Servant of his Father

The last few days we encouraged our members to spend time in the Bible this weekend, first focusing on the death of our Saviour, then celebrating how death has been defeated.

We looked at how this master teacher who could do miracles was humble to take up the work of slaves. He also never wanted his name or position exalted. For Jesus it was clear he and we always had to follow what the Father in heaven wanted, and should never haver our priorities at the first place. Jesus did not follow his own path but gave his all being in the hands of his Father. He did not follow his own judgements but God’s judgements. He always looked to what God’s ways were and how he could step in line with it and how his followers had to follow God’s ways, which should always be higher than our ways.

” יהושע said to him, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. ” (John 14:6 The Scriptures 1998+)
““Of Myself I am unable to do any matter. As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own desire, but the desire of the Father who sent Me. “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. “There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. ” (John 5:30-32 The Scriptures 1998+)
“I am the good shepherd.1 And I know Mine, and Mine know Me, Footnote: 1Ezek. 34:11-12, Heb. 13:20, 1 Peter 2:25, 1 Peter 5:4. even as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold – I have to bring them as well, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one shepherd.1 Footnote: 1Ezek. 34:23, Ezek. 37:24. “Because of this the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, in order to receive it again. “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to receive it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10:14-18 The Scriptures 1998+)

Jesus said it himself, in case he would have been sent by himself to this earth, than he would be a deceiver, and his witness would not be true, so worthless and perjury.

Jesus who was aware he only could do all those miracles because he received the blessings and the power of his Father, was willing to bring this power of his Father to the advantage of the people around him; He also wanted to share that life God had given him, with us in abundance.

Jesus as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, to make himself of no account, futile, meaningless, wilful to his Father, he esteemed the other better than himself in lowliness of mind, and did want to get the best for the other and contradictory to the world he never wanted to please himself, but he wanted to please God, his Father to whom he wanted to be obedient. He had a concern for the people around him their needs and concerns. He was willing to give his life as a ransom for them and those he even did not know. Jesus was willing to offer his body as a lamb on the slaughter table so that we could have life, and that we may have it even more abundantly so that we are enabled to bear fruit like Jesus did bear much fruit.

Luke tells us that Jesus is the real man who presented himself to God his Father and was as such the παῖς or ‘servant’ of God, in the sense in which Isaiah has spoken of the Messiah as the ‘eḇed jehovah,’ ‘servant of Jehovah (= servant of God).’ The apostle Luke presents the Christ in his bearing on the history of God’s Kingdom and of the world – as God’s Elect Servant in Whom He delighted as Isaiah predicted. In the Old Testament, to adopt a beautiful figure, the idea of the Servant of the Lord is set before us like a pyramid: at its base it is all Israel, at its central section Israel after the Spirit (the circumcised in heart), represented by David, the man after God’s own heart; while at its apex it is the ‘Elect’ Servant, the Messiah. And these three ideas, with their sequences, are presented in the third Gospel as centring in Jesus the Messiah. By the side of this pyramid is the other: the Son of Man, the Son of David, the Son of God. The Servant of the Lord of Isaiah and of Luke is the Enlightener, the Consoler, the victorious Deliverer; the Messiah or Anointed: the Prophet, the Priest, the King.

In this counsellor we find a shepherd as David. Jesus was to shoot forth the Branch of David, the other servant of God. The ‘Servant of the Lord’ in relation to Israel’s history was Kingship in Israel; the ‘Servant of the Lord’ in relation to Israel’s ritual ordinances was the Priesthood in Israel; the ‘Servant of the Lord’ in relation to prediction was the Prophetic order. But all sprang from the same fundamental idea: that of the ‘Servant of Jehovah.’

As a servant opens the door or gate for his master and the guests to this master, Jesus opens the door for us to his Master, his God and our God. Though the servant can find everything at his hands in the masters house, he does not steal and takes care that everything stays in good order.

““The thief does not come except to steal, and to slaughter, and to destroy. I have come that they might possess life, and that they might possess it beyond measure. ““I am the door. Whoever enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and find pasture. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to slaughter, and to destroy. I have come that they might possess life, and that they might possess it beyond measure. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. ” (John 10:9-11 The Scriptures 1998+)
“even as the Son of Aḏam did not come to be served, but to serve,1 and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Footnote:1See Mark 10:45 and Isa. 49:1-7. ” (Matthew 20:28 The Scriptures 1998+)

“For, let this mind be in you which was also in Messiah יהושע, who, being in the form of Elohim, did not regard equality with Elohim a matter to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and came to be in the likeness of men. And having been found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, death even of a stake. Elohim, therefore, has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of יהושע every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and every tongue should confess that יהושע Messiah is Master, to the esteem of Elohim the Father. ” (Philippians 2:5-11 The Scriptures 1998+)

