shortlady
Member
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2005
- Messages
- 2,696
Knowing Your Place in the Kingdom of God
Who really wants to be put in their place? Most of us think a little more of ourselves than we ought. Yes, YOU are probably guilty of overrating your skills and abilities and minimizing your weaknesses and failures. Don't worry, you're in good company. Jesus' disciples were always jockeying for position and arguing about who would be the greatest. In Luke 17, Jesus puts them in their place. He tells them that He is God and they are lowly servants. He goes on to say that servants are hired to serve, period. No questions asked, no special treatment, no extra reward - just an expectation to get the job done right! Does that feel like a slap in the face? Well it should, but remember the Proverb that says, "Better a slap from a friend, than a kiss from an enemy." (Prov 27:6)
So this slap comes from Jesus, and He is your friend. In fact, Jesus went on to say, "No longer do I call you servants... but I have called you friends." (John 15:15) Just before that He said, "You are my friends if you obey My commands." (v 14) As you walk in humble obedience to The Master, He elevates you from servant to friend. Even better than that, God has promised to adopt us into His family as His children! "God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ." (Eph 1:5) Do you see the progression here? We must live as faithful, humble servants. We must know that He will speak to us like friends. And we must believe that He is adopting us in love as Kids of the Kingdom! God be with you all...
Who really wants to be put in their place? Most of us think a little more of ourselves than we ought. Yes, YOU are probably guilty of overrating your skills and abilities and minimizing your weaknesses and failures. Don't worry, you're in good company. Jesus' disciples were always jockeying for position and arguing about who would be the greatest. In Luke 17, Jesus puts them in their place. He tells them that He is God and they are lowly servants. He goes on to say that servants are hired to serve, period. No questions asked, no special treatment, no extra reward - just an expectation to get the job done right! Does that feel like a slap in the face? Well it should, but remember the Proverb that says, "Better a slap from a friend, than a kiss from an enemy." (Prov 27:6)
So this slap comes from Jesus, and He is your friend. In fact, Jesus went on to say, "No longer do I call you servants... but I have called you friends." (John 15:15) Just before that He said, "You are my friends if you obey My commands." (v 14) As you walk in humble obedience to The Master, He elevates you from servant to friend. Even better than that, God has promised to adopt us into His family as His children! "God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ." (Eph 1:5) Do you see the progression here? We must live as faithful, humble servants. We must know that He will speak to us like friends. And we must believe that He is adopting us in love as Kids of the Kingdom! God be with you all...
