IDENTIFYING AS A BONDSERVANT
Mark W. Pfeifer
The execution of our duties depends upon us knowing our place in the church and in the Kingdom of God.
We are bondservants - nothing more!
Jesus spoke about the proper attitude of a servant in Luke 17:7-10.
7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”
On many occasions, Paul called himself a slave or a bondservant of God (Greek: doulos). So did James and Peter (see Romans 1:1, James 1:1 and II Peter 1:1).
The First Century Apostles saw themselves as bondservants of God, serving His children in the Church. Their identities were not rooted in their gifts and abilities…
…or their positions and titles…
…or their achievements and accomplishments…
…or in their fame and fortunes.
No, they considered themselves bondservants, accepting the description that their Master gave them in Luke 17.
Based on this, please consider the following three conclusions about Identifying as a Bondservant:
I. NOTHING IS OURS!
▶︎ Bondservants own nothing. They only steward what belongs to the Master.
▶︎ Bondservants keep nothing. They know the fruits of their labor belong to the Master who supplied the seed, the ground and the tools to bring in the harvest.
▶︎ Bondservants are nothing. They only claim that which has been ascribed to them by the Master.
▶︎ Bondservants take no credit for their achievements. They know that anything they used for prosperity was given to them by the Master and must be used for His glory.
Someone may object and say, “Wait a minute, Mark. I’ve worked hard to develop my skills and get what I have.” No doubt that’s true! But who gave you a strong mind and body to learn and perform those skills?
In the final analysis, we accept what Jesus said in Luke 17:10 as the appropriate attitude of a bondservant, “We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.”
One of the most dangerous things we can do is give ourselves lone credit for what we've acheived. Don’t forget what happened to Herod Agrippa in Acts 12:21-23…
“So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died."
And just because we can prophecy and draw big crowds doesn't mean we're all that special!
Don't forget that Balaam’s donkey saw in the spirit and spoke the word of God. Another donkey carrying Jesus on its back would have been foolish to think all the praise and adoration was for him!
So, when we get impressed with our gifts and the recognition we receive, we would do well to remember those two donkeys!
II. WE SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF OUR KING!
We can get frustrated when things don’t turn out like we want. That frustration can be turned towards God. Leaders are not exempt from this mistake.
When an event we planned flops or the ministry we thought would grow shrinks away, we can pout, throw pity party and write our letter of resignation.
When I feel like this, I know that I am having a struggle with who should sit upon the throne of my life - me or God. I forget that I am a bondservant and serve at the pleasure of my King. I need to be reminded that God is God and I’m not!
Forgive me, Lord!
The degree to which we are angry with God for not answering our prayers is the degree to which our pride needs to be brought under the Lordship of Christ.
Of course it’s hard!
Of course it’s tough!
Carrying a cross isn’t easy!
But we serve at the pleasure of our King – and not the other way around. Prayer isn’t telling God what He ought to do. It is finding His will and bending our will around it.
III. OBEDIENCE IS ITS OWN REWARD
For a person who lives to please their King, being summoned before His throne and given a task to perform is the highest honor imaginable.
Think about how you would feel is a Governor, Senator or President personal asked you to attend a private meeting. And in that private meeting, you were assigned a task that only you could do.
Even if the task was small…
Even if the task was in secret…
Even if the task carried little reward…
…we would probably feel blessed and honored just to be included with those of his/her inner circle who were chosen to carry the will of our superiors.
It doesn’t matter the size and scope of your ministry. Try not to look at other people’s assignment and compare yourself with them. Don’t let yourself get frustrated and angry when things don’t go your way.
You’re like me. We're bondservant. When we said YES to Jesus, we said NO to ourselves for the rest of our lives. We voluntarily picked up our cross and followed Him, praying with every step, “Not my will, but your will be done.”
We have nothing.
Own nothing.
Are nothing.
"We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do (V-10)."
Amen!
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BONUS:
We are stewarding God’s interests on the earth. As stewards, there are at least four qualities necessary to fulfill our mission.
Wisdom: Effective stewards need strong organizational, management, and decision-making capabilities to oversee our duties efficiently.
Responsibility: Stewards are entrusted with significant responsibilities, whether managing property, finances, or resources. We must take responsibility for ourselves, others and for the ministries to which Jesus has assigned us.
Accountability: Stewards are accountable to the person or entity that has entrusted them with their duties. We must ensure our management aligns with the interests and instructions of our Lord and Master.
Integrity: Because stewards handle important responsibilities and resources, we must be trustworthy and act with integrity. Our motives, words, and actions are integrated into a single, unfractured whole person.