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Servants and Friends –Extended Article– |
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By James Rafferty |
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| In the Bible God calls believers both "servants" and "friends."1 In fact, every author of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul and Peter, James, and even Jude describes believers as "servants" of God.2 And Jesus, on one significant occasion just before His death, clearly calls us friends: read more... | |||
Friends are closer than servants, being in intimate association. Friends are also in a position to inflict greater pain than a servant if they turn from their friendship as seen in the experiences of Peter and Judas (Matthew 26:34, 50).
Servants, on the other hand, are bound to obedience by the very position they occupy–they are expected to be loyal to their masters. Yet servants may never enter into so close a loving relationship with their masters due to the authoritarian position of the master over the servant.
The words of Christ in John 15:15 declare that we are both servants and friends of God in a unique blending of these two experiences. The context of John 15:15 clearly reveals that this servanthood to God is swallowed up by friendship, the one becoming blended with the other. True friendship flows out of our willingness to serve and do whatever God commands us to do as seen in the immediate context of the verse:
"Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you" (John 15:14).
God calls us His friends not because we are no longer servants, but rather because our servanthood to Christ is no longer motivated by Christ's authority over us. His relentless love calls forth our desire to serve Him (2 Corinthians 5:14). The changeless love and faithfulness of Jesus has captivated our entire beings so that we now realize that He is our truest and best Friend. Our servanthood to Christ now moves to its proper place as the entire surrender of everything we have to the unfailing friendship of our Lord and Savior. The love of Christ makes us friends and servants, loyal and true, obedient and intimate with the One who has loved us like no other. Amen.
1Joshua 1:1; Revelation 1:1; Exodus 33:11; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23.
2Matthew 20:27; Mark 10:44; Acts 4:29; Romans 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1; Revelation 1:1.
One may ask, what about the possibility of shaking off the servant idea altogether and just being a friend of God? There is always a danger in seeking to discard some part of the truth of God's word. Judas was a willing friend and Christ called him one–even when Judas was betraying His "master" with a "kiss" (Matthew 26:49-50). Yet Judas was unwilling to obey Christ. This friend of Christ was often exasperated by the humility of His master’s example of servant-hood. Christ's act in washing the feet of His disciples offended Judas. If Jesus could so humble Himself, he thought, He could not be Israel's king. All hope of worldly honor in a temporal kingdom was destroyed. It was during the last supper that Judas was satisfied that there was nothing to be gained by following Christ. After seeing Him degrade Himself, as he thought, he was confirmed in his purpose to disown Him, and confess himself deceived. He was possessed by a demon, and he resolved to complete the work he had agreed to do in betraying his Lord. In Judas we see the result of one who chose part but not all of Christ. This disciple was a willing friend of Christ but not a servant of Christ, and therefore even his friendship was false. With Judas, money, reputation and worldly honor took control.
By definition a servant is not simply a slave but one who gives himself up to another's will, whose servanthood is a channel to extend and advance God’s cause among men. Servants are devoted to another, even to disregarding their own interests. Judas never fully entered into this experience, yet Jesus called him "friend." Jesus made Judas His friend, taking him into close association that through the revelation of His own life of service and devotion to the cause of man and heaven, Judas might also give himself up to the will of God. It never happened. Judas was graciously called a friend but not a servant; therefore Judas was not a true friend of God. So is servanthood really so bad that we should desire to be rid of it? Must we be servants or friends? Can we be both servants and friends? The Gospel account of the Roman centurion's servant illustrates the wonderful experience of being both a servant and a friend. The account in Luke 7 says that this servant was "dear" or "precious" unto the centurion. This word, "entimos" is used only five times in the New Testament and two of those times it describes the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:4, 6). And the "entimos" of the centurion towards his servant reveals a faith not seen in Israel. It illustrates, in the life of a Roman soldier, the powerful love of God for his servant/friend. No wonder Jesus commended the faith of this heathen soldier (Luke 7:9). The source of his faith was God.
Nebuchadnezzar became a friend and servant of Christ. Perhaps few have ever experienced the loyalty of God's love as this king did. When everyone else had abandoned him because he had become like a wild animal, God was with him (Daniel 4:15, 23, 26). "I will never leave you or forsake you," are the words of our best Friend (Hebrews 13:5). After his seven year plunge into the wild life, Nebuchadnezzar entered fully into the servant/friendship with God. Like an obedient servant he emphatically declared, "There is no one who can stay his hand or say to him,"What are you doing?" (Daniel 4:35, NRSV). As a true friend, Nebuchadnezzar knew that God was doing everything possible to save him and us from the pride of selfishness (Daniel 4:35, 37). Nebuchadnezzar became a true servant of God, a friend of the King.
