The Heart Of A Servant

Pharisees Are Self-Righteous

The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses

The Pharisees assumed their position based on their own righteousness. They believed they were more holy than the rest of the people, so they assumed a position that they believed they deserved. Granted they had the understanding of the scripture, but they did not have the right heart to teach it.

Matthew instructs them to obey the teachings of the scriptures, but not do according to their deeds. The Pharisees knew the scriptures well and could communicate them to the people for instructional purposes. Matthew tell the people to obey what is taught to them from the scriptures. However; the Pharisees added to the scriptures rules and regulations that were not in scripture.

He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to [a]be put to death’; 11 but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, [b]given to God),’ 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”

The pharisees were more interested in themselves than they were in honoring God. They would neglect honoring their parents by supporting them in their old age by setting aside money as a corban to the church. A corban was money set aside to give to God. They never got around to giving the money to God, but rather spent it on themselves.

The pharisees served God on the outside but did not have a relationship with Him on the inside:

6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. 7 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’

A true servant is not self-righteous, but puts others before themselves.

A true servant understands that he is in need of the grace of God as much as anyone else and does not put himself in a position of authority. They see themselves as no different than others.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Tell story about my mom serving generals. She had no authority, high military education, or rank that elevated her status. However; these generals and dignitaries out of Washington DC respected here and honored her when they flew into Maxwell. She loved and served them well and was highly exalted by them. When she retired their were several dignitaries there and a 3 star general did her retirement. This was a lady that ranked at the bottom of the totem pole.

When our heart is to take care of others we will find a way to serve. We will find true satisfaction in life when we serve others.

Pharisees Are Selfish

But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men

The reason pharisees appeared to be holy is because they knew how to deceive people to think they were. Matthew gives several ways they would deceive the people

Broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments - 9 And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as [a]frontals [b]on your forehead.

The Pharisees would make sure people saw their leather straps that were bound to their arms and foreheads to show that they were literally doing what God’s word said. Although they were doing the right thing, they were doing it for the wrong reason. They wanted people to notice them and think that they were holy because of what they did.

A servant heart does the right thing for the right reason. They don’t care about recognition or what people think about them. They often times will face persecution by others that will say, “why are you wasting your time on a lost cause.” It is not a lost cause to them, but a service to the Lord.

John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .

2. They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues- The pharisees believed in positional greatness. They did not care about what God though, but what men thought about them. The higher they got in a social status was more important to them than what God desired for them.

A servant is less concerned about what others think about them and more concerned on what God thinks about them and how they can serve others. They live out the greatest commandments. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. A servant wants to do what is pleasing to the Lord and helpful to others. They do not seek positions of leadership for the purpose of looking important. Tell story about wanting to become a pastor because it was a respected profession.

3. respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.- The Pharisees loved to be called names that were respectable such as, Rabbi, Father, or leader. Jesus warned about calling them these titles because they were not merited. Only God is the perfect Father, Teacher, and Leader. He was not saying to not address your earthly father as father.

A servant does not seek after a title, but seeks after the will of the Father. They do not care if they are labeled a derogatory term because of what they do. they are more concerned with helping others. There are some that pursue high degrees of education so they will be called doctor or some other name that recognizes their achievement. This is not important to the servant.

But the Greatest Among You Shall Be Your Servant.

Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled

When we seek to elevate ourselves, people will see right through us and will not respect us. People that always seem to want to lift themselves up will be humbled. They will never attain to the status that they proclaim themselves to be. Also, in the eyes of the Lord, He sees their heart of pride and will humble them.

whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

When we are humble the Lord will see our heart and will exalt us. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,

Jesus is the perfect example of this. He is God, but was willing to humble himself as a man and die a death that was meant for us.

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death [a]on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow,of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Do you have the heart of a servant or the heart of a pharisee?

Do you know Jesus who died for you and wants to save you this morning?

Will you be willing to humble yourself and confess that you are a sinner and repent? God will exalt you in salvation!