ON BEING A SERVANT
By W. G. Guy
What is a servant? A servant is a person who is in servitude; serving on behalf of another who is an authority, controller, master or lord over the server. This also applies to a slave, but on a more restrictive level as one who has been captured and compelled to service with loss of rights and freedoms.
The term “servant” is frequently used in the Bible as it refers to both servants and slaves; voluntarily and involuntarily serving their masters. Moses and all the apostles referred to themselves as servants to Christ and God. Even Jesus was referred to as a servant of God, His Heavenly Father.
Romans 1:1 – Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
James 1:1 – James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
Revelation 15:3 – And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God,
Servanthood is mostly unheard of in our modern society as we shy away from even such a concept. We do not live in a feudal society with “lords” as was during the middle ages when the land owner was “lord and master” over his property; and those residing on his land were his subjects. In America, we consider ourselves to be free and independent. (But are we really?)
The concept of being a servant and having a lord over us is alien to us: thus we tend to rebel against such an idea. How does this relate to our Christian perspective between we as believers and Jesus, whom we call Lord? (Is He really your Lord?) Do we actually serve Him, or do we call on Him to serve us to meet our wants and needs?
The closest we come to servanthood today is being an employee, working to earn a living. However, even as such, many rebel against their employers by organizing and forming labor unions to stand against their employer. Imagine in ancient times servants and slaves forming a union against their masters and owners. Can you see that happening in Egypt with the Israeli slaves? Absolutely not! At least not until God moves upon Moses, which was a supernatural event.
We in America refuse to consider ourselves as slaves or servants. It goes against our Declaration Independence. In our history we were rebels, rebelling against the monarchial authority of the British Crown during the Revolutionary War. A similar thing occurred during the Civil War when the South rebelled against the government of the North – and that was fought over slavery and servitude.
We have been raised for generations as a free people who are against slavery and servanthood. How then can we, as Christians, consider ourselves to be the servants of the Lord Jesus Christ? We simply are not conditioned to serve or to be servants. Thus serving the Lord Jesus, especially as a minister, must be learned and practiced as a disciple, one under discipline. Jesus told us how this begins:
Luke 9:23 – And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Self must die by being denied! The big “I”, of the selfish lust, must be “put off” of the old self so you can put on the new man in the form of Jesus.
Ephesians 4:21-24 – if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
This must be done daily. Why? Because the self, with its lusts, believe in resurrection, and will arise daily – thus must be placed on the cross daily. Then we need to follow Him, our Lord and Master - JESUS. Too many Christians don’t do this, and they are not instructed to do so, including those in the ministry. Instead they tend to do their own thing, just as rebels do. Jesus told us this would happen:
Matthew 7:22-23 – Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Such ministers are not really His servants. How does this relate to churches and their leadership, the ministers who pastor their congregations? What is a minister? According to the Bible, a minister is His servant to the people. According to Strong’s
G1249: minister - an attendant, a servant, a subordinate. Consider what Jesus said:
Matthew 20:25-28 – But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 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, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Matthew 23:10-12 – Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Too many ministers today seem to relish in recognition for their positions and love the titles and notoriety. The denial of “self” and true servanthood is not being taught in most seminary’s and Bible schools.
Are you a true servant of the Lord Jesus, or are you doing your own thing? Is He truly your Lord and Master? Are you following Him and denying your “self” with its lusts? Are you representing Him in your service to Him, or are you serving something or somebody else? Is your prayer life as a true servant asking for His direction and what He wants? Or is your prayer life more about asking Him to serve you and giving what you want?
As we faithfully live in service to Him, He elevates us from servants to sons; this is because we properly represent Him, and please the Father.
Galatians 4:6-7 – And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Will He be able to reward you for being a faithful servant?
Matthew 25:21 – His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Being a servant of the Lord in this life, is greatly rewarded in the next eternal life; including crowns and exalted positions. Don’t be afraid of humbling yourself to the level of a servant because being faithful in such a position has a reward.
1 Peter 5:6 – Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Revelation 3:10-12 – Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
It is an honor to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ! Even though this world looks down on servants and bond slaves.
