For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice. We should study Gods Word so we can declare his multi-colored wisdom to everyone, and as we share it, even the angels learn (cf. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. 1992 American Bible Society. Christ probably wasnt saying that the disciples hadnt prayed to cast out the demon. Jesus' comments about the thief point out that His disciples must be ready because the Son of Man will come unexpectedly (Matthew 25:13; Mark 13:33; Revelation 3:3). Paul refers to them again here in Ephesians 6:12: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.. his home, his beloved son. James 4:6)he fights against them so that they will become humble. B. Even death on a cross. But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. What the Bible says about The master will cut him in pieces[a] and make him share the fate of the disobedient. For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you GentilesSurely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. Are you devoted to Gods Word? Elijah discipled Elisha. In 1 Samuel 2:35, God says, "I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire" (NLT). He will pardon your sin and restore you. amzn_assoc_title = "My Amazon Picks on being a Servant of God"; (From Forerunner Commentary). I seek to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. So Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came against him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him. While Jesus was on the mountain, nobody woke the disciples up early to read the Word and pray. It equips the man of God for all righteousness (2 Tim 3:17). He is one of the perfect examples of obedience and submission. Then Jesus talks about the unfaithful or evil servant by saying; if that evil servant shall say in his heart, my lord delays his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. But through the church, they learn about Gods grace. (Luke 1:26-38), Paul served God faithfully and his loyalty for preaching the gospel was significant. Luke tells us that the servant who knows the Will of Jesus and does not get ready or does not do what Jesus wants will be beaten with many blows. Second Timothy 3:16-17 says, All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. When God prepares someone for good works, he trains him through the Word. This mans true character came out when his Masters back was turned. Maybe it looks like making sure the garbage gets taken out, or the songbooks get put away. 46 How happy that servant is if his master finds him doing this when he comes home! Do not rejoice, O Israel, with exultation like the nations!For you have played the harlot, forsaking your God.You have loved harlots earnings on every threshing floor. Or would he receive you kindly? says the Lord of hosts. Even angels long to look into these things. Nevertheless, she trusted Gods words and His divine purpose. The church is essentially the angels graduate school. Proverbs says, As iron sharpens iron so one sharpens anothers countenance (Prov 27:17). (1 Samuel 3). Paul suffered for Christ and also for the Gentiles. Application Question: How can we allow Gods power to work through us? Interpretation Question: What does Paul mean by the word mystery? Do not rejoice, O Israel, with exultation like the nations! I will pronounce My judgments on them concerning all their wickedness, whereby they have forsaken Me and have offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands. For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness.. Application Questions: Share your evangelism and Bible teaching experience. Etching by Jan Luyken illustrating the parable, from the Bowyer Bible. But like Adam they have transgressed the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously against Me. They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. And he did it by choice. Psalm 36: 5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.. Application Question: How can we develop the humility of a servant? We must live in Gods Word to minister in his power. In Mark 9, we learn that the disciples failed to cast a demon out of a young boy. Sometimes it means being considered weird or different because of our views or beliefs. What is your spiritual discipline like in studying the Word? Now when these things had been completed, the princes approached me, saying, The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, according to their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians and the Amorites. Sermon Series: How to discern Gods will. This is not a false, conjured-up humility; rather it is a true humility that comes from being in the presence of God. Not only do we learn about Pauls servanthood, but also, through his example, we learn about how we can be faithful servants. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Then He said, I will hide My face from them. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. Loving without condition is risky. Faithful servants share Gods mysteries with everybody. All Rights Reserved. He had no excuse! The focus here will be on the account in the 24th chapter of Matthew. While in Jerusalem, he was accused of bringing an Ephesian, Trophimus, into the temple (cf. This has been Gods plan from eternity. Return, O faithless sons, declares the Lord;For I am a master to you,And I will take you one from a city and two from a family,And I will bring you to Zion.. Greg Brown earned his MA in religion and MA in teaching from Trinity International University, a MRE from Liberty University, and a PhD in theology from Louisiana Baptist University. Then the Lord raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them. This secret is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus (v. 6). A faithful servant is a precious belongingness of His master and can looks after his family watchfully. