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Amen, okay Matthew chapter 20 and we're going to look from just from verse 25 just for a few verses for now Matthew 20 and verse 25 said this but Jesus called them unto him and said you know that the prince of the Gentiles exercised dominion over them and they did a great exercise authority upon them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister and whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many and the title of my sermon is a simple one this morning it is to minister to minister the title this morning is to minister I'd like to pray before I get going with a message from thank you Lord for well the the example of the Lord Jesus Christ Lord thank you for just the awesomeness of the Lord Jesus Christ for for just you know just everything he did for us everything he continues to do for us help me to preach this message that I've been thinking about a little bit just in a in a clear way in an accurate way Lord in a way that people will just take it in receive it apply it to their lives Lord help everyone have open ears here fill with your spirit as I preach this Jesus let me pray Amen okay so I said the title is to minister and tonight we are observing our once a year Lord's Supper in case you're unaware we're really basically going to be focusing tonight on the Lord Jesus Christ body and blood being given for us so this morning I thought well I'd like to preach something that at least you know it applies a little bit to it and I want to focus on on how that sacrifice basically epitomizes what an awesome God we have and then also how we can then respond to that okay how we can respond to that because we do we do have an awesome God don't we I don't know I've used that word about three times and the last thirty seconds but I don't think of another word that really you know describes God you know how he should be so he is awesome right he is an awesome God a God that's so opposite to the many false gods out there isn't he he's just contrary is opposite to the false gods of the world gods who require such obedience such personal sacrifice such such effort to earn some version of heaven of their version of paradise that's the gods of the world isn't it but the true God this world did all the effort he made all the sacrifice that was needed he was obedient unto death for us to receive eternal life and that is amazing isn't it that is so so different to the gods of this world it's so opposite it's so it's so reversed really to human thinking and reasoning isn't it that the you know just just from young kids kind of they don't even need to be taught anything and they're just like well surely you got to be good to go to heaven that's how we reason that's how we think you know you've got to surely earn it you must have to somehow deserve it is what people think that the even then because it's so it's so against human nature and human reasoning and and and what we think should happen and everything else it even the so-called Bible believer ends up denying this truth even when you show to them for the Bible they still try and they have to have some element of work some I've got to somehow do something because that's what they and often it's pride as well but often we just find it really hard to understand to accept that it's a free gift and therefore they're so desperate to add conditions people are just desperate to add some effort on their part aren't they yeah and and it is amazing what God did for us and we find that hard to maybe accept Galatians 1 4 says you don't have to turn there who gave himself for our sins he gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father so he gave himself he did the work he did the suffering he paid for our sins and if you think about it why would he have gone through all of that for only some sins the Lord Jesus Christ went through everything he went through but only for some sins and you've got to kind of earn the rest of it it makes no sense obviously when you really think about it when you really understand what what Jesus went through for us all we have to do is receive it through faith and of course a famous verse Ephesians 2 8 says for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves okay it is a gift of God how amazing is that right he came ultimately for that reason as well didn't he that's what he came he came for that reason that was the end result the end goal of his coming on earth you know a couple of thousand years ago his ministry ultimately was all geared towards what he's going to do at the end and here in Matthew 20 he's on his way to Jerusalem for this end so Matthew 20 says this in verse 17 and Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the 12 disciples apart in a way and said unto them behold we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes and they shall condemn him to death and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify him and the third day he shall rise again so he knew that the Romans were going to mock him he knew that they were going to scourge him and scourging is basically whipping okay and it's not you know we're not talking about whipping with something that didn't was like tickling him it was savage okay he was going to get whipped you know to you know have stripes put across his back he knew they were going to crucify him he knew that's what was going to happen but he knew that once he rose again the victory was accomplished but who was the victory for so what what did our God go through all of that for it was for each and every one of us everyone here God went through that for you for God so loved the world John 15 13 you'd have to turn this is greater love of no man than this and a man laid down his life for his friends I mean that's some love isn't it right and what a God we have a God that gave his life for us yeah that's so different to the gods of this world and the false gods ultimately of this world and and with that that's why I hate that terminology and let's be honest what does that terminology usually infer we don't give our lives to Jesus to get saved if if you're saved it's not because you gave your life to Christ now he gave his life for you you didn't do any effort you didn't put any work in to get saved if you think you did you're not saved you're not saved if you think you had to give your life to Christ get saved no he gave his life for you and that's the thing isn't it is that everything's just so inside out and back to front and the and the subtle changes of false Gospels of claiming it's Christ but saying oh you've got to give your life to him no no he gave his life for you and wow did he do that but we have a church full of believers here okay we have a church people that understand that yeah Jesus Christ died as made a rose again he gave it all for me all I had to do was trust him who hopefully believe verse 28 where it says even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many his life he gave his life for us right pretty clear his life was a ransom it was payment enough for many wasn't it his life a ransom for many not his life apart ransom his life apart payment and you've got to add to it now with your own works and your own goodness his life is the ransom for many turn to Acts 2 because here's the thing when we talk about his payment in this church we don't reduce it here okay we don't try to appease the biblically illiterate out there in the world he seemed to have a loud voice often that the same people that deny phrases like after the tribulation of those days the same people that deny phrases like neither give heed to fables in endless genealogies also seemed to deny verses like here in acts 231 which says he's seeing this before acts 231 he's seeing this before talking about prophecy of David being preached here at Pentecost by Peter he's seeing this before spoke of the resurrection of Christ that his soul was not left in