I AM CREATED TO SERVE
In our new nature we need to understand that we are created to serve. We must learn to serve because our old nature has a self-centered desire to be served. The opposite of servant-hood is selfishness and its root is rebellion towards God.
This transformational process occurs in our lives during our quiet times as we meditate upon God’s truths and as we seek to allow Christ to live through us. It is vital, if you are to be transformed, that you not only hear these truths but personally know the One whose character displayed their attributes.
Rebellion is in the heart of our old nature and it is the opposite of being a servant. Joshua 24:19-24 (NIV) 19 Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you." 21 But the people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the LORD." 22 Then Joshua said, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD." "Yes, we are witnesses," they replied. 23 "Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel." 24 And the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God and obey him."
We must understand this rebellious side of our old nature and ask Christ to enable us to crucify our selfishness and become His servants. In Thessalonians, Paul speaks about their faith saying, 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 (NIV) 8 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
The message of their lives rang out and the essence of their lives had changed. They no longer were serving themselves and going the ways of the world. They had become servants of the living and true God. The transformation in their lives became known everywhere. The Bible tells us they worked, endured, and turned away from the pleasures of the world. Has the transformation from being selfish to serving the living God become known about you?
We live in a very hedonistic society where our wants and desires drive us to do what we want. We are very concerned with our comforts and our entertainment. This generation has a humanistic philosophy that teaches us that we have “good” inside us and through education we can bring this good out. This type of education focuses upon what we want rather than upon what God wants. We ask questions like, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The appropriate question should be, “What is God’s will for your life?” This should be your only focus. It should not be a self-reflection of what do I want or what do I like. When we become servants of God we surrender our wants to please our Master. We no longer are the lord of our lives, but we call on Jesus as our Lord.
The Bible tells us that in governing ourselves we are to have the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus who made himself nothing, taking on the nature of a servant. What does it mean that God made himself nothing? Jesus explained what it means in Mark 10:45 (NIV) 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Becoming a Servant of God is an honorable position and you will be listed among the great people of faith if you will surrender to Jesus as your Lord.
Servant Abraham - Gen. 26:24; Servant Moses - Num 12:7; Servant Joshua - Josh. 24:29; Servant David - 2 Sam 7:5; Servant Isaiah - Isaiah 20:3; Servant Paul – Rom 1:1; Servant James – James 1:1; Servant Peter – 2 Pet. 1:1; Servant Jude – Jude 1:1
Jesus calls everyone to this role of Servant. Mark 9:35 (NIV) 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."
We must move away from the educational philosophy of our self-centered world where God's principle of being a servant has been lost. We must get back to having the right attitude in life. Philippians 2:5-7 (NIV) 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. One of the main purposes of the church should be on discipleship and teaching the people to have a servant’s attitude like Jesus.
In the church at Thessalonica the believers were being persecuted for their faith and they were seeking God and asking Him for the strength to endure. They were so concerned about Paul and Silas being killed for their faith that they made them leave town. They were not thinking about themselves, they were concerned servants of God putting the needs of others above their own wants and desires.
They could have said, “This is uncomfortable and hard. Paul will just have to fend for himself. I’m going to go to the church down the street that does not have such trouble.” Becoming a servant of God does not mean that everything is going to be easy. The issue is more in your attitude and the position God has called you to. He has called you to be the very last and the servant of all.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A CHRIST-LIKE SERVANT
1. HUMBLE
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) 28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Jesus said, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” What makes us weary and burdened? How do we get this way? We get weary and burdened when we try to be the lord of our own lives and the lives of people around us. We get easily frustrated when people do not do what we want. We get burdened trying to please ourselves and others. Did you know that it is impossible to fulfill yourself with worldly pleasures? We were not created to be filled by our lusts and passions we are created to be filled by God. Our lusts and passions are from our corrupted nature and they can never be satisfied.
Proverbs 27:20 (NIV) 20 Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NIV) 10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.
Ecclesiastes 6:7 (NIV) 7 All man's efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.
Notice what Jesus said would give us rest, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” A yoke is a heavy harness that fits over the shoulders of an animal. It is attached by ropes to a piece of equipment that the animals are to pull. The animals are then guided in what direction to go by their master. Does this sound like something that would give us rest? Putting a heavy yoke on our necks and being guided by another is going to give us rest?
This is exactly what will give us rest! We need to submit to the Lordship of Jesus in our lives and become His servants. By serving Him and others we will receive rest and peace.
Our weariness and burdens come from our pride. If we are successful, our pride is inflated and we try for more. If we fail at something, the rejection of others and our self-condemnation burden us with guilt and self-doubt. When we take on the yoke of Christ's attitude to serve others and build them up, we are no longer concerned about our interests and pride. This is freedom in Christ!
