Lord of All, servant of all.

SCRIPTURE:

Genesis 31, Psalm 17, Matthew 20

OBSERVATION:

From Psalm 17:
13 Arise, O Lord! Confront him, subdue him!
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14 from men by your hand, O Lord,
from men of the world whose portion is in this life. [8]
You fill their womb with treasure; [9]
they are satisfied with children,
and they leave their abundance to their infants.

15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

I think that a real key to what made David unique is found here.  He found his sufficiency in God and in the presence of God.   This is in stark contrast to the “men of the world whose portion is in this life.”  David makes it clear, that his portion is not in the stuff of the world…and he’s satisfied with that…in fact, he’s rejoicing in that.  The men of the world, well, they seemed to have treasured and children and great abundance to leave to those children.  David’s commentary on that: “Let them have all that stuff…I’m pursuing something different, something greater.”

David says that his portion is to behold the face of God…to wake up and see Him, and to find his satisfaction in the wondrous beauty of God.  He’ll take a pass on all the other stuff that his enemies are pursuing…just give him intimacy with God and he’ll be content!  I want so much for that to be true of me!

the More I Seek You–Gateway Worship:

The more i seek you,
the more i find you
The more i find you, the more I love you

I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath, here your heart beat
This love is so deep, it’s more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it’s overwhelming

from Matthew 20:

25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, [12] 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, [13] 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.”

Jesus uses a reference to the Roman oppression…their propensity to use their power and position to bolster their own standing…and to look down upon others.  This must have resonated with the disciples…they despised the very thing that Jesus was talking about.  they’d been overtaxed, they’d been mocked and treated like sub-standard citizens…chances are they they had the hair on the back of their neck stand up when Jesus talked about the Romans lording over them.  But then Jesus, knowing that each of the men he was speaking to (with the exception of Judas) would soon be regarded, esteemed, and very powerful in the early church which would explode with growth in the years that would follow the ascension of Jesus.  He made it very clear to them, that the way of Christianity was diametrically opposed to what they had seen with the Romans.  They were, as leaders, to be servants.  The more power they had, the more humble they must become.

APPLICATION:

My first application is to ask God to capture my heart more fully…so that he’d be my sole sufficiency.  and at the very same time, for me to tear down every idol, and purify my mind with the truth that only He can satisfy!

My second…is to recognize that, as a leader, I’m a servant.  Now, I don’t have much power at all…but as a pastor I am looked to (way more than I should be!)…and that is fuel for servanthood…and only servanthood.  I am, and must always be, dead last at the Vineyard.  Dead last.

PRAYER: 

Lord, you are the source of all good things…all joy…all peace…and all sufficiency!  You are the great prize of the universe and of eternity!  I love and adore you!  I worship you alone!

Lord, please conform my mind and will, to always know that the above is true…you’re the source of all sufficiency!  Help me to purge away all the things that might fight for the affections that should belong only to you.

Lord, please teach me to be a servant to all.  And please don’t ever let the fact I’m a leader fill me with pride.  Lord, it should always fill me with more and more humility.  I want to be a servant to your people…help me to always be this for you, for them, and for your Kingdom.

In the name of Jesus, Amen