To Serve or to Be Served?

Are we here to serve, or to be served? This message explores what it truly means to serve from the heart, following the example of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

We begin with the remarkable true story of Desmond Doss—the Seventh-day Adventist combat medic depicted in the film Hacksaw Ridge. A conscientious objector who refused to carry a weapon in World War II, Doss was ridiculed as a coward, yet single-handedly rescued 75 wounded soldiers on the cliffs of Okinawa, lowering them to safety one by one. He received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman without ever harming another person.

From there, we turn to the Scriptures to see servanthood modeled by Christ Himself:

John 13 :1-17 — Jesus washes the disciples' feet, leaving us an example to follow
Matthew 25 :31-40 — "Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it to Me"
Mark 10 :42-45 — The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom
Mark 9 :35-37 — Whoever desires to be first must be last of all and servant to all

While we can't all be heroes like Desmond Doss, every one of us—from the youngest to the oldest—can make a difference by serving others in our families, our congregation, and our communities. We also discuss the wisdom needed to distinguish between a genuine need and a want, and why our service is more appreciated than we often realize.