Christian Service #1

By Jeff Archer

If we are to be Christians—followers of Christ—we must imitate His character. He identified one of His main purposes in life, saying, “the Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many”  (Matt. 20:28) The word, “minister,” means to be a servant, to render service.

This not only applies to preachers, but to all who will imitate Christ. The occasion of Jesus’ statement puts this basic principle into perspective. The mother of James and John came to Him asking that her sons be placed in positions of great authority. The other disciples were indignant against their two brethren. These men wanted to be great ones—masters, lords. Jesus told them that in the Gentile world the lords ruled with a high hand, but His kingdom would be noticeably different. He said, “But whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister….”

This principle is at the core of obedience to Christ. There are many applications of this principle, all of which involve our relationships with God and with other people. We are to render service unto God, to our brethren, to those in the world, to our families, to our employers—the list goes on. In fact, I cannot think of a relationship in which this principle of servitude does not apply. In his inaugural address (January 20, 1989), former president George Herbert Walker Bush prayed the following.

Heavenly Father, we bow our heads and thank You for Your love. Accept our thanks for the peace that yields this day and the shared faith that makes its continuance likely. Make us strong to do Your work, willing to heed and hear Your will, and write on our hearts these words: “Use power to help people,” for we are given power not to advance our own purposes, nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power, and it is to serve people. Help us to remember it, Lord. Amen.

Let me make a couple of observations concerning the basis of this attitude. First, to render service we must change the way we look at others and ourselves. Those in the world look out for #1, spending their time making sure their own opinions are heard and respected. But Paul wrote, “through love be servants one to another” (Gal. 5:13; see also 1 Cor. 9:19). Our service must be based on love, which is not selfish but selfless, because it looks for the best interests of others, and elevates their needs above one’s own. This doesn’t mean that we tear ourselves down but that we exalt others. In matters of personal preference, we must be willing to humble ourselves and to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of others. Is this not what Jesus did?

Second, we must change the way we look at our reward. Too often we do things so that we will look good or so that others will pat us on the back or give us a place of honor. We will serve others only if we know they will then serve us in return. In Matthew 6, Jesus spoke of giving alms to, or serving others. We must do so, not that it might improve our position in the church or in the community or in someone else’s mind, but for the glory of God. “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). Our responsibility is to humble ourselves. We must leave the exalting to God! &

Angels and Their Work

By Travis L. Quertermous

If I asked you what an angel looked like, what would you think of? Would you picture a beautiful woman with resplendent white wings in a gossamer gown? Would you think of an adorable little cherub floating on a cloud? If so, you have been more influenced by popular culture than by the Bible on the subject of angels.

Modern society is fascinated by angels, but there has been little sound Biblical teaching on the subject. In Scripture, angels usually appear as young men in shining white garments. They never appear as women or children; they never have halos or harps; and they only have wings in the Bible in artwork or visions.

The word angel means "a messenger." In the Bible, the work of angels included revealing the will of God to man. But we can be sure they are not doing such today. Why is that the case? Because, in Jude 3, we are commanded "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” "The faith" is the same thing as the word of God. How often was the word of God given to the saints? Once for all, 2000 years ago. Thus, the Bible is a complete and sufficient revelation of the will of God. There is nothing left of God's word for an angel to reveal to you or me. Everything we need to know to be saved and stay saved is revealed in the Bible. Have you been obedient to the gospel of Christ today? &

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Christian Service #2

By Jeff McCrary

Christian service is one of the most telling of all godly attributes. Jesus said, “By their fruits you will know them” (Matt. 7:20). While the works a person performs can’t reveal his heart completely, it can paint a striking picture of what that person is really like. John wrote, “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:17-18). Notice how John placed “word” and “tongue” on one side and “deed” and “truth” on the other. Words are cheap and are not always associated with the truth. While it is possible to “fake” a few deeds along the way and fool many people, eventually our true colors will come out, for it is still true: “By their fruits you will know them.”

Christian service is also the most representative of godly characteristics. If it is true that our deeds show our inner likeness, then the picture we paint to others through our works will influence what they think of our Lord and His church. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Do we glorify God by our conduct or do we shame Him?

A friend was stopped on the side of the road one day, his car disabled. After a while, a man stopped to see if he could help. He was able to help and after a time my friend was ready to continue on his way. Before leaving he asked his benefactor if he would accept payment for his good deed. To my friend’s surprise, the man said, “I set out each day to do a good deed. You have just given me a chance to do that. Thank you for making my day.” Think of the picture that paints concerning the love and sincerity of this man. Think also of the powerful message that tells the world about his Savior. Now, we wonder why the church is not growing today as it has in the past. Could this be part of the answer?

I have never met anyone who didn’t agree that Christians needed to be service people, constantly going about seeking to do good deeds for others, but he has met many people who didn’t abide by this truth. Jesus warns in Matthew 25 that this will be one of the reasons for our sentence to hell or reward of heaven. Let us “work the works of Him who sent [us] while it is day; [for] the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4). &