Possessing The Heart Of A Servant

Q: What does the Bible say about being a servant?

The Bible emphasizes that being a servant is central to the Christian faith, as exemplified by Christ himself. The Bible reveals the importance of servitude, particularly in the teachings of Jesus. In John 13:16, for example, Jesus states, 'The servant is not greater than his Lord.' This highlights that genuine service is a reflection of Christ's own humility and obedience. Throughout Scripture, God calls His people to a life of servitude, where humility and self-denial are paramount. Servants are expected to seek the glory of God above their own, as demonstrated by Christ, who is identified as the ultimate servant in Isaiah 42:1.

Q: How do we know that servanthood is important for Christians?

Servanthood is vital for Christians as it reflects the character of Christ and aligns with the calling of believers. Servanthood is fundamental to the Christian faith because it embodies the example set by Jesus Christ. In Philippians 2:7, it states that Jesus 'made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant.' This indicates that Christians are called to emulate Christ's servant leadership. It's essential to understand that being a servant is not merely about performing tasks but involves a heart posture that prioritizes the needs of others and the glory of God. When believers adopt this mindset, they can experience true joy and fulfillment, following the directive in John 13:17 that states, 'If you know these things, happy are ye if you do them.'

Q: Why is humility important for Christians?

Humility is crucial for Christians as it aligns with the example of Christ and encourages unity among believers. Humility is vitally important in the Christian life because it allows believers to reflect the character of Christ, who is described in Matthew 11:29 as 'gentle and lowly in heart.' The Apostle Paul urges believers in Philippians 2:3 to 'let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.' This posture fosters genuine community and unity among believers, reminding them that they are all equal before God. A humble heart acknowledges one’s reliance on God’s grace, which is essential for spiritual growth and a vibrant faith.

Q: How does servanthood relate to God's glory?

Servanthood directly relates to God's glory as it reflects His character and purpose in the lives of believers. When Christians embrace servanthood, they reflect God's glory as seen in the life of Jesus Christ. God has designed His creation for His glory, and our service points others to Him. In John 13, Jesus teaches His disciples that true greatness comes through serving others, thereby emphasizing that God's purposes are accomplished through humility and self-denial. As believers serve others not for personal gain but for the glory of God, they align themselves with His will and reveal His character. This is evident in 2 Corinthians 4:5, where Paul states, 'For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.' This perspective ensures that God is glorified in all that we do.

Q: What does it mean to be chosen by God?

Being chosen by God refers to His sovereign selection for specific roles and purposes within His divine plan. The concept of being chosen by God encompasses His sovereign will and purpose, evident in Scripture. In John 13:18, Jesus highlights that He knows whom He has chosen for His service, contrasting this with Judas, who would betray Him. This illustrates that not all who are called to follow Him are chosen for salvation but rather for specific tasks within God's redemptive plan. For believers, being chosen signifies a calling to live out God's purposes, which often involves being agents of His grace and mercy in a world that desperately needs it. It emphasizes the believer’s responsibility to live in a manner worthy of that calling, as seen in Ephesians 4:1.

