Servants In Scripture

Transcription

1 Servants In Scripture Discipleship Journal Issue #117 May/June What do the following verses teach about whom we are to serve? Deut. 13:4 Galatians 5:13 Galatians 6:10 2. Put a check next to the person/people you find easiest to serve. 3. Put an X next to your hardest category of service. Serving God 4. Each person below was called God's servant. Read the Scripture passages and answer this question: Why do you think this person was called God's servant? a. Moses: Exodus 11 14; Deut. 34 b. Caleb: Numbers 13:1 14:24; Joshua 14:6 15 c. Job: Job 1:1 2:10 d. Mary: Luke 1:26 38 e. Paul: Romans 1:1 17; 1 Cor. 2:1 5; Phil. 3: David, who was arguably Israel's greatest and most beloved king, repeatedly described himself as God's servant. From the following verses, what do you observe about David's relationship with his "Master"? Psalm 31:16 Psalm 86:2 Psalm 86:4 Psalm 116:16

2 Psalm 119:23 Psalm 119:84 Psalm 119:125 Psalm 119:140 Psalm 143:2 6. From the examples of these servants, what do you think it means to "live as servants of God" (1 Peter 2:16)? 7. Which quality that you observed in these servants' lives would you most like to see developed in your life? 8. What is a first step you could take to begin growing in this area? (If you cannot think of anything, talk this over with another believer you respect, and record his or her suggestions here.) Topsy-turvy 9. Read Matthew 20: What request did the mother of James and John make (Matthew 20:21)? 10. What was Jesus' response (Matthew 20:22 23)? 11. How did the other disciples respond to the request (Matthew 20:24)? 12. What did Jesus do to restore harmony (Matthew 20:25)? 13. How was greatness traditionally exercised in Jesus' day, according to Matthew 20:25?

3 14. What are some of the symbols of greatness for us today? 15. What did Jesus say was the way to greatness for His followers (Matthew 20:25 28)? 16. What do you find hardest about this definition of greatness? Serving Others 17. How would you define what it means to serve others? (You may want to compare your definition with that of a dictionary.) 18. When do you find it most difficult to serve? Why do you think that is? 19. Is there a particular person you find especially difficult to serve? If so, why? 20. Read John 13:1 17. In John 13:15 Jesus states that He performed this foot washing as an example to His disciples. Few of us spend hours walking dusty roads in sandals, so we cannot easily relate to the foot-washing imagery. What might be a modern equivalent to foot washing? (This is a good question to brainstorm with friends.) 21. Many of us have walked with Christ long enough to know we are to serve others. But knowing is not enough. Complete Jesus' statement from John 13:17: "Now that you these things, you will be if you them." 22. Scan back over the Servant Stories throughout the special section. What three examples of serving others are most meaningful to you? 23. Is there a specific example in these stories that you would like to follow? If so, what is one way you could do that this week?

4 The Nature of a Servant 24. Read Phil. 2:1 11. How does Paul describe servanthood in Phil. 2:3 4? 25. In order to obey Phil. 2:3 4, we need to have the attitude of Christ (Phil. 2:5). What attitudes and actions characterized the servanthood of Jesus, according to Phil. 2:5 8? 26. In your own words, how would you describe "the very nature of a servant"? 27. In many translations, Phil. 2:1 begins with the word if. A more accurate rendering would be "because" or "since." In this verse, what four things does Paul say we have in Christ? 28. How might these things help us as we try to serve one another? Wrapping Up Servanthood 29. What do the following verses say about how and/or why we should serve? Verse(s) How to Serve Why to Serve Deut. 10:12 1 Samuel 12:24 Psalm 2:11 Psalm 100:2 Matthew 10:42 Matthew 25:23 Luke 9:62 John 12:26 Romans 12:11 Romans 14: Cor. 15:58 Ephes. 6:7 8 Col. 3:24 25

5 2 Tim. 2:24 Hebrews 6:10 12 Rev. 22: In which of the "hows" are you strongest? 31. In which would you most like to improve? 32. Which of the verses in the chart above is most motivating for you and why? 33. If you haven't already done so, write that verse on an index card, and work on memorizing it over the next few weeks. 34. How did this study challenge the way you have been viewing servanthood? 35. What would you like to do (or do differently) as a result of this study? Copyright 2006, The Navigators, Discipleship Journal. All rights reserved.