We Are Servants

Introduction

Good morning to everyone. Good to see you all, good to be with you. I first of all want to express my appreciation to uh the elders for the opportunity to be with you uh this uh week to study from God’s word, and I hope as I always endeavor to do is encourage brethren, and if I cause you to think I have accomplished my task, and that’s what I strive to do is think on those lofty things. To also express my appreciation to Kathy and uh Mirian for providing the meal last night. Enjoy being with them and uh they’re cut up. Uh I had a great time and uh uh just to enjoy getting to reacquaint uh uh our uh we like I said been here before and just uh see them and uh spend time and re renew those acquaintances.

So again, I certainly appreciate that. Uh also know several uh of you here, and I know that uh one of the families uh here, the West family, uh Melanie’s mom and dad uh worships uh where I’m preaching, and they do send their greetings, and uh grandma told me to hug the kids, give everybody a hug. So if you see me hugging them, you you know I’m doing what grandma said. Uh and but uh again, just good to see all of you and spending this time uh together. Uh we started out with just a few thoughts in connection to working together with God, and we looked at passages like Ephesians chapter 2, verses 8 uh through 10, uh, where we see that uh we are saved by the grace of God.

This is something that God has done and provided for us. He didn’t have to do it, but he did. And I would say that his desire, his love for us, yes, compelled him to do that. And that’s what he did in sending his son Jesus to die for us. And as he points out here in the passages as he talks to these brethren, sometimes context really helps in understanding these passages and where they are placed and the things that are said. Ephesus is a port city. And you have all kinds of people coming in and out from different areas. And even there in the city itself, they worshiped idol gods. And you’ve heard and read over in Acts chapter 19 about the goddess Diana and all the things that was happening there.

And so this statement is a very impactful statement to those brethren. Even though you have individuals coming from different areas and hearing the gospel of Christ and perhaps their lives changing and giving them purpose. Because really serving those idols and doing those things, they didn’t have purpose. Those individuals did not have purpose only to gratify those who had concocted those things. But here, Paul is pointing out as one who is created in Christ Jesus, a workmanship of God, you have purpose. And those purposes are the good works that God had prepared beforehand. Your life is going to have meaning. And when your life has meaning, it changes everything. The context of thoughts and the impact that you could have on others. And so you start to see this of how important it is as your theme has been growing together.

And I hope to encourage and help in this process of encouraging us by working together with God based upon our thoughts that came from 2 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 1 and 2, where it says, and working together with Him. And you see that in the life of the apostles and in particular Paul, as he is writing to these brethren, he is working with God, fulfilling God’s will, and teaching them the truth of his word. And so that’s where our theme this week is going to be dealing with. If you have your Bibles, if you would also look with me in verses 3 through 6 of 2 Corinthians chapter 6, turn over there, and we’re going to notice several things expressed in this chapter and those verses.

1. Commending Ourselves as Servants of God

Now, again, working together with him, talking about the proclamation of the message of God that now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation. Now let’s look at verses 3 through, I’d say through 6 here of the chapter. Paul says, and giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited. But in everything, commending ourselves as servants of God in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love. What is the thought that the apostle is bringing out in these passages here in 2 Corinthians chapter 6? And I believe the key is what he states there in verse 4, and that is, but in everything, commending ourselves as servants.

We are servants of God. When we are working together with God, we need to keep that in mind. If we don’t keep that in mind, we’re going to end up putting ourselves ahead of God, thereby doing things that are not in line with his will. So our endeavor is to recognize that.

Well, is Paul saying that we’re deacons? I don’t believe he’s pointing that out. What he’s pointing out is the special task of obeying and doing the will of God. And that is proclaiming this light that changes lives, that shines forth so others can come to it and submit to it. And encouraging the Corinthians to remember who they are. Remember, in the first letter that Paul wrote to them, they were struggling. Remember what they were struggling with? Chapter 1 tells us what they were struggling with. It tells us that here they are, they’re fighting between themselves and their recognition of I’m associated with Peter or Cephas. Oh, I’m associated with Paul. And then you had others, yeah, I’m with Christ. And Paul had to remind them, was Paul crucified for you?