hell neither his flesh did see corruption so what it what it what do they do these people that deny this they have to now suddenly go back to the Greek don't they apparently or they say well yeah but he didn't okay well maybe he went there but he didn't suffer there oh no well he didn't suffer in hell he I mean what would they think he did went there to relax in the sauna I mean go back to verse 22 where Peter Peter's preaching to the people of Jerusalem this is you know just before he says this in acts 31 he says this in verse 22 you men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth the man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you as you yourselves also know him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God let he knew it was going to happen wasn't an accident oh no couldn't evade those those Jews and then those Romans no it was a foreknowledge of God you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain whom God has raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holding of it so our God is so awesome that not only did he let them mock him scourge him and nail him to a cross not only did he shed his precious blood and die physically on that cross but he also suffered in hell for us too we don't reduce that in this church we don't pretend that didn't happen we don't go well you know let's not you know been not offend anyone but no he went to hell his soul was not left in hell because he was in hell it was the pains of death because he suffered in hell that's why when Jonah who pictured Christ basically Jonah was burning in the acids of that well's belly by the way picturing Christ going to hell he said in Jonah 2 6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains the earth with her bars was about me forever yet has thou brought up my life from corruption Oh Lord my God yeah Jesus Christ went to hell for us as well it's amazing isn't it why would you want to reduce that why why would you be so desperate to take that away from him it's strange isn't it people that claim to believe the Bible claim to believe the gospel just as so anti that truth from the Bible why do you think that is I think you may be for some because the sacrifice was so great that it's even more ridiculous to add any of your vain attempts of work to it don't you think it's so great when you when you accept yeah Jesus Christ not only died on that cross don't don't the death on the cross was amazing enough but the fact he suffered in health you as well how could you add anything to that how could your little attempts of holiness add to that how could your you know trying to repent of some of your sins or whatever it is add to that how could you not you know making sure you remember to ask for forgiveness for certain sins in the future ever add how could any of that how could any of that add to that it was so immense what he did wasn't it which is maybe why some people are just so just so want to deny that part of it so did Christ go through all of that so you could work your utmost to add some small levels of righteousness to qualify anyone think that he did he went through all of that and it was like but it's only part payment I'm gonna go through all of that for you but now you need to put some work no he didn't he went through all of that to pay for your sins he went through all that because he so loved the world what could you add to that what could you add to that what does he require of you just your faith just your trust just your acceptance that you can't earn it and you need a true Savior and I'll tell you what a Savior does it the hints in the name he saves he doesn't part save he's not a Savior that just kind of you know well he like throws out the rubber ring but it's quite a distance away you know it's like you're drowning and it's like I need a Savior I need someone to save me it's like swim for that good luck and see if you can make it no he saves he does all the saving go back to Matthew 20 he's a king of Kings who first Timothy 2 6 says who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time so the servant King who gave himself for what a king right what a God that we serve but it it wasn't just through giving his life that he served okay so that was kind of that I mean I don't even know if the icy on okay maybe I see on the camera is a cake okay but you know what it wasn't just though that he gave his life that see that's not the only example of the Lord Jesus Christ serving I mean that is that is a serving that is a giving that is a ministering that no one could could could ever copy but he did more than that as well Matthew 26 in verse 27 and whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many so you know the Lord Jesus Christ I say this sometimes at Christmas because it kind of really dawns on you at Christmas when he's being born you know in in in basically poverty and and you know to just to just you know a kind of run-of-the-mill parents and he's in you know he's amongst the animals in that stable you know he could have come as royalty couldn't need to be served he could have come as royalty or someone special to be ministered unto couldn't he to just have everything done for him he could have been carried around on some sort of platform I showed my kids recently if anyone remembers the old Asterix and like the chief of the village they used to carry him on a shield you know just carry a good Christ could have asked to be carried around the shield couldn't he didn't have to walk you didn't have to walk all that distance you didn't have to do those humongous marathon walks around the you know around Israel from Galilee down to Jerusalem etc you didn't have to do any of that he could have come here to be lavished with gifts and I'd start going what about the gold frankincense of man he was a baby all right at least he's a young child but he could have been just lavish with gifts all his life treated to great pleasures he could have had everything done for him if he'd won it couldn't he he's God he's a god of this world he could have had he just could have had everyone serve him the whole time but but he came to minister and to give his life of ransom for many he came to minister to us keep a finger here still and turn to Matthew 4 so Matthew chapter 4 from the beginning of his ministry okay the Lord Jesus Christ was just go go go right from the beginning it was go go go healing delivering teaching instructing in John 9 for your turn to Matthew 4 in John 9 for he said I must work the works of him that sent me he had work to do well it is day the night cometh when no man could work when he was no longer there but he was he was working from early morning to late at night okay people were calling him to come and heal this person that person we just saw at the end of that chapter in Matthew 20 where we're straight after he's explains all this suddenly it's a couple of couple of blind guys is going on can you come and hear lust by the way you know they they they're calling out they're blind men sitting by the wayside they heard that he passed by they're crying out saying have mercy on us Oh Lord that's on David people are rebuking him they're like don't you know you know this is God who are you to start called yeah and he's like what would you like me to do for you he was giving he was serving he was ministering there were multitudes bringing the sick just from every angle they just bringing people to him to work sometimes you're seeing him it's like late at night and he's just still work still healing still still at it then he gets up early in the morning and restarts again especially early in his in his ministry as well here in Matthew 4 it's shortly after the temptation of wilderness he's calling the twelve and in verse 23 says and Jesus went about all Galilee so he's going around the whole place teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people he was ministry did he have to do that