Selfless Service

(Matthew 20, Luke 3 & 6, 1 Timothy 5)

Introduction: "Selfless service." Does this idea make you shudder or does it give you a feeling of
satisfaction or freedom? If the goal of life is simply to serve others, then (to continue a theme from last
week) the guy who drives the $700 mini-van may be better than the guy who drives the new BMW 7
series, right? Hold on just a minute! If the goal is to serve others, should we even ask "Who is better?"
How do we fit ambition and hard work into this picture? Who should we help? Only the worthy? Let's
jump into the Bible and find out!

Part 1: The Farmer and the King

A. Read Matthew 20:1-5 What did the farmer offer to pay the people who started working late - at
the third hour? (Whatever was right.)
1. Would it be right to pay them the same as those who had already been working
for three hours?
b. Read Matthew 20:5-7. If you were the farmer, what would you pay these people who started 6, 9
and 11 hours late?
c. Read Matthew 20:8-12. Do you agree with the complaint raised by those who came to work early
and worked all day? They had worked 12 hours, versus 1 hour (for those last hired).
d. Read Matthew 20:13-15. Is the farmer right? (Yes, since the early people agreed to their wages.)
a. The Bible story ends after only one day. Let's continue the story to day two. The next
morning the farmer comes to town bright and early to find workers. Will he find any?
(No.)
i. Why not? (They will all be waiting to go to work (v.9) "about the eleventh
hour.")
ii. Is there any doubt in your mind about what would happen if this farmer's pay
practices became known?
iii. What, then, is Jesus' point? How does this get applied to real life? What does this
say about ambition and hard work?
e. Let's look at another story in Matthew 20. Read Matthew 20:20-21. Is this what your mother
wants for you?
a. Is this what you want for yourself? (Of course. You want to be rich and important.)
f. Read Matthew 20:22. What did Jesus mean when He spoke of "drinking the cup?" (He was
speaking of His upcoming torture and death. See Matthew 26:39 and the context of Jesus' answer
here: Matthew 20:17-19)
a. Who is answering here: Mom or the sons? (The sons.)
i. Was this just "Mom's idea" and the two sons are a little embarrassed about it?
(No. This shows they were all in on it.)
g. Let's skip down and read Matthew 20:24. Why are the rest of the disciples "indignant?" (Two
reasons. They want to be the most important people in the coming kingdom of Jesus. Second,
they are upset they did not think to get their mothers to suggest this to Jesus.)
h. Read Matthew 20:23. We just got through discussing the story of the farmer. This seems to be the
wrong answer based on the farmer story. What should have been the answer if you are just going
by the farmer story? (The farmer story teaches us that no one gets ranked higher than anyone else.
All get the same pay and honor-only the amount of work varies.)
a. So, how do you explain Jesus' answer here? Why will people get "ranked" by the Father?
(These are both "kingdom" stories, but they are about much different things. The "farmer
story" alerts us in the very first verse ( Matthew 20:1) that we are not learning a lesson in
economics from Jesus. This is about salvation - how we enter the kingdom of heaven.
The point is that we cannot earn our way into heaven by the amount of our work. We
 only "earn" our way by answering the call of God. That is why I was leading you down
the "garden path" when I suggested a "day two." On the other hand, in the "mom and
sons" story, mom and sons are thinking about real, live, promotion to positions of
authority.)
i. Read Matthew 20:25-28. When Jesus answered mom and the sons, He was speaking of heaven
and they were thinking of positions in an earthly kingdom. Jesus knew this, and now He switches
to speaking about earthly rulers. What is wrong with the way the "rulers of the Gentiles" operate?
a. Read Romans 13:1-2. Is there something wrong with the "Gentile plan?" (No. Paul tells
us that God instituted governmental systems of authority here on earth.)
b. Then how do you explain Jesus' "servant leader" command? (Jesus teaches us to follow
His example. To save us, He gave up His life for us. He temporarily gave up his own
interests for eternal interests. Jesus is not saying that an authority system is wrong or that
such a system will not exist in heaven. He is simply saying that this earth is not our goal.
Instead, the goal is heaven and to promote that goal we need to be working on serving
others and not just serving ourselves.)
j. Previously, we skipped over the "punch-line" on the farmer story. Read Matthew 20:16. How
does this line fit into what we have just discussed? (Those who put others first here on earth, will
have a suitable ranking in heaven. Self-sacrifice here means a position of authority in heaven.)
k. If I told you to pursue your own self-interests, be ambitious, what would you do in light of what
we just learned? (The texts seem to teach us that if we serve others here on earth (we are "last"),
then we will be "first" in heaven.)
a. Three questions before we move on:
b. First, isn't our conclusion at odds with the basic line of the farmer story? If we conclude
that the extent of our service here affects our "pay" (position) in heaven, isn't that
conclusion completely contrary to the point of the story?
c. Second, how is verse 16 a proper conclusion to the farmer story? Since the farmer pays
whatever he wants to all but the earliest workers, wouldn't verse 16 more appropriately
say, "So, unless you have a contract, the generous farmer pays whatever he feels like
paying." Do you think verse 16 would more appropriately be placed after verse 28?
l. Do you think Jesus' focus on serving others has anything to do with the origin of sin being Satan's
ambition to exalt himself? (See Isaiah 14:12-14)

