OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST SERIES
MESSAGE 3 – MORE THAN A SERVANT
We live in a world today that is filled with constant attacks on our identity in a variety of ways.
Mob protester, abortion, radical ex leaders, covid-19, the list goes on and on….
In addition, the Word of God lets us know there is one part of Satan’s work that he does his best at and that is to be “the accuser of the brethren” yet we can see that one day he will be dealt with for all of eternity:
Revelation 12:10 (NKJV) 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
I’m glad for that day that will come soon, but we really do not know the exact time. But for now, we know that the enemy’s desire is to trip you up in your mind by making you feel like you are “less than” when God has declared that you are “more than”!
In our first message, we shared about the importance of recognizing who we are, as well as remember who we WERE. In turn, this will assist us in discovering WHY we are which helps us to know both our general and specific calling.
Last week, the message was titled “More than a Work” –
We saw that we are created in God’s image and because of that we are to declare who God is to a lost and dying world. We also looked at Scripture to help us realize that we are “more than a piece of work”, but we are truly God’s handiwork and then, God wants to continue to shape and mold us for His glory.
The 2 Scriptures that serve as our Series Text are the following:
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Colossians 1:27 (NKJV) – 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
we ARE to be Servants of the Lord and model such a life as we do our best to emulate and imitate Christ.
The Bible tell us in: Mark 10:43-44 (NIV) 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.
Philippians 2:7 (NIV) 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
In these messages, when the words “more than” are used, it doesn’t mean that description is discarded, but simply means don’t stop at what people often stop at.
In other words, it’s not an “either/or”, situation but it’s a “both/and”. God wants us to be a servant AND also what follows in this service to the Lord and others!
There is no “graduation” from servanthood to greatness because the very definition of greatness is servanthood!
God’s desire is not to “squeeze the life out of us” through service and leave us to find someone else to wear out. He wants to have relationship beyond servanthood
We are going to look at 3 areas today that takes Servanthood to another level altogether –
The first thing I want to look at today is that you are:
Philippians 3:17-21 (NKJV) 17 Brethren join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame--who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
Before declaring that our citizenship is in Heaven, Paul had some words of correction for those of the church at Philippi –
It seemed they had become so captured and taken up with the things of earth that they had lost their vision of heaven. They had become so taken up with running from party to party, and even to event to take care of what they felt their body needed, that they had no desire for the return of Christ.
We must never forget that even though we enjoy wonderful benefits here on this earth, what we see is not our ultimate home.
I’m extremely thankful for the citizenship I have as an American, but I’m far more appreciative of the citizenship I have in this place called heaven.
As a citizen we know there are great privileges associated with it, but there are also duties as well.
For the life of me, I’ve never understood why someone, who is a citizen of the United States with the right to vote doesn’t take the time to educate themselves on the issues and use that right when the time comes.
According to the United States Elections Project, there were an estimated 231,556,622 Americans eligible to vote in 2016, but only 131,741,000 voted. That means only 56.8 percent of the eligible population voted, and 43.2 percent of the eligible population did not.
Tragically, the percentages aren’t that much different when it comes to the Christian voting in elections as it’s estimated that only 46 percent of Evangelical Christians voted.
I’ve heard people say that “it doesn’t really matter” whether they vote or not, but I believe that in fact, it does matter!
While we are citizens of a greater country, it doesn’t take away both the privilege and responsibility to make sure we do our best to create and maintain an environment where the Word of God can be openly shared.
There are people living in Communist Countries such as China that can only worship God undercover and underground because they have no rights whatsoever to vote in open and free elections.
Paul was writing to a church in Philippi that didn’t have many of the benefits that came with Citizenship in Rome, yet he reminded them that while that was valuable, and indeed, he was a Roman Citizen, there was something far greater ahead.
As Citizens of Heaven, we must remember that even while we are here on this earth, we are to reflect our home country and the leader who is there.
Citizenship doesn’t necessarily equate with relationship. We are citizens of America, yet I would venture to say that none of us could just show up at the White House unannounced and unverified with the excuse that “I’m an American and because I pay taxes, this is my house too”.
Talking with someone this last Sunday who took at tour of the White House but had to go through quite a process to make that happen.
While we have “rights” associated with Citizenship, we don’t have rights without some kind of boundaries.
Even Heaven has boundaries. You don’t just get to Heaven because you’re a good person.
You must have your Passport stamped at the Cross and verified at the empty tomb!
If you’re here today and have asked Christ into your life, then guess what? You’re a Citizen of Heaven and when we get there one day, we will be able to get in because of “who we know”!
Going a bit deeper in our message, “More Than a Servant”, I believe the Word is clear as well that we can be a:
The scripture we are going to look at right now could in fact be our text for today as well as what we’ve already shared:
John 15:15 “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
Of course, we know Jesus was talking with His disciples here, but we need to remember that when this happens, most of the time it can be extended to those of us who are Disciples (or followers) of Christ today.
He wasn’t telling them they were no longer Servants, but in addition to being Servants they were friends as well, and one of the indications of this change was that He was sharing things with them the Father had spoken to his heart.
John 13:16 (NKJV) 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.