did he have to do all that to then be a sacrifice for sins no but he came to minister he came to do things first he came to serve us it's an awesome God right that's not the God of the nations that's not the God of the world's that you know different gods of the world and all their different versions of God who they have to serve a minister or two and everything else no no he came to do that for us it says in verse 24 and his fame went through all Syria throughout all Syria and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with diverse diseases and torments and those which were possessed with devils and those which were lunatic and those that had the palsy and he told them that he's God's not some 24-hour uncle doctor no he healed them he didn't say get out of here do you know who I am I'm you know I need a bit of me time now just leave me alone no he just he just healed him he was just he was here for us he came to minister unto us minister unto his people minister unto the lost verse 25 says and they there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee and from Decapolis and from Jerusalem from Judea from beyond Jordan so the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister to minister and he didn't need to do that okay like I said he could have still accomplished what he came to do without spending all day and night ministering to people and and yeah he was a hundred sink of his own she said man at the same time he felt what we feel he felt that fatigue he felt that tiredness he felt maybe that need for just to I could do with a day off all right we do the bit of time off maybe I'll be like well actually you know Sabbath was made for the Son of Man no he was I'm just gonna keep going he's working on the Sabbath he's working the rest of the way he's just working just graph just ministering unto people giving unto people doing things for people right but he had compassion right which is part of the reason he had compassion on his people turn to John 13 because it wasn't all glamorous healings either okay turn to John 13 it wasn't all glamorous it wasn't all celebrity doctor stuff so you know you can imagine some of that stuff might have felt good you know for I don't know if that was you if you could just you know heal people from all sorts of illnesses and diseases and everything else you might not just do it on stage at a Pentecostal meetup you know with someone who's a bit suspicious said I know a paraplegic when I see one they'll tell you what some of those guys they're faking it okay but but you know it might if you ever it could really do that you might just be going to doing it everywhere right you might be just going bring him to me bring him to me I'm just gonna keep eating them that'd be real healing right but it wasn't all celebrity stuff it wasn't all all sort of stuff that you would say wow you know what an honor to be able to do that he was preaching the truth as well wasn't he wasn't just healings he was preaching he was preaching a gospel is preaching the truth it's like he was hated on they tried to throw him off a hill pretty early on in his ministry you know some sort of height you know some sort of probably a ledge or something else they wanted to kill him and a pass through the middle of them they try to catch him in his words he had his haters just following him around from town to town so it wasn't always fun it wasn't always what we might consider the most respectable job either though so it wasn't just okay well you're gonna get some haters you're gonna get some people trying to catch you out you're gonna get all that here in John 13 it's the last supper it says in verse 4 John 13 4 says he riseth from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself so he's taken off for me his outer garments he's wrapped a towel around himself verse 5 says and after that he poureth water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded so just picture this for a moment okay you could quickly gloss over this go yeah that was a cool thing he did the Lord Jesus Christ God in the flesh picture him physically washing your nasty feet in front of you washing your nasty sort of maybe you got bunions put a hand up it maybe your nasty yellow toenails maybe you didn't give them a good trim that day I didn't even trim my toenails I got oh Jesus Christ washing them right maybe they stink a bit as well I mean I don't know maybe you're thinking well were they really wearing socks passed out in the winter it probably got a bit cold I don't know but either way right these guys are walking around with their feet I mean that some of them feet were nasty no look feet are usually nasty let's be honest right the older you get the nastier they get as well luckily had some young disciples but I don't think that was too pleasant he got on his knees which is I'm imagining or they had to really put their feet up high right but what either way I mean what what what a thing to do right what a thing to do what a way to serve his disciples he was he washed their feet this happened the Lord Jesus Christ God in the flesh the God of this world he created all things and he put a towel round him and got some nasty old skanky feet and started washing them and then he didn't just wash them he was like okay I've washed your feet you could have gone alright now get on and dry yourself off he then dried them as well so he washed them then he was like you know what I'm gonna dry them for you as well you know and okay you might you would think probably respond like Peter verse 6 says then cometh thee to Simon Peter and Peter saith unto him Lord dost thou wash my feet Jesus answered said unto him what I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter Peter saith unto him thou shalt never wash my feet Jesus answered him if I washed thee thee not thou has no part with me isn't that the truth right you don't wash yourself you don't wash yourself to have a part with the Lord Jesus Christ no he washed us he washed us revelation 1 5 down for Turner says and for Jesus Christ who is a faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth yeah that's who who was washing their feet right that's who washes you unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood you're washed by the blood of the lamb are you washed in the blood you love right in the soul cleansing blood of the lamb are you right I hope you are Simon Peter saith unto him Lord not my feet only balls my hands and my head right he's okay right right if I need a part if I need to be washed right do the whole lot Jesus saith unto him he that is washed needeth not safe to wash his feet but is clean every whit and ye are clean but not all for he knew who should betray him therefore said he are not all clean so it's funny wording there look at the tenses there he said in verse 10 Jesus saith unto him he that is washed needeth not safe to wash his feet so someone who's already washed but is clean every whit but they're clean everywhere and g are clean however at this point he hadn't washed Simon Peters fee and who knows if he'd done everyone else at this point so I think what he's saying is that if you're washed if you saved you clean they're all clean right aside from Jesus obviously you Judas they like I said they handle had their feet wash at this point so why then do they still need their feet washing they're clean that they have they have that part with him they're clean why do they need their feet washing Romans 10 15 you have to understand how should they preach except they be sent as it is written how beautiful are the feet of them that preached the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things so I think if you're going to have beautiful feet you need regular washing not not for salvation right you're saved if you've been washed by the blood of the Lamb by putting your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ but but if you're going to have