No, it was Christ who died for you. So they were struggling. And their struggle was with the worldly wisdom. They were taking worldly wisdom ahead of the wisdom of God. And so the apostle writes to them in that first letter to show them how foolish that is. That God’s wisdom is superior. Because again, they were running ahead of themselves. They didn’t realize that their true allegiance should have been to Jesus Christ. So in the second letter, they set the example. Even though you look at the work that we’re doing as prestigious in some cases, and though you see some things take place in regards to maybe some of the miracles that they had performed in proclaiming God’s word or overcoming those things in life. He’s, I want you to understand, we’re servants.

That’s how we commended ourselves as servants.

And that’s what we are. We are servants of God when we submit ourselves to his will. And so this thought is brought to their attention to help them to see what this is all about. Over in chapter 3 of 1 Corinthians, turn over there. I want you to notice just a couple of things.

2. Servants Through Whom You Believed

In chapter 3 of 1 Corinthians, Paul writes and further shows that this is all about God. It’s about the exaltation of him. Notice at verse 4. He says, For when one says, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, he says, Are you not mere men? For when one says, I am A Paul, and another I am of Apollos there, he says, when this uh when what then is Apollos? Excuse me. And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believe, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. You see that? You see the mentality of Paul. The Corinthians are struggling with all of this. They want to exalt Paul. They want to exalt Apollos. They want to exalt Cephas or Peter. And Paul is saying, no, we’re just servants.

Yes, we’re servants of the king. God has sent us, and God has given us the word to preach, and that’s what they’re doing, but we are servants.

Notice chapter 4 of 1 Corinthians. Chapter 4 and verse 1. Let a man regard us in this manner as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. The reason why we are the way that we are is because we are servants of Christ. In verse 3. But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you or by any human cord. In fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted. Why is that? Because the one that examines me is the Lord. See what he’s done again? He is constantly exalting God. He says, even when I examine myself, and I may look at myself as, hey, I haven’t done anything wrong.

He says, but the final examination is determined by God. We are like that, aren’t we? We look about, we look within ourselves and we say, I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m doing things right. And sometimes we get to puff out our chest that. But the reality is, God is the one that’s going to judge us. And so at all times we need to make sure that we recognize that we are servants. And so one of the things that we are to keep in mind is that as we are servants, that we are just, we’re not above God. We’re not above him. And we are reminded of these type of things throughout the scriptures. In fact, Jesus Himself reminds us of this. Look over, if you will, in another passage that kind of points these things out.

3. A Disciple Is Not Above His Teacher

In Matthew chapter 16, or Matthew 10, excuse me. In Matthew chapter 10, Jesus with his disciples is teaching them how to truly be disciples or servants of the Lord. And Jesus is instructing them. And he has displayed to them the power of God. But I want you to notice verses 24 and 25. Because at times the disciples themselves had the struggle of who was better than the other. And wanting to sit next to this place or in this place of authority.

He says, A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciples that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house, Beelzebub, how much more will they malign the members of his household? So he’s saying to them, you’re not going to escape the negativism with them or what they’re going to experience. You’re not going to escape that. In fact, what you’re going to be, if you serve and do what is right, you’re going to be like me. You’re going to be faced with ridicule as the Son of Man is faced with the ridicule in proclaiming God and showing to mankind, and in this aspect, showing them God, who God is.

You’re going to experience that. You’re not above the teacher. You’ll be like it. If you serve as you ought. And that should have been a reminder to them that that’s what they are. Over in 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2, where the apostle Peter writes to brethren who are about to engage in being suffering for the cause of Christ. So in 1 Peter chapter 2, Peter writes to them in encouraging them to realize that their purpose, even in the persecution that they will be facing, that they continue to follow the Lord. So in 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 21, he says, For you have been called for this purpose. Since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth.

