February 4, 2013 (Monday)
“This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus”–The Apostle Paul (to the Romans)
Our pastor, Scott Jones, reminded us Sunday that we are servants of the Lord. The word for “servant” is the same one that is translated, “slave.” As he explained further, the slave in the ancient world had only one duty: to please his master by doing whatever his master commanded him to do.
If indeed we are the slaves of Jesus Christ (the Apostle Paul was fond of referring to himself in that way), we are accountable only to our Lord and Savior. In the final analysis, the judgment of our Lord is the only judgment that matters. What others think of us is really irrelevant.
Obeying the Lord as a slave means doing what He says to do, and that is not always easy. The Sermon on the Mount makes very clear that we are commanded to be patient, kind and forgiving. If you think those attitudes are expressed easily, then you have never been treated unkindly. Hey, read Matthew 5, 6 and 7 again and ask yourself if you are behaving as the slave of Jesus by obeying him without hesitancy.
This world desperately needs willing slaves of Jesus Christ. Obedient servants of God who are genuinely sincere can make a difference in this world.