beautiful feet if you're going to go out and preach the gospel you need to be washed regularly with the water of the word don't you you need regular sanctification you need to be set apart you need those feet to be made beautiful and that where does that come from constant the Word of God comes from you need to ultimately need to clean up don't you those are preaching the gospel for decades week in week out are those that ultimately are cleaning themselves regularly week in week out not for salvation but to keep having those beautiful feet he said here he that is washed needeth not safe to wash his feet but is clean everywhere and you're clean they are clean they were saved not all talked about Judas Iscariot but we need to regularly wash we need to regularly clean you need to get rid of that that weight that that besets you those those sins that drag you down if you're going to keep preaching the gospel which is what which is what we're here for verse 12 says so after he had washed their feet and had taken his garments and was set down again he said unto them know you what I have done to you you call me master and Lord and you say well for so I am if I then your Lord and master have washed your feet you also ought to wash one another's feet now before you'll start peeling off the socks great maybe scraping them off for some of you go and get a knife from up there and start trying to chisel away and get it off your feet before you do any of that okay but perhaps it's about the needs to keep sanctifying each other do you think to keep cleaning one another to keep encouraging each other to keep those feet beautiful that says more of a spiritual message there I'm hoping perhaps that's it he said for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you you didn't say you have to wash each other's feet he's as similar in a in the same sort of way but regardless of care whether that is the application or not regardless of if he's saying you need to encourage each other you need to keep cleaning each other you know keep keep sanctifying each other with the water of the word the point he was making was that as well our Lord our God our King got down on his knees and washed his disciples feet the God of this world who created all things got down on his knees it seems and washed his disciples feet if he can do that I mean surely we can even do a small amount all right I'm not about the foot washing all right but surely we can do a small amount surely we can put ourselves out surely we can somewhat minister to each other too right surely we can give to others if the God this world could have given us did give so much to us said in verse 16 verily verily I sent you the servant is not greater than his Lord neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him so do you think that you're greater than Jesus Christ anyone here think they're great than Jesus Christ do you think it's beneath you to help others to put yourself out for others you're too important to do that because not only do we serve a servant King but but we're meant to follow the example of our servant King aren't we I mean this is kind of like Christianity 101 Jesus Christ example he came here to lead by example for us to follow his example in in verse 15 here he said for I have given you an example that he should do as I have done to you in 1st Peter 2 21 we're told for even here unto you were you called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that you should follow his steps we're meant to follow his example follow his steps here he said you should do as I have done unto you and his steps were in verse 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister that's our job to minister that's our job yeah which in a nutshell means to give basically to give that's what we're meant to be doing giving you know you can say serving giving giving to others to give of ourselves to our fellow disciples to give of ourselves to the lost to give of ourselves to God Almighty that's our job isn't it that's what we're meant to be here to do you say well that doesn't sound so great right I'm sick of giving I'm sick of ministering I want someone to give to me yeah some people maybe feel like that or maybe you're thinking well as long as I get something in return or what do I get in return for that you know what should I get what do I get well you know the night that this happened was just before he was to be arrested tried and executed as well so the example we're seeing here was just before he was about to do some giving some ministering some serving that no one could ever do was when he was getting down on his knees and washing his disciples feet so for everyone okay he did that by the way but that included those men's feet who he just washed so so he gave he was about to give his life for them he was about to kind of hell for them as we just talked about earlier no we don't take that out of the gospel that's part of the gospel it's a death right that's physical and spiritual he was about to do all of that yet he's like I'm gonna wash your feet first that's an example right but here's a great thing about it okay and this is a great thing about this truth and this this this example of the Lord Jesus Christ we're meant to follow okay if you get your heart like with this if you do if you drop the ego because sometimes we need to drop the ego in life don't we right if you can drop the ego if you drop the desire for people to serve you some people just have that don't there sometimes I think maybe it's not all like it's not all you know from a from a bad heart necessarily maybe it's just it maybe you you have a job or maybe you're a mom or something you're just doing a lot for people you just constantly and you like I want someone to do something for me sometimes right but if you drop that if you get your heart right if you get rid of the ego some people do have that and they just think that well I should be served why I should have this you know nowadays it's quite a sadly it's become but and because everything's so inside out and upside down it's kind of what you see in the world with it with the sort of modern woman nowadays or at least a lot of you know young ladies growing up and stuff it's kind of you know especially if they're semi attractive by whatever the latest standards of that is it's like they're not here to do anything for anyone else I'm here to be to be lavished with money you know you know a rich husband to give me this give me that what am I going to get what am I going to get in life should I really have to lift a finger or do anything and that's kind of there's a lot of people being raised like that now aren't there at least what I'm modern media is promoting that sort of lifestyle that sort of person it's so the opposite right but there are men like that as well you just think they're ever you know people are just there for them they're sadly people that are just spoiled when they're young you know that I remember talking about this a while remember Jamie sent this to me a while back which is the word spoil is for a reason right when you spoil kids you spoil them you ruin them you wreck them you and there's a lot of sport kids out there and then they grow up to just they're just in its entitlement isn't it they just feel entitled that they should just have this people should just bend over backwards for them people should just give to them they should just be able to get what they want from people people should just provide for them people should just pay for them people should just buy things for them people should just do things for them just because they're them right and sadly that can get a bit ingrained in people but like I said you know the best thing about it is so if you drop all of that if you follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ you'll actually be happier you'll be happier in life verse 16 said here verily verily I sound to you the