Do you serve Jesus or Jesus of the Bible?

Rom 1:1.

We are called to be servants just like the Lord Jesus was [Phil 2:3-8; Matt 20:25-28] – and so the question is, Who are you serving? Are you serving:

Christ’s Righteousness – Rom 6:18 – in your life before you were saved, you were the servant of sin – after you were saved you were to quit serving sin and start serving Christ’s righteousness – when the Lord saved you he imputed Christ’s righteousness to you so that by serving his righteousness you could live righteously – in other words, you don’t change to become righteous; instead, you serve his righteousness and his righteousness changes you.

The Lord – Rom 1:1; Phil 1:1 – Paul was without doubt God’s man – he served the Lord – whatever God wanted, that’s what Paul did – and in no way was he a man pleaser – Gal 1:10 “If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” – you need to serve the Lord, first and foremost – you take orders from him and do what he says, when he says it, the way he wants it done.

Your Church – Col 4:12; Gal 5:13 – as servants of Christ, he will direct us into service for others – we will develop into servants for the sake of those in the body whom we serve [Eph 4:15-16] – if you are not serving others in your church in some capacity, you are either just a babe in Christ who will start serving after you have matured or you are not serving the Lord.

The Lost – 1 Cor 9:19; 2 Cor 4:5 – Paul knew the only way he could effectually reach the lost was to serve them – this service to them was an outgrowth of his service to the Lord – in other words, by serving the Lord he was directed into his service of the lost for the sake of their souls and the Lord who died for them.

Your Employer – Eph 6:5-6; 1 Pet 2:18 – your service to your employer is likewise an outgrowth of your service to the Lord – you should be able to top all other employees in the company in terms of the quality and integrity of your work because of your service to the Lord – and what a testimony that is.

Or are you serving:

Your Sin – Rom 6:17; Jn 8:34 – even though you are saved, the sin in your flesh is still there – and the flesh lusteth against the Spirit – so sin is going to still rule in your life if you serve it you and if you serve it you will not be serving the Lord – you may be working for him, but you won’t be serving him because you are serving sin [you can’t serve two masters] – and be sure your sin will find you out.

Your Belly – Rom 16:17-18; Phil 3:18-19 – this is what most preachers are serving today – they use the Bible and they speak the language of preachers but whether they know it or not they are serving their belly and not the Lord.

Your Possessions – Lk 16:13 – you cannot serve God and mammon – there are many Christians today who are very rich in possessions and they serve those possessions – they love money – and when you serve mammon it is impossible to also serve God – Or do they own you?” My friend, that second question is profound – examine your life honestly and determine whether you are serving the Lord or the possessions you attribute to his blessings!

So, who are you serving? Hopefully, you are serving the Lord – and as an outgrowth of your service to him, you should be serving your church, the lost and your employer – and remember that to grow spiritually, you don’t need to change yourself to impress the Lord, you need to serve his righteousness and let him change you – then you’ll know for sure that he’ll be happy with the results.

Is it really necessary to serve God? What is the purpose of changing our priorities to accomplish tasks that God could honestly do better and more quickly without us? Peter addresses the importance of serving God in 1 Peter 4:10-11: “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.

If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” Peter makes it clear that we have received our gifts from God for two purposes— to serve others and to bring praise to God. Serving isn’t about us receiving attention or glory; it is for Him to receive glory.

How does God receive glory when we serve? The transforming power of Jesus Christ is on display in the lives of those who have traded selfishness for selflessness. Peter says believers should recognize that we are speaking and serving directly on behalf of God to others, while He gives the ability and strength for us to do so. And when we direct glory towards Him instead of accepting it for ourselves, we stand out from the crowd of those who glorify only themselves. And that difference in our lives causes people to examine the life-changing nature of a relationship with Jesus Christ. It validates our faith in front of others.

Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Paul’s point is that for those who have been saved by the blood of Jesus, it only makes sense to honor Him. Giving ourselves to God is our spiritual act of worship (the Greek word for “spiritual” can also be translated "reasonable"). It’s only reasonable that we would serve the God who has provided the greatest service of all: salvation from sin and self and eternal life with Him in heaven.

In many places in the New Testament, the apostle Paul refers to himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ” ( Romans 1:1; Colossians 4:12; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 4:6). The Lord’s half-brother Jude refers to himself in the same way (Jude 1:1). Rather than capitalize on his close relationship to Jesus, Jude relegated himself to the status of a servant. Jesus’ family, friends, and chosen apostles refer to themselves as His servants, the plain implication being that Jesus is Lord.

“Servant” is a translation of the Greek word doulos, which means more literally “a slave or bondservant, someone who sets aside all rights of his own to serve another.” Because the word slave carries such a negative connotation to our modern sensitivities, we often choose the word servant instead. However, servant does not quite capture the real meaning of doulos. Paul said he was a “slave” to Christ.

In ancient times, slaves were purchased or born into a slave family and served the master until they died or until the master decided to free them. Some slaves had developed such a close and loving relationship with the master’s family that they wanted to continue serving, even when they could go free. That’s the idea Paul and others were conveying when they referred to themselves as servants of Christ. The Lord has bought us with a high price (1 Corinthians 6:20), and those who come to know Him desire to abandon all rights to Him and choose to serve Him faithfully.

A servant of Christ knows who is the King. A servant of Christ is one who has voluntarily set aside his or her personal rights in order to love, serve, and obey the will of God in Christ Jesus. Servants of Christ die daily to sin and fleshly desires, allowing Christ’s life to flow through them (Galatians 2:20).

To be a servant of Christ is to seek His will in all things. Our primary desire every day, as servants of Christ, is to honor and glorify the One who bought our freedom from sin (1 Corinthians 10:31). This means we must die to ourselves (Luke 9:23), renounce our right to direct our own lives (Luke 6:46), and seek ways to bring our Master pleasure (Psalm 37:23; Proverbs 11:20). Just as a master in ancient times took on the responsibility of caring for his bondservants, so our Lord says that He will provide all we need when we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19).

Our Master, Jesus, has given us instructions in His Word and expects those who profess His name to know them. As we learn more, we do better. Servants of Christ put into practice all they learn about pleasing their Lord. While He has specific jobs for each of us according to the gifts and opportunities He provides, some requirements are universal for anyone called to be a servant of Christ:

• Continue in faith.

• Destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.

• Take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

• Pursue holy living (1 Peter 1:14–16).

• Daily crucify the lusts of the flesh (Romans 6:1–6).

• Love brothers and sisters in the faith (1 John 3:14–15).

• Store up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19–20).

• Eagerly await the Master’s return (Revelation 22:20; 2 Timothy 4:8).

Servants of Christ do their work humbly and selflessly, desiring only to please their benevolent Master. There’s no pretension, no self-importance, no compensation-seeking in true servanthood. Jesus reminds us of the lowly place a servant occupies: “You also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty’” (Luke 17:10, ESV).

Servants of Christ consider their lives on earth as a brief time of preparation for eternity. The hardships and struggles we must face while in the flesh will be far outmatched by the glory and reward awaiting us (2 Corinthians 4:17). Just as a servant who loves his master lives for the master’s approval, so servants of Christ live for the moment He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master!” (Matthew 25:21, 23)