The Servant's Heart

The Servant’s Heart (Peace, Peacemakers; the Ministry of reconciliation, cultivate, firstlove) What does it mean to be a servant? - one that serves others - a person who is devoted to or guided by something or someone James 1:27 NLT “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” This sounds like service, right? > Do we or our churches look like places where the service and love for one another abounds? If Jesus came to serve, showing us what things were to be like from now one, I think that we should take the time to review those qualities as we inspect our hearts. – > Are we looking & acting more like Jesus or less? – > So, if our vision or focus for 2020 was Following Jesus - then, how far have we come? Philippians 2:5 tPt 5 And consider the example that Jesus, the Anointed One, has set before us. Let his mindset become your motivation. What was His mindset? I have come…to serve, not to be served. – It is more blessed to give, than to receive. Woman with the – expensive oil that was poured on Jesus’ head. Woman who gave the two coins… So, I would like to share a couple of qualities that I believe Jesus is asking us to learn as we take on the mindset of Christ. Let this be our MINDSET As I was listening to the Lord, He led me to the portion of scripture in Matthew 5, known as the “Beatitudes”. As we look at verses 3-12, we are shown a picture of what pleases the Lord. So, if our intention is to follow Jesus and take up His mindset, then these are the BeAttitudes! 1)Servants after the heart of Jesus are PEACEMAKERS As I read the verses here, my focus shifted to verse 8(NLT) - “God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God!” Then, we read verse 9 - God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. Let’s look at it in the Passion Translation Matthew 5:8-9 tPt 8 “What bliss you experience when your heart is pure! For then your eyes will open to see more and more of God. 9 “How blessed you are when you make peace! For then you will be recognized as a true child of God. So, based on these scriptures it’s important that our effectiveness as peacemakers is enhanced by the purity of our hearts before God. When I think of peace, I am often reminded(see v 26!) of Jesus’ words in John 14:27 27 “I leave the gift of peace with you—MY PEACE. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but MY PERFECT PEACE. – > So, where’s your heart? I am reminded of the saying, “Do you speak the truth in LOVE, or do you love to speak the truth.” Remember, we’re aiming for the mindset of Christ. 2)Servants after the heart of Jesus are CULTIVATORS of the GIFTS I’ve been in Ephesians 4 for a few weeks now and it’s been so impactful. Seriously, if you haven’t taken the time to really soak it up - there’s no time like the present. I’d love to hear what Jesus is saying to you! Ephesians 4:11-16 MSG He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. 14–16 No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. I can’t stress verse 14 enough. For too long we’ve been satisfied as babies in the Word and deed. Jesus wants us to remain child-like in our love, faith and wonder of Him. He wants us to grow up in our knowledge and service of Him. As we learn and grow, we see that the gifts in us are not ours alone to enjoy, but true maturity allows us to recognize the ways in which we can bless those around us. To see the ways that we fall short and how we can strengthen and be strengthened as we walk TOGETHER, in Christ. – > Are you committed to grow with Christ? 3)Servants after the heart of Jesus are IN LOVE WITH HIM, ABOVE ALL If you’re still with me this far, you might be saying that this is obvious. Yet, I was again reminded of a portion in scripture that proved that we will wander unless we keep Christ at the focus. Revelation 2:1-7 tPt Write the following to the messenger of the congregation in Ephesus. For these are the words of the one who holds the seven stars firmly in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lamp-stands: 2 I know all that you’ve done for me—you have worked hard and persevered. I know that you don’t tolerate evil. You have tested those who claimed to be apostles and proved they are not, for they were imposters. 3 I also know how you have bravely endured trials and persecutions because of my name, yet you have not become discouraged. 4 But I have this against you: you have abandoned the passionate love you had for me at the beginning. 5 Think about how far you have fallen! Repent and do the works of love you did at first. I will come to you and remove your lamp-stand from its place of influence if you do not repent. 6 Although, to your credit, you despise the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also despise. 7 The one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying now to all the churches. To the one who overcomes I will give access to feast on the fruit of the Tree of Life that is found in the paradise of God. Here the scripture proves that you can follow “the letter of the law” and completely miss the heart of Jesus. This grieves me because there are times in my life where I can recognize that I was too busy doing things for Jesus, instead of enjoying the time WITH Jesus (Luke 10). – > Are you putting Christ above all else? I am here to tell you that you can make things right TODAY! With His help, we can truly step into the calling that He has placed in each one of us. So often we think of the ways that we can bless Him. He is thinking of the ways He can bless us and others with us. Let’s pray Jesus, I ask that you help me to get my eyes, my heart, my mindset back on You. Nothing else is more important than following You! As I learn Your ways, I ask that I would be a willing vessel who makes peace with those around me. That I would be your child who is a cultivator of the gifts You have placed within me and a willing servant of the Gift-giver! That I would follow the promptings of Your Holy Spirit within me. That healing would take place, that prophecy and a greater understanding of Your word and Your heart would be known here and everywhere we go. Help us to love others the way that You love them and as we do, help us to teach them to be disciple-makers as well. In Jesus name, Amen!