servant is not greater than his Lord neither is neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him if you know these things happy are ye if you do then he said happier you he said that if you get your pride in check if you get your heart right you will be happy doing them you'll be happy doing these things you'll be happy serving you'll be happy ministering unto others now keep a finger here and turn over to Acts chapter 20 Acts 20 where perhaps Paul is referencing this verse among others so Paul in Acts 20 we just read in verse 17 here back in John 13 we read if you know these things happy are ye if you do them and in Acts 20 Paul sang his goodbyes to the Ephesians and he says this in verse 33 verse 33 of Acts chapter 20 I have coveted no man silver or gold or apparel yeah ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities and to them that were with me I have showed you all things how that's so laboring he ought to support the week and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus how he said it is more blessed to give than to receive from those verses people like throw around at Christmas time and stuff like that it is more blessed to give than to receive but where exactly did the Lord Jesus Christ say he didn't say that verbatim anywhere but here it's saying it's blessed right it'll make you happier to give than to receive and if you can really accept that you're here to minister you can get joy for ministering that's what it's saying why it's more blessed to give than to receive and what we saw in verse 17 back in John 13 was if you know these things happier ye if you do them perhaps that's what he's talking about perhaps that's what what he was referencing here if you know these things happier ye if you do them talking about ministering talk about serving others and if you go back then to Matthew 20 with all that in mind okay that's what the Lord explains to them from verse 20 so Matthew 20 in verse 20 says this Matthew 20 20 where we started says then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons worshipping him and desiring a certain thing of him and he said unto her what wilt thou she saith unto grant that these my two sons may sit the one on my right hand and the other on the left in thy kingdom so she's one of those pushy mums okay trying to force favor for her kids she's like trying to do whatever she can to get like you know the best result for a kid maybe it's not not you know it's not that she's some wicked woman but she thinks if I give him a bit of worship first he's gonna you know maybe give me this this what I'm asking him basically she's asking for them to be the top two the left and right hand men basically she wants him to be next in charge she wants him to be like the next in leadership right in the kingdom verse 22 says but Jesus answered and said you know not what you ask are you able to drink of the cup that I should drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with they say unto him we are able so he said are you able to drink of the cup okay which is referring to God's wrath okay the fact that he became sin for us that's what the cup is it's a cup of God's wrath are you able to drink that are you able to ultimately take the punishment of God for for everyone since he became sin for us right that we might be made the righteous God in him and a baptism or at least in the next verses is of the Holy Ghost because they're not going to be baptized with fire here which is kind of the two options he gives I think back in Matthew 3 but either way maybe saying you able to be baptized with fire basically go to hell like he was going to or he's saying are you able to to do what I'm you know what I'm gonna do because he then says in verse 23 it says he says unto them you shall indeed drink but he didn't say he didn't say of the cup he said of my cup so he said well you shall indeed drink of my cup notice there's a little change there something we will by the way also drink of tonight and he said and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with well the baptism of the Holy Ghost ultimately came after his resurrection didn't it but he said then but to sit on my right hand on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my father so it's it's he's saying look the father is going to decide who does that I'm not just going to go oh yeah what you've asked well what's it what's it based upon well let's see because he said in verse 24 when the ten heard it they were moved with indignation against the two brethren so all this trying to be the top dog yeah all this vying for positions of authority didn't really help the harmony in the group did it didn't help the harmony between them they're now moved with indignation angry with the two brethren we can get like that in group settings and sadly that can happen in churches we're like someone's given a job on this and people getting angry and indignation why should they get to do that and it's like that's all this stuff so carnal and they've got it so wrong verse 25 said but Jesus called them unto him and said you know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they did a great exercise authority upon them now I like this verse this verse is like a truth that we see in the world he's saying that the leaders of the Gentiles exercise dominion or they rule them okay so what you know we don't have we don't have servant kings in this world right you know even even our king who apparently the king of this nation apparently doesn't really rule he still doesn't serve we serve him right he's provided for everything else right he doesn't serve he's not a servant King and how much power he does it doesn't have is probably debatable right but just in general whether it's him or just leadership in a nation everything else ultimately they exercise dominion they're not supposed to the we're sold this sort of well they're just representing the people you vote them in but they exercise dominion right but then it says and they that a great exercise authority upon them so those another way you might say is rich powerful ultimately they're the ones in charge they run the show so you've got the princes the prince of the Gentiles they exercise dominion over the Gentiles but then they that a great exercise authority upon them which is what I believe he's saying here and that's the way the world goes isn't it those that are rich powerful are the ones that ultimately exercise the authority upon those that are the those at least the puppet leadership those that seem to be those that have the Dominion so they're running the show but you know what he's trying to say here he's trying to give a truth here then he says but that's not what it is going to be amongst us that might be how how the world runs but he said in verse 26 but it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you so you want to be great you want to you know be considered of you know powerful or held in high esteem he said let him be your minister and whosoever will be chief among you so this is seems to be the conditions for it to be given them you know by the father whomsoever will be chief among you let him be your servant it's those that minister it's those that serve so if you want to be great minister to others give to others put people first hold people in higher esteem than yourself minister if you want to be chief then you need to serve others but we ain't this this isn't you know this is a worldly Baptist this isn't we don't to get our lessons off the world right I need to know do you know what I need to do I need to talk down to people more and then they're gonna respect me more I need to show that I'm not just gonna go and do something when someone asks me I'm then they're gonna think that I'm the man right then I'm gonna become higher you know higher in a more of a position of authority if I start showing my authority no it's meant to be the opposite for us we're