Let's take our Bibles once again
and turn with me to the book of John 13. I'd like to pick
up kind of where I left off last time and look at just a couple
of the last verses that I was dealing with. I'd like to deal
with verses 16 to 19. The scripture says, verse 16,
barely, barely, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than
his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent
him. If you know these things, happy
are ye if you do them. I speak not of you all, I know
whom I have chosen, but that the scripture may be fulfilled,
he that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against
me. Now I tell you before it come,
that when it is come to pass, you may believe that I am he. It amazes me how Now these two
Scriptures, I'm going through Proverbs, I'm going through John,
and I would never have sense enough to know how to pick two
messages that would just intertwine perfectly. But by the Lord's
good providence, these two passages as I was going over them, I began
to realize the perfect harmony of God's Word and the setting
forth of glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'd like to speak this morning
for a few minutes on the topic of possessing the heart of a
servant. Now, I know this. I know that
man by nature, as he's born in Adam, He sees himself as a king. That's how he sees himself. I'm
in control. He sees himself as the omnipotent
one. He comes forth, the scripture
says, from his mother's womb speaking lies, meaning that he does not think
that he owes anyone the dignity of being truthful to him or being
accountable. Man by nature is a liar. I don't
owe you anything. That's what man thinks. I don't
have to be truthful to you. Whatever fits my fancy. If it's
for my good, I'll just lie to you. I don't have to expose myself. Man thinks that he's the author
and finisher of his own faith, and he determines his destiny
by his own free will. But I know this. I know it. You that know Him know it. Again,
we know it in part, but we know it. Man that is born of woman
is arrogant. He's foolish. And that's because
of sin. Our Lord had just finished washing
His disciples' feet. And He told them in verse 15,
He said, I've given you an example that you should do As, I said
last week, he didn't say like. We don't wash each other's feet.
But there was a spirit in which he did what he did and then told
us in that spirit, that's the spirit that you should do also. He is the great God. the God of all glory who humbled
himself and manifested his eternal position as being the servant
of Jehovah. Here is the eternal servant of
Jehovah who is exalted above all things God has exalted him. Here is God's servant sitting
on the throne of God Almighty as the God-man. Remember this, whatever he's
ever been, whatever he was while he was on this earth, God never
changes. So whatever he was here, The
Servant of Jehovah. The High and Exalted Servant. The One who humbled Himself. I just, here again, you know,
these things that appear to the natural man to be so easily understood,
these things are mysterious. Isaiah 42, verse 1, Behold My
Servant. That was written in the book
of Isaiah. That was before the Lord ever
came to this earth. He was God's servant then. He's
always been God's servant. Behold My servant, whom I uphold,
Mine elect, and whom My soul delighteth. I have put my spirit
upon him and he shall bring forth judgment. My thoughts, my judgment,
my determination, my call is what I call. He shall bring forth
my judgment to the Gentiles. Almighty God who was made flesh. And as man, perfect man, God-man,
had God's Spirit put upon him, given to him. That shows you
here is the Lord God Himself. God equal with the Father, equal
with the Spirit. Totally God. What could be given
to Him? Nothing. Nothing. But here He is as man. Totally man. Perfect man. And God said, I put My Spirit
on Him. God gave Him the Spirit without
measure. You know, we would almost think,
well, He didn't really need that. We have no right to even think
that. That's a foolish thought on our
part. God gave him the Spirit without
measure. The Lord, the Creator, the Sustainer,
the Governor of all things. He taught by demonstrating through
His example. How true love for Almighty God,
true love for God Almighty exhibits itself. Here it is. Service. Being a servant. This is the heart of a regenerated
sinner. And oh, how much we need How
much we need to be taught. Oh, how far we fall. How far we come short. Here's
the heart of a believer. Lord, what would You have me
to do? And I can tell you this, I'm
not going to be able to do it. I'm going to come short in all
things. He said, without me, You can
do nothing. Lord, what would you have me
to do? Not to earn my salvation, not to establish my righteousness,
but because salvation and righteousness has been given, has been established,
that it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of His
