Who Became Bishop

5640 Artist Who Became Bishop

Bishop Tucker of Uganda was an artist, but how did he become a bishop?

One day he was painting a picture of a poor woman thinly-clad and pressing a babe to her bosom, wandering homeless on a stormy night on the dark, deserted street.

As the picture grew, the artist suddenly threw down his brush, exclaiming, “Instead of merely painting the lost, I will go out and save them.” He went to Africa.

Jesus set Himself to be an example for us who proclaimed our decision to follow Him

He came not to be served, but to serve

Will you come forward today and do just as what Jesus did?

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Church, Service To

Church, Service to

This is a story about four people in the church whose names were Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

The church had financial responsibilities and Everybody was asked to help. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it. But you know who did it? Nobody. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Then the church grounds needed some work, and Somebody was asked to help. But Somebody got angry about that, because Anybody could have done it just as well and, after all, it was really Everybody’s job. In the end the work was given to Nobody, and Nobody did a fine job.

On and on this went. Whenever work was to be done, Nobody could always be counted on. Nobody visited the sick. Nobody gave liberally. Nobody shared his faith. In short, Nobody was a very faithful member.

Finally the day came when Somebody left the church and took Anybody and Everybody with him. Guess who was left. Nobody!

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Church, Service To

Church, Service to

This is a story about four people in the church whose names were Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

The church had financial responsibilities and Everybody was asked to help. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it. But you know who did it? Nobody. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Then the church grounds needed some work, and Somebody was asked to help. But Somebody got angry about that, because Anybody could have done it just as well and, after all, it was really Everybody’s job. In the end the work was given to Nobody, and Nobody did a fine job.

On and on this went. Whenever work was to be done, Nobody could always be counted on. Nobody visited the sick. Nobody gave liberally. Nobody shared his faith. In short, Nobody was a very faithful member.

Finally the day came when Somebody left the church and took Anybody and Everybody with him. Guess who was left. Nobody!

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 5640 Artist Who Became Bishop

5640 Artist Who Became Bishop

Bishop Tucker of Uganda was an artist, but how did he become a bishop?

One day he was painting a picture of a poor woman thinly-clad and pressing a babe to her bosom, wandering homeless on a stormy night on the dark, deserted street.

As the picture grew, the artist suddenly threw down his brush, exclaiming, “Instead of merely painting the lost, I will go out and save them.” He went to Africa.

Salome, The Mother of John & James

Opening

Text: A Mother’s Request

Serve and not to be Served

I must Do Nothing out of Selfish Ambition

My Service to God comes with a Great Responsibility

My Humility will make me Worthy

Challenge

Prayer