Introduction: The Call to Serve God
We are called to serve God on this earth, but do you truly understand what it means to serve Him? To serve is to work for the benefit of someone else, and as Christians, we are laboring for the Kingdom of God. When Jesus came to earth, He fulfilled His purpose and empowered us to continue His saving work.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12, ESV)
When the Lord Jesus returns to gather His church or calls us individually, He desires to find us vigilant, serving His Word with loyalty and love.
Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. (Matthew 24:46, ESV)
Characteristics of a Servant of God
Humility: The Foundation of Service
Serving God requires humility. Jesus Christ Himself, being fully man and fully God, exemplified humility by giving His life so that we might live.
The greatest among you shall be your servant. (Matthew 23:11, ESV)
Humility teaches us to place God and others above ourselves, following the example of Christ, who sacrificed Himself out of love.
Worship in Spirit and Truth
True worship is essential for God’s servant. It goes beyond words or rituals; it is an act of the heart, wholly devoted to God.
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. (John 4:23, ESV)
Worshiping in spirit and truth means offering God sincere worship, guided by the Holy Spirit, who humbles us and reminds us of our dependence on God. This worship expresses reverence, fear, obedience, and dedication to the Lord.
Obedience to God’s Word
Obedience is the key to a victorious Christian life. A servant of God is always ready to hear and follow the voice of the Lord, loving their Master and finding purpose in working for Him.
You shall therefore obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today. (Deuteronomy 27:10, ESV)
The Ten Commandments and Love
Obeying God’s commandments may seem challenging, but Jesus simplified this task by emphasizing love as the foundation of the law.
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40, ESV)
The Ten Commandments, as outlined in Exodus 20, are:
- You shall have no other gods before me.
- You shall not make for yourself a carved image.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet.
Those who love God with all their heart, soul, and mind, and love their neighbor as themselves, naturally fulfill these commandments, as love prevents idolatry, dishonor, sin, and covetousness.
Love: The Essence of Service
Being a servant of God is rooted in love, for love is the foundation of all Christian actions. Without love, even the greatest deeds are meaningless.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant. (1 Corinthians 13:1-4, ESV)
Genuine love seeks no recognition or glory. When we serve with love, our actions reflect God’s heart, without expecting earthly rewards.
Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4, ESV)
Helping those in need should be done discreetly, without fanfare. God sees our actions in secret and will reward us according to His will.
The Call to Love and Faithfulness
Jesus gave us a new commandment that encapsulates what it means to serve God: mutual love.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. (John 13:34, ESV)
When we accept Jesus as Savior and become servants of God, we desire to be where He wants us to be, tirelessly following His steps.
If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. (John 12:26, ESV)
Conclusion: Be the Best Servant
God will honor His servants and has a reward for each one. Therefore, serve God with all your heart, not merely as one among many, but as the best servant. Our reward is not on this earth but comes from God, the author and perfecter of our faith!
