What is a Good Servant?
Posted: Tuesday, April 20, 2010
by Angie Lewis
Heaven Ministries
What is a good servant? In order to appropriately describe what a servant is, we must first identify who the master is. In God's kingdom of heaven, Jesus is the master and Christians are expected to serve Him with all of their heart, mind, and soul. In essence, Christians are to be the continuation of Christ's ministry. Ministry means the act of service; it is the activity of one who serves others. Christians have been called to be set apart from the world and to serve in whatever capacity they have been gifted with for God's purpose. (1 Corinthians 12:4-5)
The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the gospel. (Mark 1:15)
Before we can become good servants, we must give up our self-serving ways and fully accept Christ's forgiveness. The repentance that Jesus is calling for is not a simple "I'm sorry" but a total conversion of oneself, which leads to the end of self-serving and self-justification. He calls us to be converted away from the world and to turn our lives over to God in total surrender and submission. We cannot have one leg hanging over the fence if we want to be dedicated servants for Christ-He wants our full attention and participation.
Before the world can completely understand this kind of servitude, they must first come to the realization that the kingdom of God is already here. Most Christians have been taught to be looking here and there for Christ to return on a shiny horse in the clouds, but Jesus is already here-He lives in us through the Holy Spirit. Do not let anything hinder your faithfulness in God. Jesus Christ is King in our lives now!! We should be serving Christ now!
"For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17)
Today, Jesus Christ reigns in the hearts and minds of believers all over the world. "The time is fulfilled"! The Kingdom of God began when God entered the world in the form of the man Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit lives in the hearts and minds of believers, where true servitude produces Fruits of the Spirit . "The kingdom of God is within you". Luke 17:21
Character Traits of a Good Servant
The Holy Spirit is the spiritual power within us where Christians produce fruits in service to others, such as loving and giving joy to the broken hearted; sending peace and comfort to those who are suffering in jails and being persecuted; patience, kindness and goodness to those who are soul searching for a better way of life, and self-control during trials and temptations. (Galatians 5:22)
If Christians are to produce fruit of the Spirit, they must get to know Jesus Christ through God and love and follow Him with allegiance and dedication. As a result of developing good fruits in the kingdom of God, the Christ-follower will ultimately fulfill his or her purpose of servitude through their love of God and neighbor. (James 2:8)
What Does Jesus Expect From His Servants?
A good servant knows what Jesus expects from them and does it without fussing, procrastinating or complaining. Servitude for Christ involves total dedication, not half-hearted commitment. Therefore Christians must count the cost and be willing to abandon everything for service in the kingdom of God. Jesus expects a good servant to give up what is holding them back and serve with perseverance, purpose and commitment. (Hebrews 12:1)
As you can see there is a cost to following Christ and as Christians we must be prepared to serve, even if it requires sacrifice. A good servant will allow nothing in the world to distract them from living in the way that Jesus calls good and true. In fact, Jesus said to His disciples, "No one who puts his hands on the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62) Jesus doesn't want us to hesitate or look back. He wants our full and dedicated service.
"Well done, good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21) Jesus' ministry needs many good and faithful servants, who are willing to help those who are in need and hurting and to help build up His ministry and kingdom here on earth. Does this mean we must quit our jobs to serve Christ? No, it means we should use our time, creativity, talents and spiritual treasures with due diligence in order to serve God completely with whatever we undertake in the kingdom of God. For most of us this means doing our daily work out of our love for God and putting our priorities in their proper place.
What is the Purpose of Servanthood?
Jesus shows us the need and purpose of servitude through the prophesy of Isaiah. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovering of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. (Luke 4:18-19)
Christ's ministry continues in the world today, as Christ's servants produce good fruits through preaching and teaching of the prophesy of Isaiah. Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing (Luke 4:21)
Jesus' whole ministry involved inviting sinners into the Kingdom of God. In Matthew 9:13 Jesus explained to His disciples that it was not the healthy who needed a doctor, but the sick. Servanthood for Christ involves sharing the gospel with the poor, sinners, lonely, heavy hearted and outcast, and not just the rich, most popular and good-looking. The need for servitude in the world today cannot be underestimated. The key to being a good servant is to take the initiative and be ready to do what you can to serve others rather than wait to be served.
Beatitudes: The Standard of Conduct for Godly Servants
The beatitudes (Sermon on the Mount) are an important part of a good servants walk with Christ. It shows us the right way to conduct ourselves in the world while in our service to others. The beatitudes contrast the difference between kingdom and worldly values. The first beatitude is particularly important because the servitude of Jesus began with serving and helping the poor and less fortunate. It also describes the most important characteristic and purpose of good servitude in God's kingdom.
"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours in the kingdom of God". (Luke 6:20) Jesus' blessing on the poor fits in with his call for Christians to "become as children". To become as children is to recognize our own spiritual poverty before God. Jesus taught that having the need to prove ourselves as worthy through what we have was a form of control over our lives and would take us away from fully serving others faithfully.
Jesus wants us to recognize our need to be dependent on God rather than money and possessions, because only then will we experience the freedom of being like "little children", fully secure in our Father's love. Once we can release the need for dependence on materialization and all that goes with it, will the Christian be able to dedicate themselves to full service for Christ.
Another example of good servitude comes from a passage in the bible regarding the disciples seating arrangements with Jesus in heaven. They asked to be seated next to Jesus in all of His glory because they wanted to be a part of that glory and receive praise and recognition for being faithful servants.
Jesus said to them, " Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life for a ransom for many. " (Mark 10:43-45)
It is important to note that Jesus taught that good discipleship and servanthood involves serving God in selfless service, not self-seeking service.
Were Mary and Martha Good Servants?
Both Mary and Martha loved serving Jesus. Jesus would visit with the sisters and sometimes bring others with him. Jesus knew what to expect when visiting the sisters and he was always treated with great service and hospitality between the two of them. But they each served in their own ways and in their own capacity.
Martha loved to cook, clean and prepare and she always did her best to make sure every little detail was worked out so her guests were comfortable during their stay in her home. Mary on the other hand, didn't care much about details and preparation; instead she would sit down at Jesus' feet and converse with the guests. Mary and Martha were good servants but each served in a different way according to their gifts and abilities. One day Martha complained to Jesus about her sister not being very helpful in preparation for the guests.
"She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-41)
The lesson here of servitude is to not let your service take you away from what is truly important, such as forgetting to spend time in prayer and meditation with Jesus for yourself. As busy servants we must set our priorities and realize what is important. Martha was so busy doing things for Jesus that she did not have time to visit with Jesus when he came to her home. When her efforts did not get the recognition she thought they should she became resentful of her sister Mary.
The Good and Faithful Servant
A good servant has set it in their hearts and minds to serve God in whatever capacity that has been given to them. (1 Corinthians 12:5) Servanthood involves complete humbleness and obedience to Jesus Christ. It takes full dedication and perseverance. We must not be selfish but treat others with respect and kindness.
Our example for proper servitude is found throughout the New Testament. It shows us how Jesus was a humble man, who was always willing to give up his rights in order to obey God and serve others in the Lord. And we must be willing to do the same if we want to serve in faithfulness.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ:
Who being in very nature, God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance of a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, in glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:3-11)
Servants for Christ must develop Christ's attitude of humility and "become as children", giving up rights and privileges in order to serve others. Considering others interests over our own connects us with Jesus, who was and is our true example of humility.
"And whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life for a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)The Lord cares much more for the minister than the ministry....GOOD piece Angie. A whole buffet. We are His arms and legs on earth now - arms reached out and hands extended - what an awesome responsibility. Marijo
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