Make Me A Servant What can I do to be a Servant to the Lord and a Servant to others.

Make Me A Servant  What does it mean to be a servant? –Webster’s defines servant as: One that serves others. –Simple definition, but not always easy to do. –Sometimes it may be too hard to do, or sometimes we just don’t know what or how to serve others.  3 ideas of how to be a good servant.

Make Me A Servant  First…Attitude. –We need to have the attitude of a servant. –Matthew 7:12  “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” –We live in a society where most people have the attitude of “how can you serve me” instead of “what can I do to serve you.” –Selfishness instead of Selflessness.

Make Me A Servant  Attitude. –In considering putting others before ourselves, here are a few passages I would like to look at.  Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves. 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”  Romans 15:1-3: “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME.”

Make Me A Servant  Attitude. –Another attitude is not thinking that a task is too lowly for us to do.  John 13:5-20: Jesus washing the disciples feet.  Vs 15-16: “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.”

Make Me A Servant  Attitude. –Principle of love before doing all things.  I John 3:16-19: “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him.”

Make Me A Servant  Second…Know what you need to do to serve.  Get involved.  The more you put into something, the more you get out of it.  The more you get involved, the more opportunities will arise.  Ecclesiastes 9:10: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all thy might.”

Make Me A Servant  Know what you need to do to serve. –Involve others.  Some people want to serve and do everything themselves.  There is nothing wrong with this, but sometimes we can give others the opportunity to be involved with serving.  Luke 5:7: “so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.”

Make Me A Servant  Know what you need to do to serve. –Volunteer  Sometimes there are things that need to be done that we don’t necessarily need to ask to do.  Just volunteer to do it.  Galatians 6:10: “So then, while we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Make Me A Servant  Last, we need to Serve. –Sometimes, it’s not a matter of attitude or knowledge, but simply a lack of action on our part. –We need to heed the words of James 1:  We need to be doers, not just hearers. –Sometimes we may need to do something that we just don’t want to do.  Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.”

Make Me A Servant  Conclusion –Attitude, Knowledge, and Service. –Isaiah 53: The Suffering Servant  The ultimate giving of One’s self.  Jesus’ example. –We all can serve somehow. Ultimately it comes down to doing the right thing…doing what the Lord commands.