Honouring the Servant of the Lord
Isaiah 42, 53 & Philippians 2
Nov 25, 2018 AM Ministry Sunday
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I. Introduction (Luke 22:24-27) READ STANDING
A. I want you to see what the world CANNOT see
B. That there is something wonderful about just being a “servant” of the Lord Jesus
1. We all know what our culture thinks of ‘servants’
a. See servants as the lowest class of people just above slavery
b. To say you are a servant of someone does not impress anyone!
c. But Jesus never saw being a servant as slavery and insignificant
d. He saw it as the primary means to success and victory and change!
2. We all know how that we WERE the servants of our sinful desires and habits (Romans 6:16-18)
a. 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?
b. But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
c. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
3. We switched sides now – AMEN!
a. NOT to be free to do as we please and ignore serving…
b. But to serve right causes now; a right Master, a good King
c. To be a servant for righteousness sake
C. Hear just how happy people were to be known as SERVANTS of Jesus
1. “James a servant of God” (James 1:1)
2. “Simon Peter, a servant of Jesus Christ” (2Peter 1:1)
3. “Paul a servant of God” (Titus 1:1)
4. “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant” (Colossians 4:12)
5. “Phebe, a servant of the church” (Romans 16:1)
6. “Epaphras, a fellowservant” (Colossians 1:17)
7. “Tychicus, a fellowservant” (Colossians 4:7)
8. “Titus, a fellowhelper” (2Corinthians 8:23)
9. “Timotheus, a fellowlabourer” (1Thessalonians 3:2)
10. These are how grown men and women talked about their lives – as SERVANTS, not rulers, or boss’s or leaders, or successful people
D. TESTIMONIES of volunteering and serving – better than just coming & going
1. Darren
2. John
3. Celine
E. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THE MANY ‘SERVANTS’ IN OUR CHURCH
1. Welcome Eric McNally 5 4%
2. Setup/Take-Down Darren 4 3%
3. Nursing Home _____ 3 3% Needs a new leader
4. Soul-Win Andrew 15 13%
5. Creche Dina 15 13%
6. Choir John 15 13%
7. Piano/Music Jennifer 8 7%
8. Secretary _____ 0 Need a dedicated secretary 4 hours p/wk
9. There are so many to thank – 50% of you at least do something
10. But most are not faithful and consistent
11. And so many of you are not involved in any way
12. I aim to change that today
13. There is joy in just being a SERVANT of God!
a. Most want MORE than where they currently are at – want to be a MASTER of something, and not SERVANT (PICTURE)
1) There is nothing wrong with mastering something
2) And there is nothing wrong with leading people
3) But the problem is the attitude of the successful person, and the leader
b. Jesus meets us at the bottom, and asks us to serve THERE - at the bottom (even if everyone else seems to be getting ahead, and having more money, and having happier families, and not having so many troubles)
c. BECAUSE, THAT is where we truly succeed, and truly are happy in Christ
d. It is called living in the Kingdom of God – all next year!
F. So, this morning, let’s listen as God brags on His Servant, the Lord Jesus Christ!
II. Message - “Behold my Servant”
A. What is So Special About a Servant? (Isaiah 42:1-7)
1. What God did NOT say
a. Behold the King – not yet!
b. Behold “my MIGHTY SOVEREIGN”
c. Not even “Behold my SON”
d. No.
2. God said take a good look at a lowly SERVANT
3. I wonder why God is directing our attention at a SERVANT?
a. Evidently, It is NOT what we DO that is so spectacular – not the successes
b. But rather the ATTITUDE that makes all the difference
4. More than two dozen times in Scripture, God honours SERVING over LEADING
a. You find God pleased with young Joseph serving other prisoners IN prison
b. Young David serving his father, keeping the sheep while everyone else is feasting and expecting to be named the next king of Israel
c. Young David serving king Saul, even though in danger for his life
d. Moses at the bottom of the success ladder, keeping his WIFE’S FATHER’S sheep in a desert – Moses didn’t even own his OWN sheep!
