05/18/11 - Super Servers - Mike Barker

Mike Barker teaches on living life as a "Super Server" in this Wednesday celebration.

Super Server
Mike Barker
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

www.mylifegatechurch.com


Sermon Notes:

Super Server

Turn to Philippians chapter 1.
When I say Super Server, it might bring some Super Hero’s to your mind.
Who are some of your favorite Superhero’s?

Most of the Superhero’s had extraordinary powers that enabled them to do heroic acts.
The one that stands out to me is Superman. He came from another planet, the planet Krypton, and was raised by a couple from Kansas. He did what was right and just. He protected the innocent from evil and brought criminals to justice.

One thing that I never could quite understand is why he kept his identity secret. He lived by day as the mild mannered Clark Kent, and would quickly change into his Superman outfit in the local phone booth.

Superman is just a character in comic books. He was created for entertainment.

There is a real book that describes a man that did some super things. A man that was not of this world and he left his world for ours. The man knew that there was injustice to be dealt with. He knew that there were people who were being held captive and had to be protected from evil. He knew that the only way that he could save their lives was to give his. The one thing about that man is nothing could defeat him. Not even Death, Hell and the Grave!

That man, a real Super Man, was Jesus Christ

The Awesome thing about Jesus is that he equips us and allows us to be super like him, because we are not from this world either. Once we receive Jesus into our heart and make him our lord, we become super servers for Jesus, and heaven is our destination.

Jesus knew that we need some help while we are here on this earth, because our flesh is weak. So Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be with us and to give us the strength to conquer the things of this world.

Jesus is a Super Man. Unlike Superman, Jesus doesn’t have an alter ego. Jesus was himself where ever he went. He wants us to be the same way. He wants us to be ourselves everywhere we go. We should let the light of Jesus shine to everyone we come in contact with. He lives inside of us. We are his representatives. He makes us super.

On the outside, the character Superman seemed to be invincible. Nothing could hurt him, except Kryptonite. The kryptonite would drain Superman of his energy and he couldn’t continue to fight when he was around it. But when the Kryptonite was put in a special box, that shielded its power and he regained his strength.

Since our flesh is from this world, we have weaknesses. Just like Superman, we have our own types of kryptonite. We have situations and circumstances that can make us weak and keep us from being everything that God intended for us to be.

What is your Kryptonite? Is it:
-   Fear
-   Shame
-   Guilt
-   Addictions
-   Rejection

These are some things that keep us from being the best that we can be for Jesus.
They can try to keep us from serving where we are in life. Jesus doesn’t expect you to have your life in perfect order to serve him. If we had to, nobody here would ever be able to serve. Jesus wants us to depend on him for strength and to look to him for guidance through the Holy Spirit.

Don’t be afraid to serve him because we haven’t finished our journey to being like Jesus. That journey never ends while we are still on this earth.
Serve him where you are, no matter what the circumstances or situation. Let Jesus shine through you.

There is a man in the New Testament that knew about serving Jesus in the place where you are at. He was a super server. Because of his diligent serving nations were changed through Jesus.

That man was Paul. Paul was a strong man because he found his strength through Jesus. He had a Mack truck experience with God that changed his life. You know when you get hit by a Mack truck you will never be the same.

In Philippians, Paul is in Rome while under house arrest, writing to the church in Philippi.

 Philippians 1:12-14 (NLT) 
12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 
13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 
14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.

Paul faced dark circumstances as a prisoner in Rome. The dark circumstances stared Paul right in the face. No circumstances could ever be any more severe, no matter what they were.

Paul was waiting to appear before the Supreme Court of Rome. He was facing a trial
before Nero, who was the Roman Emperor, and Paul was innocent. He had done nothing to cause his arrest and imprisonment, but there he was.

Paul had to wait for the arrival of his Jewish prosecutors, with their trumped-up and malicious charges.

He was imprisoned for over two years, and with all prisoners, the days wore on ever so slowly, hour by hour and day after day.

Can you imagine the pressures that hung over a Paul's head, while awaiting trial? It was a trial that would determine whether he lived or died. That is what hung over Paul's head.
Paul didn’t let that slow him down! He was a super server!

Paul didn’t:
-   grumble and complain
-   question God and wonder why
-   whine and murmur
-   fall to pieces
-   curse God nor give up his faith

Just imagine! Paul was bound to a Roman guard every day and night for over two years. What do you suppose Paul talked about with the guards?

Paul spread the gospel through the Praetorian Guard, the elite of the Roman army.
These soldiers were the Imperial Guard of Rome, men who had been hand-picked
to protect the emperor and to carry out the major armed functions of the state.

There were sixteen thousand of them, most of whom were stationed in Rome at
any given time. It was these soldiers who guarded and were chained to the wrist of Paul day and night for two years, young men who were the elite of Roman youth . How many Paul led to the Lord is unknown.

Note: Paul shared the message of Jesus so much that the gospel spread throughout:
-   The whole Praetorian Guard.
-   The palace of the emperor.
-   And other places.

Because of Paul’s stand for Jesus and the gospel he preached, he became the conversation throughout Rome. He was the conversation among all the social circles including the upper strata, the very palace of the emperor himself.
   
The lesson for us is this: we must never let circumstances get us down. Never let them defeat our testimony and witness for Jesus.

Paul used his situation to spread the gospel. Paul did not see himself as a prisoner of Rome, or Nero. He saw himself as a Super Server for Jesus Christ.

He did not see himself as a victim; he saw himself as a conqueror for Jesus Christ.
That is how we need to be church! We are more than conquerors with Jesus.

But how do we do that?

Don’t let a situation define you, you define the situation.

Remember that you are a chosen child of the King! You are his masterpiece!

Philippians 1:27-28 (NLT) 
27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing side by side, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 
28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.


When the Situations and circumstances (Kryptonite) of life come to you. Remember, we may get knocked down but we’re not knocked out.  We have the power to stand back up and defeat them through the power of Jesus.

If you find yourself being knocked down by the things of this world. Remember that Jesus clothes us in a crimson cape, his crimson cape. It is crimson because of the blood that he shed for us on Calvary. And because of what he did, we are Super servers!

His blood is so powerful that it still defeats death, hell and the grave.

Jesus gives us the tools to stay strong like:
-   S.O.A.P
-   Prayer
-   Godly connections (Iron sharpens Iron)
 
Are we super servers?.......          Yes we are!