A Servant of Christ Jesus

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:1-2

Paul is writing to a church he planted in the Roman colony of Philippi approximately 12 years earlier. As he begins his letter there can be little doubt that some who will read it are old friends. Men and women he brought to faith in the Lord and ministered to. For them this greeting is a reminder of who Paul is and what he is about. Others who will read this letter have never met Paul and for them this is an introduction. 

Notice how Paul introduces himself. He doesn't say, "I'm Paul, the great missionary who planted your church." Nor does he say, "I am Paul the great apostle who was converted on the road to Damascus by a special revelation of Jesus." No. How does he describe himself? I am Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ. Paul saw himself as a servant of Jesus. Nothing more and nothing less. 

Indeed, being a servant of Christ is a high honor, for there is no greater master one could serve, but it is also a lowly place of service. Paul is fine with this. He has laid himself on the altar. He no longer cares for his own life. He writes these words from house arrest in Rome where he will stand trial. He knows he could be executed. Yet, look at verses 20-21. "...Now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."  

See how pervasive his servant mindset is. Paul is no more. He has been swallowed up in His Savior. Jesus has become his all in all. So much so that he doesn't even care for his own life. Life or death, either way is gain for him. Life means more service to Christ, but death means to depart and be with Christ. He has completely surrendered to the service of his Lord. 

Are you a servant of Jesus? If you are a believer then you are. All of us have been called into service and sent out with his powerful Spirit on mission to advance His kingdom and share the good news. I dare you to make these verses a goal for your life. Let service to Jesus be the main identifier by which people know you. Let Him be your all in all, so much so that you will live to serve Him and when your time comes be willing to die for Him too.

Nehemiah Leadership

From the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah... twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

Nehemiah 5:14-16 & 19

Those who fear God use their authority not for their own gain but as an opportunity to bless and serve His people. This is pleasing to God and will result in their reward in due time, even though in this life it often means hardship. 

I became a senior pastor six months ago after serving in youth and children's ministry roles for more than a decade. I knew that becoming a senior pastor meant more authority. I also knew that in the church more authority means more responsibility, more hardship, more service. I wasn't climbing higher to rule, I was stooping lower to serve. And this has proven true through my first six months. The demands on my time and the needs crying out for my attention have only increased. 

It ought to be the case in our churches and in Christian families that the higher you climb the lower you go in service. Jesus models this for us. "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45) Jesus had more power and authority than any other man in the history of the world, but He refused to use it to advance His own cause choosing instead to serve others. In the verses preceding this quote He commands us to do the same. “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all." (Mark 10:42-44) 

How many of us actually do this though? It is so very tempting to think that whatever position of authority we have attained has come to us because we paid our dues and that now is the time for us to reap our rewards. But this is an unchristian way of thinking. It is out of step with the gospel and out of step with Jesus. So, who do you need to be serving? Most of us have authority over someone. Is it your kids? Your employees? Your Sunday School class, youth group, or kid's ministry? Wherever God has given you leadership and authority, no matter how small, use it to bless and serve those beneath you. It glorifies Him and gives you a good name as you do so. Plus, it will secure for you a sure reward for Heaven.

Chafing Under God's Authority

The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”

Psalm 2:2-3

As soon as he shoved that musty cushion over the opening to block me in I knew I had made a mistake. I was one of the younger kids in the back of the van. The older kids had found a small square storage space tucked underneath the back row and were testing their courage by taking turns getting "locked" in for increasing amounts of time. After a while my urge to fit in with the older kids was too strong. My sister advised against it, but I volunteered. An older elementary boy, who was somewhat of a bully, was to serve as my jailer. I made him promise to let me out after five seconds, and I crawled into that small square opening. He shoved the cushion over the opening and locked me in with his legs. I started to panic immediately. I pushed against the cushion and screamed. I realized that I was completely under his control, at his mercy, and I did not trust him. 