e. The great general of the army, Joshua serving Moses for 40 years before he was named to lead the nation of Israel into the Promised Land
f. And you will find an entire chapter in Genesis (24) dedicated to a SERVANT named Eliezer who faithfully served Abraham, as he was sent out to go find Isaac a wife
g. Yes, Jesus IS God’s Son, and King of kings and Lord of lords
h. But He, as a Man was first and foremost a Servant
5. So, What is so special about Jesus being a Servant? (Isaiah 42:1-7)
a. He was Specially chosen to BE a servant - God’s elect
1) It was and is NOT “fate” that someone is at the bottom of society
2) It is God’s perfect will
3) We all want God to choose us for success
4) But we reject His selection to SERVE!
b. He was a BLESSING of a servant - God’s delight – this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Mt 3:17, And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.)
c. He was a Spirit filled servant
1) God’s Holy Spirit is only given to the lowly and humble, who faithfully, painfully obey Him
2) Act 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
d. Jesus, Changed the world, AS a SERVANT!
1) God promises here that Jesus alone will bring judgment, justice, righteousness TO ALL THE GENTILES – that’s worldwide
2) He will do it without a fight - He will not be bombastic, yelling
3) He will be very careful, precise, tender, discrete
4) As He yields to suffering, and even death
e. Best of all, He will not fail nor be discouraged – Why?
1) God called Him not to BE righteous, but AS righteous – because He IS righteous
2) God promises here to hold Him and keep Him (protect Him)
a) Did you know that Jesus never did anything independent of God
b) And that God made sure that the Man Christ Jesus succeeded
c) And so it will only be with US! Success has to be from God or it is not success at all
3) God will offer HIM as the NEW Covenant, a new relationship based on GRACE, that again, will reach even us GENTILES!
4) And will open people’s EYES, and free prisoners of sin, as undeniable proof of who the plain looking, servant named Jesus really is!
f. THAT is what SERVING does!
g. Let me explain it this way
1) We want strength, and success, and power, and admiration to part of our lives
2) God gives us pain, and weakness, and persecution, and inability, and even failure
3) Why?
h. Because SERVING, in God’s kingdom, actually gets more accomplished than LEADING and being in charge!
B. How Are Servants Treated? Isaiah 52:13-53:12
1. Here is an unbelievable report about God’s SERVANT
a. Remember, yes, this is the Son of God, living as a Servant – how was he treated?
b. He will grow up tender – not like most armies train their soldiers from youth – not going to fight back
c. He will have no beauty to attract followers into battle – not handsome
d. As a matter of fact, He will be despised and rejected by men
e. He will only experience sorrows and griefs as he serves people and God
f. He will never be respected or appreciated like He deserves to be
g. He will carry other people’s griefs and sorrows most of His life
h. Ultimately, He will take our beatings, our bruisings, our whippings
i. And He will take it all without a sound – without a murmur
j. And He will die in place of the wicked
k. And He will look like a complete failure – an worthless, failed servant
2. But He beat all odds – He actually was a success
a. Because He did what God called Him to do all the way to the end
b. Because He pleased the only Person of importance – His father, and our God
c. His perfect life, and service, and yielded death, justifies SO many people
d. And because of the resurrection, He lives now to intercede on our behalf!
3. Hmmmm. Looks like LIVING as a Servant of God works!
C. What is the Attitude of the Servant? (Philippians 2:5-8)
1. Jesus Took A Big Step Down to Serve God
a. This is a biggest shocker
b. It is THE exact opposite of most anybody on a job
c. Ladies, when you marry, you become a HELPER of your husband, not his MASTER. You took a step down. Whether you like it or not
d. Moms – when you become a Mom, you take a HUGE step down in the eyes of the world, to stay around those kids and raise them for God
e. Men, when you married, you took a step down – from the independent life, and instead now, doing things that please your wife ahead of pleasing yourself
f. And, when you answer God’s call to serve Him in any capacity, you are doing a great thing, but will not be paid like you deserve, or honoured like you deserve, or be appreciated like you deserve
g. You left all that behind, just as God did, when he became flesh
1) John 1:1,14) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.