Part 2Sharing Your Stuff

a. Let's explore next what obligation, if any, we have to serve others with our stuff. Read Luke 3:7-
9. What point were the "vipers" missing? (John is talking with them about deeds. He asks them to
"produce fruit in keeping with repentance." Their actions did not show they had a right
relationship with God.)
b. Read Luke 3:10-11. What does John suggest is the right thing to do? Does this suggestion
surprise you?
c. Read Luke 3:12-14. Does the instruction to the tax collectors and the soldiers surprise you? (No.
This seems to be basic honesty. Don't collect more than what is due and do not lie or cheat.)
d. Let's go back to verse 11. The two tunic guy has not lied or cheated to get his tunics. He earned
them by hard work while the "no-tunic" guy could be your basic lazy bum. Is John's direction
appropriate?
 If you say, "yes," why?

e. Read Luke 6:30. What does Jesus say about giving not just to those who ask, but to the lazy,
thieving bum who steals your coat?
f. Would you say that Jesus and John the Baptist share the same point of view on giving away your
stuff?
g. Let's read what Paul says about this. Read 1 Timothy 5:5-7, 9-13. How would you summarize
Paul's advice for helping poor Christian widows? (Paul limits help to those who merit it.)
i. Assume that Jesus, John the Baptist and Paul are on the same church charity
committee. Would they share the same opinion? Would they agree?
h. Read Leviticus 23:22. What do you see as the important points of the Old Testament system of
caring for the poor?
i. Does this system sound more like Paul than like Jesus and John? (I see the Old
Testament system of caring for the poor to be consistent with Paul's view. An
important feature of gleaning was that the poor were actively involved in helping
themselves. Although they did not pay for the food, they did do some work for it.
The lazy and worthless were not given a handout. (See also, Romans 15:26 and
Deuteronomy 15:11.))
i. Paul and the Old Testament gleaning system require merit and work from the poor as a condition
of help. This seems at odds with John and Jesus who say help those who are in need, and even let
them steal from you. Can you reconcile these apparently different views? (I start out with the
view that all of the Bible is God's word and it is all correct. Our goal, then, is to reconcile these
inspired words. American judges reconcile apparently conflicting laws with the rule that the more
specific law controls over the general. Both Paul's instructions about helping widows and the Old
Testament's instructions on helping the poor are very specific. Thus, when John says share your
clothes and your food, and Jesus says help those who ask, these general instructions to help the
poor may be properly understood in the light of the more specific instructions to intelligently help
those in need. "Selfless service" means to help others, but to make wise judgments on who we
help and when we help them.)
j. Friend, how is your heart? Do you work just to make yourself better? Or, do you help others -
even those who cannot repay you? Will you ask God to give you an unselfish, intelligent, spirit?
Team Building Assigment
Please go through the section for your group and have a very brief summary to present on this.

Group 1: Reflect on your current team or a team you’d like to create. First, define the purpose of the
team. Then list the people currently on your team or who you’d like to invite to join your team. Next to
each name, write what unique abilities or talents the person will contribute to the team.

Group 2: List five of your communication strengths and five of your communication weaknesses. Next
to each strength write and action you can do to build on this strength. Next to each weaknesses write and
action you can do to overcome this weakness.

Group 3: Why do you think it’s important to make sure your club is meeting the goals your team set?
How might this help motivate your team?
List three specific ways you can give recognition to your team members