Sermon

Submission (Servanthood)

Theme

Putting others first

Object

The numeral one, a capital letter "I", the word "You"

Scripture

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21, NIV)

Who can tell me what this number is? (Show number "1") How about this? (Show letter "I"). "I" is not just a letter but a word. when we write it out it is always a capital, big and important and it contains the number 1. When you wake up in the morning do you think, "I'm sleepy" or "I'm hungry"? I think this is because all humans were made to automatically or instinctively think first about ourselves. And that's why "I" is big. It's even called a first person pronoun. That's how we're made; that's how our brain works; that's how we think and since God created us, that's ok. But the bible tells us we are to be servants, to submit to others, to think about others first. That's not how we think; that's not how our brain works; that's HARD! Who knows what word this is? (Show "you") It's called a second person pronoun. It's the same if I mean one other person or a bunch of other people. It's harder to write; it's more than one letter; it's not "I"; it's not about "me." God know its hard for us and that's why he sent Jesus to be an example of how we should be. Jesus told us the most important lesson is to put God first and to think about other people as often as we think about ourselves. God you created us; you know that we think first of ourselves. Yet you do not get angry when we forget you and others. You love us still. You sent Jesus to be our example. Strengthen us God, to be better people, to think of others and not just ourselves. Amen.