Though Jesus was the only Begotten of the Father (John 1:14), the Brightness of the Father’s glory (Hebrews 1:3), the Chosen (Matthew 12:18) and the Christ (Matthew 1:16) he wanted to be a Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25) and a Counselor (Isaia 9:6), Friend (John 11:1-44) and even Brother (Hebrews 2:11). Though he expressed images of the Father (Hebrews 1:3) he wanted to be a Faithful Witness of Him (Revelation 1:5), being a Holy One of God (Mark 1:24) always under the Law of the Almighty One God and bringing others under that precious Law (Matthew 27:51; Romans 7:4; Ephesians 2:13-15), being sure that it was not him but the Holy Spirit of his Father who would bring the followers of him his teachings to their remembrance (John 14:26).

John the Baptist declares Jesus to be the Lamb of God, the baptizer with the Holy Spirit, and the Son of God (John 1:29-34 ). As a lamb Jesus was willing to be a sacrifice and to lay down his life as a Ransom (1Timothee 2:6), becoming the new Passover (1Corinthians 5:7), and because of that his Father loves him (Ephesians 5:2; John 10:17) and has taken him as a salvation and mediator for men (Luke 2:25-30; 1Timothee 2:5).

“For there is one Elohim,1 and one Mediator between Elohim and men, the Man Messiah יהושע, Footnote: 11 Cor. 8:6, Eph. 4:6, Mk. 12:29-34. ” (1 Timothy 2:5 The Scriptures 1998+)

God was willing to accept his son his offer and took the anointed up in heaven to sit at His right hand after He had raised up Jesus as the Saviour. By this Christ his action of giving himself to all humanity, as a humble servant Jesus will raise us up through His power. Jesus voluntarily yielded up his life when he knew that his suffering was completed (see John 19:30). It also implies that the divine nature of Christ was active in his resurrection: he was able to “take up” his life again, because he trusted fully in his Father.

“So when יהושע took the sour wine He said, “It has been accomplished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. ” (John 19:30 The Scriptures 1998+)
“Truly, He has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains. Yet we reckoned Him stricken, smitten by Elohim, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our crookednesses. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. We all, like sheep, went astray, each one of us has turned to his own way. And יהוה has laid on Him the crookedness of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, but He did not open His mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, but He did not open His mouth. ” (Isaiah 53:4-7 The Scriptures 1998+)
“On the next day Yoḥanan saw יהושע {Jeshua} coming toward him, and said, “See, the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world!1 Footnote: 1Mt. 1:21, Titus 2:14, 1 John 3:5 & 8. ” (John 1:29 The Scriptures 1998+)
“Therefore cleanse out the old leaven, so that you are a new lump, as you are unleavened. For also Messiah our Passover was offered for us. ” (1 Corinthians 5:7 The Scriptures 1998+)
“Therefore, having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, set your expectation perfectly upon the favour that is to be brought to you at the revelation of יהושע Messiah, as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts in your ignorance, instead, as the One who called you is set-apart, so you also should become set-apart in all behaviour, because it has been written, “Be set-apart, for I am set-apart.” And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear, knowing that you were redeemed from your futile way of life inherited from your fathers, not with what is corruptible, silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Messiah, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, foreknown, indeed, before the foundation of the world, but manifested in these last times for your sakes, who through Him believe in Elohim who raised Him from the dead and gave Him esteem, so that your belief and expectation are in Elohim. ” (1 Peter 1:13-21 The Scriptures 1998+)
“And I looked, and I heard the voice of many messengers around the throne, and the living creatures, and the elders. And the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb having been slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and respect and esteem and blessing!” ” (Revelation 5:11-12 The Scriptures 1998+)

Jehovah God exalted his humble servant because he fulfilled all the works God wanted to be done on earth by him.

