Sermon for March 16, 2008

Palm Sunday

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.”

       I have made an interesting  discovery whenever I have asked children or high school students what they want to be when they grow up! NO ONE HAS EVER SAID,  “I WANT TO BE A SERVANT!” The example of Jesus being a servant and of being humble is not VERY ATTRACTIVE  among most people.  Taking the nature of a servant has never been a popular choice, especially as a career.
       I was reading the story of someone known as the “SHOESHINE KING- James Cole of Chicago, Illinois!”  He was quoted in the story as saying, “PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO SHINE SHOES NO MORE.  YOU DON’T FIND THAT MANY KIDS WHO WANT TO SHINE SHOES FOR A LIVING.”  THEY DON’T BELIEVE IN IT AND LOOK AT IT AS SOMETHING  BENEATH THEM.”
       Despite the stigma and opinion of many people about the  job, Mr. Cole’s son, Jameson, plans to take over the family business of shining shoes.  And why does he want this job?  HE ENJOYS THE ROLE OF BEING A SERVANT.  He says, “A lot of people look down on it, but it isn’t what you do, it’s how you do it (it’s your attitude as a servant that makes the difference- because whether you realize it or not- WE ARE ALL SERVANTS TO SOMETHING OR FOR SOMEONE). 
       My  dad has been an excellent example of being a  joyful servant to the people whose shoes he shines and has had a POWERFUL  impact on their life and on my life as well.  Taking the nature of a servant is rarely profitable in the world’s judgment and is rarely popular, but it is what Jesus asks of us and I am glad to do it for Him and for my family!  I want to be a Powerful servant just like Jesus and my dad are to me!”  Most people would say- “THAT’S NOT NORMAL- WHY IS HE DOING THIS?”
       How many more people are on the other side of the fence and WANT TO BE SERVED BY OTHER PEOPLE, INSTEAD OF SERVING OTHERS. The world and our society identify greatness and power by how many people serve you.  God’s Word  identifies greatness and power by how many people we serve as we live out our Christian faith!  Jesus says, “I CAME TO SERVE AND NOT TO BE SERVED.  WHOEVER WANTS TO BECOME GREAT AMONG YOU MUST BE YOUR SERVANT!” 
       Jesus entire life can be summarized in the words, “JESUS CAME TO SERVE US IN OUR NEEDS” and Holy Week and today on Palm Sunday we see a clear and memorable picture of Jesus as a “POWERFUL SERVANT” who came to serve us and all people by dying on the cross to pay for our sins and who  continues to serve us today in God’s Word with His love and the forgiveness of our sins!  Jesus came to serve as the Savior of the World so that we might receive and experience God’s all-surpassing love in person.  In response to God’s love in Jesus Christ we can then serve with joy and love in our relationship with God and with each other-making sacrifices for the sake of others and especially for Jesus Christ!
       There was a movie a while back that showed a person willing to make sacrifices to accomplish His purpose and for the sake of others.  The movie, RUDY, tells the story of a young man who attempts to live out a life-long dream to play football for the University of Notre Dame.  Rudy is driven to attempt his goal following the death of a friend in an accident at a steel mill where they both had worked following graduation.
       After gaining entry to Notre Dame, Rudy tries out for the football team with everyone saying that he would never make the team because he was too small and too slow and would never play in a game.  Rudy tirelessly and courageously serves on the practice team which would run the opponent’s plays in practice to help the first team get ready for the game.
       His teammate’s appreciated Rudy’s selfless sacrifice for the team and their feelings were revealed when prior to the final game in Rudy’s Senior year every player including the stars and All American football players offered his spot on the game roster to Rudy so that he could “dress out” for one home game and thus be given the recognition of having played football for Notre Dame.  The film shows the scene where one by one his teammates offered their jerseys to the coach on behalf of the one who sacrificed so much for them and for their success on the field.  Rudy was a “POWERFUL SERVANT” who was carried off the field as the hero in the last game because of his sacrifice for the team.
