CALLED TO SERVE:BIBLICAL INSIGHTS FOR

CHRISTIAN SERVICE

SESSION 3:CALLED TO SERVE:

LOVING GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOR 

SERVE

RLC’s theme for the coming year

We continue to CONNECT and GROW through reflection on what it means to be a Christian servant.

As God’s baptized children we experience the new FREEDOM we have in Christ to love and serve all of God’s children and all of God’s creation.

Session 1: September 22: “Serving Through Worship”In worship we respond to God’s love & forgiveness with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving

Session 2: September 29: “Jesus the Servant”Jesus’ example empowers our lives for service

Session 3: October 6: “Loving God and our Neighbor”Our serving is guided by Jesus’ double commandment of love

Session 4: October 13: “Called to Serve: Getting Practical”

Responsible service tests our creativity and faithfulness in our use of God’s gifts

Session 5: October 20: “I have Other Sheep: the Broader Horizons of Service

God calls us to expand our horizons in the service of love and mercy in the world

Overview of Sessions

Give Thanks and Sing God’s Praises

Encourage and Support One Another

Pray for one another and our World

Share community in joys and sorrows

Are Inspired for service to our neighbor and world

In Worship We:Hear God’s Story of Gracious Love

Experience Confession and Forgiveness

Christ as Servant – Model for Christian Community

Philippians 2:1-133 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

6 Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.

…Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:10-11

*******************************5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.“

8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much."

9 Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost." Luke 19:1-10

“CALLED TO SERVE:LOVING GOD AND LOVING OUR

NEIGHBOR”

Modeled on the Example and Command of the Lord…Our serving is guided by the Double Commandment to Love God, and our Neighbor as Ourselves

You shall not murder. 18 Neither shall you commit adultery. 19 Neither shall you steal. 20 Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor. 21 Neither shall you covet your neighbor's wife. Neither shall you desire your neighbor's house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Deuteronomy 5:17-21; cf. Exodus 20:16-19

At The Heart of the Tradition

Now this is the commandment-- the statutes and the ordinances-- that the LORD your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, 2 so that you and your children and your children's children may fear the LORD your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Deuteronomy 6:1-6

When the LORD your God has blessed you, as he promised you, you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you. 7 If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor. 8 You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be. 9 Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, "The seventh year, the year of remission, is near," and therefore view your needy neighbor with hostility and give nothing; your neighbor might cry to the LORD against you, and you would incur guilt. 10 Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake….

Remember Who You Are….

…11 Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, "Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land." 12 If a member of your community, whether a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and works for you six years, in the seventh year you shall set that person free. 13 And when you send a male slave out from you a free person, you shall not send him out empty-handed. 14 Provide liberally out of your flock, your threshing floor, and your wine press, thus giving to him some of the bounty with which the LORD your God has blessed you. 15 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; for this reason I lay this command upon you today.

Deuteronomy 15:6-15

Remember Who You Are….

You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the LORD. 17 You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.Leviticus 19:15-18

Love your neighbor as yourself…

I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. 24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Amos 5:21-24

Love = Justice for the Neighbor…

Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray. 3 Does anyone harbor anger against another, and expect healing from the Lord? 4 If one has no mercy toward another like himself, can he then seek pardon for his own sins? 5 If a mere mortal harbors wrath, who will make an atoning sacrifice for his sins? 6 Remember the end of your life, and set enmity aside; remember corruption and death, and be true to the commandments. 7 Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor; remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook faults.

Sirach 28:2-7

Forgive your neighbor…

The Tradition for a New TimeThe Teaching of Jesus

“You Have Heard…But I say!!”

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I say to you,

Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you…

43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you,

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:38-48

Neighbor? Getting the question rightJust then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" 27 He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." 28 And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live." 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead…. 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37

Early Christian Instruction

And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Romans 13:9-10

We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor. 3 For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus,

Romans 15:1-5

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.

14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. 16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:13-16

Baptized…and Free to Love

You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.“

James 2:8

We love because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

1 John 4:19-21

MARTIN LUTHER On Christian Freedom, 1520

The whole of the Christian life in a brief form: A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all subject to none.A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all. Although the Christian is thus free from all works, he ought in this liberty to empty himself, take upon himself the form of a servant, be made in the likeness of men, be found in human form, and to serve, help, and in every way deal with his neighbor as he sees that God through Christ has dealt and still deals with him. This he should do freely, having regard for nothing but divine approval.

The incomparable benefit of faith is that it unites the soul with Christ as a bride with her bridegroom. It follows that everything they have they hold in common... the believing soul can boast of and glory in whatever Christ has as though it were its own, and whatever the soul has Christ claims as his own... Christ is full of grace, life and salvation. The soul is full of sins, death, and damnation. Now let faith come and sins, death and damnation will be Christ's, while grace, life, and salvation will be the soul's…

The Inner Person lives by Faith….

The Outer Person lives in the neighbor

The inner person, who by faith is created in the image of God, is both joyful and happy because of Christ in whom so many benefits are conferred; and therefore it is this person's one occupation to serve God joyfully and without thought of gain, in love that is not constrained. 

So Christians who are consecrated by faith do good works, but the works do not make them holier or more Christian, for that is the work of faith alone… “Good works do not make a good person, but a good person does good works."

Servants...Bearing the Name of Christ

Surely we are named after Christ, not because he is absent from us, but because he dwells in us, that is, because we believe in him and are Christs one to another and do to our neighbors as Christ does to us. Here then, faith is truly active in love, finds expression in works of the freest service, cheerfully and lovingly done...

We conclude, therefore, that Christians live not in themselves, but in Christ and in their neighbor. Otherwise they are not Christians. They live in Christ through faith, in their neighbor through love.