So why would those who have become friends of God still want to be servants of God? There are several reasons:
- 1) To be like Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5-7).
- 2) To avoid the duplicity of feigned friendship (Matthew 22:12).
- 3) To allow Jesus to remove all pride from our hearts (John 13:13-17).
- 4) To prepare for the atmosphere of heaven (Revelation 7:15).
- 5) To be fully restored to the image of God (Revelation 7:3; 22:3-4).
- 6) To avoid being servants of sin (Romans 6:16-18).
- 7) To experience true friendship with God (James 2:22-23).
James says that works of service are what distinguishes the belief of devils from the belief of God’s friends (James 2:17-24). This is why Jesus came to this earth as a servant, to restore God's name (character) in our fallen human nature (Philippians 2:5-7; Revelation 7:3; 22:3-4). True servanthood destroys every vestige of pride for it is the very atmosphere of heaven where Jesus will serve us as He did when upon this earth (Revelation 7:15; John 13:13-17; Luke 12:37). In the presence of the Lamb all those who have embraced the servanthood of their Master find in Jesus their truest Friend (John 15:14-15). Amen.
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Big Plan: Lusaka 2010 |
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By Ty Gibson |
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| As 2009 closes and 2010 opens before us, an army of Bible workers is being trained and dispatched in the Zambian city of Lusaka. This is in preparation for a citywide evangelistic series James and I will conduct in October 2010 as a joint effort of the Central Zambia Conference, Riverside Farm Institute and Light Bearers. read more... | |||
1. Light Bearers will send up to twelve containers of Bible lessons. One million sets is the goal.
2. Multiple teams of Bible Workers will be trained and mobilized door–to–door to acquire students. This is currently underway.
3. In October, James and I will preach a three–week series of reaping meetings.
Meiring Pretorius, of Riverside Farm, is the able organizer of the project. I want you, as our partners in faith, to get a clear sense of what this project involves and the large vision of the brother who is organizing the project, not to mention his enthusiasm. Here are a few pieces of correspondence from Meiring. After my visit to Africa in March Meiring wrote:
"Hi Ty!
What a blessing it was to have
you guys here!! Thank you for taking the time to come and see what we are
doing here in Africa. God is working powerfully through Light Bearers
Ministry (LBM) as a channel to reach Africa.
We spoke briefly about a city project for Lusaka. I have worked out
a strategic plan to reach at least one million people with the Bible lessons
from LBM. I know it is possible through God's grace.
The plan involves:
1. Training each church in Lusaka in
the use of the Bible lessons.
2. Setting up distribution centers all over Lusaka.
3. An evangelistic series at the end of the cycle, about October 2010.
4. We want the rural churches in smaller towns and villages to adopt
this plan so that within three years we can reach all of Zambia.
5. To extend and promote this method in other African countries.
What is the possibility of getting one million sets of Bible lessons from
LBM for this project, and later more literature for extending into other
countries? This means at least one container every month for the next
three years! Meiring"
"Meiring,
Great to hear from you! I had
such a wonderful time getting to know
you and Juanita. This is a very ambitious plan, and I
love it. When would the containers need to
start coming to you? One every month for three years
is a big challenge. Last year we did a total of 12 for the year. This year
there are currently 22 projects we have committed to. It costs us about
$50,000 per container. We are eager to supply the literature need for this
project. We just need to raise the money.
Ty"
"Hi Ty,
I know this is a huge challenge,
but God is bigger than our challenges. He wants us as His children to test
and trust Him, standing on His promise to take the Three Angels
messages to every nation. Literature distribution is very effective in Africa.
Then my question is: If literature is so much more effective than other
methods, why not use it in a more streamlined plan. We would like you to help us
with an evangelistic meeting at end of next year
(2010). By that time we will be able to see the relative success of the program.
Thank you for praying with us and for your willingness to help reach Africa.
Meiring"
"Hello Ty!
Just want to give you some reports: Friday and Enoch, two of our Pioneers
(Bible Workers) have caught on to the idea of creating Bible Study Centers. After
you guys had left they came for more lessons and gave me this encouraging report.
