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Philippians 2:5,7--Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus... taking the very nature of a servant... 

Mark 10:43-45--...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. 

Matthew 6:1--"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
²"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 
³But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 
⁴so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
⁵"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 
⁶But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 
⁷And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 
⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
⁹"This, then, is how you should pray:
   " 'Our Father in heaven,
   hallowed be your name,
    ¹⁰your kingdom come,
   your will be done
       on earth as it is in heaven.
    ¹¹Give us today our daily bread.
    ¹²Forgive us our debts,
       as we also have forgiven our debtors.
    ¹³And lead us not into temptation,
   but deliver us from the evil one. ' 
¹⁴For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 
¹⁵But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
¹⁶"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 
¹⁷But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 
¹⁸so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
¹⁹"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 
²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 
²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I. A SERVANT DOES NOT SEEK PERSONAL ATTENTION.  

A. True servants of Jesus seek the applause of God over the applause of man. 

1. A servant says no to bragging. 

Matthew 6:2--So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 

2. A servant does not need visibility or recognition. 

Matthew 6:5--And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 

• Servant Goal #1: I'm invisible. 
• Servant Goal #2: God is visible. 

3. A servant does not seek attention by complaining. 

Matthew 6:16--When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 

B. True servants of Jesus follow the example of Christ. 

1. Carry a cross. 

Matthew 16:24--Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 

2. Employ a towel and wash basin. 

John 13:14--Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 

3. Humble yourself. 

Philippians 2:5-6--Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 

II. A SERVANT WILL RECEIVE AN ETERNAL REWARD. 

A. If our goal is to impress people, their attention will be our reward. 

1. Missing heavenly rewards is missing God's best. 

Matthew 6:1, 5, 16--Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 

2. Earthly rewards dissatisfy and disappoint. 

• Appreciation 
• Burnout 
• Small things 

B. When we seek to impress Jesus, His eternal riches will be our reward. 

1. Eternal rewards are extraordinary and forever. 

Matthew 6:4, 6, 18--so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 

Matthew 6:19-21--Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

2. We will be overjoyed. 

• Appreciation [Matthew 25] 
• Burnout 
• Small things [Matthew 6:4, 6, 18] 

2 Timothy 4:7, 8--I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Small Group Discussion Questions:

1. What are the major obstacles we face in serving like Jesus served?   
2. Review the points and Bible verses from this lesson. What personal application can you make from this week's teaching? 
3. As you grow in servanthood, what would you like to see the Lord do through you in service to others? (Be specific.)  
4. Take some time right now to pray for the needs of those in your small group. 

*Scripture is quoted from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.
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