Introduction
The servant must understand his relationship to His Lord. The Lord is the master of the house and He rules it without challenge. The servant exists for the needs and service of the Lord. John 13:16 states, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.”
One could become a servant in several ways:
He could be born into the household – we are born again (Ecclesiastes 2:7)
He could be purchased – we are bought with a price (1Corinthians 7:23)
He could be won in war – we have been won in battle by the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 4:8)
- THE ROLE OF THE SERVANTS
- To Wait for the Return of their Lord (Luke 12:36)
- The servant waits on His master (Psalm 123:2)
- The servants waits for the coming of His master (1Corinthians 1:7; 1Thessalonians 1:10; 2Thessalonians 3:5)
- To Watch the House while He is Away (Luke 12:37)
- He watches because of his ignorance (Matthew 24:42; Luke 12:39-40)
- He watches by the practice of prayer (Matthew 27:41; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2; 1Peter 4:7)
- He watches by refusing to sleep (1Thessalonians 5:6-8; 1Corinthians 16:13; 1Timothy 4:5; Revelation 3:2)
- THE READINESS OF THE SERVANTS
- To Have their Loins Girded (Luke 12:35)
- To be fully clothed and ready to act at a moments notice (Exodus 12:11)
- We gird our loins by living righteously (Isaiah 11:5)
- We gird our loins by having a ready mind (1Peter 1:13; 1Peter5:2)
- To Keep their Lights Burning (Luke 12:35)
- To let out light shine before men (Matthew 5:16)
- To shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2:15-16)
- THE RESOLVE OF THE SERVANTS
- To be Patient through the Night (Luke 12:38)
- No matter how dark the night (Matthew 25:6)
- No matter how long it takes
- To be Prompt at His Coming (Luke 12:36)
- To be listening for His coming
- To not be ashamed at His coming (1John 2:28)
- THE REWARD OF THOSE SERVANTS
- The Praise of their Lord (Luke 12:37, 38)
- Blessed are those servants
- A good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21)
- The Provision of their Lord (Luke 12:37)
- The Lord will sit the servants down to meat (Revelation 19:7-9)
- The Lord will come and serve His servants (Revelation 3:20
Conclusion
He Gave It Up For God – Dwight L. Moody had the talents and ambition to become a man of fortune. Even after accepting Christ as His Saviour and serving Him seriously, he continued working his secular job and could have continued as a Christian businessman. However, when assured of God’s call on him to full-time service, he wasted no time. “Without informing anyone but his landlady, he gave up his Michigan Avenue room and board accommodations. He kept his whereabouts and lifestyle secretive because he wanted no one to know or feel pity for him. He apparently dined on cheese and crackers and took an occasional meal in a cheap restaurant. He also slept on benches in various hideaways, eventually taking a small room in a makeshift YMCA facility where he did some janitorial work and slept on chairs lined up under the staircase.” –from A Passion for Souls: The Life of D. L. Moody by Lyle W. Dorsett.