And while being reviled, he did not revile in return. While suffering, he uttered no threats, but kept entrusting himself to the one who judges righteously.

Do you see the thought process of what it means to be a servant? It means that you are to follow in the footsteps of the Christ.

4. We Are Servants: The Very Essence of Christ

Do you know what we’re doing when we sing that song? We are praying to God and we’re asking God to make us like the Christ. And if we follow in the steps of the Christ, and if we are made to uh like and we are being like him, then that’s how God is going to see us. He’s going to see us as belonging to him because we have the essence of his son. That phrase, we are servants, is connected to the very aspect of the essence of God in Christ Jesus. Over in the book of Exodus, you remember when Moses is having the conversation with God with the burning bush? And God is sending Moses to the children of Israel, they’re in Egypt there. And Moses asked the question, whom shall I say that have sent me?

And God’s response was, I am. I am the one that has sent you. So what was God saying there? God was saying that I am, I exist because I exist. In other words, that statement is the very being of who God is.

And then you have Jesus repeating that over in his conversation with the Jews about before Abraham was I am.

Is am. Now I’m not an English teacher. You can tell by the way I speak a lot of times. Some say they can hear that South Carolinian accent come out every now and then. That’s true. I’m from South Carolina. But those verbs are being there. And so when we say, and when the apostle is saying over in 2 Corinthians chapter 6, we are commending ourselves as servants, he says, we’re being the very essence of the nature of Christ. And when we follow in the footsteps of the Christ, we’re being in the very essence of the Christ.

And thereby we are being what God intends for us to be by not exalting ourselves, but becoming more like him. That’s because we are working together with him. And if we work together with him, we’re going to become like him. That’s the concept of working together with God. We’re going to see something else tomorrow night as we discuss this very thought about the verbs of being. And being the servant, as we’re doing here this afternoon. We’re going to look at some other things too. Because 2 Corinthians is littered with this. Should I say littered? It’s spread throughout the letter, I’ll put it that way. Because it’s not garbage. But the point is, these verbs of being is about being all that God would have us to be as we are growing together with him.

5. God Is the Authority

Here’s another passage. Matthew chapter 16. In Matthew chapter 16, there Jesus is with his disciples, and with his disciples, he’s having this discussion based upon the question that he has asked them. Who do they say the Son of Man is? And they begin to list all of what they’re saying. Some say Elias and so forth. Elijah. And Jesus’ response is based upon, and he says, then whom do you say that I am? And remember, Peter’s response, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. But what’s interesting is verse 19. In verse 19, after responding to the question and the answer that Peter gives, and telling them that the gates of hell is not going, or Hades is not going to stop or overpower him from building his church on this very aspect of who he is.

Verse 19 says, I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth, as the new American standard that I’m reading from says, shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. And you also find that repeated over in chapter 18 and verse 18 as well.

And also that we are to be like him, as Peter points out there in 1 Peter chapter 2. But here in Matthew 16 and verse 19, Jesus is letting them know, and as we read this, letting us know that God is the authority. That’s why we’re not to be above him. That’s why we need to recognize ourselves as servant, and that’s why you see the Apostle Paul talking about we commend ourselves as servants. Because earlier in the chapter, he is saying, salvation did not come from us, it came from God. Came from Him. That’s why He says, now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation. God provided that. And he and those who are with Him are not going to put themselves above God because God is the authority.

That’s what it means to be a servant. God issues the instructions, and as servants, we listen to what he says, and we obey the command. We obey those instructions. And as we are obeying those instructions, it benefits us. See, that’s the beauty of it. God’s instructions benefit us, even though we may run into conflict, as the rest of the chapter points out. But realize we’re following God. We’re being exactly what God wants us to be. So such passages help us to understand that God is the authority. But what’s pressing about all of this is the examples that God gives us over and over again of why we should continue to keep in mind that we are servants. Remember Moses. Over in the book of Numbers, chapter 20.