Friday started six centers and Enoch seven. Together they have more than 4,000
students enrolled. And that was in a period of three months. What a blessing!
I met a guy from Zimbabwe that wanted some Bibles from me to distribute in
Lodges in Livingstone. The Holy Spirit spoke to me and I asked him if he would
be interested in being a trainer in Livingstone in the use of Bible lessons. He was
very excited and he is coming for training to Riverside. He will go back and train
all the churches in Livingstone. We need this kind of person in every town. God
will answer our prayers.
Meiring"
"Hi Ty,
Thank you for the commitment. You have done more than you think for us
here in Zambia and across the borders.
The container you sent us in April is nearly finished. God is using these lessons
powerfully to reach many areas. I am now pushing it into the unentered areas of
the West and Northwest Zambia.
Here is our method: "In Christ's act of supplying the temporal necessities of
a hungry multitude is wrapped up a deep spiritual lesson for all His workers.
Christ received from the Father; He imparted to the disciples; they imparted to
the multitude; and the people to one another. So all who are united to Christ will
receive from Him the bread of life, the heavenly food, and impart it to others" (The
Desire of Ages, p. 369).
In these last two sentences I find the strategy that we should use. God, through
Christ, will give through LBM to us, and we must give to the multitudes in Africa.
Then the multitudes will share it also with others. God will multiply it. The
promise of this story is that God can feed the multitude and have leftovers!
Sorry, this was a bit of a mouthful. But time is short and we cannot wait any
longer. We must move as quickly as we can as not to give Satan a chance to steal a
march on us.
Meiring"
| Consider This ... | Speaking Schedule | |||
Those who live in close
fellowship with Christ will be
promoted by Him to positions
of trust. The servant who does
the best he can for his Master is
admitted to familiar intercourse
with the One whose commands
he loves to obey. In the faithful
discharge of duty we may
become one with Christ, for
those who are obeying God’s
commands may speak to Him
freely. The one who talks most
familiarly with his divine leader
has the most exalted conception
of His greatness and is the most
obedient to His commands.
Ellen G. White,You have the pattern, Christ Jesus; walk in his footsteps, and you will be qualified to fill any and every position that you may be called upon to occupy. You will be ‘rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.’ You are not to feel that you are a bond slave, but a son of God; that you are highly favored in that you have been regarded of so great value that God has made you his by paying an infinite ransom for your freedom. Jesus says, 'I call you not servants . . . but I have called you friends.' When you appreciate his wondrous love, love and gratitude will be in your heart as a wellspring of joy. Ellen G. White,All that was communicated to Him by His Father, Christ makes known to His followers. 'Henceforth I call you not servants'; He says, 'for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you' (John 15:15). How was this done? By words merely? No; by character; by the daily life. It was thus that Christ represented His Father. My brethren and sisters, let us make it known that we are branches of the living vine in that we represent the character of Christ. By a life of fruitbearing we are to make known the truth of the Word. You may profess a religion that is as high as the heavens; but unless you do the commandments of God, you are certainly not recommending the love of Christ to the world. Ellen G. White,The religion of Jesus Christ is not merely to prepare us for the future immortal life; it is to enable us to live the Christ life here on earth. Jesus is not only our pattern, He is also our friend and our guide, and by taking hold of His strong arm and partaking of His Spirit, we may walk 'even as he walked.' Ellen G. White, |
December 5 Turning Point Community Adventist Company, Roseburg, OR James Rafferty • (541) 492–1300 December 8 Bible Study, Light Bearers Ministry Ty Gibson • (541) 988–3300 December 12 Cottage Grove SDA Church, OR James Rafferty • (541) 942–5213 January 8–9 Bend SDA Church, OR James Rafferty • (541) 382–5991 January 9–30 Tacoma Central SDA Church, WA Ty Gibson • (253) 752–6637 February 6 Junction City SDA Church, OR James Rafferty • (541) 988–5914 February 9 Bible Study, Light Bearers Ministry Ty Gibson • (541) 746–1750 February 12–13 Pasco Riverside SDA Church, WA James Rafferty • (509) 547–4998 February 12–13 Laurelwood Academy, OR Ty Gibson • (541) 726–2435 February 19–20 Pasco Riverside SDA Church, WA Ty Gibson • (509) 547–4998 |
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