In 2006 success is measured by the size of our great wealth, the popularity of our ministry, the size of our Church, In this we seem to miss the mark of being a true servant leader in the kingdom of God.. Our example in all things is the Lord Jesus himself
The servant is not greater than his master!
Mat 20:27-28 (NEB) "...whoever wants to be great must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the willing slave of all--like the Son of Man; He did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give up his life as a ransom for many."
If personal desire was the sole decision criteria, Jesus would have chosen not to go through the pain and suffering on the cross. In the garden at Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, ’Father if you are willing take this cup from me, yet not my will, but yours, be done.’(Luke 22:42) The weight of the burden of taking not only our guilt but also our sins themselves, had become too heavy. Even at this point, Jesus could have got up and walked away. Thankfully for us Jesus chose the path of Servant, and calls us to share his heart in all things
Philippians 2: 5 Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. 7 He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. 8 And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross. 9 Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Serving is not always easy! it leads us to Calvary! And we feel uncomfortable. It begins to hurt our flesh and we feel as though we have been laid bare! We beg God to cover the hammer with felt to make the blows less painful. But the hammer falls and the anvil tears! The truth is some have died in service of the Master.
Hebrews 11 But others trusted God and were tortured, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free. They placed their hope in the resurrection to a better life. 36 Some were mocked, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in dungeons. 37 Some died by stoning, and some were sawed in half; others were killed with the sword. Some went about in skins of sheep and goats, hungry and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world. They wandered over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. 39 All of these people we have mentioned received God’s approval because of their faith
When I think of servant hood in modern terms, I think of Teresa of Calcutta., I think of Heidi Baker. What is the thing that sets them apart! They serve to see the ONE saved and restored, To see the ONE see Christ in every action, regardless of the cost
No one can demand that sort of servanthood from us. It has to be moulded into us by the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s not the natural way of the flesh, but of voluntary slavery to the Lord. An obedience that
This servant leadership is rare indeed in 2006
Heidi Baker God has commissioned us over and over again to take care of "the one." The one in front of us.
Heidi Baker: From the freezing cold gypsy huts of eastern Bulgaria to the 115 degree heat of Sudanese refugee camps, from the isolated native Inuits of arctic Canada to the dirt-poor subsistence farmers along the Zambezi River, we see ravenous desire for God among the poor and lowly. Jesus knows their suffering, and He will make it up to them. He will be their God, and they will be His people. He will use them to shame the wise and make the world jealous of their wealth toward Him.”
TERESA OF CALCUTTA
People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.Love them anyway. If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.Build anyway. People who really want help may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway. Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt. Give the world your best anyway.
To be a servant leader is to be someone whom the Father honours!
John 12:25-26 (NIV) "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."
Do we want the accolades of man or the honour of the Father?
In our materialistic world it is in order to remember our Master, and his example!
John 13:12-17 (NIV) When he [Jesus] had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me ’Teacher’ and ’Lord’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
In the Discipline of service there is also great liberty. Service allows us to say ’no!’ to the world’s games of promotion and authority. It abolishes our need and desire for a ’pecking order’
Eph 5:21 Give way to one another in obedience to Christ.
Who’s In Control
Mother Teresa: "I belong to Jesus. He must have the right to use me without consulting me."
1 Cor 6:19-20 (NIV) ...You are not your own; you were bought with a price...
Rom 14:8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord.
Why we don’t serve!
A natural and understandable hesitancy accompanies any serious discussion of service. The hesitancy is prudent since it is wise to count the cost before plunging headlong into any Discipline. We experience a fear that comes out something like this: "If I do that, people will take advantage of me; they will walk all over me."
"Right here we must see the difference between choosing to serve and choosing to be a servant. When we chose to serve, we are still in charge. We decide whom we will serve and when we will serve. And if we are in charge, we will worry a great deal about anyone stepping on us, that is, taking charge over us. But when we choose to be a servant, we give up the right to be in charge. There is great freedom in this. If we voluntarily choose to be taken advantage of, then we cannot be manipulated. When we choose to be a servant, we surrender the right to decide when we will serve. We become available and vulnerable.
Self-righteous service picks and chooses whom to serve. Sometimes the low and defenseless are served because that will ensure a humble image. True service is indiscriminate in its ministry. It has heard the command of Jesus...
Mark 9:35 (NIV) ..."If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."
We don’t like the word Slave!
Consider the perspective of a slave. A slave sees all of life from the viewpoint of slavery. He does not see himself as possessing the same rights as free men and women When the slavery is freely chosen, everything is changed. Voluntary servitude is a great joy.
Phil 2:17 (NIV) But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
The image of slavery may be difficult for us, but it was not hard for the apostle Paul. He frequently boasted of his slavery to Christ, making lavish use of the first-century concept of the "love slave" (that is, the slave who, out of love, has freely chosen to remain a slave). We do our best to soften Paul’s language by translating the word "slave" as "servant." But whatever word we decide to use, let us be certain that we understand that Paul meant he had freely given up his rights.
Acts 20:24 (NIV) ...I consider my life worth nothing to me...
When I was a newish Christian, The Lord came to me and gave me a choice! I could live the life of an ordinary selfish Christian, or I could become a love slave to His Kingdom & purpose! At that moment he put a Spiritual ring in my ear to signify my choice of being a love slave to Him!
At times my life has been a struggle! It hurts, if I meditate on certain comments or issues I could become angry and bitter. Then I am always reminded! “Your Life belongs to the Lord Jesus it is not your own”
When a Slave runs away, (even a freewill slave) He runs from his purpose and becomes, “unfulfilled” There is great joy in Servanthood!
Therefore, the fear that we will be taken advantage of and stepped on is justified. That is exactly what may happen. But who can hurt someone who has freely chosen to be stepped on? DEAD MEN HAVE NO RIGHTS It is a challenge for us to go to the graveyard and listen! There are no complaints coming from its inhabitants
ROMANS 12:9-16 9 Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.12 Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. 13 When God’s children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.14 If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
Ian Johnson
His Amazing Glory Ministries,
Auckland, New Zealand.
www.papelim.org.nz E-mail ianjohn@xtra.co.nz
