A Model Worth Following

Luke 17:7-10

ILL. A Mexican bandit liked to cross the Rio Grande from time to time and rob banks in Texas. Eventually a reward was offered for his capture and a Texas Ranger known for his ability to find criminals, and deliver them dead or alive, decided to go after him. After a lengthy search he finally tracked the bandit down in a cantina, snuck up behind him, put his trusty six-shooter to his head and said, “You’re under arrest. Tell me where you hid the loot or I’ll blow your brains out!”

The bandit didn’t answer him because he didn’t speak English and the Ranger didn’t understand Spanish! Fortunately a bilingual lawyer was in the saloon and offered to translate the Ranger’s message. He went up to the thief and told him what the Ranger had said. The bandit was terrified and blurted out in Spanish, “The money’s buried under the oak tree in the back of the bar.”

The Ranger turned to the lawyer and asked, “Well, what did he say?” To which the lawyer answered, “He said you’re a jerk and he doesn’t think you’d dare shoot him!”

We live in a “me-first” culture that encourages us to think of ourselves first and others…well, rarely. We’re told to focus on our self-image, to be involved in self-actualization and to be self-reliant. There’s even an entire magazine called “Self” just in case we start thinking too much of others and need help getting the focus back on ourselves. Because we’re saturated with messages about self, it’s easy to bring this mentality to church and expect the congregation to cater to us and to treat God like a genie whose only purpose is to meet our needs.

One day Jesus revealed the importance of serving with no strings attached. I should warn you ahead of time that this passage is not for the faint of heart. If we’re serious about growing in depth this year, our spiritual syllabus contains some pretty tough assignments.

Please turn in your Bible to Luke 17:7-10 and follow along as I read: “Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

Serving doesn’t make you a servant; but if you are a servant you will serve. I see four servanthood secrets from this passage.

1. A servant’s work is not always glamorous (7a). Look with me at the first part of verse 7: “Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after sheep.” This particular farmer probably only had one servant who had to multi-task throughout the day. He’d do the back-breaking work of plowing and then the tedious work of watching sheep. His muscles would scream and then he may have screamed out of boredom. And then he’d get up the next day and do it all over again. Kind of sounds like some of our jobs, doesn’t it?

Let me state the obvious. Sometimes serving is not very sensational. It involves exertion and often exacts a price.

2. A servant’s service never ends (7b-8). After working all day, the servant comes back to the Master’s house. He’s probably tired and hungry but it still is not time to relax. listen to how Jesus said it in the second half of verse 7 and verse 8: “Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’”?

A servant serves whenever, wherever, for whomever, doing whatever it takes. We could say it this way: “It’s not break time yet.” We talk a lot about serving opportunities in the church, but we’re actually to be serving all the time. Matthew Henry says that we must make “the end of one service the beginning of another…when we have been working for God, we must still wait on God…continually.” That means when you get up you serve your family, when you go to work you serve your boss and co-workers, when you come home you serve your family, when you go out into the community you serve, and you serve in at least one ministry at church.

ILL. I heard about a little girl who finally learned to tie her shoes. Instead of being excited, she was overcome with tears. Her dad bent down and asked her why she was crying. “I have to tie my shoes,” she said. Her dad responded, “You just learned how. It’s not that hard.” The little girl started wailing and said, “I know, but now I’m going to have to do it for the rest of my life.” I suspect that some of us feel like we’ve already put our time in.

3. A servant should not expect to be thanked (9). After going all out and working from sunup to sundown, the servant is no doubt tired. A word of appreciation would mean so much to him, but it never comes. Look at verse 9: “Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?” The implied answer is a strong “no.” The word “thank” means to have gratitude or to be grateful.

Some of us think that God somehow owes us for all that we’ve done for Him. Let me clarify something. I don’t think it’s wrong to show appreciation when someone is serving. In fact, we need to do more of that. Most people get discouraged and a word of encouragement can go a long way. Serving doesn’t make you a servant; but if you are a servant you will serve.

