ARE THERE SERVANTS AMONG US?
Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT) 25But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. 26But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."
I have taught many youth groups and young people's Sunday school classes in my tenure as a pastor and worker for Jesus. One of my favorite things to do is just sit in a youth class and listen. You can get some of the greatest stories and jokes from those innocent little minds. Jesus as always said it best. Matthew 19:13-15 (NLT) 13Some children were brought to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. The disciples told them not to bother him. 14But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." 15And he put his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left. For such is the kingdom of heaven. But, in many ways the young innocent children are very much like the overly religious Christians but for a different reason. You see the young innocent child has his own version of what the scriptures mean because his lack of education in the Bible. Here are a couple of true stories; One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex was staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the church. The plaque was covered with names, and small American flags were mounted on either side of it. The seven-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside the boy, and said quietly, "Good morning Alex." "Good morning pastor," replied the young man, still focused on the plaque. "Pastor McGhee, what is this?" Alex asked. "Well, son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service." Soberly, they stood together, staring at the large plaque. Little Alex's voice was barely audible when he asked, "Which service, the 8:30 or the 11:00?" I have been in a few churches that were so lukewarm you could not tell who died in the service.
A little boy opened the big and old family Bible with fascination; he looked at the old pages as he turned them. Then something fell out of the Bible and he picked up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf from a tree that has been pressed in between pages. "Momma, look what I found," the boy called out. "What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked. With astonishment in the young boy's voice he answered: "It's Adam's suit!!!"
The Sunday school teacher was carefully explaining the story of Elijah the Prophet and the false prophets of Baal. She explained how Elijah built the altar, put wood upon it, cut the steer in pieces and laid it upon the altar. And then Elijah commanded the people of God to fill four barrels of water and pour it over the altar. He had them do this four times. "Now, said the teacher, "can anyone in the class tell me why the Lord would have Elijah pour water over the steer on the altar?" A little girl raised her hand with great enthusiasm and said "To make the gravy!"
The overly religious have their own version of what the scriptures mean because of their over education by man not God. If we truly and honestly study the word of God we realize that none of the great men and women of God had to go through some special theological training before God could use them. In fact the opposite is true. Look at Paul, he was Jew's Jew highly educated. Yet, he said it all in one short phrase in verse 8 of the following: Philippians 3:4-10 (NLT) 4Yet I could have confidence in myself if anyone could. If others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! 5For I was circumcised when I was eight days old, having been born into a pure-blooded Jewish family that is a branch of the tribe of Benjamin. So I am a real Jew if there ever was one! What's more, I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6And zealous? Yes, in fact, I harshly persecuted the church. And I obeyed the Jewish law so carefully that I was never accused of any fault. 7I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ 9and become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God's law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing in his death. Whether your point of view is from the pure innocence of a child or the over educated idiot box of man to be true servants to Christ we must become like little children. We must realize that all that truly matters is Christ and being in His Will. How do we do this? We go to the source the word of God! Not some book written by man to interpret the word of God. But, the real thing the living word of God. John 16:12-15 (NLT) 12"Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now. 13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me. 15All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me. Do you see what Jesus is telling his disciples here? He is not saying that they cannot serve Him until they have a degree from seminary. He is not saying " there is so much more I want to tell you but you must be educated before I can share it!" 1 Corinthians 2:9-15 (NLT) That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and his Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God's deep secrets. No one can know what anyone else is really thinking except that person alone, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world's spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you this, we do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren't Christians can't understand these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means. We who have the Spirit understand these things, but others can't understand us at all. Do you get the reality of the situation? Do you understand what the Word of God is trying to tell us/? If you have not fully grasped the word let me expound. Paul and Jesus are telling us that the Holy Spirit will be the one who reveals to us the deep spiritual truths of God's word not man. Take an honest look at the church today. I mean step back and take an honest look at your church. Then read the book of Acts. Is there any resemblance? If you see a resemblance then you and your group are listening to the Spirit of God. If not then you and your group are most likely being taught by man's words and ideas. What does Paul say? "No one can know what anyone else is really thinking except that person alone, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world's spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us." Paul did not say that you need mans training or education to understand he said God has given us His Spirit so we can know the wonderful things of God. Yes, you and I, just common people, even the most uneducated man or woman can know the wonderful things of God if we will only listen to His Spirit. You want to be a true servant of God and His Son you must listen to His Spirit not mans. You see when you follow some mans teaching or education you are not really a servant of Christ. You can only be a true servant of Christ when you follow only the leading of the Holy Spirit. So many groups that follow mans teachings have one thing in common. They have a drive to make followers of their ideas first, then later if ever, bring people to Christ. If we are following the leading and education of the Holy Spirit we are going to want only one thing; one more soul for the kingdom of heaven. Each and every individual you see should be one more that can hear just what Jesus did for you. Are you a servant of Jesus or man? It is easy to answer, when you tell people about yourself do you say " I am a Christian, or I am a follower of Jesus, or I am a worker for the Lord?" Or do you say "I am a Methodist, I am a Baptist, I am a Mormon, I am a Catholic"? What do you say because what comes from your heart is who you follow. You see Jesus does not have a religious group! Jesus has a body of followers. We cannot be a true servant of the mighty God of the universe if we have been assimilated by some mans religious teachings. We are either for Jesus or man's ideas. Look what Jesus says: Matthew 10:24-27 (NLT) 24"A student is not greater than the teacher. A servant is not greater than the master. 25The student shares the teacher's fate. The servant shares the master's fate. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, how much more will it happen to you, the members of the household! 26But don't be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything will be revealed; all that is secret will be made public. 27What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ears, shout from the housetops for all to hear!
Do you understand the point Jesus was driving home? He tells us that a student shares the teacher's fate. In other words he follows what he has been taught and ends up at the same place as the one who was his teacher. Yet, the same holds true for the servant. The servant shares the Master's fate. The servant follows the Master to the end and shares his fate. Do you see what Jesus says He is? He is the Master and we should be his servants. If that relationship holds true then we will share the Masters fate. Who do you have a relationship with my friend, your teacher or your master?
Again I ask you to step back and take an honest look at yourself and your church. Do you see the New Testament church in your church? Do your see the New Testament Christians in your life? Be honest because your fate may depend on the answer. Jesus said it "The servant shares the master's fate." I cannot speak for you but I would much rather have my fate rest in the hands of the Master than in my favorite teacher. Are you a servant for Jesus? Only you can answer that. Remember Jesus' words; Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."
