Topic: The Good And Faithful Servant
By Ptr Arsenio “Jack” Segismundo
Text:
John 12:26
“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor.”
Introduction:
Many people say that they are too busy to serve God because they have too many things to do in life. Understand that we are created to serve God. If we are too busy, we cannot serve Him fully. Many of us set aside our service to God and focus on things of this life. If we are to serve Him we need to cut down on our activities so that we can concentrate on one of our main objectives in life – to serve God and not vice versa.
It is true that servants have distinguishing characteristics, and the loyal servant of Christ certainly has his. Let us now notice some distinct traits of a faithful follower of Christ.
I A Good and Faithful Servant of God and of Christ serves only one master –
you cannot call Jesus as Lord if you do not serve Him and you cannot call Him Teacher if you do not learn from Him. God requires undivided heart
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
II. A Good and Faithful Servant of God is not a cheater –
No master is happy with a cheating servant. God do not want to be cheated on His resources. God did not bless you to raise your standard of living but to raise your standard of giving.
Jeremiah 48:10
10 “A curse on anyone who is lax (negligent)in doing the LORD’s work!
A curse on anyone who keeps their sword from bloodshed!
Malachi 3:8
“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
III. A Good and Faithful Servant of God is self- motivated.
No master is happy with a lazy servant. Servant should know their responsibility.
Luke 12:42-43
42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food [b]in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
IV. A Good and Faithful Servant of God is always ready to meet His master.
Luke 12:35-48
Watchfulness
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
V. A Good and Faithful Servant of God is Zealous and always on fire.
Luke 12:35-36
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet
VI. A Good and Faithful Servant of God works with all his might
Ecclesiastes 9:10
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
VII. A Good and Faithful Servant of God is enduring.
He works without complaining. He works even without human recognition. A Christian should not question the work that the Lord would have him to do in the kingdom.
How often we grow weary and discouraged because we do not see the progress we are seeking! Apostle Paul says to all the followers of Christ:
Gal. 6:9
"And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not".
The servant did not murmur nor complain.
Philippians 2:14
New King James Version
14 Do all things without [a]complaining and disputing,[b]
Conclusion
There are so many more characteristics of a faithful servant of the Lord that should be listed here. But these are the most distinguishing characteristics of a loyal servant of Christ and of God.
