Servanthood

Introduction

• This morning I want to talk to you about being a servant of the most high God.

• I want to help position you for the best job you could ever ask for or dream of. It is becoming a servant of God.

• As believers, we should look to a great example of a servant, His name is Jesus.

• Jesus told His disciples, “Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave” (Matt. 20:26-27).

• Each of us must stop focusing on ourselves and selflessly meet the needs of others.

• If we do this without expecting recognition from people, The Bible promises that the Father will honor us.

• Let us see what the Word of God has to say about servant hood.

(NKJV) Philippians 2 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

1) What servant hood is…?

a) It is God’s work for every believer.

i) Shout…I want to be a servant of God.

ii) All our actions should reflect the fact that Jesus is not only our Savior but also the master of our lives.

iii) Salvation means more than forgiveness and the assurance of heaven; it signifies that we are now servants of the living God.

(NKJV) Revelation 22 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.

iv) By actively serving Him here on earth, we are preparing for eternity with the Lord.

b) It is how God carries out His work.

(NKJV) John 14 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. 12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

i) Jesus told His disciples that they would do even greater works than He did.

ii) While our actions can not compare to the work Christ accomplished on the cross, none of us know our maximum potential.

iii) As we surrender our lives to the service of the most high God, He will honor us with true greatness.

c) It is essential to our spiritual growth.

i) Shout…I want to grow and mature spiritually.

ii) Unless you are serving God in some fashion, you aren’t maturing spiritually.

(NKJV) Ephesians 2 10 “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

iii) We should humbly seek to serve people with the attitude Christ had. Even when our giving is overlooked or taken for granted by everyone, our heavenly Father notices.

(NKJV) Hebrews 6 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

d) It is the purpose for spiritual gifts.

i) Shout…I want to activate my spiritual gifts.

ii) Every believer has one or more spiritual gifts, which we are to use in serving the body of Christ.

(NKJV) 1 Peter 4 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

iii) That same attitude of humble service should extend inside and outside the church.

2) Those who serve the Lord aren’t always popular.

a) Shout…I am here to impress God, not man.

b) Some people may not like you and may falsely accuse you.

i) When that happens, concentrate on maintaining a servant spirit, and allow the Lord to handle the unfair criticism.