meant to minister to people we're meant to serve people he said in verse 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many so he came to ministry came as an example and he also said that we're happy if we do these things so he said you'll be happier to do this so in case you see me go well this is a salad are preaching to me you know I didn't come in for this well he said you're gonna be happy don't you want to be happier hopefully everyone wants to be happy in life right and to be more Christlike we're to minister so what areas of life can we minister in and the obvious area was with each other wasn't it okay that's what we've just seen time and time again was with each other here he said but it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister and whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant so you want to be someone great in eternity get ministering to God's people now get ministering to God's people get trying to put yourself out for them serving them where possible helping them doing things for them that's what he told us to do didn't it that's the example he gave I mean thank God he didn't say you need to actually peel off their socks and clean their feet could be worse right turn to Philippians 2 Philippians 2 so you might be like okay well how then because I'm not doing the sock stuff I'm not doing the foot stuff okay well you can pray for each other how about that I mean pray for each other we're not gonna do a show of hands but you know how many times you prayed for people in this church this week maybe maybe think about that how many times have you prayed for each other how many times have just be kind to each other oh but you don't understand you know they give me funny look sometimes well I don't like you know I don't like the way they do this or say that or act like that or so I just be kind anyway right just be kind just be nice you can help and support each other offer offer help where needed offer support be there to lend a hand lend an ear you know that's what we should all be doing right we should esteem each other better than than anyone else we should be putting each other in honor preferring one another you say well that's easier said than done right maybe not if you lift each other up in your estimation maybe not if you you you know you know just exhorting what you know I mean I'll often say it and look for good reason right because church is where where you're built up and strengthened up and how you stay in the fight right but you exhort each other just by being here it's not being here in the first place he's giving to each other isn't it go well I you know I'd I can't make it you know well okay maybe you can't make it but some people can some people won't and don't but ultimately we're ministering to each other just by being here because you're exhorting one another and so much the more you encourage you one another just being here encourages other people when you look out and it's a busy church like this it encourages you doesn't it you're like yeah man we're doing something here right filling this place up yeah I want to be your next service I want to be a more I want to get out more I want to do it encourages you doesn't it and then when the place is half empty again sometimes it's happened and illness sickness you can you know usually it's it's it's for good reason but it does discourage you a bit doesn't it oh this isn't so so great you know and yeah that's a big part of it but it's not just that like I said just just lifting people up and Philippians 2 3 Philippians 2 3 says let nothing be done through strife or vainglory but in lowliness of mine let each esteem other better than themselves and it's an easy thing to read over but do you really do that do you really consider other people better than you more important than you put them up above you that's something we should do verse 4 says look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others so so think about each other value each other's contribution maybe to the cause of Christ that's a good thing to think about sometimes isn't it because we can so often get wrapped up in our own spiritual life our own walk and everything else and almost like people getting away of that a bit but instead instead of looking on your own things look on the other thing on the things of others what a difference would it make forget you know forget oh well if I like did a bit less of this or if I didn't put the time into this person or that person I could get an extra hour of soul winning in but what if that person you might be the difference between them actually going on to want to serve God and want to get to get the gospel out and preach the gospel and stay in church and do the things that God wants him to do for life right you might you might you could make that difference do you know that oh it's gonna be like the camel that the store that broke the camel back is it is an old saying and sometimes that that one little bit of rudeness that one little you know kind of ignoring someone avoiding them so I just can't be bothered to have to say hello to another person at church and I'm just gonna try and see if I can sneak out or something else you know and everything else and maybe maybe that that that person that you avoided that day they never come back you know it was that one that one thing you could you could have made a difference maybe that smile can made a difference maybe that just caring about someone could have made a difference so look not every man his own things but every man also on the things of others that's something that we should be striving to do let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God yeah he was man but he was God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant yeah he served right and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient under death even the death of the cross so like I said it yeah that the final the kind of ultimate part of that is that death but even before that he took upon himself the form of a servant has made it kind of it when you think about it that way you read through the gospel just people got I bought this person to you could you come over here it's I excuse me a good mask could you come over here and heal my servant you know he's really sick right now could you come and deal with the you know that the ruler's daughter you know can you come at any sir he's just being basically just asked to do stuff all the time isn't it they're not like oh what could we do for you good master can I bring you something can I do in it they like can you just come and do this can you do and he's just like yeah sure sure I'm here to serve I'm here to minister unto people and with that right if we're gonna do it to ourselves at church if that's something we should be doing to our brothers and sisters in Christ wouldn't that include at home as well to our family members hopefully your family members are saved where they are not right administering to each other looking out for you know do you know it just solves so many issues home if you're just looking out for the other person whether whether it's husband wife kids you know and you're just when you just get in that frame of mind I just want to give to people to help people and just just serve people it just solves a lot of problems isn't it because a lot of the issues come when it's like well what about me and when you get that if you can get that out it's not gonna be every day right it's one of those things you're gonna have to regularly try and work on and regularly try and improve it it really does solve a lot of problems and it solves a lot of problems between spouses as well when they just esteem the other one better than themselves and just put them first it solves a lot of problems between you know with kids between each other with siblings when they just put the other one more important try and actually help the kid not like