Through the grace of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, we have been made into a family of faith. Folks and families from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences have been united through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now the question remains: How are we supposed to treat one another as the family of faith?
It’s here that I think the disciples provide a helpful example. In Luke 9, we’re told that the disciples began to argue amongst themselves about who was the greatest. This is usually how division in a community starts, is it not? There’s typically not some dramatic betrayal, à la a cheesy daytime soap opera. Rather, division usually starts through small, seemingly mundane squabbles, arguments, and gossip.
So, what do we do? Throughout Scripture we are commanded to serve one another. But what does that actually look like? This Sunday, we’ll be exploring three components of what it means to be a family of faith that prioritizes serving one another. First, we must listen to one another instead of being compelled to always have to “offer” something. Second, we will be actively helpful towards one another. Third, we will bear with one another and with one another’s burdens.
At the end of the squabbling episode, Jesus gathered a little child to his side. In the ancient near east, children were typically considered a nuisance, ranking low in the social order. Yet, the image of a little child becomes an example of greatness in the eyes of Jesus. You want to be great? asks Jesus. “For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”
Dinner Table Conversations:
Adult & Teen Table Talk:
- Which of the three service practices (listening, active helpfulness, bearing) do you find is your strength? Weakness?
- Scripture warns us that it doesn’t take dramatic betrayal to fracture the church. In the same way, it does not take dramatic acts to serve the family of faith. What are some small, everyday acts of service we can take for the church?
Little Learners’ Table Talk:
- How can we help other Christians?
Sermon Title: Service
Sermon Series: Family of Faith in Manchester (2026)
Sermon Passage: Luke 9:46-68
Closing Scripture: Hebrews 10:23-25
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