Jesus Came To Serve + TONIGHT!

Good morning Immanuel. On August 15, 2023, Pastor Sam Allberry delivered a homily at Tim Keller's memorial service in New York City. Here's an excerpt.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45)

Jesus came to serve. That might not surprise us, because we’re familiar with the idea of service as a calling. Politics is meant to be public service. In many places, we even call politicians ministers. We recognize that the best teachers and doctors tend to be those who view their jobs not as careers but callings, as first and foremost forms of service. We have similar expectations of religious leaders too. We expect them not to be in it for themselves but for others’ sake.

So maybe we’re not taken aback when Jesus says he came to serve. But I’d like to suggest the reason we’re not surprised by these words is, in fact, because Jesus said them. We’ve lived downstream from his words for many centuries. It’s precisely because Jesus said these words that we now live in a society that esteems service. If it’s normal to us, that’s because Jesus made it normal. We live in a world his words built.

You can read the full manuscript at The Gospel Coalition.

---

August 16, 2023 - Midweek Updates

• Celebration

  • SUNDAY - We had a wonderful Sunday full of God’s kindness. Feel free to catch up on our Youtube channel here!

• Tonight At Immanuel!

  • WED. NIGHT - TEACHING AND COMMUNITY

    • Adults - Wed. Nights at Immanuel begins TONIGHT from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

      • Doors open at 6 pm. Enjoy some fellowship and a good cup of coffee in the cafe!

      • Adults will meet in the worship center as Pastor Sam Allberry launches our new teaching series, "Abiding: Healthy Rhythms For Life With God.” All are welcome!

    • Students - Student Ministry City Groups begins. Students in 5th-12th grade are welcome to the gymnasium. Doors open at 6 pm.

    • iKids - We are very close to hitting our volunteer goals for opening iKids on Wednesday nights - way to go, Immanuel! We are still looking for a few more Wednesday night people before iKids can open up on Wed. nights. Would you consider serving in this way?

• On the Horizon

  • YOUNG PROFESSIONALS - Bring your questions!

    • Our next monthly Young Professionals Fellowship is on August 17, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Bring any questions you have about the church in general or about Immanuel in particular, and we'll spend some time discussing them. All questions are welcome, and no question is off-limits. RSVP here.