4. A servant does what is expected (10). Jesus concludes this story with some corrective words to those of us who attend the church of “me, myself and I” in verse 10: “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” Unfortunately, too many of us want to know what serving will cost us and how it will benefit us. If the benefits outweigh the costs, and we can fit it into our schedule, then maybe will do a little bit of ministry. This verse helps us see what being a servant is all about. A servant’s heart is intent upon, and his will is bound to, the will and wishes of another.

VIDEO

Let’s summarize the secrets of servanthood:

1. A servant’s service is not always glamorous.

2. A servant’s service never ends.

3. A servant should not expect to be thanked.

4. A servant does what is expected.

Does this Remind you of anyone you know here at the church?

Within our denomination we have what we call “A Distinguished Service Award”

It’s not “me-first” or even “we-first.” It’s got to be “He-first.” We need to be involved in service, not “serve-us.” How do we do this?

Let me give some practical applications by these people who we just honored.

1. Surrender first to the Savior. The first place to start is by making sure that you have surrendered to the Savior by being saved and that you are a devoted disciple. After you surrender, you will want to serve Him, not because you have to, but because you want to. You’ll live as a servant because you love Him as your Savior. And, when you realize that He is committed to serve you, you’ll want to do all you can to serve Him and others. Luke 22:27: “But I am among you as one who serves.”

2. Choose to be a servant, not a volunteer. Richard Foster, in his book “Celebration of Discipline,” writes: “There’s a difference between choosing to serve and choosing to be a servant.” We could say it this way: Don’t serve until you’ve settled the servanthood issue; but once you’ve settled it, don’t ever stop serving!

3. Don’t settle for any sourness in your spirit. This next action step may seem out of place but it’s really not. Jesus warns us about causing others to sin in Luke 17: 1-2 “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

4. Sign up to serve. Deuteronomy 10:12 says: “…serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

ILL. That reminds me of the story I heard about a pastor who grabbed a man named Jack by the hand after the service and pulled him aside. The pastor said to him, “You need to join the Army of the Lord, Jack.” Jack quickly replied, “I’m already in the Army of the Lord, pastor.” The pastor persisted, “Then why do I only see you on Christmas and Easter?” Jack looked around and then whispered, “I’m in the secret service.”

It’s not about us, is it? This is not a “me-church.” Serving doesn’t make you a servant; but if you are a servant you will serve. Jesus said in Luke 12:48, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

Our Ultimate Goal

The ultimate goal in using our gifts is the glory of God. In fact, God’s glory is the only motive that will keep us ministering for the long haul.

1Peter 4:11: “…so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

Too many of us are not living the way life is supposed to be lived. Instead of going for God’s glory, many of us are obsessed with what we think is good for us.

Our ultimate aim is not even to help people but to honor God. God’s glory is a bit difficult for us to understand so let me try to explain it. We give God glory when we consider Him to be more important than us and His kingdom as supreme. To glorify God means to show forth His Excellencies to others. We will only do that when we consider Him to be weighty and heavy.

Or as someone puts it, “To glorify God is to make Him look as good as He really is.”

ILL. In 1959, the Queen of England visited Chicago and elaborate preparations were made for her arrival. Litter baskets were painted and a red carpet was rolled out. Hotels were alerted and restaurants got themselves ready. When the Drake Hotel was contacted and told to get ready, the manager replied, “We are making no plans for the Queen…our rooms are always ready for royalty.”

Are the rooms in your life ready for royalty?

The King is coming soon. Will He find you serving when He returns?

Some of you still need to open the gift of salvation. Will you receive what has already been given to you by transferring your trust from self to the Savior? The end is near and if you don’t know the Lord Jesus personally, you have a lot to fear. Friend, have you ever received Jesus Christ? He is all the provision you will ever need. Jesus is offering Himself to you as a gift. You’ve done nothing to deserve Him and you certainly could never afford Him. He offers Himself to you because He loves you. Will you accept what He did for you on the Cross, when He died in your place, paying the full penalty for your sins as He exchanged His life for yours?

The gift is free but it’s not cheap. It cost God the death of his one-and-only Son. Salvation is available to anyone and everyone who wants it. John 1:12:“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

To “receive” means to welcome a visitor into your home. It’s what happens when someone knocks at your door and you open the door and invite him or her to come in. To “receive” Christ means to welcome him as an honored guest and to have him make your heart his home.

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