Even later on in this chapter, He reminded them that the fact that He had shared they were “friends” doesn’t take away the reality they are still Servants:
John 15:20 (NKJV) 20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
But Jesus was comfortable calling them both Servants and Friends - If a person is a servant only, then there really is no personal relationship and they simply perform duties out of a sense of loyalty or even because they have to remain employed.
There is something powerfully valuable about having a friend you can trust and confide in, and something even greater when we realize that we can have this kind of Friendship with Jesus!
While we may not understand all the methods of God, we can appreciate the heart of God!
When it comes to Friendship, we know that someone must make the initial step to make it happen. While we would like to think that we were the ones who made that initial step toward friendship with Christ, in fact it was Christ who came to us!
The Bible tells us this: Romans 5:8 (NKJV) 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
In The Grace of Giving, Stephen Olford tells of a Baptist pastor during the American Revolution, Peter Miller, who lived in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, and enjoyed the friendship of George Washington. In Ephrata also lived Michael Wittman, an evil-minded sort who did all he could to oppose and humiliate the pastor. One day Michael Wittman was arrested for treason and sentenced to die. Peter Miller traveled seventy miles on foot to Philadelphia to plead for the life of the traitor.
“No, Peter,” General Washington said. “I cannot grant you the life of your friend.”
“My friend!” exclaimed the old preacher. “He’s the bitterest enemy I have.”
“What?” cried Washington. “You’ve walked seventy miles to save the life of an enemy? That puts the matter in different light. I’ll grant your pardon.” And he did.
Peter Miller took Michael Wittman back home to Ephrata—no longer an enemy but a friend.
A small boy defined a friend as “Someone who knows all about you and likes you just the same.”
I thought of a few traits that friends would have within the context of a friendship and here are just a few:
True Friends Communicate –
Jesus wants you to communicate with Him, and please know that He wants to communicate with you! There is nothing you cannot tell Him that will shock or surprise Him. There is nothing you will tell Him that will cause Him to walk away from you.
Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV) 24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
The genuine or authentic friend is someone who sticks closer than a brother. In other words, he or she can be counted on. This friend is steadfast; he or she will be there for you even more so than a family member. Brotherhood is one of the strongest relationships we know. A friend who sticks closer than a brother is a trustworthy friend, indeed.
While we know that Jesus will “never leave us or forsake us”, I pray today that the same can be said about us as we serve Him.
You see, as a Servant I’m ok with not understanding all the ways of God, because when I know Him as a friend, I know He has my ultimate best in mind regardless of what He allows to come into my life.
I pray today that you see yourself not only as a Servant of God, not only as a Citizen of Heaven, but the reality that you can be a Friend of God as well. Yet, let’s take this just a bit deeper!
Thirdly today in our Message: “More than a Servant” we need to know we are:
John 1:12-13 (NKJV) 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word makes it clear that our relationship with God extends to a deeply personal level, and that is one of being a member of the same family.
There are those who have been adopted into a family and this is a powerful picture of what has happened with us when we come into the family of God.
If a baby is adopted, it means that baby has been chosen to be part of that family and from that day forward, the child will have the last name of the adopting family and will have the same rights and opportunities as the other children.
Ephesians 1:4-5 (NKJV) 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
Now, you might read that scripture today and feel like it’s declaring that there are those who are destined for Heaven, and those who are not and there’s nothing we can do about it.
Yet, that kind of teaching flies in the face of so many other scriptures in the Word, especially John 3:16 (NKJV) 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
The key idea that we need to know behind the scripture about predestination is that God has given ALL of humanity the opportunity to be adopted into His family. There’s nobody who has been left out of the extension of mercy and grace of Jesus Christ!
He chose all of us to be part of His family! He predestined all of us to be adopted as sons and daughters, yet from the very beginning of creation, He also gave us the will to choose whether we would want to be adopted.
So, yes, He chose us, but in addition, we must choose Him!
I can’t begin to imagine the hopelessness that would exist if we never really knew for sure that we are part of God’s family until judgment day.
I’m glad today that we can know that we know that we know because we believe Scriptures like the one, we read at the beginning of this point:
John 1:12-13 (NKJV) 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Your “pre-destination” is not that you live a life of defeat but that you realize you can be a child of almighty God with hope for both your immediate future and your eternal destiny.
William Dixon was a widower who had also lost his only son. One day he saw a neighbor’s house on fire; although the aged owner was rescued, her grandson was trapped upstairs in the blaze. Dixon didn’t hesitate. Climbing an iron pipe on the side of the house, Dixon lowered the boy to safety, severely burning his own hands on the overheated pipe. Shortly after the fire, the boy’s grandmother died, leaving him alone. As the town council considered what to do, two men appeared requesting custody of the boy. One was a father who had lost his son and wanted to adopt the orphan as his own. The other was Dixon. The first man gave his reasons for wanting to adopt the boy, then Dixon stood before the council and simply held up his badly scarred hands. When the vote was taken, the boy went to him.
There are two forces battling over your life – The forces of evil and the forces of good. Satan and Christ –
Yet, there is only one that can hold up nail-scarred hands that prove love beyond measure or degree.
I’m so glad today to be a Servant of Christ, A Citizen of Heaven, as well as A Child of God!