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the Lord, because of the word of the Lord which he did not keep; and also because he asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of it. They are involved in our worship services (cf. Many times in life, the authenticity of our servant heart will be evidenced simply by our hearts posture as we walk through trials. In fact, God desires our ample submission whenever He says anything (Ephesians 6:5-8). But you say, How have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. This parable is talking about the unfaithful believer, not an unbeliever. He was the Masters substitute, (the Master had delegated his own responsibilities to the servant). In our experience with the Lord He told us that an unfaithful Christian does not bear fruit and is useless for the Kingdom of Heaven. This must be true of us as well. 37 Servants are fortunate if their master finds them awake and ready when he comes! Here, Paul says that grace was given to him to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ to the Gentiles and to everyone else (v. 8-9). In this wilderness they shall be destroyed, and there they will die.. It empowers us and strengthens us to do Gods work. However, there is always somebody who knows less than we do. Apart from trials and difficulties, we are often too independenttoo strong for God to work through us. That is how it is going to be with the coming of the Lord. Application Questions: In what ways is God challenging you to allow his power to work in your life? Acts 26:16 records these words of Jesus to Paul, Now get up and stand on your feet. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. Some here today have known Gods love, but you have been lulled to sleep by Satan. The first one given is the parable of the unfaithful servant. Therefore we are to be also ready: for Jesus will come back at an hour no one knows. 48But the servant who does not know what his master wants, and yet does something for which he deserves a whipping, will be punished with a light whipping. The Great Commission is to make disciples of all nations teaching them to obey everything I commanded you. (Matt 28:19-20). Going where He leads often comes at a cost, but a servant of God pays it willingly. I grew up in church with a very specific, narrowly defined idea of what it looked like to serve God and his people. He was willing to serve God in whatever way he was asked, and did it with a humble and grateful heart. Finally, we cannot but notice Pauls concern for the Ephesians in this verse. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles gathered to me, and I sat appalled until the evening offering. Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples; You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God. David C. Grabbe (Job 1-42), http://List of faithful servants in the Bible, A man that does not take care of his family. Now, I am not sure how Paul received this mystery. (Genesis 12-22), Job kept his eyes fixed on God, trusting in His goodness and sovereignty despite the depth of his suffering. Faithful servants suffer willingly for Christ and others. 48But if he is a bad servant, he will tell himself that his master will not come back for a long time, 49and he will begin to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 47Indeed, I tell you, the master will put that servant in charge of all his property. If I have put my confidence in gold,And called fine gold my trust, If I have gloated because my wealth was great,And because my hand had secured so much; If I have looked at the sun when it shoneOr the moon going in splendor,read more.And my heart became secretly enticed,And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment,For I would have denied God above. Hebrews 12:15 says, See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Bitterness in the heart causes people to miss the grace of God, and it also causes trouble and defiles many. Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood. And he said, You have acted treacherously; roll a great stone to me today.. C. If you are like that servant, go before God in repentance. The story as a whole, not the individual characters in it, provide the comparison. And, as stewards, we must be faithful. Hence, List of faithful servants in the Bible encourages every Christian to obey Gods will firmly. So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the. Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra, We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment, Speak to the sons of Israel, When a man or woman commits any of the sins of mankind, acting unfaithfully against the, When a person sins and acts unfaithfully against the. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites. (Ephesians 3:8-12). The great commission is to make disciples and to teach them to obey everything Christ commanded (Matt 28:20). When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord.. John the Baptist said this of Christ, I must decrease and he must increase (John 3:30). amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Good News Translation (GNT). amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it and cut off from it both man and beast. Jesus is teaching his disciples that our Actions Reveal What We Truly Believe . Do we then hear about you that you have committed all this great evil by acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?. We want Jesus to see us all clean and pure for Him. When Paul describes the message as the unsearchable riches of Christ, he uses an interesting coupling. There will be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriages. But they became disobedient and rebelled against You,And cast Your law behind their backsAnd killed Your prophets who had admonished themSo that they might return to You,And they committed great blasphemies. Being a servant of God is not about the work of our hands. 8 Encouraging Verses of Scripture About Helping Others, 20 Bible Verses About Letting Go of Someone You Love, The God of Restoration is Working in Your Life Today, 15 Bible Verses for New Home Construction. Furthermore, all the officials of the priests and the people were very unfaithful following all the abominations of the nations; and they defiled the house of the Lord which He had sanctified in Jerusalem. Surely, as a woman treacherously departs from her lover. Both have been given the charge of caring for the household and the other servants while the master is away. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. What was his history, what was he like, what happened to him? Were we faithful stewards of all he gave us? (Romans 1:1). As soon as he comes and knocks, they open the door for him. Before the flood there were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriages. Good News Translation (Todays English Version, Second Edition) Do you see God as in control of all things? Thus says the Lord of hosts, Consider your ways! I looked around me and saw others serving in the kitchen, serving in Sunday school, serving in the choir and thought to myself, Oh, I see.
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