Service that is Beyond You!

Photo by Maurice Odhiambo

John 13:1-17


Service. Not the most fun word out there. It usually means work, so why do it? why volunteer to serve others? Well, there is precedent for it- Jesus did it. I have a saying for all of my students, so I want to pass it along to those who may be reading this today, "If Jesus did it, we should too". In today's reading, we are going to look at the example Jesus set for us by serving others. The photo to the right is a picture taken by a friend of mine Maurice Odhiambo of Mana International Ministries - i want to encourage you all to check them out.  


In this passage, two levels of service are demonstrated: 


1) Jesus engages in ministry He loves. He engages in ministry that He was created for- teaching and preaching to others.  (This is found in the chapters surrounding John 13, so it doesn't say this is exactly. In fact, it doesn't say it anywhere in John 13, because He and those on His ministry team [a.k.a disciples] are taking a break from ministry to relax and eat together.)
2) Jesus serves the people He is working with. It's finally time for a break, and Jesus chooses to serve His team during His downtime. 


Look for ways to serve God using your greatest passions. If you could create your ideal ministry in the church, what would you want to do? Would you sing on a worship team? Help teach kids? Perhaps something a bit outside the box and a bit more unorthodox like demonstrating a song through painting or drama? Whatever you do, try to do it with a group. This group that you serve with could become your closest friends, as you serve God together. If you are already serving in your church, what are some ways you can invest in those you serve alongside?  This video is a great worship song, as you reflect upon today's devo, spend some time in worship to help your focus shift from your needs to others! 

Attack of the Pharisee

© All rights reserved Photo by SURZ1 on August 9, 2010

When I hear the word attack I automatically go into a fight or flight pattern. Spiritually speaking, attack has become a pattern of acceptance among Christians. So, what is it about being attacked by another Christian that makes it so much worse? In essence it’s a civil war! My definition of a Civil War is: fighting for the same army trying, and in some cases succeeding, to kill one another. Let’s keep it short and simple.

Anyone aspiring or pursuing leadership will face direct attack from another brother or sister in Christ.

While on earth Jesus had one main enemy, Satan, and several other enemies masquerading as spiritual leaders in the church. As a youth minister, I have faced adversity, hardship, downfalls, and the likes. However, nothing compares to the attack I receive from another self proclaimed "brother or sister" in Christ. While Jesus stood silent before His accusers during the last moments of His life, it was the moments spent clearing the Temple, rebuking the Pharisee, and rearranging the church order that claimed Jesus’ moments of fame. I have spent years training students in the gospel and raising leadership to hand the torch over to that have claimed my moments of attack.

During leadership, I have experienced attack only during times of great strive. When I have become complacent to the order of materialistic church the feathers remain soft and the envelope is stationary. But, when I receive a fresh spirit, vision or idea- the fan goes into hyper rotation and everything hits it. Old buried bones are dug up, issues from months ago are brought forward and anything I have ever wanted to do or accomplish is shot down- or at least attempted.

I call this, the Spirit of the Pharisee. Jesus called them a generation of vipers.  So, what is it about spiritual leadership or having a greater desire to serve God that welcomes these attacks? Satan cannot stand the advancement of God’s Kingdom and sadly- many in the complacent congregation allow Satan to use them to stifle the fresh visions.

Jesus stated that "a prophet has no honor in his own country" – simply stated, a leader that was once a student is not welcomed nor received in the place of their growing. Jesus often fled from the attacks, not because the attack was too strong, but because the people hearts were unwilling to accept Him or change.

When a congregation has stifled the growth and visions of the anointed, it is then that God will move the anointed into a deeper anointing!

Guest Post: Relatable Rebellion

Hello, I hope you all enjoy this guest post from Pastor Joel Stockstill. He is the Youth Pastor for Bethany Church in Baton Rouge, LA.

Relatable Rebellion

Over the last 10 years of dealing with young people and their struggle with the foul root of rebellion, there is a pattern I have noticed that goes far beyond youthfulness and affects all believers. This is what I would like to term “relatable rebellion.” This subtle rebellion is when someone disregards or discredits authority (God’s Word, Spirit, or especially delegated authority) due to the fact that “they can’t relate with me or what I’m facing.” Ex. If your a young person, then an older person could never understand you or your problems because they are old! Makes sense? If your married then a single person could never understand your problems….right? If your a parent, then someone who isn’t a parent could never understand your issues….right? And even if they are a parent but they don’t have teenagers then they, of course, don’t qualify to instruct or direct in your dilemma…right? If your the leader of 1000 then how could someone with 350 ever qualify to speak into your life? This endless form of excuse never fails to provide opportunity to disregard authority and a perfect escape route from obedience or accountability. Examples:


I was in a meeting with the parents of a teenage girl in the youth ministry and after talking with them about her issues (which were obviously from the dysfunction of her parents) the father presumed to tell me that I could not understand how to deal with his daughter because I “don’t have teenagers of my own.” Well, does that mean that every youth pastor has to grow his own teenagers before he\she can qualify to pastor teenagers? This is ridiculous!


Another arena of true deception regards that of race. Anyone who is of a different race, color, or even cultural background can easily be disregarded because, of course, they don’t “understand anything about me” if they are not of my exact descent. HOGWASH!! I do believe that God can use people of similar background to minister specific truths in our lives, but it is not a blank check to disregard or even attack someone because they are not of the same exact ethnicity or background. (Newsflash: truth is not relative to culture or race)


One final example, is the complete disregard of authority due to the fact that they “haven’t been through what I have.” This lie is used by those who have, for instance, gone through a divorce in their family and because authority has a great family they are disqualified in their direction or advice because they were blessed enough not to endure a divorce. This type of logic means that you would have to endure every type of trial or hurt in your life possible to pastor\lead even a handful of people. Recently, someone told a minister close to me who has a heart to see the addicted set free, that because they had not been addicted to drugs they would have no ability to minister to drug addicts. So really, the more sin you indulged in or bondage you had in your life, the more qualified you are to minister to the lost? This totally defies the ministry of Jesus!


Let’s talk about Jesus. Did he need to participate in fornication so he would qualify to straighten out people’s mess of immorality? NO! Did he have to participate in homosexuality to minister to homosexuals? NO! Was He an older man with grown children that could properly direct parents with older children? NO! Did he have years of marriage experience to be able to shepherd those who are married? NO! On and on I could go in showing how this false logic has justified people in their rebellion against the authority of Christ.


As you can see, we are all guilty of using this age old excuse to circumnavigate the true direction of Christ in our life. Many people are extremely miserable and frustrated with where they are in their walk with the Lord (and life in general) because they fell/fall prey to this rebellious logic. I know in my life there have been many instances where, in my immaturity, I fell right into this deceptive trap of the enemy and completely justified my rebellion. There have even been times that I have justified things by saying to myself “they have never had kidney failure.” Like someone needs to go through kidney failure to be my authority or direct me in the ways of Christ! I hope that as you have read this article the Spirit of God would expose this deception in your life and help you as a leader to see this argument rendered powerless in those you’ve been called to lead. It is my decision to refuse this subtle rebellion in my life and not allow anyone to disregard Christ’s authority because they have found some deficiency or difference.


Heb. 2:17-18 Therefore, it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God… Since He Himself has gone through suffering and testing, He is able to help us when we are being tested.