This old song teaches the example of servanthood so very well...
"I'm a prisoner of love a slave to the master,
I willingly toil through the heat and the cold,
I seek no reward in this world below,
but payday will come,
When the pearly gates swing open..."
New Testament doctrine is clear that the model for the Lord's people in this world is ... humble "servanthood."
The texts are numerous and so clear they leave no room for argument.
The Lord Jesus washed the disciples' feet and told us to do likewise.
He also had this testimony "He came not to be served but to serve."
Jesus said, "He who would be great among you, let him be your servant"
In his epistles, Paul identifies himself as the servant and a slave of Jesus Christ.
But the clearest example is given in Luke 17:7-10 ESV
“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’?
Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’?
Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?
So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”
This scripture cures a hundred problems within the church before they get started. It heads off spiritual pride, ego problems, competitiveness, laziness, self-centeredness, comparing ourselves among ourselves issues, and other such divisive forces before they can take root in a congregation.
There are four lessons in this text.
1. We are the Lord's servants.
We are not: His equal, His associate, His partner, or His advisor. We are His servant called for one purpose - to do His will.
2. We are His servants forever.
Revelation 22 (the final chapter in the bible) reads that in Heaven, "and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads."
Serve him, his name in their foreheads... If you want to be served, or think you have arisen to a place of status, you might rethink your plans on going to heaven. Gods plan includes you serving Him through out eternity.
3. We are to consider ourselves unworthy servants.
Scripture has a good bit to say about how each person in God's family views himself. The word here is that we are to look upon ourselves as unworthy servants of Jesus.
Philippians 2:3 commands that we "each esteem others as better than ourselves."
The ESV says "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."
Hmmm... I am coming up short on this one.
4. We consider ourselves unworthy servants who are merely doing our duty.
The temptation is to see ourselves as more than others, our role as greater than mere servants, and our work as more important than what others perform. The longer we serve Him and the more we accomplish the greater this temptation.
Another temptation is to feel we have "earned" certain rights and rewards. Jesus nips this in the bud by commanding us to view our production as merely doing our duty and nothing else.
This subject is incomplete without a reminder of at least three unstated truths.
1. God does not view us as unworthy servants.
In fact, we have the very words of the Lord who at some distant future time shall say, "Well done, good and faithful servant, You have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many."
2. We are not to think of others as unworthy servants.
"In honor," Paul instructed, "we are to give preference to one another". This has no age limitations on it. "Honor one another" works on all and for all.
3. We are to highly esteem the work of others.
Obeying this teaching--which is a daily challenge, not the work of a one-- time commitment at an altar--solves a host of problems within the church before they begin.
I was involved in a conversation about a well known minister, who has served faithfully many years, he founded a revival church, he is known as a man of prayer. However he holds a standard on separation that is less than where I am comfortable. The man I was conversing with about him said in closing " I am glad he is there, heaven is richer for his going."
Think on that for awhile... No where in scripture is there any reference to liberal or conservative christians. You are saved or your not, you are part of the bride of Christ or your not. " I am glad he is there, heaven is richer for his going" ... Give honor, to every mans work.
Here are a few of the ways we camouflage our competitiveness.
We are better than you.
Bigger than you.
Baptize more than you do.
Give more to mission than you,
Our pastor is better known then yours,
and a host of other ego-centric props.
Seeing ourselves as unworthy servants, only doing our duty, will end most of the divisiveness in our spirits.
An unworthy servant is not upset when no one knows his name or singles him out for recognition.
He's a servant;
A servant is grateful for the opportunity to do his job.
The greatest test of a servant is how you react when treated like one.
--When you are rebuked by someone you view as having far greater problems than you.
--When you are once again bypassed for recognition because someone with ties to people of influence was chosen.
--When the names of all the workers on a project are called from the pulpit but yours was left off... Maybe on purpose.
--When members who do far less are given much more recognition and appreciation than you.
-- When all your work is taken for granted, or another receives the praise for work you have done.
-- When men of lesser talent and consecration, boast of success, or treat you as insignificant.
Humility is the cloak of a servant.
When all is said and done... "We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”
Thank you for reading today. My prayer for you is that you will reach higher than you have ever reached, and you will strive to become all God has called you to be.
Lm
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I enjoy your blog! Great post!
ReplyDeleteHeidi Flowers