“For you shall not come out in haste, nor go in flight. For יהוה is going before you, and the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl is your rear guard. See, My Servant shall work wisely, He shall be exalted and lifted up and very high. As many were astonished at You – so the disfigurement beyond any man’s and His form beyond the sons of men – He shall likewise startle many nations. Sovereigns shut their mouths at Him, for what had not been recounted to them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall understand. ” (Isaiah 52:12-15 The Scriptures 1998+)
“Who has believed our report? And to whom was the arm of יהוה revealed? For He grew up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or splendour that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should desire Him – despised and rejected by men, a man of pains and knowing sickness. And as one from whom the face is hidden, being despised, and we did not consider Him. Truly, He has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains. Yet we reckoned Him stricken, smitten by Elohim, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our crookednesses. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. We all, like sheep, went astray, each one of us has turned to his own way. And יהוה has laid on Him the crookedness of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, but He did not open His mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, but He did not open His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment. And as for His generation, who considered that He shall be cut off from the land of the living? For the transgression of My people He was stricken. And He was appointed a grave with the wrong, and with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was deceit in His mouth1. Footnote: 1See 1 Peter 2:22. But יהוה was pleased to crush Him, He laid sickness on Him, that when He made Himself an offering for guilt, He would see a seed, He would prolong His days and the pleasure of יהוה prosper in His hand. He would see the result of the suffering of His life and be satisfied. Through His knowledge My righteous Servant makes many righteous, and He bears their crookednesses. Therefore I give Him a portion among the great, and He divides the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His being unto death, and He was counted with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. ” (Isaiah 53:1-12 The Scriptures 1998+)

Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn 012 — Are you willing to tell the people around you that you know Christ Jesus? - St Peter's denial - 1660 Rembrandt (1606–1669)

In case that we are willing to give our bodies to the Work of God and be members of Christ Jesus, as members of the body of Christ we should be joined as one and be of one spirit with Christ Jesus. Be fleeing every sin because this is outside of the body and our body should be a temple of the Holy Spiritin us, which we have from God.

“And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were set apart, but you were declared right in the Name of the Master יהושע and by the Spirit of our Elohim. All is permitted me, but not all do profit. All is permitted me, but I shall not be under authority of any. Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods – but Elohim shall destroy both it and them. And the body is not for whoring but for the Master, and the Master for the body. And Elohim, who raised up the Master, shall also raise us up through His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Messiah? Shall I then take the members of Messiah and make them members of a whore? Let it not be! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a whore is one body? For He says, “The two shall become one flesh.” And he who is joined to the Master is one spirit. Flee whoring. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits whoring sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the Dwelling Place of the Set-apart Spirit who is in you, which you have from Elohim, and you are not your own? For you were bought with a price, therefore esteem Elohim in your body and in your spirit,1 which are of Elohim. Footnote: 1See 7:23, 1 Peter 1:18-19. ” (1 Corinthians 6:11-20 The Scriptures 1998+)

Also those who wanted to become big or important should know that they had first to be the lowest of all.

We ourselves should become as Christ. Being Christ does not mean that we are going to be God, as many think Jesus to be God, but it means being as the Servant Jesus, being child of the Father in heaven and being a seed in the hands of the Lord.

The Lord Jesus wants us, as his pupils, his branches, to be fruitful.

“In this My Father is esteemed, that you bear much fruit, and you shall be My taught ones. ” (John 15:8 The Scriptures 1998+)

Fruit is the result of developing life. Branches do not innately have that life in themselves. “The branch cannot bear fruit of itself.” Branches must always find their life in the vine. The vine, Jesus, has life.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Our Lord came to share that life with us in abundance. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (Joh_10:10). His abundant life is what enables us to bear much fruit.

We should try to do as Jesus, our biggest and best example, and should strive to be simple and sincere toward all, seeking not to please and honour self, but the Lord. As Jesus has given us examples how to pray, to his Father and Our Father, and warned us to keep to the commandments having only One God, we should be careful with what and whom we associate, and be careful to honour the right person with our lips and actions, not being afraid of Christ Jesus.

As Jesus was the servant of his Father and people around him we should also be servants of the people around us and a servant for Christ and for God, faithful to the Lord, the Truth, the brethren and all with whom we have to do, not only in great matters, but also in the little things of life. We should as followers of Christ, becoming Christians have equality in love, so that we are as Brethren and sisters in Christ wanting to do things for each other, never being demanding and never having more than a master/servant relationship. We should all have the idea of equality in Christ. Secular society may not want to live up to the ideal of Christian equality, but the Christian community should certainly hold to that model. To be God’s person is not something one is in isolation from society, but it means to be Christ’s servant in community with mankind at large.

Crewe Cd Youthweekend2010 — Brethren and Sisters in Christ or Christadelphians - Being one in Christ

No state, no condition of rank in life, is altogether exempt from being a servant. The King and the beggar have both their respective provinces in life; and as Solomon said, the profit of the earth is for all the King himself is served by the field.

“And the increase of the land is for all. The sovereign himself is served from the field.” (Ecclesiastes 5:9 The Scriptures 1998+)

We find God the Father speaking of Jesus the servant of God, when calling him by this name. “Behold my Servant, whom I uphold: mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth!” God has called the branch of David in righteousness, and will hold his hand, and will keep him, and give him for a Covenant of the people.

