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Introduction:
Allow me to begin with a question to our young people. What do you
dream of becoming when you grow up? Now, allow me to ask a
question of the grown-ups. When you were children, what did you
dream of becoming when you grew up? Most of us dreamed of becoming
menial servants, governed by the whims of other people, not
pursuing our own goals but submitting to the desire of others. No?
Is that not what we dreamed about? It is more likely we envisioned
growing up and climbing the ladder of success. We were going to
become wealthy, powerful and famous. We were going to be important
and others were going to serve our goals and submit to our whims.
That is what following the American dream is all about, isn’t
it? Get rich and let others submit to us? But we are not only
Americans, we are Christians. While our national citizenship is in
the USA, our spiritual citizenship is in heaven (Philippians
3:20). As such, what we value is different and our picture
of success is different. In Christ’s kingdom, the picture of
success is not about wealth, fame and power. Rather, it is about
service (Luke
22:24-30). When we dream of climbing the ladder of success
in Christ’s kingdom, we need to dream of being a servant. But
how does a servant live? Examine some passages that describe our
service and learn to climb the Kingdom’s ladder of success. Discussion: I.
Our service to Christ is administered by serving others. A.
Serving Jesus means serving His people. Matthew
25:31-46 presents a parable of judgment. Some served Jesus
and some did not. The interesting thing in this parable is that
neither group had been aware of when they had served Jesus or
refrained from it. Jesus claimed “as you did it to one of the
least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (ESV). Our service
to Christ is administered through our service to others. B.
We must not be deceived. If we do not serve other
Christians, we are not serving Christ. We may have all the correct
doctrinal answers. We may worship by the prescribed pattern
without fail. But we must be servants of the brethren if we desire
to be a servant of Jesus. Therefore, as we examine the remaining
principles in this lesson, we must not merely think about some
vague service to Jesus in heaven, but of practical service to our
brethren right now. II.
No longer seek personal reputation. A.
One of the greatest points on being a servant can be found
in Paul’s description of Jesus in Philippians
2:7. Jesus took the form of a bond-servant. Notice that
meant He became of no reputation. A servant does not seek his own
personal reputation. Too often we do not spend time serving,
because it does not help our image. It does not help our
reputation. We must not be self-seeking. Rather, we should be
seeking the reputation and honor of others. B.
In I
Timothy 6:1, Paul told Timothy to instruct bond-servants
to count their masters worthy of honor. If we are going to serve
one another, that is exactly what we are going to do. We will not
spend our time trying to have the honor brought to us. We are the
servants. We do not get honor. Rather, we work so our masters can
be honored. Being a servant means not pursuing my own personal
reputation and honor but seeking yours. That doesn’t mean we
won’t have a reputation. We may. It simply means we aren’t
pursuing our own reputation. III.
Be submissive and obedient. A.
Probably the most difficult aspect of being a servant, the
one against which we are most likely to rebel, is demonstrated in I
Peter 2:18. Servants are supposed to obediently submit to
their masters. Titus
2:9 also demonstrates this, taking it a step further
saying a servant is to be well-pleasing to his master. Our duty as
servants is to submit to, obey and please others. In Matthew
8:9, the centurion whose servant Jesus healed demonstrates
what this means when he describes having authority. He pointed out
that being in authority meant telling a servant what to do and the
servant does it. B.
Naturally, we do not like this concept. We, being products
of our American culture, do not like to be told what to do. We do
not like the concept of having 140 masters to whom we must submit
ourselves. Keep in mind, however, if every Christian is acting
this way, not lording authority, this really does not present a
problem. Each of us, as servants, will be looking for ways to
please and help others. Instead of viewing this as an issue of
being bound to do what we are told, we should view it as a desire
to be a blessing in other people’s lives. As the servant who
proclaims, “Your wish is my command,” we should keep our eyes
and ears open for when others have needs. Then we should view
ourselves as the ones who can provide that blessing. Consider
Jesus’ example. He did not do what we told Him to when He served
us. He saw our need and provided the solution. C.
Too often we look at others from a standpoint of what we
can get out of them. What can they do for us? What can they
provide us? In every relationship, we need to be the servants.
Look at the people around you and ask, “What can I do to serve
them? How can I be a blessing in their lives? What can I do to add
to their lives?” If you want to climb the ladder of success in
Christ’s kingdom you need to submit to others, pleasing them and
not yourself. IV.
Be faithful and loyal to your “masters” even when they
are gone. A.
In Matthew
24:45-51, Jesus provides another parable of judgment and
once again He pictures good and bad servants. The difference
between the two in this parable is that the good servant was
faithful to his master even when the master was gone. B.
In Titus
2:9-10, Paul instructs the servants to be pleasing and not
to pilfer. That is, servants are not to take advantage of their
masters when they are not looking. If we are going to be servants,
we need to have the servant mentality at all times, with all
people, whether they are present or not. We must not be like Eddie
Haskel of Leave
It To Beaver. Remember how he would try to impress
Wally’s parents in their presence and then be completely
disrespectful behind their backs? For him, service was a
manipulative game. Serving should never be a means of manipulation
for us. Rather, it should be a way of life. C.
We should show all good fidelity to our brethren to their
faces and behind their backs. This means defending them and
speaking up for them when others speak against them. This means
going to them if you see them do something wrong, not going to
others. This means serving them simply to be a servant without
hidden agendas and underlying motivations. If you want to climb
the ladder of success in Christ’s kingdom, you need to be a
loyal servant to your brethren at all times. V.
Keep on serving, even without thanks. A.
In Luke
17:7-10, Jesus presents a parable regarding forgiveness
and uses a servant as an illustration. The servant worked in the
fields all day without a word of thanks. When he came in, he was
simply expected to keep on serving. When he was done serving the
meal, he still wasn’t given any thanks. While I must certainly
preach that you need to be thankful and express that thanks to
others when they are kind to you, as servants we must serve
whether anyone ever recognizes our service or not. B.
We must keep in mind we are not doing God’s will to be
noticed by men anyway. That was the problem that the Pharisees had
according to Matthew
6:1. Our duty is to serve without even trying to be
noticed by men. If men notice us, the goal is not to praise us,
but to glorify God (Matthew
5:16). If you want to climb the ladder of success in
Christ’s kingdom, then you need to be a loyal servant to your
brethren at all times, whether or not any of them are ever
thankful. Your reward will come from your Father in heaven. Conclusion: Where are you on the kingdom’s ladder of success? Do not think that where you are on America’s ladder of success will have anything to do with your success in Christ’s kingdom. If you want to be a success in Christ’s kingdom, then climb the ladder of service. What kind of servant are you?
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
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