No Longer Servants
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Intro
Intro
We all have some idea or experience with what it means to be a servant.
Either through our family relationships, our friends, our pets, or work.
A servant is someone who preforms duties for others.
There is some sort of sacrifice for someone else’s joy or fulfillment. Those sacrifices could look like your time, your money, your possessions, services or any combination of those.
At its core being a servant is basic, as a child I could understand what it meant.
I remember doing things for my mom and dad that I thought would make them happy or make their life a little easier.
May have had to do them
Chores - I was given responsibilities to help them around the house.
Or it could have been as simple as
They were busy and asked something extra of me,
Or I saw something that needed to be done and just did it without being told.
Even as a child, I had to sacrifice time on Donkey Kong or Mario Bros to help fulfill what my parents wanted or needed done.
I even see it today as a husband who is blessed with my wife and kids.
I serve by doing things for them that fulfills their needs and makes them happy.
I give them everything I have to offer.
Now it’s no secret, my wife and I are best friends. Thank God.
Now, when that happened our entire relationship changed.
The way we greeted each other looked different
The way we treated each other looked different
The way we looked at each other looked different
The way we talked about each other looked different
The connection we had was different because we were now friends.
The way we acted toward each other the first day we met is not the same as how we treat each other now.
The friendship created a much deeper, more meaningful bond.
The things we used to do for each other that may have seemed burdensome or insignificant were now something we looked forward too.
Something we wanted to do to make the other happy.
It wasn’t necessarily a duty anymore, it was more of a pleasure
For those gamers in the room, I guess you could say, we leveled up.
No longer a servant, but friends.
Living in a fallen world we unfortunately
See people who become servants to things like alcohol, intimacy out of wedlock and drugs.
All of which come with sacrifices like someone’s health, money, time or any combination
These things also change the way someone acts and the way that other see them.
The more they serve their vices and give into sin the more their lives change, unfortunately, for the worse.
It makes me think about the relationship we could have with Jesus.
How Through Jesus we are no longer servants, but His friends
How He chose us, provides for us and hears those who trust in Him.
So,
Why are we no longer servants? Jesus said so.
Jesus is talking to his disciples
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
First and foremost, Jesus calling us friends is a good thing. It’s a blessing to have a friend.
Someone you can confide in,
Someone you have a bond with,
Someone you enjoy spending time with and they enjoy time with you
In this chapter we know that Jesus is talking about how he is the true grapevine and we are the branches.
How we are pruned and purified by the message that Jesus brought.
What a beautiful thing. The word of God is being shared with us by His son.
Jesus is confiding in us.
We are being told what the Lord’s doing,
What the Lord’s will is
And how He has moved and will move.
When Jesus calls us His friends we know exactly how meaningful that statement is
John 15:12–14 ““This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
So powerful.
Jesus is telling us what true love is and saying there is no greater love then to give up your life for that of your friends.
We know that Jesus is later arrested and He paid for our sins on the cross.
He gave up His life for His friends. The purity of the Lord’s love is unmatched.
But We also have to understand that Jesus wants us to do what He commands.
“You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
If you had a friend and every time they came over to your house they kicked over your planter in the front yard, Or punched you in the face every time they saw you, even after you told them to stop,
Would you still be friends with them?
I would imagine not because
friends do not treat each other that way.
If you had young, impressionable children around and they cussed like a sailor every time they were there, even after you told them to knock it off,
Would you still be friends with them?
Again, I could only imaging that you would stop hanging out with them by choice.
So if you can expect that of others then surely the same can be expected of us.
If Jesus is telling us something, or commanding, we should respect what he asks or commands.
A friendship is not one sided it requires mutual respect.
It requires boundaries
How can we say there is mutual respect if we are not listening to or obeying our friend. In this case Jesus
We can choose to show our respect by listening and doing what He has asked of us so we can strengthen that bond.
We can build upon the firm foundation that Jesus has laid.
Still speaking with his disciples Jesus says
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
We have been chosen by the Lord to be friends.
He did not have to choose us, but thank God He did!
We are commanded to bear fruit, lasting fruit that stands the test of time, scrutiny and earthly desires.
In the next verse (17) he also commands us to love each other
We are commanded to make disciples.
Jesus speaks to his disciples in Galilee
Matthew 28:18–20 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””
Jesus says “go therefore and make disciples of all nations” That means every person!
Then Jesus promises to be with us to the end of the age, just as a true friend would.
Standing by our side, telling us to abide in Him so that whatever we ask for from the Father in, Jesus’s name, we may receive it.
Jesus is our friend, our advocate before the Father, rooting for us.
With unparalleled love.
He won’t give up
Rest assured there is no breaking point for Jesus. He truly leads by example,
He shows his love for us in
Matthew 26:53 “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?”
Even moments before his capture which led to suffering, pain, anguish and His death.
He could have asked the Father to save Him but He chose not to
Jesus showed he loved us so much by fulfilling scripture, suffering the pain we deserve.
He went through all that
Church There is not a time He will not be there for you rooting for you as long as you remain in Him.
With a love so great we do not have to worry about any provisions.
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
Jesus is telling us very clearly that we will be cared for.
Then we are told that life is more then food and the body is more then clothing.
Even during a 40 day fast Jesus is tempted by the enemy to turn rocks into bread.
Matthew 4:4 “But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ””
Scripture says that Jesus was very hungry and he still stood steadfast knowing that God would provide for Him.