6. Remember Moses: We Are Still Servants

Verses six through eight. What you have in this situation, the children of Israel, as part, it was like their nature to just grumble, grumble, grumble. Now they want water. God has been providing for them. And they’re complaining about not having water. And understand, water is necessary. And so God says, well, they take it to God, and God says, Well, you go, Moses with the rod, and you speak to the rock. And Moses goes. And then looking at the people, realizing the people have no reason to complain that God has been providing for them. And in this moment that Moses is just irritated by that. He takes the rod and he strikes it and says, Shall we bring forth water? The Bible says he did it twice.

And God says, You’re not going to take the children of Israel into the promised land.

What? What you didn’t believe in me.

Yes, I did. No. I told you to speak to the rock. You struck it. And then later on, you read over in chapter 27, verses 12 through 4. God says, You did not honor me before the people. And because you didn’t honor me before the people, you are able to see the land, but you will not enter into it.

And it breaks your heart. And so you go back here to 2 Corinthians chapter 6, and you look at the apostle. And what he’s saying is, he’s not making that mistake. Even after all the foolish things that the Corinthians were saying over in as he wrote to them in that first letter, he says, We are commending ourselves as servants. And it doesn’t matter how angry we may get. In our own mind, we might try to rationalize things.

It will never make us above God. We are servants. In Luke chapter 17 and verse 10. Jesus makes a profound point and lesson for us. After doing all of what God has said, the tendency is to think that, well, yes, I’m in good standings. Yes, I can exalt myself. Jesus says, No, we’re still unworthy servants. We’re just doing what we were supposed to do. And yet, in all of that, God blesses us. How awesome is the God we serve. That we can be servants, but He treats us as His children.

Conclusion

We’re doing things that we ought to do, but yet He treats us as His children and promises us heaven, eternity with Him. And we should humbly bow and submit to Him and recognize that being a servant is a blessing from God. Bow with me in a word of prayer.

Our most kind Heavenly Father. Help us to keep in mind that we are servants. That you have provided a means where we could be saved. That you have created us in Christ Jesus for the works that you have given and prepared. And may we ever serve you and do your will, recognizing you as God and following your instructions, and as we proclaim your message to others to recognize that we too are servants. Thank you for your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is through him that we give you thanks, praise, honor, and glory. Amen. If you’re not a child of God, I would be remiss to point out to you that you’re missing out on heaven. You’re missing out on the glories to come that God has provided through Jesus the Christ.

You’re missing out on this inhibited union with the Father, with the one who loved us, who gave his son to die for us, and to be filled with praise and glory and honor, that we would sing and praise his great and holy name throughout eternity. Uninhibited fellowship. You would be missing out on that. I want to be a friend. We want to be friends with you. The purpose is to let you know that the Christ came, the Christ died for you. The Christ died for me, giving you the opportunity to become a servant of God and yet get treated like a son. Because of Christ. What you need to do is you need to put your trust in Him. You need to repent of your sins.

In Acts chapter 2, when the apostles were preaching to that multitude, and they recognized that they had put the Son of God to death, they were concerned, and they asked, men and brethren, what shall we do? That is true repentance. That is true belief because they believed the message that was presented to them. And they had a change of heart about what they had done. Remember, they were crying out, we have no king but Caesar. But not one of the Caesars were ever raised from the dead like Jesus. When they asked men and brethren, what shall we do? The response was, you repent and you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and you’ll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Fellowship. Fellowship with God. That as you are raised up out of the water, you are now partners with God. And as you continue to walk, and as you continue to grow, and as you continue to work with God, you’ll become more and more like him. That when you leave this life, you’ll be able to enjoy the uninhibited fellowship with him. I hope that that’s your desire. If you have not obeyed the Christ, we’re here to help. You are among friends who want to help you to do that. And if you have fallen and you want to return, just repent. And come and ask the brethren to pray for you, to pray with you. And we all grow together, we all work together with God. If that’s your desire, all things are ready to help you.

Come and make it known as we stand and sing the song that was indicated.