2) John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
2. Made Sure He had No Reputation at All
a. This is hard
b. A good reputation is very important to have
c. But as a servant, you seek no name, no recognition for all that you do
d. ONLY GOD should know all they you do, and how long you did it
e. It is nice when someone notices and says thank you
f. But if you seek a reputation, you have your reward
3. Served With Love, Not out of Resentment
a. Jesus loved the world that did not love Him (John 1:10,11)
b. Did everything He did out of love – not out of force and manipulations and expectations like we do
c. Everything we do as Christians must be out of a heart of love as well (Gal 5:13)
4. Served AS a Servant, not anything else!
a. Not a bum, or a tramp, but a servant
b. Not like a king, or a Lord, or a Star, or a VIP
c. Jesus looked like, and acted like and even dressed like a servant
5. Constantly Going Lower
a. You would think coming into the world into an animal’s feeding trough
b. And being raised in a backwoods country house with no plumbing
c. And owning nothing more than the clothes on His back…
d. Was humiliating enough
e. But Jesus actually sought to go lower
6. Suffering
a. Winning is awesome! Being the one in charge is enjoyable
b. But serving will always cost you and me
c. Listen to Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
d. The GREATEST purpose in life is being a blessing and a help to others
e. Jesus said that It truly IS more blessed to give than to receive
f. Just know that it always will hurt
7. Staying Obedient to the End
a. John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
b. Jesus never quit
c. Even though He was only blamed, and falsely accused, and hated, and in the end… abandoned by just about everyone He had ever helped!
d. Jesus stayed a servant to the end
e. Didn’t all the Pharisees and the other thieves crucified with Him, and even the Roman soldiers mock Jesus and tried to get Him to show His MIGHT and POWER and VENGEANCE?
1) Mt 27:40 Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
2) Mat 27:42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
8. Sounds bad, but… there is something that makes it all worthwhile
D. Break – Time for a Cuppa, and the Interest Form
E. Last Point
1. Review
a. Jesus Took A Big Step Down to Serve
b. Made Sure He had No Reputation at All
c. Served With Love, Not Resentment
d. Served As a Servant, not anything else!
e. Constantly Going Lower
f. Suffering
g. Staying Obedient to the End
2. Sounds bad but… there is something that makes it all worthwhile
3. With His Eyes on the Future (Philp 2:9-11)
a. For the Joy that was ahead – of countless millions of people, throughout history who would look to HIM and be saved (Isa 45:22) “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth”
b. We have such priceless promises
c. Of awards and rewards for SERVANTHOOD
III. Application – How Will YOU Serve Others?
A. Not ‘IF’, but how will you serve?
B. By Taking a Step DOWN yourself – go beneath you
1. There are NO Boss’s in Christianity
2. No braggards or boasters
3. No successful people in Christianity
4. No feminists in Christianity
5. No complainers
6. No fighters
7. No demanders of rights
8. No
9. Only servants, like Jesus!
C. By Looking and Acting like a Servant, not proud, arrogant, numb, or like the world
D. Always going LOWER – no matter how you feel when hurt, you still serve – like Joseph in prison
E. Ready and willing to Suffer as we serve
F. Staying Obedient to the End – not ever quitting
G. With Your Eyes always on the Future, and not the now, and especially not the past
IV. Invitation
A. Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection offers you a whole different life
1. A life that is completely and perfectly forgiven – completely started over!
2. A life that has a purpose now
3. Jesus purchased sonship – the power to become the son/daughter of God
4. If you do not accept the free gift of eternal life, you are throwing away heaven for hell
B. The same is true dear Christian if you ignore the chance you have today to become a servant of Jesus
1. Jesus purchased you not only eternal life, but a life here and NOW
2. And THAT life should not be thrown away
3. You were made a child of God, not to gloat or strut around but to serve
4. Find something to get involved in
C. Tonight, I am going to show you how to STAY serving – because it WILL become tiresome, hard, boring, frustrating doing menial tasks, and ungrateful tasks…
1. But there is something secret only Servants can discover
2. I will show it to you all you if you would just come tonight