       On this Palm Sunday we celebrate Jesus being a “POWERFUL SERVANT” as He enters into Jerusalem.  The people shout, “BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.”  The children wave palm branches, the people put their coats on the road like a red carpet and it would have been easy for Jesus to get a big head and think that the whole world revolved around Him being called the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!
       Instead Jesus, who was the most powerful man who ever lived here on earth because He was God became the humblest man to have ever lived on this earth, who showed His power and greatness by serving others.  Jesus  welcomed the leper, the blind man, the outcast.  He cradled little children in His arms.  He washes His disciples’ feet.  He kneels in the Garden of Gethsemane and prays, “FATHER, IF IT IS POSSIBLE, LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME.  NEVERTHELESS, NOT MY WILL BUT YOUR  WILL BE DONE!” (Mark 14: 36).
       That is why more than a billion people on this planet worship Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of the World.  The GREATEST  of all became the SERVANT of all, just as He told His followers, “HE WHO WOULD BE THE GREATEST AMONG YOU MUST BE THE SERVANT OF ALL!”
       Being a POWERFUL SERVANT means being strong in Jesus Christ.  When Jesus told His followers to humble themselves and be a servant, He was not telling them to become weak and spineless and wimps or being a coward.  Only a strong and powerful person gives their life for something great and noble and something lasting.        
       Even more importantly, being a “POWERFUL SERVANT” means a Call to SACRIFICE!  It is call to serve others- not for yourself and for your own gain, but for the gain and benefit of others.  When a WEAK person answers the call to service and to sacrifice in life, there are often many different reasons given.  Perhaps it was the pressure of the crowd.  Maybe it was a situational thing and they felt they didn’t have any choice.  Maybe it was less stressful for the weak person to say yes rather than no and then do the job with a negative attitude and spirit.
       But when a PERSON STRONG IN THEIR Christian faith  and understands “SACRIFICE AND SERVICE” when living out their Christian faith says to JESUS, “JESUS, HERE IS MY LIFE.  TAKE IT AND USE IT AS YOU WOULD- WE KNOW THAT GOD WILL BLESS THEM AND OTHERS IN A SPECIAL WAY!
       I read a story about a  strange looking man who moved into a neighborhood.  The man had a disfigured hand and a lame leg.  His physical appearance caused quite a stir among the neighborhood children and people.  They came up with all kinds of stories about how he had injured his hand and leg.  They tried to avoid talking to or being near the man whenever he was outside.
       One day the lame man came by the houses and asked the parents if he could spend some time with the children of the neighborhood at his house because he had something he wanted to show them.  The parents agreed after talking with the man and the children went over to the house.
       The children  squeezed through the door ready to run away in case anything weird happened as their imaginations ran wild.  Instead, the man brought out some glossy photos of a dashing young Navy pilot posing in front of a shiny jet.  He told them the story of his Navy Career as a pilot and how it was cut short by a horrible crash landing during a storm.
       From that day on, the neighborhood children treated this man like a hero.  They brought their friends to see him and they never got tired of hearing his stories.  As the children said, “THE WOUNDS AND INJURIES WE ONCE MADE FUN OF AND AVOIDED TOOK ON AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MEANING ONCE WE UNDERSTOOD THE STORY BEHIND THE SCARS.”  They were the scars of a strong man who had made a heroic sacrifice for the benefit of others.  It brings to mind the  same kind of sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the cross of Calvary for you and for me and for the whole world!
       Today, in our worship service, Christ is looking for people who will live strong, sacrificial lives IN A ME-FIRST WORLD, to become, “POWERFUL SERVANTS” in the name of Jesus  and through the power of the Holy Spirit working in their lives. God will provide the opportunities and resources necessary to accomplish His purpose for people to experience God’s love in Jesus Christ in a personal way by what we say and by what we do!  That is why Jesus Christ, made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, who was willing to die on the cross and sacrifice Himself for us so that we can live forever with Him in Heaven!