Communion of the Bond-Servants - Jesus our Hope
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[Video Testimony] - Iranian Muslim chanted “death to Israel” Now speaks life!
https://youtu.be/6-oCaOmyQcc?si=BmicKnOHwoGyXYiB
[Video Testimony] - Muslim woman who hated the jews and ended up falling in love with their King - JESUS!
https://youtu.be/wxfVAb4Q8ZU?si=cg6ZsXI5CzpaJGzx
Daryoosh, a former Iranian Muslim Commander in the Iranian Army sings a new song unto the LORD! A changed life, a love for the LORD Jesus Yeshua Hamashiach, for Israel, for it’s people. Daryoosh is another example of the work that God is doing in the hearts of the Muslim people, hearts that are being redeemed and renovated into the Communion of the Saved. We have a hope! We have a Savior! We have a LORD that cares for you, for Daryoosh! His name is Jesus! Yeshua Hamashiach “Jesus the Messiah.” Jesus our Hope!
You need a pick me us, don’t read chapters 3-11 of the letter of Genesis. Here we encounter the theme of death: the fall and promise of death (Gen 3), a demonstration of death in Cain and Abel (Gen 4), a geneology of death (Gen 5), the death of the entire world except for one family (Gen 6-9), and then humanity is given a mulligan, but sin continues in humanity (Gen 10-11). Starting in chapter twelve though is the good news for the people of Israel, and for the whole earth.
Three promises of life are given by God: a people, a land, and a blessing. Through Abraham, Israel is established by the birth of Isaac, and then through his son, Jacob, the twelve tribs of Israel come about. The promise of a people is established and kept by God.
God’s promise of land to Abraham unfolds in the book of Joshua, as Joshua leads Israel into Canaan, and conquers the land as God goes before them. This narrow piece of land is the promised land for Israel, God’s choosen people. It is not to be a land for anyone else, regardless of claims, or peace agreements.
The third promise is a promise of worldwide blessing (Gen 12:3).
I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Isaiah speaks of this blessing when he speaks of the Servant of God:
He says, “It is not enough for you to be My Servant raising up the tribes of Jacob and restoring the protected ones of Israel. I will also make you a light for the nations, to be My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Who is this Servant of God? Jesus, our Servant of Hope, in whom justice, hope, and comfort will be given to the world, to those who believe upon and accept by faith.
This is what the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, says to one who is despised, to one abhorred by people, to a servant of rulers: “Kings will see and stand up, and princes will bow down, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel —and He has chosen you.”
Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation; for instruction will come from Me, and My justice for a light to the nations. I will bring it about quickly. My righteousness is near, My salvation appears, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The coastlands will put their hope in Me, and they will look to My strength.
Look up to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and its inhabitants will die like gnats. But My salvation will last forever, and My righteousness will never be shattered.
Be joyful, rejoice together, you ruins of Jerusalem! For the Lord has comforted His people; He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has displayed His holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.
Who is this promise? Jesus. Who is exaulted because He became a servant, a slave to the righteousness of God the Father for our benefit.
but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Do we truly understand why Jesus came to be born as a man? What drove Him to the cross? Why there would be, was no other option for Him? Because He was a servant of the Father. Do we truly understand what it means to be a servant of the Father? We sing about being a servant, we ask God to make me a servant of His gospel, a servant of Him, but do we truly understand, do we truly “get it”, get what we are saying, or asking? I think not, because if we did, the Church, the Bride of Christ would be vastly different today. We would not be divided in our loyalty, in our committment, in our covenant, in our service, in our time, in our bond with the community of the saved, the community of the saints.
Let us ask ourselves this most important question: Am I a servant of Hope? It is important because of all the things that people are looking for today, they are looking for hope. Hope that they can find a job, hope to put food on the table, hope they can find affordable housing, affordable rent, hope that government will take notice and care about what they care about, and not about their pensions, being re-elected, or satisfying corporate desire and greed.
Hope that one can find a better life than the one we are living because the one we are living is leaving me hopeless.
One can only be a servant of Hope, if one is a servant of Christ. This is the call of the community of the saved, to point the hopeless to the Hope of the world, Jesus Christ.
The Spirit guided Simeon, waiting for the consolation of Israel, said this of Jesus when he held Him in His arms, praising God, Luke 2:29-30
“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Simeon refered to himself the same way that Jesus is refereed to… servant. What does he mean by this? Is it the same as used in reference to Jesus? Secondly, Jesus will be a sign that will be opposed, revealing the inner thoughts of men, their minds, hearts and souls. What is the sign that Jesus represents? What is it that will be opposed by men and reveal our inner beings?
A servant …our service. One’s humility.
When the disciples were arguing amongest themselves as to who was the greatest, Jesus told them that whoever is a servant, is the greatest among you. Do not be like the world that place themselves over one another because of their wealth, status, power, position, or authority. Instead, choose to be the one to serve, be of service to another. Treat another with greatness, for they are made in the image of God your Father. This is, as Jesus says, the narrow gate to life (Mt. 7:13).
But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them—this is the Law and the Prophets.
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Do to others as you would have them do to you for if you and I love those who love us, what credit is that to us, for even the world does that (Lk 6:31-33). Reward is great for those who are servants to the ungrateful, wicked, and unkind. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful …to you (Lk 6:35-36). Just how merciful has the Father been to you and I?
