Gospel Bible Baptist Church

A Servant of God and The Lord Jesus Christ

Introduction

In our introductory lesson, we saw that James, the Lord’s brother, is the author of this Epistle. He is humble enough to call himself “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (1:1). Well, the Apostle Paul described himself as such as well – Rom. 1:1; Ph. 1:1 b. So did Peter (2 Pet. 1:1) and Jude (Jude 1)
Why did these Godly men refer to themselves as “servants”? Why should we think of ourselves as “servants” also?

I. Meaning of the word Servant in the Bible:
A. “Servant” in our English New Testament usually represents the Greek doulos (bondslave).
B. Sometimes it means diakonos (deacon or minister); this is strictly accurate, for doulos and diakonos are synonyms.
C. Both words denote a man who is not at his own disposal, but is his master’s purchased property. Bought to serve his master’s needs, to be on call every moment, the slave’s sole business is to do as he is told.

D. Christian service therefore means, first and foremost, living out a slave relationship to one’s Savior

Illustration/Application: A True Servant
Someone asked an elderly Scotswoman what she thought of Robert Murray McCheyne’s preaching. She hesitated for a moment, then replied, “He preaches as if he was a-dying to have you saved.” Is that our spirit? Those who watch us will know. How appropriate was Spurgeon’s advice to a young minister who complained of the smallness of his congregation: “It is as large a one as you will want to give account for in the Day of Judgment.” The first thing others should discern in us, Paul says, is that we are servants of Christ—subservient, obedient to Him; that He is Master and we listen to what He says and do what He commands. Illustrations of Bible Truths.

II. Serving the Lord
A. To serve means to work, to be burdened, to labour, to be in bondage. We are saved to serve. Whether you like it or not, we are all servants of the Lord.
B. What are we going to do in heaven? Revelation 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: Service is our final business, and there is joy in serving the Lord. We serve because we love to, not because we have to.
C. Serving the Lord is not easy. It calls for self-sacrifice, you have to endure heartaches, rejections, difficulties, sometimes financial want. insults and ridicule. You have to endure dangers not only for your life but also for your family. You become a laughing stock to other people, sometimes you may even die. Christ says if anyone
wants to follow me let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. I’m not
discouraging you but what I’m telling is the truth, the real thing that is happening.

Illustration/Application: Being a Servant
Jesus was the greatest servant who ever lived. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Christ came to serve and to give, and God desires the same for us. “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister” (Matt. 20:27, 28).
The finest model of serving, except Christ Himself, was the Apostle Paul. Almost without exception he begins every one of his epistles with words to this effect: “Paul, a servant. . . .” or “Paul, a bond slave. . . .” He was indeed an apostle, but he conducted himself as a servant.
Very few of us want to be known exclusively as a servant. We want to be known as a servant and a great preacher, or a famous missionary, or an outstanding elder, or a well-known business man. What we fail to realize is that true servanthood does not have hidden aspirations to be great in the eyes of men.
When we think of our relationship to Christ, can it be said of us that we want only to serve Him?
Although his religious philosophy was questionable, Albert Schweitzer was a man willing to abandon a great career in order to serve his fellow man. In 1913, he sailed for Africa, having turned his back on fame, money and prestige. His first hospital was an old abandoned hen house and his first operating table an old campboard.
On a trip to the United States, a reporter asked, “Dr. Schweitzer, have you found happiness in Africa?”
“I have found a place of service,” he replied, “And that is enough for anyone.”
This does not represent the feelings of many of us who are members of the church. It is not sufficient to simply have a place of service. Many of us want a place of recognition and a road to fame.
All of us need to do some serious thinking and praying about this matter of being a servant.
We need to make this prayer ours: “O God, help me to be the master of myself, that I may be a servant of others.” A Treasury of Bible Illustrations.

Illustration/Application: The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is so salty that it contains no fish or plant life. What accounts for this unusual condition? There are absolutely no outlets! A great volume of water pours into this area, but nothing flows out. Many inlets plus no outlets equal a dead sea.
This law of nature may also be applied to the child of God, and it explains why many believers are so unfruitful and lacking in spiritual vitality. It’s possible for some people to attend Bible conferences, listen to religious broadcasts, study the Scriptures, and continually take in the Word as it is preached from the pulpit, and yet seem lifeless and unproductive in their Christian lives. Such individuals are like the Dead Sea. They have several “inlets” but no “outlets.” To be vibrant and useful believers, we must not only “take in” all we can, but we must also “give out” in service to others!
Our Daily Bread, March-May, 1996, p. for May 22

III. What work does Christ wants his servants to do?
A. The way that they serve Him, He tells them, is by becoming the slaves of their fellow-servants and being willing to do literally anything, however costly, irksome, or undignified, in order to help them.
B. This is what love means, as he himself showed at the Last supper when he played the slave’s part and washed the disciples’ feet.
C. When the New Testament speaks of ministering to the saints, it means not primarily preaching to them but devoting time, trouble, and substance to giving them all the practical help possible. The essence of Christian service is loyalty to the king expressing itself in care for his servants (Matt. 25: 31-46).
D. Only the Holy Spirit can create in us the kind of love toward our Savior that will overflow in imaginative sympathy and practical helpfulness towards his people. Unless the spirit is training us in love, we are not fit persons to go to college or a training class to learn the know-how or particular branches of Christian work.
E. Gifted leaders who are self-centred and loveless are a blight to the church rather than a blessing.
F. Describing His own ministry, Jesus said: “Mark 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. When we give Jesus Christ His rightful place as Lord of our lives, His Lordship will be expressed in the way we serve others. Therefore, one of the best ways we can demonstrate our love for God is by showing love for our fellow man. We demonstrate love for others by helping them, by sharing their problems, and by doing what we can for them. 2 Cor. 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
G. Another way of displaying servanthood is in evangelism. In 1 Cor. 9:19, Paul says, “, “ For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. Paul decided to serve those he wanted to influence for Jesus Christ
H. Think of Jesus Christ in Philippians 2:6,7 “.. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Illustration: Willing to do Little Things
A good many are kept out of the service of Christ, deprived of the luxury of working for God, because they are trying to do some great thing. Let us be willing to do little things. And let us remember that nothing is small in which God is the source.
D. L. Moody, quoted in The Berean Call, Bend, Oregon, March, 1997

IV. Conclusion:
Godly men like James, Paul, Peter, and Jude, describes themselves as “servants”. They served our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ until the very end of their lives. We are saved to serve. Christ took upon Him the form of a servant when He came here. Shouldn’t follow His example? Will you serve Christ and your fellowmen?