Who's Slave are you?

Servant- does a job....slave ...is owned...

Which statement seems more tolerable to you: “have it your way” or “deny yourself?”  What if your church stopped  giving sermons on “12 ways to improve  your ____ (marriage, parenting, etc)..and started teaching on denying yourself, become a slave for Christ?” How do you think that would go over? We all know what Christ asked His followers to do: to serve others.....be servants to others…... But are you ready to hear what “serve” or “servant” actually means in the Bible?  The term “servant” as used by Paul in Romans 1:1 is more properly translated as “bond slave.” Other translations use the Greek origin “doulas” which also means slave. Yes,  slave! The calling is not to be a servant...  but to be a slave.

We are ½ way through the book, Not a Fan…. It says….

“You can’t call Jesus Lord without declaring yourself
his slave.”                 -from Not a Fan
Literally, Christ calls us to become a slave. Did you know that the word slave appears 150 times in the New Testament? So, if we take the word Paul used seriously, it means that Paul had no will of his own. He served Christ unto death. In effect, Paul did not even belong to himself.  We realize the term slavery may conjure up negative feelings and emotions for some because of history where someone was forced to do something against their will. But Christ asks us to literally volunteer for slavery? When we accept the invitation to deny ourselves and follow Jesus, we become his slave. A slave understands that he is going to choose a life of slavery...when he chooses to follow Christ. A person loves his master and realizes that he’s better off as a slave. In return, we take on the attitude as shown in Philippians 2:5-7 that is, we “must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had … he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave…”
You might think…"that’s the end to the joy in my life… to peace… to any fun".  You may think that by denying yourself you’ll miss out, but just the opposite is true. Christ asks us to give up our self interests and give in to the will of God, so that we can truly discover the joy …the joy that comes from  following Christ.

Here’s an excerpt from Kyle Idleman in his book, Not a Fan:

 I saw a report on MSNBC about a group of vegetarians. They interviewed one of the new vegetarians, a 28-year old named Christy Pugh. One of her quotes captures the viewpoint of the group. She said, “I usually eat vegetarian. But I really like sausage.” She represents a growing number of people who eat vegetarian but make some exceptions. They don’t eat meat, unless they really like it. As you can imagine, the real vegetarians aren’t real happy about the new vegetarians. They put pressure on the “new vegetarians” to change their name. And so here’s the name they chose for themselves: flexetarians. As I watched the report I realized something; I’m a flexetarian. I absolutely refuse to eat meat, unless it’s being served. Christy explains it this way, “I really like vegetarian food, but I’m just not 100% committed.”
“Flexetarian” is a good way to describe how many people approach their commitment to Christ. And that’s the way many Christians approach their commitment to Jesus and the Bible. I really like Jesus – but I don’t really like serving the poor – I’m not real big into the idea of going to church – my resources are spoken for. I love Jesus – but don’t ask me to save sex for marriage. I love Jesus – but don’t ask me to forgive the person who hurt me. I love Jesus – but I’m not 100% committed. They call themselves Christians. They follow Jesus, but they’ve made some exceptions. So when bacon is on the menu, their commitments can be adjusted.

 So...do you think this is going overboard?  What about proclaiming Christ as LORD?   When we think of Chirst as LORD,  there is no denying that I’m his slave. It’s just a very defining concept and ….it is unmistakable. Did you know that the word “Lord” is used 747 times in the New Testament? That’s why  all Christians say Jesus is Lord. That’s our common confession. However, do we really understand it... If  Jesus is Lord, I’m his slave. With this in mind, all of  the sayings of Jesus – “deny yourself,” “take up your cross,” “follow me,” “why do you call me Lord and not do what I say” – all these things take on new meaning because it is so clear..

