To Be or Not to Be a Servant
Or maybe I could call it "To Be or Not to Be a Follower of Christ"
So here is the modern definition of servant from an online dictionary:
ser·vant -One who expresses submission, recognizance, or debt to another: your obedient servant
Another definition:
serv'ant - A person, male or female, that attends another for the pupose of performing menial offices for him, ot who is employed by another for such offices or for other labor, and is subject to his command.
Definition of minister (verb):
minister - attend to the wants and needs of others
So you are probably wondering why I decided to have an english lesson with all these definitions. As I am reading the book of Mark today, so much of it gets my study mind reeling. However, one thing that really stuck out to me were the following scriptures:
Mark 10:43 NLT - But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,
Mark 10:44 NLT - and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.
Mark 10:45 NLT - For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."
So profound! So many times we have people who want to "minister" or be "ministers" be in "ministry", but are we going at it with a servant's heart and attitude?
Psalm 139:2 NLT - You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.
Hebrews 4:12 NIV - For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Somehow, whether we realize it or not, I think that we look at being in ministry or being a minister as some kind of prestigous standing. A sort of "look at me" thing without anyone knowing we want to be "looked at". I'm not saying that to be critical. What I'm saying as that as we minster I believe it is important to keep the heart of why and for whom we minister and what the true meaning and attitude of heart should be.
Ministry is NOT to win our way into heaven (Rom 10:9 NLT - If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.)
It is NOT to win favor among people (Gal 1:10 NLT - Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant.)
It is NOT TO WIN a top spot of any kind or to be thought of as important. (Mar 10:31 NLT - But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.)
I believe to minister or to be a minister, is to spread the Good News of the Gospel, to show compassion and love the way Christ did.
1Thessalonians 1:6 NLT - So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord.
Mark 6:34 NLT - Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
It's time to put away our own agendas and to take up Christ's agenda. To want to serve others as serving the Lord. With a heart of love. Not because we get something out of it, but because we love the Lord and want to share His love with others.
Mark 8:34 NLT - Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.
Being a servant/minister is about not what can you do for me, but what can I do for you attitude of heart. It's putting others before yourself.
Rom 15:1 NLT - We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves.
Rom 15:2 NLT - We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.
Rom 15:3 NLT - For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me."
Rom 15:4 NLT - Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled.
I know I have thrown a lot of scripture out here today, but it is however the Good News. I really have a strong conviction about having a servant's heart. That sometimes we get wrapped up in "doing" ministry that we aren't really being ministers/servants. It's easy to develope an attitude and agenda outside of what ministry should be. Trust me, I'm completely speaking from experience and a repentant heart.
I pray everday that the Lord give me a true servant's heart. That my own agendas are sent aside. Holy Spirit just fill me to overflowing so that there is nothing left but YOU. I want to serve the Lord, which means serving others and showing then them the love and compassion that Christ has shown me. No matter what that entails, I pray for an open and WILLING heart. To be the hands and feet of Christ in every situation He calls me into, not the ones I pick and choose.
To be a servant or not be a servant......
What's your answer?
So here is the modern definition of servant from an online dictionary:
ser·vant -One who expresses submission, recognizance, or debt to another: your obedient servant
Another definition:
serv'ant - A person, male or female, that attends another for the pupose of performing menial offices for him, ot who is employed by another for such offices or for other labor, and is subject to his command.
Definition of minister (verb):
minister - attend to the wants and needs of others
So you are probably wondering why I decided to have an english lesson with all these definitions. As I am reading the book of Mark today, so much of it gets my study mind reeling. However, one thing that really stuck out to me were the following scriptures:
Mark 10:43 NLT - But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,
Mark 10:44 NLT - and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.
Mark 10:45 NLT - For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."
So profound! So many times we have people who want to "minister" or be "ministers" be in "ministry", but are we going at it with a servant's heart and attitude?
Psalm 139:2 NLT - You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.
Hebrews 4:12 NIV - For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Somehow, whether we realize it or not, I think that we look at being in ministry or being a minister as some kind of prestigous standing. A sort of "look at me" thing without anyone knowing we want to be "looked at". I'm not saying that to be critical. What I'm saying as that as we minster I believe it is important to keep the heart of why and for whom we minister and what the true meaning and attitude of heart should be.
Ministry is NOT to win our way into heaven (Rom 10:9 NLT - If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.)
It is NOT to win favor among people (Gal 1:10 NLT - Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant.)
It is NOT TO WIN a top spot of any kind or to be thought of as important. (Mar 10:31 NLT - But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.)
I believe to minister or to be a minister, is to spread the Good News of the Gospel, to show compassion and love the way Christ did.
1Thessalonians 1:6 NLT - So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord.
Mark 6:34 NLT - Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
It's time to put away our own agendas and to take up Christ's agenda. To want to serve others as serving the Lord. With a heart of love. Not because we get something out of it, but because we love the Lord and want to share His love with others.
Mark 8:34 NLT - Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.
Being a servant/minister is about not what can you do for me, but what can I do for you attitude of heart. It's putting others before yourself.
Rom 15:1 NLT - We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves.
Rom 15:2 NLT - We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.
Rom 15:3 NLT - For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me."
Rom 15:4 NLT - Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled.
I know I have thrown a lot of scripture out here today, but it is however the Good News. I really have a strong conviction about having a servant's heart. That sometimes we get wrapped up in "doing" ministry that we aren't really being ministers/servants. It's easy to develope an attitude and agenda outside of what ministry should be. Trust me, I'm completely speaking from experience and a repentant heart.
I pray everday that the Lord give me a true servant's heart. That my own agendas are sent aside. Holy Spirit just fill me to overflowing so that there is nothing left but YOU. I want to serve the Lord, which means serving others and showing then them the love and compassion that Christ has shown me. No matter what that entails, I pray for an open and WILLING heart. To be the hands and feet of Christ in every situation He calls me into, not the ones I pick and choose.
To be a servant or not be a servant......
What's your answer?
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