From Selfish To Selfless
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32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door.
How many people came to see Him? All who were sick and possessed, the whole city gathered at the door. As His popularity grew, so did the number of people who sought Him.
And that’s not always a good thing. More people doesn’t necessarily mean greater success. Alot of times, it just means that you have something that others want to take advantage of and utilize for their own purposes. Do you know people like that? We all do. We are surrounded by people who do what they do for selfish reasons.
10% do 90% of the work.
Are we serving selfishly or are we selflessly serving?
34 Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
How many people came to see Him? All who were sick and possessed, the whole city gathered at the door. As His popularity grew, so did the number of people who sought Him.
Jesus healed many, different diseases and ailments, He healed without prejudice. This is beautiful to me and it should be to you as well, because it means that He can heal you. Regardless of what you suffer from, Jesus does not have the cure, He is the cure!
Jesus healed many, different diseases and ailments, He healed without prejudice. This is beautiful to me and it should be to you as well, because it means that He can heal you. Regardless of what you suffer from, Jesus does not have the cure, He is the cure!
Gospel
And again, He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him. His power and influence in our lives comes from God and God alone. Nothing or no one else can take any credit for who He is.
35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
Jesus retreats for some time alone with His Father. Seeking solitude for prayer in a place that represents God's replenishment, the wilderness. This also shows us that Jesus was not working independently of His own will and strength, but relied on His Father for authority, strength and power.
If you are not spending time alone with God on a daily basis, I would encourage you to make that a part of your day. Jesus did it, we should too!
36 And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. 37 When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”
Jesus retreats for some time alone with His Father. Seeking solitude for prayer in a place that represents God's replenishment, the wilderness. This also shows us that Jesus was not working independently of His own will and strength, but relied on His Father for authority, strength and power.
36 And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.
Why were His followers looking for Him?
Because everyone was looking for Jesus. Why?
The people were looking for Him because of what He could do for them rather than what they could for Him. His followers were looking for Him because of the popularity that called for His attention. "Jesus, your fans are looking for you!" "Jesus, you are needed for another performance!"
I'm sure these men were proud to be with Jesus in their home town. It made them look good and it feels good to have people notice you and respect you pay attention to you.
They were selfishly serving.
Also for us, we would love for Bellview Baptist to be a known name in this city. For these pews to be full of people and to have the popularity and recognition that comes with doing great things for the Kingdom of Heaven. It would feel great wouldn't it?
The same at your job, at your school, at home with family.
But, I doubt this is what Jesus had in mind when He asked us to follow Him. Yes, He wants to bless us and will add to His numbers as He sees fit, but it’s not about our fame and popularity, it’s about His Kingdom.
It just goes to show, that even when we have the best of intentions to follow and glorify Christ, we may be doing more damage than good when our focus is on the wrong things. And we make being a disciple of Christ about us instead of about Him.
Are we serving selfishly or selflessly serving?
Jesus asks for our surrender to Him! This means that as Christians, our lives are to exist for Him, not the other way around. Yes, He wants good for us, and yes, He will bless us beyond what we can imagine, but we must approach Him as servants, not as masters.
35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
When our focus is on ourselves and what we want and what we can get from Him rather than what we can do for Him, then we are missing what it means to follow Him.
Let’s look at His response to the requests from His followers as well as from the crowds.
38 But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”
39 And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.
38 But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”
38 But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”
39 And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.
Jesus ignores theirs requests and continues His journey, mission, and purpose to spread the truth of the gospel to all people.
Jesus dismisses theirs requests and continues His journey, mission, and purpose to spread the truth of the gospel to all people.
Jesus ignores theirs requests and continues His journey, mission, and purpose to spread the truth of the gospel to all people.
He isn't interested in the fleeting praise of the crowds, He is interested in doing the will of His Father. That is the reason He came, and that is the reason for Him withdrawing into prayer, to prepare Himself for the mission of bring salvation to the world.
39 And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.
This was a lesson to the men He had called to follow Him, and it is a lesson for you and I today.
The gospel of Christ cannot be static, it can't stand still. We see it here and we will continue to see it as we go through this series. Jesus continued to move from one place to another. He wasn't distracted from His purpose by anything: trials, success, opposition, or support.
He did not chase popularity or crowds, but continued in what He had come to accomplish.
The Point
Whether you are here today and don’t have a relationship with Christ or you are here as a follower of Jesus, you have to know, understand and be clear on this! Becoming a follower of Christ means accepting Jesus' demands unconditionally. All of them! It's not a part time job, or volunteering on your own terms and based on your convenience. You must be prepared to leave EVERYTHING behind to follow Him!
We have to live our lives based on what we can do for Him, not what He can do for us.
I think if Jesus came today in person, many of us would not follow Him, because we wouldn't be willing to let go of our own selfishness.
I can't go today Jesus, I'm too busy.
Theres a sports game on tv.
I'm too tired.
My favorite: I have to go to church.
We have been given the opportunity of a lifetime, to possess the most valuable treasure there ever was or ever will be. But the price is high, we must sell everything we own in order to posses it.
Jesus didn't call you to sit through seminars and training classes, He didn't call you to become a biblical scholar, He didn't call you to master theoretical ideas.....
He called you to follow Him.
This doesn't mean that these things aren't important. Jesus rebukes people more than once for not knowing Scripture. But here is the problem that most Christians have:
Some spend a lifetime in study, acquiring knowledge but never applying it to their lives,
Others rush into action without any biblical reflection or foundation.
As important as it is for us to study and learn, we are not called to a program of self development, we are called to serve.
Some will not serve if the circumstances aren’t acceptable to them.
This is the first chapter of the book of Mark. So far, we have asked the questions:
Music, preaching, programs, titles
I’m sorry, i thought we were worshipping God, not ourselves! Some people risk their lives just be alone in a room with a bible in their hands, and we act like we are entitled to God on our terms. We have to get real and get over ourselves.
This is the first chapter of the book of Mark. So far, we have asked the questions:
Are You Prepared?
Is It Personal?
Will You Let Go?
Are You Going Through The Motions?
Will You Go Into The Darkness?
Let Us Go!
Over the next few weeks and months, we will be challenging ourselves to do just that, Go.
As a church, we will be walking through the process of reaching the lost together. The lost in our families, neighborhoods, workplaces, schools. Reaching the people that only we can reach.
We will unfold what that looks like in the next few weeks, but the truth is, no one will invite anyone to their church if they are not excited about what is going in their church.
You will never be excited about what is happening in your church until you are excited about Jesus.
Ask yourself the question this morning:
Am I serving selfishly or am I selflessly serving?
Am I serving selfishly or am I selflessly serving?
Music, preaching, programs, titles
I’m sorry, i thought we were worshipping God, not ourselves! Some people risk their lives just be alone in a room with a bible in their hands, and we act like we are entitled to God on our terms.
For some of you in here this morning, the question will be:
Am I serving at all?
Jesus is the cure for whatever you are suffering with and He has the authority to cast it out of your life....but you have to ask Him, and you have to be willing to pay the price of surrender.
Invitation