what about me they took my whatever or they get more attention on this or they get it's like just put them more important but actually try and get and you get pleasure from it when you do it and you actually get your heart right with it you can enjoy it you're blessed it's more blessed to give them to receive the title is to minister number one we're to minister to each other number two we're to minister to God we're to minister to God so turn of Romans 12 Romans chapter 12 how could we minister or give to God is that by getting some position in the church well I've got to join the ministry you know we need to create some positions well not necessarily right yeah you know it's called ministering for a reason and sadly a lot of people don't understand this about this job right and and and similar things and deacons and just anything in the ministry ultimately the job your job in the ministry is to minister that's what it's called the ministry it's like the giveaway right and we will get confused and they think it's to rule and a rule with mine right you know everything else that are weird to minister right yeah yeah you still need to rule the house of God you're meant to because the example is you're ruling your own house well how can you how can you take care of the church God how do you rule the house of God if you're not all your house but but a big part of it is just ministering it's just giving to people and that's what you should ultimately what we should all be doing right you're so winning captain ultimately you're giving of your time to other people really and the end result getting people saved you're you know you're doing the collection it's you're giving to other people you're giving to the church as a whole and you're giving to God I mean that's what it ultimately comes out of you're serving God aren't you you're music leading you're playing the meter you're playing the music the instruments you're doing all those things is just us giving right and coming and cleaning the church and all the different things that go on is just it's it's part of the ministry it's working a ministry because it's ministering we're giving and ultimately we're giving of ourselves to God Romans 12 says I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercy of God that you present your body's a living sacrifice he's beseeching he's basically bleeding he's saying please just present your body's a living sacrifice is it because he's got we just so need you yeah you know yeah your your God needs you yeah yeah but I think it's also just for your own good I beseech you just present your body's a living sacrifice because you're just gonna be you're gonna be discontent you're gonna be unhappy you're gonna be frustrated you're still gonna go through life but you know what you could get that blessedness you get that happiness from giving yeah yeah God wants you God needs you but you know what you'll be happy as well you know what you'll also be happy for eternity you look back and go yeah I presented my body a living sacrifice you said holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service it's just a reasonable service to present our bodies a living sacrifice to basically just be like that I'm here for you God I want to serve you and yeah part of that is through your job in life part of that is through your role in life whatever that is but a big part of that is through the house of God isn't it through the things of God your reasonable service you can be you can minister to God by just by bite and part of it at least is by being holy acceptable unto God so ministering to God is just cleaning up your life as well and like we saw think what he did for us what did he do he did so much right so much for us and so many people sadly so many Christians the world over it's like that's pushing it a bit cuz that's kind of that's a you know a lot of people in the world do this do that get involved in this sin you know I quite enjoy that well he said present your body's a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God turn to Psalm 100 Psalm 100 because you're not holy and acceptable to God ultimately if you're not worshipping him in the house of God okay that's that's a clear that's a given that's clear throughout the Bible Psalm 100 Psalm 100 of verse 1 Psalm 100 verse 1 it's the Psalm of praise and it says this Psalm 100 of verse 1 make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands okay so that's a command yeah make a joyful noise unto the Lord serve the Lord with gladness so we're told to serve him with command to serve him come before his presence with singing that's a command isn't it so come before him with singing where how else do you do that how do you come before his presence with singing it's in the house of God know ye that the Lord he is God it is he that have made us and not we ourselves we are his people and the sheep of his pasture so when the Lord Jesus Christ came he came to minister unto others but it was an example for us and ultimately what was he also doing he was obedient unto the father even the death of the cross and he set us an example that we should be following and that is to minister unto each other yeah but also to minister unto God to serve God to do what God wants us to do we are his people in the sheep of his pasture if you're saved you're one of his sheep where do you think he's trying to guide you right now so come over here to the wolves you know to get slaughtered come over here to just like to go and sit in a in some ravine somewhere doing nothing and just kind of come over here to this to this pitfall in life and you'll never come out again that's not where he's guiding you is he he's guiding you into the things of God into the house of God into serving God that's where he's got you but you can be a stubborn sheep enter into his gates with Thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankful unto him and bless his name so again things we're told to do commands we're told to do into his gates into his courts that's where that's the house of God to be thankful unto him we should appreciate everything he does we should bless his name for the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations and aside from that being a good Bible you know preservation verse just he is good right his mercy is everlasting we should minister to him right should minister for the Lord so we've got the title is to minister look we've got one more to do number one we're to minister to each other number two we're to minister to God and number three last one and we're thinking about obviously the sacrifice he made ultimately today number three is we're to minister to the lost okay we are to minister to the lost we're commanded to minister to the lost turn a second Corinthians five that is our job that's and I know that you you be like didn't you talk about this last week probably the week before probably the week before that probably in Isaiah probably you know as we've been going through Proverbs it's been coming up as well yep guilty as charged we will always talk about soul winning in this church okay that's the end result of ministering to each other ministering to God the end result is ministering to the lost it's so that we're then to be sent out to minister okay second Corinthians five in case you're thinking well you know if is this you know is this really what I've got to do because I've been at church they go well it's only for the special evangelist or those that have the gift of evangelism it's only for those that are gifted to do this it's only those that are maybe trained to do this that's not my calling my calling I think once it was a lady I think Adam was telling us about the C of E Church said well her gift is that she's got a good smile you know some people that's a that's a gift you know that's what they're here to do is just a smile at people right I don't think so secretary is 517 says