““See, My Servant whom I uphold, My Chosen One My being has delighted in! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He brings forth right-ruling to the nations. “He does not cry out, nor lifts up His voice, nor causes His voice to be heard in the street. “A crushed reed He does not break, and smoking flax He does not quench. He brings forth right-ruling in accordance with truth. “He does not become weak or crushed, until He has established right-ruling in the earth. And the coastlands wait for His Torah.” Thus said the Ěl, יהוה, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it: “I, יהוה, have called You in righteousness, and I take hold of Your hand and guard You, and give You for a covenant to a people, for a light to the gentiles, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house. “I am יהוה {Jehovah}, that is My Name, and My esteem I do not give to another, nor My praise to idols. ” (Isaiah 42:1-8 The Scriptures 1998+)

Jesus was humbly enough to tell people all things he did, he did by the hand of God. He has been trustworthy over a small part of the world, the Land of God’s People. Are we willing to be placed as him, being a servant, responsible over a relatively few things, so we will be placed later over many things? The conduct of us as servants of others, servants of Christ and as servants of God shall be determining to enter the Kingdom of God. We also should be prepared to be ready at any moment of the day to be there to be the servant for the returning Master who was only Servant of God.

God has given us Christ on earth, so we can serve him here on earth as the representative of God. By going for Christ we can serve God, but than we cannot be a servant of the world at the same time or be dependant of material things at the same time. The person who loves his earthly life will eventually lose it forever, but the person who hates his life in this world will retain never ending life. If any person wants to serve Christ, he should become his follower; and wherever he is, his servant will be there also. If any person serves him, the Father will honour him.

““And his master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant. You were trustworthy over a little, I shall set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ” (Matthew 25:21 The Scriptures 1998+)
““No servant is able to serve two masters, for either he shall hate the one and love the other, or else he shall cling to the one and despise the other. You are not able to serve Elohim and mammon.” And the Pharisees, who loved silver, also heard all this, and were sneering at Him, so He said to them, “You are those who declare yourselves righteous before men, but Elohim knows your hearts, because what is highly thought of among men is an abomination in the sight of Elohim. “The Torah and the prophets are until Yoḥanan. Since then the reign of Elohim is being announced, and everyone is doing violence upon it. “And it is easier for the heaven and the earth to pass away than for one tittle of the Torah to fall. ” (Luke 16:13-17 The Scriptures 1998+)
““Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. “He who loves his life shall lose it, and he who hates his life in this world shall preserve it for everlasting life. “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me. And where I am, there My servant also shall be. If anyone serves Me, the Father shall value him. ” (John 12:24-26 The Scriptures 1998+)

Trusting ourself to Divine care and the Providential overruling of all our interests for our highest welfare, we should seek not only to be pure in heart, but to repel all anxiety, all discontent, all discouragement, neither murmuring nor repine at what the Lord’s providence may permit, because “Faith can firmly trust Him, Come what may.”

Are we willing to become like Christ, a servant of God? And be willing to prepare for the coming of the greatest servant of all? Being as brides to Christ? Or do we want to be called to the marriage of the Lamb of God Jesus Christ? Willing to walk as servants in the light of Christ, being just a shadow?

““And know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. “Because of this, be ready too, for the Son of Aḏam is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him. “Who then is a trustworthy and wise servant, whom his master set over his household, to give them food in season? “Blessed is that servant whom his master, having come, shall find so doing. “Truly, I say to you that he shall set him over all his possessions. ” (Matthew 24:43-47 The Scriptures 1998+)
“And he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true words of Elohim.” ” (Revelation 19:9 The Scriptures 1998+)
“And I saw no Dwelling Place in it, for יהוה Ěl Shaddai is its Dwelling Place, and the Lamb. And the city had no need of the sun, nor of the moon, to shine in it, for the esteem of Elohim lightened it, and the Lamb is its lamp. And the gentiles, of those who are saved, shall walk in its light,1 and the sovereigns of the earth bring their esteem into it. Footnote: 1See Isa. 60:3. And its gates shall not be shut at all by day, for night shall not be there. And they shall bring the esteem and the appreciation of the gentiles into it. And there shall by no means enter into it whatever is unclean, neither anyone doing abomination and falsehood,1 but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Footnote: 1See 22:15, and 2 Thess. 2:11. ” (Revelation 21:22-27 The Scriptures 1998+)

“And I looked, and I heard the voice of many messengers around the throne, and the living creatures, and the elders. And the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,” (Revelation 5:11 The Scriptures 1998+)

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