Monthly Devotion - September 2024
READY TO SERVE CHRIST
“For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.” (Romans 14:17-18 NLT)
Being a servant is a job that is not very popular. In the eyes of the Greeks during the New Testament, a servant was a status of people who had no rights and only knew how to carry out the obligations given by their master. Life and death are in the hands of their master and they can only carry out their master's orders whether the servant likes it or not. In Romans 14:17-18, the apostle Paul told the church in Rome that serving Christ is not a matter of food and drink (matters of the flesh and world), but to uphold the truth, pursue what brings peace and a life filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Whoever serves Christ in this way will be pleasing to God and honored by men. This is different from what was the case at that time, but it is the most important principle to become a servant of Christ who is pleasing. To the church in Philippi, the apostle Paul once explained one way to overcome problems due to disunity, division, and disputes, namely through maturity of faith. The goal of maturity of faith is to become more like Christ. We need to have thoughts and feelings that are increasingly like Christ, who, although in the form of God, did not consider equality with God to be something that must be maintained. The Lord Jesus has emptied Himself and lived in faithfulness. He has been obedient to the point of death on the cross so that in the end he will be exalted for the glory of God. The Lord Jesus has become a servant who is pleasing to the Father (Philippians 2: 1-11). If we reflect further on the verses in Philippians 2, namely in verses 12-18, then the apostle Paul and each of His disciples can be ready to serve Christ because in them there is the most basic desire to work out the salvation that has been received, namely. they want to do it with full obedience and willingness (verses 12-13; cf. Hebrews 13:17), without grumbling or arguing and are willing to hold on to the word of life (verses 14-16; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:10-11) and filled with joy (verses 17-18; cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:16). By doing these things, we can also be ready and able to become God's servants who please Him. The Apostle Paul has opened a secret key to the readiness and success of his service to God, so that if we do it, we will not be in vain competing and not in vain working hard. Paul has also been a good example, where he was able to complete his ministry duties and reach the finish line well. In Acts 20:24 he said, “But I do not consider my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish the race and complete the service that the Lord Jesus has given me, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God”. He did not consider his life of any value, because he had a very clear grip, motto and purpose in life. For him “... to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live in the flesh, this means fruitful labor for me” (Philippians 1:21-22 a). He worked with a clear purpose and bore fruit according to the ministry assignment he received from God. Just like Christ, Paul had done it to completion (cf. John 4:34). In John 17:4 the Lord Jesus said, “I have glorified You on earth by completing the work You have given Me to do”. Let us also be ready to serve Christ and willing to do it with a heart that is pleasing to Him and “let your zeal not be slack; let your spirit be fervent, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11). Amen, Lord Jesus bless our ministry!
By Pastor Silwanus Obadja M.Th.
...Monthly
Devotion - August 2024