Every respectful employee understands the expectations of working for his employer.  My boss tells me what do to, and I do it (as the scripture says without grumbling or complaining, Phil. 2:14).  Yet in a culture that questions authority, this concept is becoming a rare commodity.  How do we revive the principle of respect and honor when it comes to the master/servant relationship?

Reading Matthew chapter 10, you’ll see Jesus sending his disciples to ‘…go to the lost sheep of Israel.’  Through His various instructions we read the proclamation, “A servant is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.” (verse 24)  Is this a difficult statement?  Do we value ourselves above others to the point that we refuse to serve one another?  A child of God never forgets who he serves and he understand why the servant is never above his Master.

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, December 15, 2013

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“Come, Let Us All Unite to Sing” -121

As our country struggled in the early years before the Civil War, a song of unification was penned.  That same spiritual song will serve as our opening song of encouragement this Sunday morning.  “Come, let us all unite to sing…God is love!”  The call is for every soul to wake up from the sleep of death (sin), and make sweet music in his heart…for Jesus’ sake.  Why?  Simply because God is love!

“Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” -202

Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” serves as the musical foundation for this hymn of praise.  Each verse calls the singer, and the whole of God’s creation, to worship Him.  Note verse two; “All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays, stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise; Field and forest, vale (valley) and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing (surprising) sea, chanting birds and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.”  All of God’s creation praises Him.  Will we?

“I Am Thine, O Lord” -666

Before the Lord’s Supper we’ll sing about our devotion to God.  The servant-Master relationship is implied as we seek to be ‘consecrated’ (set apart as holy) in His service.  The chorus echoes with the desire we have to be drawn nearer to His side.  May we turn our hearts and minds back ‘to the cross where Thou hast died.’ Truly, God’s children understand that He is the Master and we say, “I am Yours, O Lord.”

“He Paid a Debt” -376

‘He paid a debt He did not owe…’  On the face of it we sing this song from rote and can sing it with our eyes closed.  We know the words, but do we listen to the message.  As a servant to his Master we must never forget who paid the debt for us.  It’s not about what I have done, but what Jesus did!  He paid that debt on Calvary… Amazing Grace!

“On Bended Knee“ -791

A beautiful song of prayer where we come ‘bowing down’ to our King.  Understanding this to be a figure of speech, it still behooves us to ask the question, ‘are we willing to bend our knee before the throne?’  Without a humble or broken heart we’ll never truly bow to Him…figuratively.  However, remember the scripture is clear, “…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…” Philippians 2:10.  So literally we will all one day be ‘on bended knee.’

“More About Jesus” -678

Some people think they can never have enough.  Never satisfied with what they have, but always looking for more.  As servants of the King, we should be looking for more too.  We should be striving to know more about Jesus, to learn more about Him and His saving fullness.  This old spiritual song uses the word ‘more’ ten times in the first verse alone.  As you strive for ‘more’, make Jesus your first and only objective.

“Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” -679

Serving as our invitation song this morning, we sing a strong affirmation of our trust in Jesus.  He is our Master and we trust His judgement.  But notice the third verse, ‘…Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus, just from sin and self to cease…”  As we follow the Master we cease living in sin, we start serving the Master and stop serving ourselves.  We come to better understand that the servant is not above his Master.

“Make Me a Servant” -694

How appropriate we conclude this morning’s song service with this simple contemporary hymn to God.  As you think about what you’re singing you will better understand what you are asking for.  “Make me a servant…do what You must do to make me a servant…”  Are you really ready for that, for God to do what He must do?  If you are truly ready for God to work in you, then you know that a servant can never be above his Master.