The Stories of Jesus Part 7: Unworthy Servants (Matthew 18:21-35, 20:1-16, Luke 17:7-10)


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Let me ask you a question. What does it mean to be a servant of God? Perhaps when you hear the phrase, “servant,” you balk. Perhaps you feel that the word is too demeaning or patriarchal. I think many think the word “servant” is a word reserved for a more primitive time in our past. No one should be a servant in today’s progressive world of freedom and civil rights.  And this is where we as believers must adopt a different philosophy than the popular opinion of the day. The Bible speaks about servitude a lot. All the way from the beginning to the end. Genesis to Revelation. Even in the perfect Garden of Eden, Adam was told to serve the planet and the animals, Eve was told to serve her husband; Adam, and as husband and wife, they were told to serve each other. After the fall, Noah was told to serve God by building a cruise liner for animals. Abraham was told to serve God by leaving his homeland in search for an unknown place. Abraham was later told to serve God by sacrificing his son Isaac on the altar. Moses was told to serve God by leading the Israelites out of Egypt. He was also told to serve the people for 40 years while they wandered in the wilderness. Joshua, the Judges, David, Solomon, they were all commanded to serve God and to serve others.  And of course there is Jesus, who being God in the flesh served the Father by humbling himself to become a man and die on the cross for our sins. There is no greater act of service than to die for others. And this is what Jesus has called us to do as we follow him.  When you think about it, there is no such thing as a Christian who doesn’t serve. Our faith and religion is defined by who we serve and how we serve. To be a Christian is to be a servant. In a world filled with people longing to be served by others, we are called to serve others and God, sacrificially, without hesitation. It is through our service that we show the love of the God we serve. Though Servitude Can Seem Demeaning, And Though We Are Called To Serve God And Others, We Are Still Unworthy Of Such An Assignment