Saved to Serve - Part One

The Significance Of Being A Christian
Saved To Serve - Part One

Please note that in the following lesson all scripture text will be taken from the American Standard Version rather than the Contemporary English Version as in previous lessons. This is for consistency in the use of the word "servant" in the text.

We have seen throughout this series that the Christian is truly blessed...
"A person reborn", he is provided the opportunity to live a new life. "Belonging to the Lord", he is God’s special child. "Living by faith", he walks with God. "Consecrated to God", he has been set apart to live a holy life. "Guarded by the power of God", he is not alone in his struggle against the powers of Satan and the evil world in which we live. But with blessings come responsibilities. There are obligations that come with our new opportunities. There are duties that come with our new calling. Indeed, the Christian is a person who has been called to serve God. We have been "Saved To Serve" - He 9:14 "But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. That's why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear. Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death."; 12:28 "We should be grateful that we were given a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And in this kingdom we please God by worshiping him and by showing him great honor and respect." It is only "reasonable" that we be expected to serve God - Ro 12:1 "Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That's the most sensible way to serve God." Each person has a ministry (service) we are expected to fulfill - Co 4:17 "Remind Archippus to do the work that the Lord has given him to do."; 2 Ti 4:5 "But you must stay calm and be willing to suffer. You must work hard to tell the good news and to do your job well." Thus the concept of "servitude" or "servanthood" is a significant part of what it means to be a Christian.

That our service to God might be more acceptable and fruitful, consider the greatness of servanthood. Being a servant of God is a great honor. The title of "servant" was what many great men in the O.T. were called. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob - Deu 9:27 "Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin," Moses - 1 Ki 8:53 "For thou didst separate them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord Jehovah." Joshua - Josh 24:29 "And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Jehovah, died, being a hundred and ten years old." Caleb - Num 14:24 "but my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it." Job - Job 1:8 "And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil." Isaiah - Isa 20:3 "And Jehovah said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia;" The prophets - Jer 7:25 "Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day, I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:"

Likewise, the New Testament writers referred to themselves as "servants". James - Ja 1:1 "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting." Paul - Ro 1:1 "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,"; Ph 1:1 "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus that are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:" Peter - 2 Pe 1:1 "Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and the Saviour Jesus Christ:" Jude - Ju 1 "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:" John - Re 1:1 "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John;"

Even Jesus came to serve. He was foretold to come as the "Suffering Servant" - Isa 52:13-53:12. He "did not come to be served, but to serve" - Mt 20:28 "even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."; Ph 2:7 "but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;" Even as our Lord and Master, He exemplified the servitude He desires of His disciples - Jn 13:12-17 "So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them." What a honor, if God were to look upon us as "His servants" as He did these great men, including His own Son, Jesus Christ!

He will, if we put into practice the concepts of servanthood. It involves complete obedience in a slave-master relationship. The slave knows no law but his master's word. He has no rights of his own. He is the absolute possession of his master. He is bound to give his master unquestioning obedience. Does this describe our relationship to Christ? It should, especially in light of 1 Co 6:19-20 "Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body." We have to come to Jesus on HIS terms, not our own - Lk 6:46 "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"; Mt 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven."

Coming to Jesus involves absolute humility otherwise, absolute obedience is not possible. When we have a humble opinion of ourselves, we are receptive to the idea of complete obedience. For example, consider Paul’s self-estimation - 1 Co 15:9-10 "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."; Ep 3:8 "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;"; 1 Ti 1:15 "Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:" Does this describe our relationship to Christ and His Will? Jesus said it should! - Lk 17:10 "Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do." But if we murmur or complain about what Jesus tells us to do, can we really be considered "servants"?

Coming to Jesus involves absolute loyalty. Since we become servants freely, it should be expected that we:
Are to be loyal to Him first - Ga 1:10 "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ." Do not consider our own profit or preference important, but that of the One we freely serve! It is amazing how any can claim to be servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, while:
Complaining about having to do the will of God, OR being negligent or slothful in carrying out His will. Yet some act as though they are being forced against their own will! They don't "have to" serve the Lord Jesus. Of course, the alternative is not very inviting. If we don’t serve Jesus, by default we serve Satan, and are destined for hell! But God by His grace has offered salvation, and how dare we ever grumble or complain that He calls us to a life of service in grateful appreciation!

In order that we not be negligent in our service, we need to be aware of some hindrances to sevanthood. We will look at these in Part Two of our lesson.