• Building, Maintaining, And Nurturing Good Relationships
• Servitude
• A true Christian is a servant.
• We should desire to be a servant.

• Servitude
• Romans 6:16 (KJV) “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”
• Every child of God, is to understand the principle of servitude.
• We should all know that servitude in the scriptures was equivalent to slavery.
• According to the text, we choose whom we will serve.
• We are not forced to submit to God
• But it is best if we willingly submit to Him.
• Our spiritual service of worship is that which proves in us the will of God, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1-2).
• We are to perform duties to God.
• We have obligations and responsibilities to Him.
• We have no problem in doing most of them.
• This is in consideration of what God has done for us.
• He knew that sinners would not be acceptable to Him.
• “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. (Romans 3:23).
• Our sins, also known as our iniquities have separated us from God (Isaiah 59:2).
• Without something in the form of grace, redemption, and propitiation, we could never have a relationship with God.
• We could not call Him our Father, which is in Heaven.
• But while we were yet sinners, God sent His Son so that we may have eternal life (John 3:16).
• Our willingness to submit to God by obeying His commandments is what brings about our salvation.
• Jesus was the greatest servant of all time.
• By learning obedience, He became the source of eternal salvation (Hebrews 5:8-9).
• In that Jesus came to do the will of God, He showed Himself to be an example to all of His followers.
• Colossians 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
• We are servants of Christ as we serve Him.
• Although we do not usually consider the Holy Spirit one to be served, we do so when we take His work and apply it to our lives.
• When we study and meditate upon the word of God, we realize that the Holy Spirit gave this to us as He was directed by God, and Christ.
• When we allow His work to permeate and infiltrate our very being, then we are in a sense, becoming His servant.
• So in essence we serve God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
• Many of those in the church feel very confident that they serve Deity as mentioned above.
Many feel that upon doing their duty to Deity, then Deity will reward them.
• For the majority of Christians, this is all the service they ever offer.
• But there are two other things which deserve our service.
• I would suggest that we rethink our application of service being in an upward direction only and apply the word to the original intent of being outward as well.
• Who are we talking about?
• Others!
• Well, since I said outward, that obviously excludes "me".
• We must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily in order to follow Him.
• Like Jesus we are meant to serve, not to be served.
• We are to serve each other.
• When we serve ourselves we are serving sin.
• Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him (Christ), that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
• Jesus also said that serving two masters was impossible.
• If we serve Christ, then we no longer serve sin.
• If however, we continue to sin, we are not serving Christ.
• It is impossible to serve Christ and sin.
• Our actions will tell Christ, if we are serving Him or sin.
• Galatians 1:10 “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ”.
• Jesus is to be the Lord of our life.
• We submit to Him.
• We are to humble ourselves before Him.
• If we expect Him to save us, we ought to know that it is only on His terms.
• By being our Savior, He becomes our God, Lord, Master, Leader, King, Authority, and Guide.
• If we do not honor Jesus by our obedience, then we are forsaking Him.
• When anything is given preference over Him, then we cannot be His servant.
• If we play politics and do things to be seen by men, we cannot be the servant of Christ.
• Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
• Jesus was teaching that Satan could not offer an acceptable substitute for God.
• Jesus quoting from scripture answers Satan who was asking Jesus to bow down before him.
• There is only one God who is worthy of honor and glory and our worship and our servitude.
• Galatians 5:13 (KJV) “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another”.
• The New Testament is literally filled with passages detailing our duty to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
• We have the passages that describe us of being in the same body. Having the same Head. Holding to the same faith. Honoring the same God and Lord. (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12).
• Our stewardship that God gives us is to take care of each other.
• Let us now concentrate on those who need the most service, but actually receive the least.
• These people are the lost.
• The greatest service to any person would be to show them the Light of the Gospel, and bring them to repentance.
• God has appeared to all mankind, to show them the Christ.
• God is not willing that any should perish.
• Therefore, He sent His Son to us to Light up the Way and show us the Door and the path of the Way which leads to Life.
• If God made provision for the greatest need that mankind would have, then that should be the one service that we should offer to mankind with God's blessings.
• Yes, we are talking about personal evangelism.
• Evangelism is not the problem with many in the church today.
• Many in the church today have a problem with the "personal".
• Many are just tickled pink that their preacher preaches the truth on all Bible subjects.
• Many feel very good that they support the work of the Church by their contributions.
• Many delight in the fact that their churches sponsor or support evangelist in foreign works.
• These people will have no problem telling you how great it is to be a servant of God.
• The real problem is that many are not servants of God, but of Satan.
• How do we know?
• Jesus said "If you love me, keep my commandments"
• Jesus taught by example that our service is to others.
• If we only try to service or serve God, then we are neglecting the needs of those who need God.
• Jesus said to go teach, preach, baptize and teach the lost.
• Jesus did not send us to the saved, but to the lost.
• Jesus Himself came to seek and save that which was lost.
• If we do not serve the lost by teaching them the error of their way, then we are not obedient to Jesus Christ.
• If we are not obedient to Jesus Christ, what else is left?
• There is only one other choice; You serve Satan (although you do not mean to).

• Conclusion
• We serve God, Christ, Holy Spirit—Deity
• We serve each other.
• We serve the lost.
• Failure to serve in any one of these areas will leave us unfit for the Master’s kingdom.
• Are you ready to be a servant?

By Carey Scott

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