God’s People Serve

Matt. 20:20-28

Introduction:

Would you be poured out like wine upon the altar for me?

Would you be broken like bread to feed the hungry for me?

Would you be so one in Me, that I may use you as I will?

Would you be light, and life, and love, My Word fulfill?

Yes, I’ll be poured out like wine upon the altar for you.

Yes, I’ll be broken like bread to feed the hungry for you.

Yes, I’ll be so one in You, that you may use me as You will.

Yes, I’ll be light, and life, and love, Your Word fulfill.

1. The real point of this song comes in the question “Would you…?” Much of life is a question of willingness.

2. In Matt. 20:20-28 we read of a these attitudes:

a. sons of Zebedee: “exalt me” to your left and right hand—they did not know what they were asking for.

God determines who has the places of honor.

b. ten: indignant at James and John—jealousy perhaps

c. Jesus: I came to serve not be served—the greatest is the servant

God’s People Serve

I. WHAT IS A SERVANT?

1. A servant is a person who belongs to someone else

a. whose function is to obey, to fulfill the master’s desires

b. a slave does not manage his own life but yields to his lord the right to make decisions

2. People became slaves in several ways:

a. poor unable to pay their debts sold themselves or their children

b. thieves who could not repay what they stole

c. children born to slaves became “house-born” slaves

d. those conquered in war were often placed in slavery

e. slaves were sometimes kidnapped

3. Exodus 21:2-6 presents a picture of a permanent, willing slave

2 "If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment.

3 "If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him.

4 "If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone.

5 "But if the slave plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,'

6 then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the door post. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.

4. When we become servants of Christ, we become a permanent servant.

a. Luke 9:23 "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

b. Luke 9:62 "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

c. Rom. 6:16-18 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

5. We are “friend” slaves (John 15:14-17) slaves who love

14 "You are My friends, if you do what I command you.

15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you.

17 "This I command you, that you love one another.

II. JESUS NEEDS SERVANTS

1. He needs people who are willing to follow Him daily, to carry a cross, and to yield control of their lives to Him.

a. He will not force you to be His servant—you can serve another

b. Whom you serve is your choice

c. That you will serve someone or something is not a choice

d. Matt. 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

2. Gal. 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

3. Eph. 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

4. Phil. 2:5-8

5. Matt. 9:36-38 And seeing the multitudes, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

4. Jesus needs you to use your talents in His service, but before He can have you as His servant, He must have your heart. (2 Cor. 8:1-5)

Parable of Three Trees:

1. Being a servant means we cannot always choose what we wish to be or do; but we know God will use us for a greater good than we imagine.

2. Are you willing to serve? Willing to give? Willing to let God take control of your life?