Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: the Key/secret to humble, Christlike service

Grudem’s ST

Text:

Grudem’s ST

Series: Spiritual Formation

Introduction:

Grudem’s ST

Opening Illustration:

Is it possible to genuinely love and serve others?

What is the secret to service that is motivated by genuine love?

Homeless Philadelphia man Johnny Bobbitt will get his $400G, GoFundMe says - Bobbitt was homeless and addicted to drugs in November when he gave his last $20 to Kate McClure, a stranded motorist on the side of the road in Philadelphia.

Why do I want this secret?

The most radically insecure people are those who are service with motives that are impure.

When we serve with anything less than this secret, it turns into slavery.

Even natural reasons like, "service that is motivated by the happiness of the recipient" can be slavery - good motive, but it is not the ultimate motive.It frees us to serve and be motivated by something that is unchanging.

Grudem’s ST

Is it possible to genuinely love and serve others?

Grudem’s ST

Is it possible to genuinely love and serve others?

What is the secret to service that is motivated by genuine love?

Why do I want this secret?

The most radically insecure people are those who are serve with motives that are impure.

When we serve with anything less than this secret, it turns into slavery.

Proposition:

Grudem’s ST

Even natural reasons like, "service that is motivated by the happiness of the recipient" can be slavery - good motive, but it is not the ultimate motive.

Grudem’s ST

It frees us to serve and be motivated by something that is unchanging.

Points:

Grudem’s ST

What is the passage saying?

The book is about proving Jesus to be the Son of God and those who believe this to be true have eternal life = know the Father

In these final hours of Jesus earthly life before the Cross (v.

1), the writer is going to show how Jesus loved his followers to the end.

How?

Jesus Christ, with the knowledge that (i) the time of fellowship has ended and that (ii) Satan's work is well under way (v.

2), by what He does washes the disciples feet.

This answers the question of how he loves them to the end.

Why is the passage saying this?

Love compels him, but what is the self-image or understanding that he has that allows him to have this kind of love-motivated, humbling service?

(1) Authority: He had a clear knowledge of his worth and authority

(2) Identity: He had a clear knowledge of his identity

(3) Destiny: He had a clear knowledge of his security & destiny

What is the principle?

More, how does all of this add to the thesis of the book?

How does this prove what John is attempting to and does prove?

Christ's ability to be so secure in the Father's love and to be so free to manifest this love in such a humble manner proves that He is God; because only God can do this.

Never has perfection stooped to such a level, because perfection only existed in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus was so FREELY secure in the love of His Father that his love could be manifested in this way with no concerns for the thoughts of others.

What does this mean?

It means that he was so confident in what He knew about his authority that all of the thoughts of those who would see him gird himself this way or of those who would see him naked upon a Cross did not rival what he knew to be true about Him and the Father.

Authoritatively, people could say he was merely a carpenter or a servant; but Jesus truly KNEW AND BELIEVED the truth.

Thus, he was free from the names, perceptions, thoughts of others.

It means that he was so secure and free in that he had come from the father that when they said he was born of fornication, it did not change his emotion or ability to lovingly and freely serve others.

It means that taking the role of a servant washing feet or hanging upon the cross as a curse did not cause him to wonder about his destiny because he was quite secure and free to serve irrespective of what others said, thought, or practiced towards him.

Why do we struggle with this principle?

What prevents us from this kind of love-motivated service?

At the core of our human nature, we are sinful people in need of washing.

We care deeply about the thoughts of people and the perceptions they have of us.

This shows how radically insecure we are regarding the Lord and our image before him.

We are not aware how controlled by the opinions of others we are.

We are not aware how controlled by our selfish appetites we really are.

Illustration:

World's worst date?

California man accused of dining and dashing multiple times:

Quote: Gospel Project Lesson Unit 1, Lesson 3

Essential Doctrine “Sin as Selfishness”: When we sin, we are acting out of a selfish attitude and mind-set that assumes our action will lead us to more happiness than if we were to obey God.

Because sin is manifested in our tendency to be “curved inward” toward self, it is the opposite of love.

Love looks outwardly to place others before oneself, operating from the mind-set that others are more important ().

Where sin selfishly seeks personal gratification and happiness, love works for the joy of others in the hopes of making others happy in God.

But the true fruit of selfish sin is unhappiness, hatred, worry, and despair, for both ourselves and those around us.

Our sin exposes our desperate need of salvation and our need of God’s grace.

How has Christ made this principle possible?

What must take place for us to have this kind of love-motivated service?

(1) This love-motivated service begins with a real relationship with the Father (the contrast and antithesis is seen in Judas)

Today, the antithesis is evident in those who are incomparably selfish, especially have spent time around and with Jesus.

This selfishness is characterized by:

- putting self before others

- pursuit of idols to the destruction of others

- desacralizing of the most sacred, intimate, meaningful moments

(2) This love-motivated service continues with a ripening relationship with the Father (continually growing to understand and believe more deeply):

- Authority (, , , ) [dignity and value]

Boa - "...our performance and acceptance by other people has nothing to do with our dignity and value."

- Identity (, )

- Destiny (, )

Boa - "When these truths begin to define our self-image, they make us secure enough to love and serve others without seeking our interests first."

Conclusion:

"Our identification with Christ leads to and is the basis for our imitation of Christ." - Boa

"Our identification with Christ leads to and is the basis for our imitation of Christ." - Boa

ILLUSTRATION 145

FORGIVING SIMON

Topics: Christlikeness; Grace; Imitation of Christ; Love; Mercy; Pardon; Reconciliation; Relationships

References: Matthew 5:43–48; 6:14–15; 18:21–35; Luke 6:27–36

Mandisa Hundley, a gospel singer, was one of the twelve finalists on American Idol.

When she met with judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson to find out if she had made it through to the next round of the competition, however, she got a stinging comment from Simon.

Eyeing Mandisa, who was heavyset, Simon asked, “Do we have a bigger stage this year?”

When she entered the room to learn the judges’ verdict, Mandisa looked right at Simon and said, “Simon, a lot of people want me to say a lot of things to you.

But this is what I want to say: Yes, you hurt me, and I cried, and it was painful.

But I want you to know that I’ve forgiven you, and that you don’t need someone to apologize to forgive somebody.

And I figure that if Jesus could die so that all of my wrongs could be forgiven, I can certainly extend that same grace to you.