The Christian Impossibility

Luke 16:13

"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

What would you think of a person who worked for GM, but spent his days in his office designing cars for Volvo?

I know what I already think of him, further, I know what God thinks of him!

Jesus imparts something unique in this text, a lesson to show the impossibility of every Christian to serve two masters.

You may be thinking right now that you only serve one master, the Lord Jesus Christ? I wish that were true. But, the fact is, most Christians are attempting the impossible, to serve two masters.

Remember the prophet Jonah? He was trying to serve two masters; one was the LORD and the other was his own self righteousness. It got him far, far down into the belly of a fish!

I. In order to see the impossibility, we need to understand what the Lord means by servant.

Jesus gives us great insight as to what kind of servant He is here speaking about.

A. There are five distinct terms for servant.

1. doulos = a slave

2. diakonos = servant as a deacon

3. huperetes = an under rower

4. therapon = guardian, attendant

5. oiketes = house companion

B. In the text Jesus describes the house companion servant.

1. He does not travel about minding other business.

2. He has only one place of service…the house of the Master.

Is this not what we are?

Do we not serve in God’s household?

C. He is trustworthy and single minded.

D. He is obedient to the Master’s commands.

He is not found heading to Joppa like Jonah, but goes right to Ninevah!

II. We also need to understand what not to serve.

The Lord also narrows this down for us!

Though necessary for life, we do not and must not serve money!

A. The scripture says no servant can serve two masters.

1. The word “can” like the word for servant needs further clarification. It denotes one who does not have the power. Dunimas.

I remember renting a car one year for a road trip to Florida. I arrived at the airport to pick up the vehicle and proceeded to the counter of this particular vender, where I was surprised to find no one attending at the counter. The attendant at the neighboring competitors counter quickly came to my aid. The bewildered look on my face must have been noticeable, because he swiftly revealed to me how he and the absent attendant cover for each other. I was delighted, yet ,the thought ran through my mind, “what if someone came to his window? Would he leave me for him? Would his customer take precedence over me?” I concurred that there was no way this man could wait on both of us simultaneously!

2. Christians spend most of their time trying to prove this verse wrong.

a. Serving things severs service to God.

b. Serving God must be done singly.

B. The scripture emphasizes “money”.

1. Why money? The love of which is the root of all evil.

2. Serving it equals an inordinate love for it.

3. Satan uses it to ensnare us.