The word servant [1401]. δοῦλος doúlos; A slave, one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another, his will being altogether consumed in the will of the other (Matt. 8:9; 20:27; 24:45, 46). Generally one serving, bound to serve, in bondage (Rom. 6:16, 17). It means to be a slave totally possessed by the master. It means to be a bondservant bound by law to a master.
Slavery in the ancient Near East was extensive. By Roman times slavery was so widespread that one out of every two people were slaves. The primary cause for so many families being reduced to slavery was debt. The governor Nehemiah, a slave to the foreign Persian King Artaxerxes, saw the plight of his people and called out the rich nobles and government officials for impoverishing their own people and forcing them into slavery and starvation (Neh 5:9; Lv 25:47-48). How was it that they were being impoverished? Taxes…unreasonable taxes…forbidden taxes.
Israelites were prohibited from charging a fellow Israelite interest for anything lent, it was considered a sin and against the blessing of God (Dt 23:19-20). The Book of Ezekiel considers it amongest the worst sins to be committed. Ezekiel in fact calls it an abomination unto the LORD and one that surely does so shall die (Ezekiel 18:8, 13). Nehemiah called the rich nobles and government officials to restore unto the people all their property, homes, and the interest charged on their money, grain, wine, and oil that was exacted from them in fact, and forbade them from doing so any further (Neh 5:10-11; 12). Why you may ask? Because the Jews are God’s servants, His slaves and were not to be sold or serve as slaves like the world (Lev. 25:39;42). In fact, an Israelite who fell into hard times was to be supported by fellow Israelites (Lev. 25:35). Why? Because God supported them by bringing them out of Egypt and gave them the land of Canaan as an inheritance (Lev. 25:38).
For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves are sold.
For to me the people of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
The Hebrew term for servant is ‘ebed [5650] meaning slave. The Hebrew term for slave is ‘ebed [5650] meaning servant. They are the same word! There is no difference between a servant and slave in God’s kingdom, in God’s economy. We are all His. We belong to Him. We were all bought with a price. The shed blood of Jesus! How do you charge interest on His blood? on His death? You and I have been brought out of the land of death and sin, and into His Kingdom of Life! Stop charging death in this life, and instead give life to others! Give hope, be a man and woman of hope! This is the renewed, the renovated mindset of the Saved, of the Communion of the Saints, those of the Kingdom of God, children and heirs of Christ. Have the same mind as that of Christ (Phil 2:5).
A servant God is a bondslave to Christ
As you and I read through the Bible, we are drawn to how the great men and women of faith addressed themselves: “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ” (Rom, 1:1; Phil 1:1), “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1), “Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1), Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James” (Jude 1), Jesus (Isaiah 42:1; 53:11; 52:13); etc.... We have to ask are we servants of God, of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do we truly understand what it means to be “a servant, a slave of God? of Christ?” I do not believe so because that means the Church, the Body of Christ, would look and act vastly different. Are we possessed by the will and work of the Father, of Christ, of the Holy Spirit? Are we sold out to Him? Are we bound to Him? Consumed by His will? Are we witnessing to set captives free from the ideology, beliefs, and actions of this world? Are you helping out those in need? Are you testifying to the love and sacrifice of Jesus? Are you telling people about the Kingdom of God? Are you serving and working within the Church, the body of Christ?
Hope becomes a reality when one becomes a servant (a slave)as Christ was a servant (a slave) to His Father. What did the apostle James mean when he testified that he was a “slave of Jesus Christ”?
He was totally owned and possessed by God. A slave was totally owned and possessed by his master.
He existed for His God and had no other reason for his existence. A slave had no personal rights of his own, only that of his master’s.
He served God and he existed only for the purpose of service to Him. A slave only existed for the purpose of serving his master’s will.
His will belonged to the Master. A slave was allowed no other will, no ambition, other than the will and ambition of the master.
James held the highest title and position of honor in the earth, “a servant, a slave, of Christ”. The believer’s slavery to Christ is a position of honor, not of shameful subjection… the lie of Satan in the Garden. Will you and I allow Satan to continue to repeat, and succeed with the same deception, that somehow men and women have no value, unless we are God himself. We have been made in the image of God, and are full heirs and children of God, to the Kingdom, and His glory. Is that not enough? According to the world, the Kingdom is not Enough, we have to be God. You and I, need to confess the sin of jealousy and covetnous, and be more than satisfied with being heirs of Christ and His Kingdom.
If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
If we desire to be counted in amongest the Communion of the Saved, we must change our thinking, our minds, our hearts, in regards to being servants of God, slaves of Christ. How will the Hope of Jesus, the Love of Jesus, the Faithfulness of Jesus, the Servant-ness of Jesus, and the greatness of His Kingdom be communicated unless we embrace and live as servants, and slaves, of the Most High? The believer who bristless at, and rejects, the position of being a servant of God, a slave of Christ, does not know Jesus, does not know the love of Jesus Christ, and does not walk in His Spirit.
It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,
and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,
even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus came to submit and serve the will of the Father. He set aside His equality with God the Father, emptied Himself, and took the form of a slave, born a human being, the great Incarnation, humbled Himself, and obeyed God the Father to His death, in order that Hope, life eternal in His Kingdom may become accessible to His very creation, to people, that died in the Garden, because man became jealous and covetous of God’s position, power, and person. The world groans waiting for their redemption, but how will they know unless someone preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom to them? Are you and I a servant of God, a slave to Christ, in order to share the Hope and Love of Jesus Christ? The greatest Christmas gift the world could ever receive, is a servant of God, sharing the Love Jesus Christ. Will you and I be that gift? to the world? to each other? Amen.