therefore if any man be in Christ so you might have had a nice smile but now you're a new creature okay old things are passed away the smiles gone all things have become you all right so time to get rid of that so that you have to get rid of the smile but you've got some new things on your plate now right you've got a new job to do he said in verse 18 and all things are of God who have reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and have given to us the ministry of reconciliation he's given it to you he's given you that job a lot I understand some people it might take a while to get to the end result for some people it might take a while of building up learning training getting to the point where you're confident to maybe maybe open your mouth maybe you never will do maybe you just just get to the point and be able to come along and be half a pair and support someone else who's preaching the gospel you're still so winning right whatever that is you've been given that ministry that you're saved you've been given a ministry now yeah look many people you know sleep on the job many people don't turn up for the first day of the job you know and never turn up some people some people turn up they're like model employee you know for several years and then and then they leave and then they jack it in so you know you know take heed if you think you stand there take heed lest you fool right because it doesn't matter whether you're you know so winning multiple times each week every marathon everything else it doesn't mean you might end up being one of those that's quit on the job right but that's our job that's our ministry that's the thing we're meant to give the ministry of reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them okay that's a whole lot it's not that our just those ones in the past before they got saved yeah then the deals off no not impute their trespasses unto them and have committed unto us the word of reconciliation it's been committed unto us the word of reconciliation the the word of God the gospel to preach to others now then we are ambassadors for Christ that's every single one of us as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ there be you reconcile to God that's what we're going out and just trying to beg people to do get reconciled to God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for he have made him to be sin for us so that us and I always point this out when I when I go through this for those that might go well yeah but that's just talking about like the Apostles or you know certain people you said it's the same us those that he's been made sin for for you made him to be sin for us that's the saved who knew no sin that we that's the saved those that put their trust in Christ might be made a righteous a good in him and doesn't verse 21 then put it into perspective at the end of all that as well he did all of that for us he became sin for us that we might be made a righteous God in him what we're called to do is nothing in comparison certainly nothing first John 3 16 says you'd have to turn to here by perceive with the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives to the brethren but it's our worldly lives that we lay down lay it down who cares are you really gonna look back in eternity and go I'm so pleased you know I just just carried on with that worldliness just got a chance to have some real worldliness for that vapor of a life before I'm in eternity really because you can lay that down for the brethren and by the way that would include people to become brethren lay down your life get rid of that stuff and get more people saved right but the best thing about it is like I said aside from all of that or maybe not the best thing but one great thing about it is if you get your heart right just remind you again John 13 17 says if you know these things happier ye happier ye if you do them you've got to get your heart right though haven't you if you know it and you just understand that you're like yeah this is the God the Lord Jesus Christ came this was the example unto us is what he told us to do and I know this I know that he came to minister unto others I know that he wants us to minister unto others happy if you do them remember acts 2035 in Africa says I've showed you all things that how that's so laboring you to support the week and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus Christ so he said it is more blessed to give them to receive and it really is and I'm not trying to I'm not preaching this for a point of learn you need to be more like me I'm so blessed you know this is can be a battle for all of us on different days different weeks different months and but when you get this right when you are giving when you are getting that you know that that your heart right with it you are happy you do feel blessed you do enjoy it it does feel it does feel nice to give to people doesn't it as long as it's not the grudging as long as it's not resentful as long as it's not yet or what can I get back in return and when you get it right it's so much happier for it but you've got to get that right and you just got to accept and you know how a good way of getting that right you know well how do I get my heart love it just start giving just just start giving to people start ministering unto people or you can plot and stumble through life trying to receive from other people but you just never be happy or content you'll never you'll never get what you want trying to trying to seek that it will never never be enough because you know like and the reality is most people in life are selfish okay that's just life isn't it probably probably more now so I don't know maybe it's just the sort of thing that people say because we always look back and look back with kind of fond you know fondness are kind of earlier years in life when everything was just so nice and everyone was so lovely this country was so great probably wasn't really okay but you know but you are happier right you will be happier and and without that people who just let you down if you're trying it if you if your happiness comes from people giving to you you'll always be let down but if you can get you can your contentment you can get your happiness and giving to others well he said here if you know these things happier you if you do them we saw it is more blessed to give them to receive Matthew 20 said but it shall not be so among you but who several be great among you let him be minutes you want to be great that's another thing you want God to look at you and see you as someone who's great put you in a great position in the future maybe a great position in millennial rain to come well well then you need to minister and who several will be chief among you let him be your servant you need to serve even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many and that was to minister and on that we're going to finish in a word thank you for the great example from the Lord Jesus Christ thank you that God in the flesh came here to not to be ministered unto but to minister to minister you know throughout his ministry which is what that was him giving to others him serving others and then ultimately with with with that death on the cross that burial that resurrection Lord we thank you so much for what that means for us we thank you that we're saved we thank you for salvation we thank you for that we're able this evening to really think about that appreciate what was done for us Lord but right now we're thinking also about just the example that that the Lord set with that and that we we should then follow in life Lord help us to minister more help us to minister in different areas of our life help us to get our hearts right with that Lord our heads right with that help us to do that this afternoon with the sole winning time to go out and minister to the lost Lord and to return for the Lord's Supper this evening in Jesus no proless Amen