Rule like a Servant and Serve like a King

(Our mission on earth)

Last week we discussed:

  1. Jesus served GOD (God is always our first ministry)
  2. Jesus served the DISCIPLES
  3. Jesus served His PURPOSE

Ephesians 3: 1For this reason I, Paul, the prisonerof Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles--2Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to mefor you,3that is, the mysterymade known to me by revelation,as I have already written briefly.4In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insightinto the mystery of Christ,5which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets.6This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirstogether with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.7I became a servant of this gospelby the gift of God's grace given methrough the working of his power. NIV

  1. Because of God’s grace; the law is made void!
  • Jesus came to fulfill the law. Matthew 5: 17"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.18For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.NKJV
  • The law exists for those still living. Romans 7: 1-8Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?2For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.3So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.4Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another--to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.5For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.6But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."8But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.NKJV
  • I am free from the law!
  • I am free from sin!
  • I am free from death! Romans 8: 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
  • Jesus pays the debt and then imputes His blood to us.
  • Paul has become the FATHER OF GRACE! He is not bound by circumcision or any other ritual!
  1. Because of God’s love for us; we are free!
  • I Corinthians 10: 23All things are lawful for me,but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me,but not all things edify.NKJV
  • Three principles in handling liberties:
  1. Black & White issues in the Bible are black and white.

B. Grey areas are grey, don’t try to make them black or white.

C. The Holy Spirit can make a gray area, black or white for you!

  • We are called
  1. Because of God’s love for others; we are bound!
  • Ephesians 3: 1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles
  • Prisoner (bound, in bonds, a captive)
  • Phillipians 2: 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. NKJV Bondservant - one who gives himself up to another's will
  • The word servant is used over 800 times in the Bible. The chief characteristic of a servant is that they usually belong to another and therefore have no legal rights (Harper Collins Bible Dictionary).
  • A man who cannot keep a promise to himself, will never be able to keep one to you.
  • Self-love demands my good at other’s expense. God’s love demands other’s good at my expense.
  • I Corinthians 9: 19-22For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;20and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law,that I might win those who are under the law;21to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God,but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;22to the weak I became asweak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.NKJV
  • Exodus 21: 5-6 “If the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life”.
  • Matt. 12:18–21 quotes from the first Servant Song (Isa. 42:1–4) to describe Jesus.
  • (that makes me free) and love my neighbor (which makes me bound).