The Thursday After

We are in week 3 of looking at what Christ’s body (the church) is designed to be. So far we have done “gather”, “go” and today its “serve”.

What do you think of with the word “serve”. Does it bring to mind a restaurant, Downton Abbey’s servants, or maybe “serving your country”, or jury duty, or maybe a tennis game? Does “serving” make you think of President Kennedy’s famous line from his inauguration address “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. [As an aside, the last line of the speech is: “but knowing that here on earth, God’s work must truly be our own”.]

The early church communities described in Acts were made up of people who served each other, and those in need. Sometimes this was radical: when in community, the master and the slaves of a household were equals. That would be something to wrap your head around. Serving people regardless of status certainly was radical, and this alone caused people to take notice and inquire.

It seems like there are 3 reasons to “serve”.

First, if you believe this is God’s world and he’s got a mission, then it only makes sense that what he’s up to is far more important, more valuable, more impactful than anything we might strive for. Serving on his mission seems the right choice. And he promises that since this is what we are made for, serving on his mission will be way more fulfilling that anything we might come up with.

Second, he’s given us collectively and individually “gifts” for us to use and exploit. This is the point of the parable of the three servants (Matthew 25:14-30). It sure seems confusing that a “talent” is a unit of money because its hard to get the other “talent” out of my head when I read it in many English versions. But Jesus main point seems to be: I’ve given you lots, and I expect you to invest and make a return. I’ve been close to a few investment opportunities where people gave money to be invested but the money ended up being used for personal gain. Wow were people angry.

Note the rewards. The first two servants don’t get a commission. They get more responsibility! And they get to celebrate with the master (the Message says they are invited to be partners with the Master) Apparently, the rewards Jesus has in mind are something very different than what me might think is good for us. I’ve wondered, for example, about the apostle Paul. He’s shared some of his end of life thinking with us. If I could have dinner with old Paul, I would ask him if he wished he could have had a different quiet life, maybe a little place close to the lake, some walks and quiet reading. Would he have chosen that other life? Or did he think that “partnering with Jesus” was the best?

So reason two is because this is what the boss or master wants us to do with what he has given us, and it is rewarding.

The third reason is from the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus describes a great country (“the kingdom of heaven”) to live in. The people are forgiven, kind and generous. They care and serve and are happy. Yes, being served is wonderful, but there is something wonderfully mysterious about serving. From personal experience I know that more often than not, serving results in gifts, experiences and learnings I could not have orchestrated. It seems that if you seek first his kingdom, lots of things get added to you.

I have heard passionate words spoken to have people serve for the success of a plan, an organization or a church.

God is very passionate about loving us. The biblical writers are often passionate about calling us to God, but it all feels very different than clever passionate words, or recruitment posters. These are very different than the reasons God wants us to serve. God is on a mission, and he doesn’t need my serving effort to succeed (as opposed to WW I). He invites me to be part of it, in pretty incredible ways. “I no longer call you servants, but friends” because I’ve shared everything with you (John 15:15). Frankly, I like being on the winning team – it sounds like fun. But if I don’t help, he’ll get it done another way — this is the whole arc of the biblical narrative.

Its interesting that “serve” is a practice. Its something you do. Its more than idea, or a belief, or something you affirm. Somehow this practice is to be balanced with The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry – meaning we can’t just add another activity of “serving” to our life. So I guess serving becomes a priority where we don’t do something else. The parable doesn’t say so, but the servant who buried his silver didn’t have to figure out where to focus his time. And it must be possible, Jesus never hurried.

As they say in tennis, “your serve”.