Jesus said, “for I am gentle and humble in heart.” A lowly servant is concerned about meeting the needs of those around him. He is not concerned with the perception of who likes him and who does not. His character is to be gentle, meek, and humble. Humility is to be dependent upon God and to be concerned about serving others.
Through our relationship with Christ, in prayer and His Word, we learn His character and we are transformed into His likeness. Whether it is being a servant, encouraging, forgiving, humble, gentle, bold, loving God, or loving others we are transformed in our quiet times.
Paul tells us in Philippians 2:3 (NIV) 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
Selfish ambition or vain conceit is to want praise, fame, and recognition for who we are and what we have done. It is the desire to be recognized when we enter a room. It is the feeling of being better than those around you. It is an attitude that you should be acknowledged for everything you do.
Paul tells us in Romans 12:3-5 (NIV) 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
In the Church the only one who is to be lifted up is Jesus. Is it OK to recognize the service of others and to thank them for their hard work? Yes! But it is not OK for us to desire others to recognize us. Jesus said it this way in Luke 17:10 (NIV) 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" If we do anything good it is because Christ in us has done it. If we did not have a new nature we would still be living in our corrupted nature. It is Christ in us who is doing the good through us and we are just doing what we are told to do. Therefore, we should not seek credit for it, but we should give God all the glory for whatever good we do.
Look at this passage in 1 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV) 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
In our corrupted state, we are selfish and prideful. We think more highly of ourselves than we ought. Which of us has created themselves? Which of us has chosen our height, looks, abilities, or blessed us with gifts? Only God has done these things. We are His creations. Sometimes we walk around with our heads held high thinking that we are something when we are nothing. Remember our verse in Life Truth # 2 , Romans 7:18 (NIV) 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.
Humility is learning that we are completely dependent upon God to sustain us and learning to put others ahead of ourselves.
We have a corrupted flesh that desires to be served. In our corrupted flesh, we do things longing to be praised by man, or even our own children, not focusing upon being a servant and following the teachings and example of Jesus. Paul said in Galatians 1:10 (NIV) 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Are we doing things, hoping that people will notice us and praise us? Are our motives that God would be glorified and people would be blessed according to their needs? My interests and opinions are not important, but how I serve God and others is very important. My position in this life is not to be recognized by man but to be a servant of Christ. If I am trying to please others for their approval, I am not a servant of Christ.
Are we raising the selfish or are we raising servants of God?
2. DOES NOT QUARREL OR ARGUE
A Christ-like servant is gentle, humble, and meek. This is the opposite of a prideful person. A prideful person feels like they have to argue to prove their point or be the one to win the argument. A servant just speaks on behalf of the master and does not need to defend the master. The master can defend himself.
2 Timothy 2:23-25 (NIV) 23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,
1 Timothy 2:2 (NIV) 2 …that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
Jesus gave us the example of living a quiet servant’s life. In 1 Peter 2:23 (NIV) 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
As God’s servants we are to be meeting needs and sharing the truth. If people disagree with us, we are not to be arguing, but we are to entrust ourselves to Jesus. Could your life be considered a “quiet” life? A life of quarreling, strife, and arguments is a sign that you are not being a servant of Christ. It is a sign that you are still living for your own interests and desires and you have not submitted to the yoke of Christ’s leading.
James 4:1-3 (NIV) 1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Our motives should be that others would be blessed. Quarrels and fights are rooted in selfishness and pride. We must deny ourselves and learn to be the servants of all.
3. PUTS OTHERS INTERESTS AHEAD OF THEIR OWN
We are to be denying ourselves of what we want and desiring and learning to live to please God and others. Look at what Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV) 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Our society promotes self-centeredness. Look at the music, movies, and commercials on TV. The focus is always on your needs and wants. There is no reflection as to what God would desire. As His creations, we need to be concerned about what our creator desires.
We need to be asking God about the things we desire to see if they line up with His plan for our lives in His Word. Would God want me to have this? Would I be able to use this for God’s glory? Is this something that could become an idol in my life and pull me away from God?
Paul is writing to the Philippian church when he writes about Timothy in Philippians 2:20-21 (NIV) 20 , I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. Timothy was deeply concerned about the Spiritual maturity of the church at Philippi. His desire was for them to have an attitude like Christ Jesus being a humble servant. He took a genuine interest in their welfare, not in their happiness, but in their welfare. Would Timothy want anyone is this church to have something that would steal their affections away from Christ? Of course not! To put others interests ahead of our own is not implying that we just give people everything they want or desire. Our end purpose is to do like Paul said in Colossians 1:28-29 (NIV) 28 , We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. If an alcoholic desired a drink, we would not be acting like Christ if we gave him one. So what would it look like to put his interests ahead of our own? If we sacrificed our interests of comfort and satisfaction and we stayed with the alcoholic until that desire for a drink passed, that would be Christ-like. If we brought someone into our home to help and it disrupted our comforts for a while, that would be Christ-like. Are we serving people like this? Do we have a genuine interest in them becoming perfect in Christ?