Through the death of Jesus Christ we were freed from one master (SIN)… to be slaves of another. In Romans 6:6,17, Paul says the Gentile believers have  been "slaves to Sin". Paul makes the term "sin" almost anthropomorphic (a big word that is used at Perimeter church)-- it takes on human characteristics. "Sin" was the Master. However in Jesus' death and resurrection, believers have been set free from a cruel master (sin) to become the slaves of God. Now the believer should no longer behave as a slave to the old Master but remain loyal to God. The new owner has much more to offer. For the "wages"||a term sometimes used for the wages paid to a slave-- of the Master "Sin" is death, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Master.  So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. " Galatians 4: 8-9 says….. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. ⁹ But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? ¹⁰

So……whose slave are you? Are you still a slave to sin or have you become God's slave? If you are a slave of the Master Christ Jesus, why did you become His slave? Was it because you wanted some personal gain in the community by becoming a respectable church-attender? That kind of a slave would be classed as a "bad" slave; a slave who only had his own intersts in mind and was not committed to serving the master.  Are you trying to pass yourself off as Christ's slave because Mom and Dad are Christians and go to church? Being a slave of Christ is so much more fulfilling than being a slave to yourself and to temporary  goals. If you are a slave of Jesus, what kind of a slave are you? Are you faithful to God in every duty you are given?   Are you this kind of runaway slave from Christ, someone who thinks that things were better with the former master?

The story doesn’t end here….God made us His slaves in order to free us  from sin……and adopt us as His children.  In Galatians Paul writes that we not only are no longer slaves as before, but now we have been adopted as God's children and have become recipients of his inheritance.

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. (Gal. 4:4-7)

Our calling as believers  is to be slaves:   we are totally dependent upon our one master (God) for everything...protection, provision now and in the future.. This is a lesson He is always teaching me …..totally dependent on Him.    

John MacArthur said,  “ I think the first thing it would do is it would define who the true believers are. It’s a big problem. We’ve got churches still with non-believers, whom know they’re non-believers and many of whom don’t. They’re going to say “Lord, we did this, we did that” and he’s going to say “I never knew you.” The first thing it would do, it would provide a plum line, it would provide a reality against which people can measure the legitimacy of their profession. So I think one of the things that would happen is people would say “I don’t want that” like the rich young ruler. He runs to Jesus and he says “what do I do to inherit eternal life?” and if Jesus says to him “believe in me,” he’s going to say “okay, I’ll believe in you” and if Jesus says “pray this prayer,” he would have prayed the prayer. But instead Jesus went after the issue of who’s Lord. OK, let’s find out who’s in charge of your life. “Sell everything you have, give your money to the poor.” And he spun on his heels and left. He wasn’t about to let somebody else tell him what to do with his money. That’s a lordship issue. That’s what Jesus is saying – you’re going to acknowledge me as Lord and are you going to deny yourself and give your life to me? It’s basically like the First Commandment – have no other gods, Deuteronomy 6, love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, all your might, all your strength, no room for any other gods. That’s why Jude 4 says that Jesus Christ is our only master and Lord. So I think that message of the true essence of the lordship of Christ would be a plum line in which people can measure the legitimacy of their profession.

So…who’s slave are you?  Money?  Ambition?   Power?   Fame?   Etc…. Or is it God?  

Who’s slave are you?   Are you willing to serve others without complaint?  Are you  willing to let God "mess up" your day?  Are you willing to serve Him and others...even if it isn't convenient?  Are you willing to serve only the people you like?  Are you willing to serve or more adequately..let Him be master over all the different parts of your life?  As one of my favorite pastors….Steve Brown would say….. You think about that….

Matthew 20:26-28 ²⁶ It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,^{[a] 27}and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,^{[b] 28}even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Mark 10:43-45  ⁴³But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,^{[a] 44}and whoever would be first among you must be slave^[b] of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

John 8:33-35  ³³They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?" ³⁴Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave^[a] to sin. ³⁵ The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.

¹⁵What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves,^[a] you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed..

Romans 6:16-19  ¹⁶Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves,^[a] you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹ I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.  ²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ²¹ But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. ²²But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 7:19-24 (ESV)¹⁹ For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. ²⁰ Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. ²¹Were you a slave^[a] when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) ²²For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. ²³ You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. ²⁴So, brothers,^[b] in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

Galatians 4 :1- 12¹I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave,^[a] though he is the owner of everything, ²but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. ³In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles^[b] of the world. ⁴But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" ⁷So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
⁸Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. ⁹But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? ¹⁰ You observe days and months and seasons and years! ¹¹I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.
¹²Brothers,^[c] I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong.