Devoted

Acts 1:12–14 ESV

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

acts 1 12-14

10,000 Sermon Illustrations Servant (doulos)

Servant (doulos)

“Servant” in our English New Testament usually represents the Greek doulos (bondslave). Sometimes it means diakonos (deacon or minister); this is strictly accurate, for doulos and diakonos are synonyms. Both words denote a man who is not at his own disposal, but is his master’s purchased property. Bought to serve his master’s needs, to be at his beck and call every moment, the slave’s sole business is to do as he is told. Christian service therefore means, first and foremost, living out a slave relationship to one’s Savior (1 Cor. 6:19–20).

What work does Christ set his servants to do? The way that they serve him, he tells them, is by becoming the slaves of their fellow-servants and being willing to do literally anything, however costly, irksome, or undignified, in order to help them. This is what love means, as he himself showed at the Last supper when he played the slave’s part and washed the disciples’ feet.

When the New Testament speaks of ministering to the saints, it means not primarily preaching to them but devoting time, trouble, and substance to giving them all the practical help possible. The essence of Christian service is loyalty to the king expressing itself in care for his servants (Matt. 25: 31–46).

Only the Holy Spirit can create in us the kind of love toward our Savior that will overflow in imaginative sympathy and practical helpfulness towards his people. Unless the spirit is training us in love, we are not fit persons to go to college or a training class to learn the know-how or particular branches of Christian work. Gifted leaders who are self-centered and loveless are a blight to the church rather than a blessing.

Your Father Loves You by James Packer, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986, page for March

INTRODUCTION

Servant” in our English New Testament usually represents the Greek doulos (bondslave). Sometimes it means diakonos (deacon or minister); this is strictly accurate, for doulos and diakonos are synonyms.

Both words denote a man who is not at his own disposal, but is his master’s purchased property. Bought to serve his master’s needs, to be at his beck and call every moment, the slave’s sole business is to do as he is told.

[ILLUSTRATION]

I Work for Him Not You

John Kenneth Galbraith, in his autobiography, A Life in Our Times, illustrates the devotion of Emily Gloria Wilson, his family’s housekeeper: It had been a wearying day, and I asked Emily to hold all telephone calls while I had a nap. Shortly thereafter the phone rang. Lyndon Johnson was calling from the White House. “Get me Ken Galbraith. This is Lyndon Johnson.”

“He is sleeping, Mr. President. He said not to disturb him.” “Well, wake him up. I want to talk to him.”

“No, Mr. President. I work for him, not you. When I called the President back, he could scarcely control his pleasure. “Tell that woman I want her here in the White House.” -Reader’s Digest, December, 1981

Reader’s Digest, December, 1981

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 ESV

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 cor 6

What work does Christ set his servants to do? The way that they serve him, he tells them, is by becoming the slaves of their fellow-servants and being willing to do literally anything, however costly, irksome, or undignified, in order to help them. This is what love means, as he himself showed at the Last supper when he played the slave’s part and washed the disciples’ feet.

When the New Testament speaks of ministering to the saints, it means not primarily preaching to them but devoting time, trouble, and substance to giving them all the practical help possible. The essence of Christian service is loyalty to the king expressing itself in care for his servants ().

Only the Holy Spirit can create in us the kind of love toward our Savior that will overflow in imaginative sympathy and practical helpfulness towards his people. Unless the spirit is training us in love, we are not fit persons to go to college or a training class to learn the know-how or particular branches of Christian work. Gifted leaders who are self-centered and loveless are a blight to the church rather than a blessing.

Your Father Loves You by James Packer, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986, page for March

Christian service therefore means, first and foremost, living out a slave relationship to one’s Savior ().

What work does Christ set his servants to do? JJ Packer says “The way that they serve him, he tells them, is by becoming the slaves of their fellow-servants and being willing to do literally anything, however costly, irksome, or undignified, in order to help them.

This is what love means, as he himself showed at the Last supper when he played the slave’s part and washed the disciples’ feet.

When the New Testament speaks of ministering to the saints, it means not primarily preaching to them but devoting time, trouble, and substance to giving them all the practical help possible. The essence of Christian service is loyalty to the king expressing itself in care for his servants ().

Before you can serve others/devote yourself to others, you must be willing to serve/devote yourself to Christ! How willing are you to serve him? What are you willing to give up?

10,000 Sermon Illustrations I Work for Him Not You

I Work for Him Not You

John Kenneth Galbraith, in his autobiography, A Life in Our Times, illustrates the devotion of Emily Gloria Wilson, his family’s housekeeper: It had been a wearying day, and I asked Emily to hold all telephone calls while I had a nap. Shortly thereafter the phone rang. Lyndon Johnson was calling from the White House. “Get me Ken Galbraith. This is Lyndon Johnson.”

“He is sleeping, Mr. President. He said not to disturb him.” “Well, wake him up. I want to talk to him.”

“No, Mr. President. I work for him, not you. When I called the President back, he could scarcely control his pleasure. “Tell that woman I want her here in the White House.”

Reader’s Digest, December, 1981

FCF: How much time of yours did Jesus get this week? Were there moments where people got on your nerves? Might those have been people God sent to you to learn of Him?

[BACKGROUND]

Your Father Loves You by James Packer, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986, page for March

The disciples are still a little angry that one of their own would betray Christ.

Jesus’ departure is like pouring salt into an open wound: 1) They felt hurt and betrayed after the Lord’s supper when they found out Judas betrayed Christ leading to his punishment/crucifixion. 2) Now they watch Jesus leave them again and are reminded of the fact that Judas is the cause of this.

Acts 1:14 ESV

14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

WITH ONE ACCORD:

With One Accord = Unanimously with one mind.

They were “slaves” to the command of Christ

DEVOTING THEMSELVES:

Devotion = To persevere in activity to the point of devotion

Devotion = to persist “obstinately” (stubborn)

Their devotion to the cause had to overcome their feelings about the matter of Jesus being gone and Judas being the reason/fault.

Acts 1:16 ESV

16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

TO PRAYER:

Its interesting that they didn’t commit to trying to figure things out. (i.e. their leader was now gone and they were vulnerable to their enemies.

Despite that, they committed to pray (for at least 10 solid days…)

(Illustration)

Elliot Huck, a fourteen-year-old from Bloomington, Indiana, who had placed forty-fifth out of 250 spellers in semifinal competition, skipped the National Spelling Bee. The 2007 National Spelling Bee was held on a Sunday. In Elliot’s eyes, the competition conflicted with the biblical command to rest on the Sabbath. “I always try to glorify God with what I do in the spelling bee because he is the one who gave me the talent for spelling,” said Elliot. “Now I’m not going to spell and try to give glory to God in that.”

Dropping out wasn’t an easy choice for Elliot. He loved his time in Washington, D.C., at the 2006 national competition and was looking forward to more of the same. Even so, the expert speller concluded, “I have accepted that God knows what’s best, and I’m just going to do what he says.”

— Robert King, “Sunday Contest Spells the End for Student,” Indianapolis Star

Acts 1:16 ESV

16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.