By W. G. Guy
What is a servant? A servant is a person who is in servitude; serving on behalf of another who is an authority, controller, master or lord over the server. This also applies to a slave, but on a more restrictive level as one who has been captured and compelled to service with loss of rights and freedoms.
The term “servant” is frequently used in the Bible as it refers to both servants and slaves; voluntarily and involuntarily serving their masters. Moses and all the apostles referred to themselves as servants to Christ and God. Even Jesus was referred to as a servant of God, His Heavenly Father.
Romans 1:1 – Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
James 1:1 – James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
Revelation 15:3 – And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God,
Servanthood is mostly unheard of in our modern society as we shy away from even such a concept. We do not live in a feudal society with “lords” as was during the middle ages when the land owner was “lord and master” over his property; and those residing on his land were his subjects. In America, we consider ourselves to be free and independent. (But are we really?)
The concept of being a servant and having a lord over us is alien to us: thus we tend to rebel against such an idea. How does this relate to our Christian perspective between we as believers and Jesus, whom we call Lord? (Is He really your Lord?) Do we actually serve Him, or do we call on Him to serve us to meet our wants and needs?
The closest we come to servanthood today is being an employee, working to earn a living. However, even as such, many rebel against their employers by organizing and forming labor unions to stand against their employer. Imagine in ancient times servants and slaves forming a union against their masters and owners. Can you see that happening in Egypt with the Israeli slaves? Absolutely not! At least not until God moves upon Moses, which was a supernatural event.
We in America refuse to consider ourselves as slaves or servants. It goes against our Declaration Independence. In our history we were rebels, rebelling against the monarchial authority of the British Crown during the Revolutionary War. A similar thing occurred during the Civil War when the South rebelled against the government of the North – and that was fought over slavery and servitude.
We have been raised for generations as a free people who are against slavery and servanthood. How then can we, as Christians, consider ourselves to be the servants of the Lord Jesus Christ? We simply are not conditioned to serve or to be servants. Thus serving the Lord Jesus, especially as a minister, must be learned and practiced as a disciple, one under discipline. Jesus told us how this begins:
Luke 9:23 – And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Self must die by being denied! The big “I”, of the selfish lust, must be “put off” of the old self so you can put on the new man in the form of Jesus.
Ephesians 4:21-24 – if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
This must be done daily. Why? Because the self, with its lusts, believe in resurrection, and will arise daily – thus must be placed on the cross daily. Then we need to follow Him, our Lord and Master - JESUS. Too many Christians don’t do this, and they are not instructed to do so, including those in the ministry. Instead they tend to do their own thing, just as rebels do. Jesus told us this would happen:
Matthew 7:22-23 – Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Such ministers are not really His servants. How does this relate to churches and their leadership, the ministers who pastor their congregations? What is a minister? According to the Bible, a minister is His servant to the people. According to Strong’s
G1249: minister - an attendant, a servant, a subordinate. Consider what Jesus said:
Matthew 20:25-28 – But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 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, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Matthew 23:10-12 – Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Too many ministers today seem to relish in recognition for their positions and love the titles and notoriety. The denial of “self” and true servanthood is not being taught in most seminary’s and Bible schools.
Are you a true servant of the Lord Jesus, or are you doing your own thing? Is He truly your Lord and Master? Are you following Him and denying your “self” with its lusts? Are you representing Him in your service to Him, or are you serving something or somebody else? Is your prayer life as a true servant asking for His direction and what He wants? Or is your prayer life more about asking Him to serve you and giving what you want?
As we faithfully live in service to Him, He elevates us from servants to sons; this is because we properly represent Him, and please the Father.
Galatians 4:6-7 – And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Will He be able to reward you for being a faithful servant?
Matthew 25:21 – His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Being a servant of the Lord in this life, is greatly rewarded in the next eternal life; including crowns and exalted positions. Don’t be afraid of humbling yourself to the level of a servant because being faithful in such a position has a reward.
1 Peter 5:6 – Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Revelation 3:10-12 – Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
It is an honor to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ! Even though this world looks down on servants and bond slaves.
