Learning from Subordinates While teaching lofty principles of life, the Bible gives insights about learning from servants. 1. Abraham’s servant, Eliezer (?) – Gen 15:2 Eliezer took an arduous 500 mile journey to Mesopotamia to fulfill a seemingly impossible task. For, what woman would be willing to leave her home, her family and everything to travel with a complete stranger to marry a man whom she has never even met? Yet, Abrahams servant trusted God. Before he even started looking for a wife for Isaac, he prayed for guidance. When Eliezer meets Rebecca’s family, he doesnt speak of himself or his arduous journey, but only of his master Abraham. When you serve in the name of our Lord Jesus, do you act in humility or boastfulness? Do you want His name to be glorified or yours? 2. The amazing cure of Naaman at Jordan II Kings 5 Shows 3 classes of subordinates: 1) Gehazi - “one who denies or diminishes” Naaman, the unbelieving Syrian, was struck with awe when he was cured of leprosy, but the incident doesn’t seem to have touched that chord of wonder in Gehazi who had travelled closely with the great Elisha! Gehazi, no doubt, spent much time with his Master Elisha and was fully aware of the power of God flowing through Elisha when • Splitting and crossing the Jordan. …… II Kings 2:8 • His prayer opened Gehazi’s eyes to a different realm- the chariots of fire... II Kings 6:17 • He blessed the Shunemite woman’s kindness with the gift of a son II Kings 4:8 • years later, when the boy became sick and died, Gehazi realized that even with all of Elisha’s authority behind him, he was unable to offer life! He however witnessed Elisha presenting the boy alive to his mother!! II Kings 4:18 & MANY MORE MIRACLES as well! In spite of all these personal experiences, Gehazi was enamoured by the beautiful clothes that Naaman had and the many pieces of silver tinkling in Naaman’s pouch!! Doesn’t Gehazi compare closely with Judas, who had seen the Lord’s miracles and yet could get snared by 30 pieces of silver? -- “the love of money is the root of all evil” I Tim 6:10 2) The Woman Who Shared Her Faith: Maid of Naaman’s Wife – II Kings 5:2 The heroine of this Bible event is a young Israeli girl who had been taken captive when King of Aram won over Israel. She had been wrenched from her family and was now a maid-in-waiting to Naaman’s wife. Though not a follower of Jehovah, the Mistress must have respected the religious faith of her maid who doubtless expressed it and who certainly lived it in her captured home. When this insignificant /nameless slave girl learnt that the master suffered from leprosy, she promptly speaks up. She Was a Believer and her contagious faith was a flame, lighting the spirit of every person in the household. We too are called to stand up for our faith in a daunting/hostile environment. 3) The Key Role Of The Servants – II Kings 5:13 The key role of the servants who accompanied Naaman cannot be under-estimated. When Naaman was vexed with Elisha’s impersonal instruction, they dared to reason with this valiant commander “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? ” Do we stick our necks out for a cause? Opposing the views of a frustrated boss?? 3. Parable of the Three Servants – Mat 25:14-30 God commends the first two servants as being faithful with what had been given to them. But the third servant with the smallest talent kept it the way it was. His master called him unprofitable, lazy and “wicked”. He was not “lazy” but he thought: its “only one” talent - when compared to the five talents of the other man, what use is my ONE? Why even try and compete?’ Therein lies the fault: he failed to realise the significance of what he was given and, as a result, failed to put it to good use. Many of us, the one-talent-holders are making this same mistake:” I can’t sing very well, I don’t think I can be in the church choir.” Or……“My guitar playing is ok, but then, there are so many, much more talented than I am.” Or…. the budding songwriter / author who keeps hesitating on comparing with established veterans. 4. Onesimus – the slave who turned a new leaf – Philemon 1:16 Onesimus, a slave of Philemon robbed his master Philemon at Colosse and fled to Rome, where he was affronted by the apostle Paul. Paul sent him back to his master with the epistle in which he beseeches Philemon to receive his runaway slave as a faithful and beloved brother and offers to pay Philemon anything his slave had taken. Do we have the grace to accept a converted sinner so completely? The story of this fugitive Colossian slave is a remarkable evidence of the righteous principles of the gospel & the transfiguring character of St. Paul which is illustrated in the following 4 aspects: • Unto Him who works all things together for good… Paul said ‘For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever.’ i.e. while things may have looked bad in the outward (Philemon was probably angry with his thieving runaway slave), God has a way of turning things around! Do we have the grace to wait for God to finish the Good work He has begun in us? • From Slavery to Son-ship Onesimus had left as a slave, but he had returned as a son just as Jesus said “Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:35) Isn’t that fantastic?!! We, who have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus, are no longer slaves but sons. • Accept him as you would me. If Paul had turned up at Philemon’s place (who was apparently rich), Paul would have been given a wonderful welcome, with all his needs looked after. He asks the same for Onesimus. Do we extend the same status/courtesy to a young believer? • Charge that to my account! In spite of the transformation, Paul realized that Onesimus should make restitution for his thievery to Philemon. • Do we guide a young believer in the right direction? Onesimus, probably had no way of paying his master back, but was prepared to go back and face his master, as a proof of the round-about-turn Jesus wrought in his life. • When we experience salvation, Jesus dares us to do the same!! We too cannot redeem ourselves except through the willing sacrifice of our Lord Jesus on the cross. Our debt of sin was entirely paid for, once & for all at the cross. Rom 3:25 On the trail of our Lord, we as Christians are called to serve and not to be served - Mat 20:28 As per worldly norms, a genuine servant should be: - Humble, devoted, faithful and obedient - If asked to ‘Go’ ‘Come’ ‘Do,’ a servant is supposed to comply… Mat 8:9 - Even if he’s an Einstein, to keep in mind, ‘a servant is not greater than his master’ Jn 13:16 Jesus has revolutionized the entire concept – -- The SLAVE® SERVANT® FRIEND® SON® HEIR transformation: • ‘But it shall not be so among you, whoever would be great among you, must be a Servant’ Mk 10:43 He came as a role model – a Servant King and He wants us to follow suit!! • Further, Jesus declares ‘ I dont call you servants any longer, because servants dont know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because everything I heard from my Father I have made known to you. ‘ Jn. 15:15 • As a final culmination, ‘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 OH! WHAT A WONERFUL SAVIOR WE WORSHIP!!
Posted on: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 14:44:56 +0000
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