We Are to Serve One Another (Am I My Brother’s Keeper?) Lesson 9

Brief Review For the past several weeks, we have been seeking to answer the question, “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?” From the very first lesson in this series we have discovered that we are indeed our brother’s keeper! We are in fact commanded by God to: –Provide for one another’s needs –Protect one another from the schemes of the evil one –Promote the growth of our mutual faith

Brief Review Specifically, we have discovered we are our brother’s keeper because we are to: –Love one another –Be at peace with one another –Give preference to one another in honor –Refuse to judge one another –Edify one another –Receive one another –Admonish (warn) one another –Show the same care for one another

We Are to Serve One Another I imagine that to some our lesson for today might sound like a real downer because they would rather learn how to get others to serve them than to learn how to serve others. I also imagine for some this lesson may seem like a perfect time to take a little snooze because, well, there is nothing really exciting about learning to be a servant.

We Are to Serve One Another In actuality, however, the idea of learning to serve others should not be considered a downer or boring because true servants know that the idea of serving others: 1. Brings about an intensely deep feeling of personal satisfaction “My life has purpose and meaning.” “I know God is pleased with me.” “I have really helped to make someone’s life better.” 2. Brings about tremendous amounts of personal growth in one’s faith 3. Brings about enormous amounts of spiritual growth in the church as a whole

Today’s Lesson Serving Others Commences When We Choose to Serve the Lord Serving Others Continues When We Develop the Mind of Christ Serving Others is Completed When We Take the Right Actions

Choosing to Serve the Lord We will never get in the right frame of mind to be a servant until we first set our hearts on the task of serving God! –Deuteronomy (6:13; 10:12,13; 13:4) –Matthew (4:10) –I Thessalonians (1:9) –Hebrews (12:28) This is so because it is God who teaches us what it is to be a servant and what is required of us as servants.

Developing the Mind of Christ Jesus plainly taught that He came to earth to be a servant. (Mark 10:45) Jesus tells us we are to become like Him, which means we are to become a servant too. (Matthew 10:24,25) The apostle Paul stresses this very truth in his own teaching. (Galatians 5:13,14; Philippians 2:5-8)

Taking the Right Actions The completion of the task of becoming a servant is found in taking the following actions: –Striving for humility (Philippians 2:3) –Thinking of the needs of others (Philippians 2:4) –Imitating the example of other servants (Philippians 2:25-30) –Becoming all things to all men (I Cor. 9:19-23) –Praying for opportunities to serve (Col. 4:2,3)

The Result? When we seek to serve God, develop the mind of Christ, and take the right actions, we can then truly appreciate how to serve one another in love. And the result of becoming a servant is a good one. Jesus tells us this in John (12:26): “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”