Work example:
Wife holds Luis accountable for feeding me while at work because no one wants me hungry,
Because on my own I find it very hard to miss lunch not 40 days worth of food
We are told not to be anxious because it does you no good. He makes it very clear,
“which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”
So do not worry about your needs, they will be taken care of by our Lord. We know that if He will care for all the birds in the sky He will care for us.
Just ask Him.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Through Jesus we all have the ablility to be righteous - Everyone is afforded that opportunity
Acts 13:46–48 “And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.”
That is wonderful. The same amount that were shown the way to eternal life believed. What a amazing ratio.
God said it himself,
No matter the location, time, circumstance God is listening, He will hear you
Listen
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and will deliver you out of ALL your troubles. Not some, but ALL.
You will have trouble, following Jesus is not easy and it is not promised to be easy.
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
Jesus is that friend you can count on through ALL of your troubles.
Jesus conquered the grave he can conquer your troubles no matter what they are.
There will never be a problem bigger then God. If you have a problem go to him. He can handle it.
Do not ever feel like you are bothering God
That is the enemy trying to keep you from praying, telling you He has bigger issues to deal with, He doesn’t have time for you.
Matthew 7:7–8 ““Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
It is very clear that you will get what you ask for.
No where in there does it say that you can only pray for big issues
It does not limit you from praying during certain times.
He will open doors for you, you just have to knock, you simply have to ask and He will hear you.
He will have time for you and he is not too busy for you
Isaiah 40:28 “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.”
Jameison - Fausset - Brown Commentary says
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Chapter 40)
He is never “faint” or “weary” with having the countless wants of His people ever before Him to attend to.
I will be the first to tell you that I can only handle so much. On a good day I can handle one child talking to me at once while the other waits for their turns.
If they are both talking forget about it. I just got to my happy place. Thank God He is not like that.
God is so amazing he does NOT grow weary,
He does not grow faint
He does not get exhausted or over exert himself.
If you have a prayer he will listen to you. He will be there for you.
I have been dealing with a lot lately
The moment I committed to doing this, work has never been so busy
We had a wedding to help prepare for plus everything that goes along with it
- bridal shower
- hair appointments
facials
Decorating for the holidays
Thanksgiving - hosting
But God answered prayers!
None of these were mountains but God moved!
The wedding turned out so beautiful. We got to see young love at its best as they continue their walk with our Lord beside them.
Everything else worked out well. and let me tell you something
We didn’t pray once or twice
It was continuous prayer that got our families through this.
Gods faithfulness, just my most recent. This is not my only testimony at
God listened and answered because his love is that great.
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
How great is His love?
He loves us so much we have scripture that literally says those who receive Him (Jesus), who believe in Jesus’s name have the right to become children of God.
The greatest dad ever known is willing to accept us into his family. We are being chosen by him and accepted as children of God through Jesus’s work.
We can be part of the family.
For better or worse we cannot chose our sister, brother, uncle or cousin. They are part of the family because they were born into the family, by blood and flesh.
Which is what is mentioned in the verse.
We cannot be born into God’s family but we can become God’s children through Jesus’s victory.
We know this is true because
Romans 10:11 “For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.””
The definition of shame is
“a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior”
So we will not be humiliated or put in distress
because the bible is telling us that this is not wrong or foolish behavior.
High School Example:
While holding a 2 liter bottle of soda and spinning around on a wheelie chair I called Willey and asked him to push me .
God’s word is a rock, firm foundation and we need to rely on it.
I did some research and I found several sources that place the New Testament as being above 99 percent textually accurate.
Which means that between all the manuscript fragments, ancient texts and quotes we can be certain we have the bible as it was written.
For a book this old, that is amazing.
That is ALL God’s doing
Making sure his word reaches everyone. So we all receive the same message.
(A disciple asks Jesus why he wont show himself to the whole world and only to them)
We will wrap up with John 14:23-24
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
I think about this from a father’s standpoint.
If either of my kids have a friend that wants to come to the house that is nice to them and respects them I will allow it.
If the friend does not respect my kids and is not nice to them, ignores them or speaks bad about them I will not let them into my home.
If that person does not respect my child then I can recognize that they are not friends.
If they are not respecting my child they are not respecting me and I will not allow them in my home.
Heaven is Jesus’s home. God is Jesus’s father. We need to love Jesus and keep his word so we can make our home with them.
Church we are called friends
We were chosen by Him
We are cared for by Him in absolutely every way you can think of and
We are always heard by Him
If we accept Jesus into our lives we will have access to all of it.
Galatians 5:1 “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
Church we need to be bold to stand firm and steadfast against going back to our old ways. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
THE END
If everyone can bow their heads, close their eyes no one is looking around.
This is not meant to embarrass anyone
Offer everyone the opportunity to give their lives to Jesus.
Never given their life to Jesus
Or strayed away from Jesus at one point, those who have back slid,
If you could just raise your hand so we can pray with you.
Thank Jesus for all that he has done for you.
Say that you know you are a sinner and you are in need of saving. Repent for your sins.
If you have turned away from God, apologize for walking away from him and thank him for always being ready to accept you back
Say, Lord, I know that Jesus lived the life I could never live, the life of perfection, and I know that He died for my sins and I know that He rose from the grave so I could have a new life
Then welcome Jesus into your life as your Lord and Savior.
Close in prayer.