good pleasure. I stand here this morning Trying
to preach. Trying to be honorable. Desiring
to be honorable. And realizing all the while,
what have I to glory in? Save the Lord Jesus Christ and
Him crucified. His righteousness imputed to
me. God Almighty by His Spirit taking God's Word. It is only
the Word of God that God blesses. Marvin is just a voice. Marvin
is just a mouthpiece. A frail creature that God has
been pleased to show mercy to. The servant of the Lord Jesus
Christ seeks God's honor. He seeks God's presence. He seeks
God's glory and the Lord's praise and seeks that first. And in, by the grace of God,
that spirit of humility, seeks the Lord's good for those that
the Lord has providentially caused His path to cross. Truly, I would
desire the Lord to show mercy. As I've said before, I would
desire God to show mercy to your kids. I want the Lord to save
your kids. Your kids. Your kids. Your kids. I want the Lord to
save mercy. Have mercy on my kids, my grandchildren. But I know this, I have no ability
to do it. And I have one hope that the
judge of all this earth is going to do right. He's going to do
right. I was talking to a dear, dear,
precious friend of mine, preacher that all of you know. I won't
tell you who he is because it's not going to make any difference.
And he was telling me just two or three days ago, he said, my
mother, he said, is just so frail. And he said she despises the
gospel of God's grace. He said she hates this message.
And he said, she's dying. And he said, lest the Lord show
mercy to her, she's going to die in her sins. You know, where do we go? We bow to Him who is the Lord
as His servants. And the God that does all things
right He's surely going to do us good. He said, My ways are not your
ways. But I do know this, the greatest
good that one would ever seek for another, the greatest good
is for them to hear the message of the gospel of God's grace.
I know that. Seeking the Lord. humbling myself before God and
asking Him, Lord have mercy, what can I do as His servant? I love this passage of Scripture
for Samuel 12.23. It was Samuel, the prophet. He said, as for me, God forbid
that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you,
in asking, in asking, in asking, as His servant. Lord, You're
God. Lord, I am Your servant. Parents,
seek, as the servants of Christ, the good of your children. Teach
them the Scriptures. Take the Bible and open the Scriptures
and just tell them. We're going to read out of God's
Word. We're going to read out of the
Lord's Word. We're going to read God's Word. Wives and husbands,
seek and knock and ask as the servants of the Lord, the eternal good and salvation
of your spouse. Believers, as the Lord has guided
you and taught you, walk as His servants. Lord, help
me. John 13, 16, Verily, verily,
I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord, neither
he that is sent greater than he that sent him. Now the Lord
was speaking to His apostles there, and in wisdom, He revealed
the true position as a servant. Now this is the Lord of glory. This is God Almighty who humbled
Himself. I'm telling you, By nature, we're
all born thinking we're kings and we deserve and we've got
the right. Here is God Himself. No one ever
made himself lower than the Lord. We've never made ourselves anything.
We're so proud and arrogant. And here was the God of all grace. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ. Called to be an apostle. Separated
unto the gospel of God. James, a servant of God and of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Simon Peter, a servant and an
apostle of Jesus Christ. Servant, servant, servant. By
God's calling, by God's grace, I am your servant. Your servant. As unto the Lord. to seek God's
message, seek God's direction, seek God's passage of Scripture,
and seek God's guidance, help, strength in preaching. You're a servant. According to these Scriptures,
I owe you. I owe you service. I owe you, esteeming every one
of you better than myself. And I'm not trying to be just
holy sounding. I mean it. I owe you that. I
owe you that from the Scriptures. I owe you that honor as your
servant as unto the Lord. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4-5,
I'll prove it. For we preach not ourselves,
but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves, your servants, for
Christ's sake. Boy, you want to know where harmony
is found? Where peace is found? When everyone
else is esteemed greater than you. No, you deserve more honor
than me. No, no, you do. No, you do. No, you do. For everyone else
is above us. For you're more sensitive to
God's Spirit than I am. You're more learned in God's
Scriptures than I am. You're more prayerful. You're
more seeking. You're more knocking. You're
more asking than I am. And I am your servant. The servant
of the Lord Jesus Christ sees all to be the Lord's. This is
the Lord's. The time that I've got on this
earth, that's His time. Any possessions that He's lent
