City On A Hill |Pt.4| Upside-Down Kingdom Leading A Life Of Service

Welcome to the Church on the Rock-Nashville, Arkansas weekly sermon podcast! We're delighted to have you join us as we explore and share the teachings that guide our faith and inspire our community.

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Church On The Rock Nashville (COTRN) Podcast

Date: April 6, 2025

Pastor: Nick Birmingham

Location: Nashville, Arkansas

Title: Upside-Down Kingdom Leading A Life Of Service

Opening:

• Extravagant Love: Acknowledging God's immense love demonstrated through the sacrifice on the cross.
• Easter Invitation: Encouragement to invite others to Easter services two services (9:00 AM & 11:00 AM).

Series:

• A City on a Hill 
  • Previous Weeks Recap:
    • Week 1: Being Salt and Light (Salty Saints spreading the news)
    • Week 2: Hearing, Doing, and Living Out God's Word
    • Last Week: Communicating Without Complaining (A complaining Christian is a compromised Christian)

Message Focus: The Impact of Serving

• Serving as a vital aspect of our witness for the Lord, both within the church and in the wider world.
• Serving as a powerful form of evangelism.
• The common human struggle with ambition and the search for purpose, often linked to greatness, power, influence, and authority.
• The world's definition of success often revolves around achievement and status.
• Key Shift: True greatness in God's Kingdom is found not in what we gain, but in how much we serve.

Scripture Focus: Mark 10:35-45

• Jesus challenges the disciples' (and our) understanding of true greatness.
• The "upside-down kingdom" where leadership is characterized by servanthood.

Key Points:

1. Servanthood Over Status:

• The allure of titles and hierarchical positions, even within the church.
• James and John's ambition for positions of power in Jesus' glory.
• Their desire to be close to Jesus for personal gain, not primarily for service.
• The universal human desire to matter and have purpose.
• God's desire for us to be part of something greater than ourselves.
• Key Difference: In God's Kingdom, greatness often means serving in less prominent roles.
• Jesus rebukes the Pharisees' love for prominent positions (Luke 11:43).
• The world's pursuit of climbing the ladder and gaining influence.
• Key Teaching: Greatness in God's Kingdom is about humbling ourselves in service.
• Principle: True success values service over status.
• The disciples' repeated misunderstanding of Jesus' mission and true greatness (Mark 9:33-35).
• Reflection: Are you pursuing the spotlight or the heart of servanthood?

2. Service Through Sacrifice:

• Jesus' response to James and John about drinking from His cup of suffering.
• Service in God's Kingdom is not always glamorous.
• Examples of unglamorous service: nursery duties, late-night help, simply being present.
• The importance of unseen, behind-the-scenes service.
• Caution against seeking the "lights and the stage" in ministry.
• The American church's potential misunderstanding of sacrificial service, often treating it like a buffet.
• The challenge of serving in areas we don't prefer.
• Personal anecdotes illustrating the difficulty of serving ungrateful or challenging individuals.
• Key Teaching: True service, like Jesus' example, comes through sacrifice (laying down His life).
• Our acts of service are a powerful way to share the Gospel.
• As Christ-followers and leaders, we should mirror Jesus' sacrificial love.
• Reflection: Are you willing to serve even when it's inconvenient or costly?

3. Shift From Authority to Influence:

• Moving beyond worldly models of top-down authority to relationally-driven influence.
• True influence comes through serving others, even the "least of these."
• Jesus' teaching moment with the indignant disciples, redefining greatness.
• The worldly model of rulers lording over others versus Jesus' call for servant leadership.
• Serving everyone, regardless of status or background.
• Jesus' powerful words in Matthew 25:35-40, equating service to the marginalized with serving Him.
• The meaning of being a "slave to all" (Mark 10:44): serving everyone without discrimination.
• Commentary on the radical nature of this statement in the context of ancient slavery.
• Jesus' ultimate example of willingly laying down His life for undeserving humanity.
• The contrast between our low points and Jesus' unwavering service and love.
• The hypocrisy of believers who judge others while having received the same grace.
• Key Teaching: Christ calls us to serve all, especially the downcast and broken.
• The importance of being known for our love.
• Key Insight: People care about how much you care before they care about how much you know.
• Influence is earned through service and lasts longer than titles.
• Influence transforms communities and nations through practical acts of service.
• Reflection: What are you doing this week to serve and love others, especially those often overlooked?
• The choice between pleasing God and pleasing peers.

Call to Action: Make these principles of servanthood actionable in your life: prefer servanthood over status, practice service through sacrifice, and shift from authority to influence.