A Servant to Others What is a Servant

A Servant to Others

What is a Servant? Servant – a person who performs duties for others, especially a person employed in a house on domestic duties or a personal attendant. v. Our concern is one who serves others v

What is a Servant? Servant in the New Testament v δοῦλος (doulos) – a slave or servant of another. v διάκονος (diakonos) – one who serves others, minister, “deacon”. v Steward – a servant entrusted with greater responsibilities. 1 Corinthians 4: 1 -2 v Serve – to help or be useful to another. Looking out for the well being of others v

What is a Servant? The heart of a servant - while the expression is not found in scripture, but the attitude of a servant is determined by his heart v 1 Kings 3: 9, “give your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, …” v

What is a Servant? Leadership – best when one is a servant v But such is not typical! v The Bible calls for leaders to be servants Ministers – 1 Timothy 4: 6 Elders – Titus 1: 7, Heb. 13: 17, 1 Peter 5: 2 -3 Deacons – 1 Tim. 3: 8 v

Servants in scripture Phoebe – Romans 16: 1, Simply a servant of the church in Cencrea Jesus, example (do NOT the readultimate more into this than it says (cf. of 1 Tim. 2: 11 -15, 1 Cor. a servant! 15: 34 -35) Matthew 20: 28 v Dorcas – Acts 9: 36 -39 (Next week) v Paul – 1 Corinthians 9: 19 -22 v The Good Samaritan – Luke 10: 33 -36 v

Servants in God To serve others, we must FIRST be a servant of God v Psalm 2: 11, “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. ” v Romans 12: 1, present your bodies a living sacrifice which is your reasonable service v Romans 6: 17, 18, slaves of righteousness v Matthew 6: 24, You cannot serve two masters… v

We need to serve others God has always demanded service! v The Levitical priesthood – Mal. 2: 79, Jer. 5: 30 -31, Ezek. 22: 26 1 Samuel 2: 12 -17 v. Israel continually condemned for not caring for the poor Amos 5: 11 v 12, Isaiah 1: 23, Jeremiah 5: 28

We need to serve others We are to care for (serve) the needy v James 1: 27 v Matthew 25: 40, 45 -46 v Galatians 2: 10 v Galatians 6: 10 v 1 John 3: 17 -18 v

We need to serve others Passages that call for us, or imply that we should serve v Ephesians 2: 10 - created for good works v Matthew 20: 26 – great among you, let him be your servant v. Titus 2: 14 – zealous for good works v

We need to serve others Passages that call for us, or imply that we should serve v James 2: 14 -17 – faith without works is dead. Show me your faith! v. Galatians 5: 13 – through love serve one another v 1 Corinthians 4: 1 -2 – stewards to v

Am I a servant to others?