to me, that's His possessions. And I'll tell you this, they're
to be used for your good. Your good. Not mine. Your good. Oh, to be found as His servant,
sit at His table, hear His Word, to be in His presence. Servants,
willing servants, are not self-seekers. They are those that have been
taught something of their position, needy. Verse 17, if you know these things,
happy are ye. If you do them, happy, fortunate,
extremely blessed, To esteem others greater than
ourselves. Look at Philippians 2. Here's the attitude of a believer. You know, I began the other message
saying this. It was the most convicting. This
was the most convicting. Philippians 2 verses 3-8, Let nothing be done through strife
or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other
better than themselves. Look not every man on his own
things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this
mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in
the form of God, He thought it not robbery to be equal with
God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of
a servant, was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion
as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross." His humility, his service according
to God's will, God's purpose, he's going to die. the servant
of the Lord, the servant, the servant, the servant. Here he
is, he humbled himself, washed his disciples' feet. The lowliest,
I've read. The lowliest servant. The bottom
of the barrel. The drag of the household. That's who washed everybody's
feet. The lowliest. God Almighty humbled Himself. Man, by nature, resents self-denial. He hates it. I am not that low. Yeah, we are. We just don't admit
it. Religious knowledge accompanied
by Just no self-denial is useless
knowledge. Knowledge, scriptural knowledge,
with no denial of self. That knowledge, servants. Pray as a servant in
your closets, in secret. What you have to say to the Lord,
nobody else needs to hear. Be honest with God. I tell you,
the first place that we need to be honest, Lord, I'm guilty. I'm guilty. Servants, give as servants. Give time and energy and finances
and self, and do it as unto the Lord. Everything that I have,
He's given me. You came into this world naked,
and that's how you're leaving too. Nothing but self-seeking. Verse 18, John 13, I speak not
of you all. I know whom I've chosen, but
that the Scripture may be fulfilled. He that eateth bread with me
hath lifted up his heel against me." The Lord says, I know whom I
have chosen. Now this word, chosen, right
here, is not a word that means unto life. He was not referring. Let me show you. Turn to Luke
6. Luke 6. The Lord came to the
calling of His apostles Luke 6 verse 13, when it was
day, He called unto Him His disciples, and a bunch of them. Now that
word disciples, that was just a bunch of people that were following
Him. He called unto Him His disciples, and from them He chose twelve. whom also he named Apostles,
Simon whom he also named Peter, Andrew his brother, James and
John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the
son of Alphaeus and Simon, Causolitus, and Judas, the brother of James,
and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. Now the Lord,
back in John 13, 18, He was talking about servants
and the attitude of a servant, the joy of a servant, the peace
and comfort of a servant that does it as unto the Lord. He
said in verse 18, I speak not of you all. I'm not talking about
all of you. The Lord qualified His words
and He says, not all of you is clean. You're clean, but not
all of you that sat in the midst. The traitor was there. Judas
was there. Not all of them had a heart of
service toward him. One in particular resented him. Going to sell him out. I know
whom I have chosen, that is, unto service to me. I know the
character of the ones that I've chosen. I know all the characters
of you. Eleven of you I chose. Have not
I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? I speak not
of you all." As though he thought that all of them were faithful.
He knew they weren't. He knew they weren't. I know that you're not who you
all claim to be. I know that the blood that I'm
going to shed is not going to cleanse all of you. Because I'm
not laying down my life for every one of you. I know whom I have
chosen. But in his choosing of Judas
to be an apostle, listen to these words. Now, you talk about the
servant. The servant. Bows to the will
of God. Bows to the honor of God. Bows
to God's Word. Verse 18, I speak not of you
all. I know whom I have chosen, but
that the Scripture may be fulfilled. That the Scripture may be fulfilled.
He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against
me. He chose one that he described as a devil. One that manifested the heart
of Satan. One that would do Satan's desire. And chose Judas Iscariot that
the Scriptures might be fulfilled. He chose that one that would
