Good morning and welcome to a cool Panhandle. It is definitely Oklahoma, 80s and 90s yesterday and a possible chance of snow today. There is a saying that became popular quite a few years back – The Bible is Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. So the Bible and Servanthood how do they go together?
It seems that famed scientist Albert Einstein had more trouble finding his way home from work than he did finding the key to atomic power. One evening as Einstein sat deep in thought aboard the train that brought him home each night, the porter approached to collect his ticket. Einstein rummaged around in his coat, through his pockets, in his shirt, and everywhere else he could think of, growing alarmed at his inability to find the ticket.
"That's okay, Dr. Einstein," said the porter. "I know you ride this train every day. I can collect tomorrow."
"That's fine for you, young man," Einstein replied, "but how am I supposed to get off the train without my ticket?" There is no need to guess at your “stop”, God's Word, the Bible make it clear that there are only two destinations when we step into eternity. But that is not all the Bible speaks to our everyday lives also, if we will let it.
The Bible is far more than a great piece of literature or a book of inspiration and spiritual truths. It is a very practical manual for daily living. In many ways, it is God’s “Service Manual” for life. It tells us how to live a godly life, how to maintain loving relationships, and how to fulfill our reason for being on this earth. The Bible relates to every area of our lives. It clearly tells us how to use all of our resources—our gifts, time, talents, money, possessions, and skills—for God’s glory and His purposes, which are the foundation and motivation for all forms of ministry and servanthood.
From cover to cover, the Bible is filled with examples of men and women who had a servant’s heart and who demonstrated loving service to others. Yet we tend to focus on what these people did—and especially the miracles of God that may have accompanied their deeds—rather than on the fact that virtually all of the great narratives in the Bible are examples that fall into one of three categories:
1. God’s service to mankind
2. Mankind’s service to God
3. The service of men and women to other men and women.
What is service, service is giving, giving of ones’ self and resources. And giving is the very essence of the Gospel. God gave His only begotten Son. Christ Jesus gave His life on the cross. We give our hearts to God. We, in turn, are called to give of ourselves to others.
It is easy to read the Bible and think, isn’t it wonderful what that great Bible hero or heroine did or experienced? We rarely think that the Bible narrative or example has anything to do with us personally.
The fact is, God intends for each of us to:
Be the recipient of His ongoing giving to us,
Be the giver of ongoing praise and worship to Him, and
Be good stewards of the gifts we have been given to show His love and mercy to those whom we have daily contact or are called to serve.
The Bible tells us not only what to expect when we serve others, but how to serve others. And beyond that, it challenges us to serve with great generosity and unconditional love.
As you study God’s principles for servanthood and ways in which you might better develop a genuine servant’s heart, you must go again and again to your Bible for inspiration as well as guidance. Underline phrases, highlight words or verses, and make notes in the margins of your Bible to record the specific ways God speaks to you.
God’s truth is for all people at all times, but the application of that truth to your life is always very personal and direct. Be open to the specific ways in which God admonishes, encourages, or directs you to serve Him and to serve others. God does this in various ways, tonight we will look at how God uses insights and experiences to teach and lead us in serving others. Let’s start by looking at Mark 10:41-45.
Mark 10:41-45
41 Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. 42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 "But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
1. Insights
An epiphany occurs when you see something that you haven’t seen before or you have a new understanding about something. Epiphany relate to meaning.
You have a new spiritual epiphany when you gain a deeper meaning for what God’s Word is saying to you. Many of us have had the experience of reading a passage of the Bible and saying, “I never saw that before. I never noticed that particular word or phrase in the way I have just noticed it. I have a new understanding of that story or teaching.” You may have studied or meditated on the passage in the past, but suddenly, God moves you to a new level of understanding. That is a spiritual epiphany.
Epiphanies tend to be highly personal. We see the truths of the Bible in the light of our own personal experiences, past and present. At times, these insights help us as we reflect on a relationship or incident that we are facing presently or will be facing soon. At other times, they help answer a question, confirm a belief, or provide guidance about what we must do.
Ask the Lord to speak to you personally every time you study your Bible. I believe He will answer your prayer. I also believe the insights He gives you will cause you to have a growing enthusiasm for studying His Word.
Make notes about the insights you have. You may want to record them in your Bible or in a separate journal. As you reflect back over these insights, you are likely to see—over time—how God has moved in your life and how He is causing you to grow spiritually. Make sure the insights or responses you record flow from your own heart and experience.
2. Experience
Each of us approaches the Bible from a unique background— with our own particular set of relationships and experiences. We each have our own set of ideas, opinions, and emotions. Because of this we each have a unique perspective on what we read in God’s Word.
Different levels of experience may create problems. People who have gone to church all their lives and have heard Bible narratives and good preaching since their childhood will have a different depth of understanding of the Bible from those who are new Christians or who have never read God’s Word. Christian who are more mature in their walk with Christ Jesus should be sensitive to the differences; don’t let a beginner or someone who has never heard the Word feel lost or unimportant. As an “old–timer,” don’t become impatient.
What we each have in common are life experiences. Each of us can point to times in which we have found the Bible to be directly applicable to us—perhaps to convict us or challenge us, or to comfort and encourage us in times of trouble. We have had experiences about which we can say, “I know God was really speaking to me from His Word because that passage of Scripture is exactly what I needed or was about what I once experienced.”
Our experiences do not make the Bible true. The Word of God is truth regardless of your opinion about it or your experiences with it. It is important, however, to note and share your experiences for this reason: You will begin to see how God’s truth can be applied to human lives and circumstances, and in the process, your faith grows. You gain a new awareness of how personally and directly God speaks to you through the Bible.
The Word of God comes alive to us as we see it meeting practical needs, answering questions, and addressing specific situations. We discover that God’s Word is not only universal—for every person in every generation and every culture—but also very specific to individuals, times, and places.
A person who has a broad experience of sharing the Bible; that is related insights and experiences with other Christians nearly always comes to the conclusion that our greatest potential for harmony and unity in the church lies in each person’s having a relationship with Christ Jesus and then living a life based upon agreement with God’s Word. The Lord and His Word bind us together with bonds that cannot be broken. We are the Body of Christ.
Thanks for dropping by, I pray that God the Father will watch over you and yours as you walk in the ways of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus. And that the Holy Spirit will bless your time in God's Word. I also pray that you will find this blog an encouragement and a help in your Christian walk.
Biblesurfer
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