Servants Of God Are We

There was a song I learned many, many years ago. A song I still remember today. Since I am one of the worlds worst singers I will quote the song in the poem format:

Oh, we are the Pathfinder’s strong

A servant of God are we

Faithful as we march along

In truth and purity

A message to tell to the world

A truth that will set us free

King Jesus our Saviour is coming back

For you and me.

I first learned the song in Norwalk, California at the age of ten when I first joined Pathfinder’s. Later I transferred to the Fullerton, California club and eventually by the time I was 16 was a member in La Habra, California.

When our children were old enough Karen and I decided to join our children in Pathfinder’s and eventually we became the leaders. We were Directors in Oceanside, CA. Then Norfolk, VA and finally Toms River, NJ. When we moved to Summerville we joined our children in the club here as counselors. We believed that what the Pathfinder’s had to offer was important to our children and to all children in the church.

Our children are grown now and Karen and I are blessed with grandchildren. Yet, we still believe in what the Pathfinder’s have to offer. We believe the message is still important not only for the children in our church, but also to us adults.

What I would like to do today is to review the message the Pathfinder’s have and the importance it has to us as a church and not just to our children. As a template for this message I am going to use the Pathfinder song, reviewing it line by line:

1. For we are the Pathfinder’s strong.

An army’s strength is in its unity. An army cannot win a battle or a war if each soldier fights independently. Tactics taught to the leaders and each soldier emphasizes that strength in numbers and in will is what wins the battle.

So it is true for each of us. We are God’s Army. We enlisted the day we joined our heart to God either through baptism or profession of faith. In God’s army just like man’s, we must be united in purpose. We must have faith in our leader. We must have surety that we are on the right side. Only through the strength of our unity, purpose, faith and our leader can we win the battle.

Turn with me to 2Timothy2:1 Timothy, my child, Christ Jesus is kind, and you must let him make you strong.

In the battles we face as we serve our Lord we must not shirk our duty.

We cannot be weak or unwilling to go forward in the face of a determined enemy.

We must be of strong courage and determination.

To achieve these attributes we must always reach out to God and claim His promise of strength, courage and determination. We must grow stronger each day.

We are told in Eph 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. The path to heaven will not be an easy one if we attempt it ourselves. Satan and his minions will contest every inch that we traverse. It is only through God’s strength will we successfully make it all the way.

2. The servants of God are we

What does it mean to be a servant of God? I know of whole sermons that have been spoken on this subject. Hundreds if not thousands of books have been written on the subject. I certainly am not going to take the time today to wax philosophic on the subject. I will however, describe what I think a servant should be in the uniform of God’s Army. When you say you are a servant you are declaring that there is someone above you directing your actions.

A servant is not necessarily a slave. Nor, is a servant always at the bottom of the chain of command. During medieval times it was not uncommon for a Knight to declare himself the servant of his liege lord. By acknowledging someone as his liege, the Knight was stating that he would do his lord’s bidding. Just like the noble Knight of old, when we say we are the servant of our Lord, Christ Jesus, we acknowledge that we have placed our life and our future in His hands and we are willing to do His bidding .

Paul tells us in Gal 1:10 I am not trying to please people. I want to please God. Do you think I am trying to please people? If I were doing that, I would not be a servant of Christ. In other words, we should not worry what others think or say. Our religious practices should not be of the variety that accommodates our schedule or our wants, but solely be that which pleases the Lord.