Rescue Society, Not Yacht Club: Sustaining Your Yes

Scripture References: Matthew 20:1-28

Sermon Intro: Welcome! Today, reflecting on our church's journey and recent powerful baptisms, we dive into the heart of our mission – not just beholding Jesus, but the "so that" part: seeing the lost found, prodigals return, disciples made, and churches planted. As we look to the future, the crucial question isn't just what we'll do, but how we'll sustain it. How do we avoid "mission creep"? How do we ensure we remain a dynamic "rescue society" and don't slowly drift into becoming a comfortable "yacht club," forgetting why we started? How do we sustain a life of sacrifice and service for decades to come?

Key Points:

1. Beware the Yacht Club - What Do You Deserve? (Matt 20:1-16):
   • The Parable of the Vineyard Workers challenges our sense of fairness. Service can breed entitlement ("I worked longer, I deserve more").
   • We must fight this by remembering GRACE. As Christians, we gave up demanding "fair" – we don't want what we truly deserve!
   • Sustaining service means constantly battling entitlement and remembering God's generosity, even when it doesn't seem "fair" by worldly standards. We never deserve more than the privilege of serving God and others.
2. Fuel for the Long Haul - How Do You See God? (Matt 20:17-19):
   • Jesus predicts His own suffering and sacrifice for us.
   • To sustain our service, we must stay connected to how He serves us. Is your focus primarily on what you do for God, or on what He has done and continues to do for you?
   • Remembering His sacrifice, His carrying the burden, His constant work on our behalf is the fuel for sustained missions.
3. Kingdom Values - How Do You Define Greatness? (Matt 20:20-28):
   • The request of Zebedee's sons highlights a worldly definition of greatness (position, power).
   • Jesus redefines greatness: it's service, humility, being last, being a slave. It's "momness."
   • Sustaining our "yes" requires embracing His definition of greatness. Any position or influence is for serving, not being served. Servant leadership isn't an option; it's the only model.

Sermon Conclusion: We are committed to remaining a rescue society. This requires actively fighting the drift towards comfort and entitlement. We do this not by trying harder, but by remembering: remembering the grace we didn't deserve, remembering Jesus' immense sacrifice for us (suffering outside the gate to rescue us), and embracing His upside-down definition of greatness. Let's keep going out on rescue missions together.

Call to Action: Examine your heart:

• Where might entitlement be creeping in regarding your service? Ask God to help you see through the lens of grace.
• Reflect on how Jesus serves you daily. Let gratitude fuel your service.
• Are you pursuing worldly greatness or Kingdom greatness (service)? Recommit today to being part of the rescue society, choosing sustained sacrifice over comfort, fueled by the love and grace of Jesus.

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