sell him out. And he knew it. He knew it. Walked with him. Talked with
him. Spoke to him. He said, I know who I've chosen.
I know who you are. I know what you've done. But
that God's word might be honored. The Lord had prophesied that
he was going to be sold out for 30 pieces of silver. And when
he chose his 12 apostles, he chose one of them to be a devil.
He chose the devil out of the group. Christ must choose to
be an apostle. Not into life, but to be an apostle.
Judas. Choosing Judas honored God. Behold, my servant, the one I
uphold, I put my spirit on him. The Spirit of God directed him
to choose Judas. And the Lord did it as a servant
of God. He must befriend him. He must allow him to associate
himself with him. He must wash his feet. Why? That the Scriptures might be
fulfilled. Psalm 41.9, this is what it says,
Yea, mine own familiar friendly I wonder how many times Judas
laughed with him, spoke with him, listened to him. My own familiar friend in whom
I trusted, and that word right there is a little bit, we would
take that word right there and we'd misconstrue. It means had
refuge with. I brought him off alone with
me. When I had the 12 apostles with
me, he was one of them. I brought him with me. We went
off to a place secluded by ourselves. And he was right in the midst
with us. Which did he, my bread, hath lifted up his heel against
me? Friendly and refuge with. But all the while, the Lord knew,
I'm doing this that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. He hath lifted
up his heel against me. When I said lifted up his heel,
here's the definition. Kicked like a horse kicks while
looking the other way. Just kicked me like a horse. Let's just look in this way and
just BAM! A humbling, appearing to be humbling,
act of love which was nothing more than rejection, betrayed
him with a kiss. My own friend. Sold him out. Verse 19, I tell you before it
come, that when it is come to pass, you may believe that I
am He. What care our Lord set forth
to His beloved disciples. He knew what was going to take
place, and for their assurance, He taught them in His submission
to God's will and God's purpose, being the servant of the Lord,
I must choose Him. That God's Word be honored. That
the Scriptures be fulfilled. The Scriptures must be fulfilled. That you might know before it
comes to pass, when it comes to pass, I'm telling you right
now, when you behold the traitor, you won't be disheartened and
downtrodden. You're going to know, I've done
this, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. That I'm God. And then when they hear Him say,
I'll never leave you. I'll never forsake you. All that
the Father's given me, they're going to come to me. You rest
in that Word, you rest in this Word. You believe God. You trust
Him. I'm not going to leave them to
wonder. I'm going to let them know soon, very soon, you're
going to see all this come to pass. But I've kept you. All that the Lord has eternally
purposed to do is going to come to pass. And He's showing them
that He's the Savior of purpose, God's purpose, the mighty God,
the victor over death, the prophet of the Lord. Now, here's the
servant of God and all of these things that fell out Somebody
said, man, I cannot believe the way Judas betrayed Him. The Lord
knew that. Before that ever, it was prophesied. My old friend, familiar friend, he knew it was God's will. So
therefore, it's like in the first message, when these things come
our way, Do you think that God Almighty knew that those things
were going to come your way? He sent them. He sent them. This didn't happen by chance.
Whenever something comes our way, remember, as the servant
of the Lord, Lord, help me to bow. Help me to remember. When somebody says something
and hurts my feelings, It's the Lord. Let Him do that which is
right and good. It's for my good. I needed it. That's what David said. When
Shimei came in, I needed that. Throw rocks at Him. That's what
God said. You throw rocks at David. David said, I need it
that the Lord might show me and have mercy on me in my affliction.
Oh Lord, teach us this day. Teach us to bow. Teach us to
hope. Teach us to wait for Christ's
sake.

Possessing The Heart Of A Servant

What does the Bible say about being a servant?

How do we know that servanthood is important for Christians?

Why is humility important for Christians?

How does servanthood relate to God's glory?

What does it mean to be chosen by God?

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About Marvin Stalnaker

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Possessing The Heart Of A Servant

What does the Bible say about being a servant?

How do we know that servanthood is important for Christians?

Why is humility important for Christians?

How does servanthood relate to God's glory?

What does it mean to be chosen by God?

Sermon Transcript

About Marvin Stalnaker

Comments

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