Title: Master, I am a useless servant
Contents
Master, I am a useless servant
Let's deeply reflect on what kind of year the Lord saw this year.
Text Commentary/ There have been hardships and trials in our lives throughout the year, but we were able to get through the year because of the good God who opened the way for us to escape and allows only trials we can bear. And we can see that our faith has matured in the midst of suffering. Just as we bow our heads when the rice is ripe, I think the maturity of our faith will be the appearance of humbly approaching God. Today's text is the message the Lord taught about the immature faith of Jesus' disciples following Jesus for a long time.
Question 1: What did the disciples ask of Jesus? (verse 5)
Question 2: What kind of faith did Jesus teach his disciples? (verse 6)
Answer: (1) Jesus told his disciples to properly have faith even as small as a mustard seed. “Faith the size of a mustard seed” means faith with vitality. The vitality of our Christians is revealed when we are connected with the resurrection life of Jesus. If you are connected with God and claim life and make it grow, you will bear fruit regardless of how small it may seem on the outside.
(2) Great faith is not any knowledge or talent, but the belief that ‘God lives’ must be accepted with great faith. Whether we have a living faith or not depends entirely on God doing our best to correct our relationship with God and leaving the results to God.
Question 3: Let's look back on our prayer life (verse 6)
Answer: (1) Those who have great faith must pray with the authority of rule. The prayers of those who have such ruling authority are called the prayers of the king. The king orders. Impossible things can be done with a single command. In order to have great faith, we must pray royally enough to command the impossible.
(2) What happens when you pray for the king? “It would have obeyed you.” The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, is the Spirit of prophecy. Therefore, commanding in anticipation of the work of the Holy Spirit is itself a great faith.
Question 4: Let's look back on our service life (vv.
Answer: (1) Why did the disciples ask Jesus for faith? I wanted to gain a lot of popularity from people. The Lord has seen this. You pointed out that there was a problem with their attitude of service. That's why he told the parable of the unprofitable servant. Disciples are only servants, not masters. It is to serve and serve with the attitude of a servant. It is not to be mistaken for the master (verses 7-9). To confess, “I am an unworthy servant,” is what a true and faithful servant looks like (verse 10).
(2) First, you must obey your master. It is the master's orders that the servant cares about. You just have to pay attention to what you are saying and obey it. If I am a servant of God, there is no need to doubt that I will be used for God's good works. Because he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion to the end of the age (Philippians 1:6).
Second, we must give glory to God. After we have done all the commands we have been given, we should not think about being rewarded or glorified as a result of thinking that we only did what we were supposed to do. It just says that he is a useless servant and quietly exalts his master. A person who has matured in faith toils and strives for the Lord, but knows and gives thanks for all of it as God's grace. And without light and without name, all glory goes to God. However, those who have not yet matured in their faith claim that all things are their merits and achievements. And they demand compensation from God, just like a debtor urging for debt.
Decision message:
The secret we will keep as we mature is that the Lord is our Master. And the fact is that I am a servant of the Lord. The Lord works in the place of professing this faith. You do miracles. Even if he receives the king's prayer and tells him to throw the mulberry tree up into the sea, he makes him obey. So what we've done is actually nothing. It is simply obedience to the word of the Lord. When I become a servant who obeys the Lord's commands, God commands the world and makes it obedient. Therefore, what is important is the relationship between God and me, where the Lord is my master. I am a useless servant!