This kind of self-sacrifice needs to be exampled and taught even in the little things. Remember it is an attitude and it is not just something we do every once in a while. It is a mental position set on being like Christ in all we do. Here are a few examples of how Jesus met needs:
Meeting the needs of people (Water into wine John 2:1 / Loaves and fish - Matt. 14:15)
Comfort those is trouble (Calming the storm - Matt 8:22)
Help others out financially when you can (Paying Peter’s tax - Matt. 17:24)
Look out for those being mistreated and speak up for them (Good Samaritan - Luke 10:33)
Come alongside the outcast (Samaritan Woman at the Well - John 4)
If you had saved the last piece of your favorite pie and you longed to eat that piece before you went to bed, what would you do if someone asked you for it? What would Jesus do if someone asked him for that last piece of pie? We know exactly what Jesus would do and we must do likewise in our new nature. In fact, we need to be looking for people to give the pie to and not just waiting for someone to ask. Who around you is in need? Who could use some encouragement? Who could use a meal or a hug or just a shoulder to cry on? Who is caught in a sin that you could help them out of?
A servant who is fulfilling his master’s wishes and God’s wishes is found in Galatians 5:13-14 (NIV) 13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." We must learn to put our wants and interests aside and serve others for their benefit.
4. LOOKS TO JESUS FOR THEIR EXAMPLE
Matthew 20:25-28 (NIV) 25 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." God’s will for your life is that you put your wants and interests at the bottom of your list and you live to serve God and others. When need to raise a generation of servants of Christ. As we look at the future generation, do we see selfless, hardworking servants or do we see individuals only concerned about their wants and desires? If we see the latter, we need to remember that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Have we raised a generation of servants? Are we an example what a Christ-like servant is like?
Jesus’ greatest example of how a servant needs to be is when he gave up his life for us on the cross. Isaiah (Chapter 53) refers to him as the suffering servant. His needs took second place to the needs of others. He died for our benefit. He didn’t need to. He didn’t have to. He was concerned about our fate, He died for us. Jesus not only died for us, but for everyone, even those who will never accept Him.
He revealed to his disciples in John (Chapter 13) the full extent of his love when he washed their feet. Their dirty smelly feet. The Lord himself knelt down as their servant and he washed them. He did not do it with a begrudging heart or a bad attitude, but with a genuine concern for their needs. He even washed Judas’ feet with a gentle, humble, loving spirit.
Is your life an example of such a genuine concern for the needs and interests of others? Would you wash people’s feet because you are concerned about them or would you just care about your own needs and wonder who is going to wash your feet? Would you wash the feet of your enemies? If you are seeking to be like Christ and to be His servant, then go and do likewise. Your focus must be to please God and to love others like He does.
Don’t forget that at some point Jesus looked down and noticed that your feet were dirty. He not only noticed, but he decided to do something about it. John 13:4 (NIV) 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. His outer clothing was his royal robes. He wrapped the humble towel of human flesh around him. After he had humbled himself by dying on the cross for you, he gently came and knelt before you and politely asked if he could wash your dirty feet. He knelt with a specific purpose. His purpose was to clean the dirt off you with the water in the basin, his purifying blood. The dirt did not affect him at all, but he could see that the dirt was affecting you greatly. It was causing you to behave in ways that were harming you. He knew that if the dirt was not removed, it would eventually kill you and send you to hell.
When Jesus knelt before Peter he said, “8 "No, you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." John 13:8 (NIV) Unless Jesus washes your feet we will have no part with him. When he had finished washing the disciples' feet he asked them in, John 13:12-17 (NIV) 12"Do you understand what I have done for you?" 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Will we do the same for others? Do we see the dirt on others and yet are we too selfish to help them? Will we sacrifice our time, money, and energy to minister to others? Will we be so concerned about the dirt on other peoples' feet that it will cause us to take the position of a servant and help them for their benefit?
This life truth about being created to serve is so deep that we must meditate upon it. In our sinful flesh, we have little desire to serve others. But with Christ in us, we learn to lay our lives down and meet the needs of those around us. Not in the way that they think we should meet them, but in the godly way that they need. We must be an example and raise up servants of Christ who do not argue when things are not going their way. We cannot be lazy and self-centered. We must genuinely care about the needs of others, their interests, and the progress of their faith.