That's the thing about being totally under someone else's control. It's a quick way to reveal how you feel about the person, whether or not you trust them. That's the idea we get in Psalm 2 as well. Pagan kings have been subjected under God's Messiah and His rule is intolerable for them. They have decided they do not like this God or His King, and are determined to rebel against His authority. They want to break their chains and throw off their shackles of servitude to this God. The sign of God's authority feels unbearably oppressive to those who hate God and rebel against Him. 

But how do similar signs of God's authority feel to His children? Do they feel oppressed? Do they also wish to be free from the bonds which tie them to their Savior? The Apostle Paul certainly did not. He was fond of introducing himself as a servant of God. (Romans 1:1, Gal. 1:10, Eph. 3:7, Phil. 1:1, Titus 1:1) In Acts 21 we learn that God's plan for Paul's life literally puts him in chains like the kings in Psalm 2. (Acts 21:31-33) Paul's response is telling in its contrast to that of those kings. He made no effort to escape imprisonment. In fact, God revealed to him through the Holy Spirit ahead of time just what would happen and Paul continued on toward that end. When other believers tried to convince Paul not to go up to Jerusalem where he would surely be imprisoned, he responded like this: Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 21:13)

Paul trusted God. He was happy to be in chains as long as it was God who was still in control. Paul was simply happy to be spent in service of his Master. For the believer the idea that God is in control is a comfort because we know that God can be trusted. But for the sign of His authority on their lives makes them chafe.

Our response to God's commands, His providence in our lives, and even the difficulties we face reveals the nature of our hearts toward God. It can give us an indication of sin in our lives. Do you trust God or do you rebel against Him? Do you resent the direction He is taking your life or are you simply happy to be spent in the service of your Master? Join me in praying for a heart that trusts God in all circumstances and welcomes service in His kingdom. 

For further reading...

• Acts 3:13 & Phil. 2:1-11- Jesus Himself was called God's servant. He was willing to humble Himself under God the Father's authority even to the point of death on the cross.

Born into Servitude

[Hannah] said... For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

I Samuel 1:26-28

 

 

Hannah was a childless woman in a culture that measured a woman's worth by the number of her children. Worse than that, her husband had two wives. Though he favored Hannah more, his other wife had many children, and taunted Hannah with that fact. In despair, Hannah turned to the Lord for help vowing that if He would give her a son, she would give him to God's service all the days of his life. In today's verses Hannah takes her son, Samuel, who has now been weaned off her breast, to the temple and gives him over to the Lord's service. Samuel must have been a very young boy, maybe only two or three years old. From that time on he lived in the temple and served the Lord there.

 

Normally a child being born into servitude would be a reason for us to weep, but this particular servant gives us an example to follow. Samuel must have seen himself as belonging to God. He was God's servant in a literal sense of the phrase. "As long as he lived, he was dedicated to the Lord."

 

How would your life be different if you viewed yourself the same way? Now, I doubt that your parents made a vow to God when they were trying to get pregnant, but in a very real sense you belong to God as well. You may choose to rebel against Him, but He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He owns you and me as well. What if you accepted that fact and lived your life accordingly? What if you were dedicated to the Lord as long as you lived? What if you decided that you wouldn't live your life to make yourself happy, or be financially secure, or even change the world, but that you would live as God's servant doing always and only what He called you to do? Would your life look very different?

 

 

For further reading...

• Samuel's life points us to another man who did live like this. Normally we don't think of Samuel as pointing forward to Jesus in significant ways, but the writer of the gospel of Luke must see a parallel because he seems to allude to I Samuel 2:26 ("And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people") in Luke 2:52 as he summarizes Jesus' childhood ("And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man"). Indeed, as we look closer we see that Samuel reminds us of Jesus in several ways. Both entered this world through a miraculous birth. Both came after corrupt religious leaders and led the people of Israel back to true religion. Both were "faithful priests who did what was in God's heart and mind" (I Samuel 2:35). And both were servants of God from birth.
• Luke 17:7-10- Consider this high expectation Jesus places on His followers as servants.
• I Samuel 2:18-20 endearingly records that Hannah made Samuel a new robe each year and brought it to him when they made the yearly sacrifice. Though Samuel did not live with his mother, it is clear she loved him dearly.