The Messenger

Back in Jesus’ day an individual was either a “have” or “have not” kind of person. You were a master or a slave. Either you had servants looking after you or you were a servant attending to someone else’s needs. Who could fault the person that preferred to be a master rather than a slave?

Jesus’ however taught something different.

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

The best teachers lead by example – and Jesus did. The humble King obeyed his Father and came not to be served but to serve others. Should we not follow His example?

Can you get to heaven through good works? – By no means. Scripture is quite clear that salvation is only by God’s grace through faith.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

As advanced as we think we’ve become in two thousand years, we still find ourselves struggling with the desire to put ourselves first. The world we live in certainly isn’t any help. It bombards us daily, through things like advertising; planting within us the notion that superiority is everything. Self-help books say we should strive to be number one. Look after yourself first – you’re worth it.

If left unchecked, this desire can move rapidly from passion to addiction. Ever witness people around you go from being happy to miserable because they turned good work habits into an obsession because they thought they could “have it all”? Have YOU turned into that type of person? The more you need the more you want. There is no fulfilment; no point of contentment.

But there is hope. By God’s grace and mercy, the Holy Spirit is there with guidance and encouragement – to help you find the joy in life again. The following words are more powerful than any self-help motivation catch phrase ever heard; “Glory to God, whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine”.

Do you want peace in your life? Submit yourself to the will of God. Would you like to experience a joy that no amount of money can buy? Make yourself available to God to serve others. Ask for God’s grace in your life – it’s FREE. I’m not saying you must give up all your worldly possessions and martyr yourself in the name of Jesus. That could be His plan for you but it would be my guess that the Holy Spirit would gently guide you into service in order that you may enjoy the work in which he has called you. Starting this conversion is simply a prayer away.

Through faith we come to realize God’s grace in our own lives. We become more like Jesus. Our heart begins to soften and anxiety lessens. This transformation allows the Holy Spirit to work in us and at the same time, the Spirit is allowed to work through us. So it begins – God’s command to serve others becomes a joy, not a chore.

Matthew 5:12 (ESV) Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven…Seek the heart of Jesus today. I pray you find joy through serving others - S.D.G.