Luke 17.5-10 with 2.35-7 Commitment Sunday 01-02-09
1. We have just heard that passage about a master and his servant… and there is another picture of a master and servant that I want to read to you, another passage from Luke’s Gospel… that will come at the end of this sermon. But first…
Here is something from the news yesterday “As far as they are guilty, and they are, I would like to see them assuage their consciences and do the right thing by London by giving their bonuses - and it is a disgrace that they are still getting (them) - by giving their bonuses, by giving a share of their salaries to things like the Mayor’s Fund for London, for helping disadvantaged children. (Words from Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, talking about bankers. He goes on to say…) “There has got to be a much bigger and more public sense of duty and commitment on the part of the bankers... I want them to pay their debt to society. However (he said) - I do not want to go around banker bashing…”
For years people have been getting bonuses… huge ones in the City of London. We’ve got used to it… in just the same way has we have got used to the huge pay differentials that exist in both the private and the public sector these days. I suppose big bonuses running into tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds are out of fashion at the moment but we still think that some jobs deserve to be paid a lot more than others… (e.g. Headteacher in a large secondary school can earn as much as five times the salary of other teaching staff… but doesn’t have to work five times as many hours.)
And we are used to the principle that if we work harder… we should earn more. The more hours we work at the office or in a factory the more we should be rewarded. And maybe there is nothing wrong in that idea… Nothing that is, unless we start to apply that sort of thinking to our life of service here as a Christian.
You see God does not operate according to our economic ideas. Which is just as well really, seeing as we are beginning to discover quite a lot of failings in our economic systems.
A place in heaven is not a bonus for all our efforts.
A place in heaven is not a wage that he pays us for our Christian work.
A place in heaven is a free gift – a gift that God gives in love to all those who live in friendship with his Son Jesus and who honour him as their Lord.
2. Now in the bible reading… Jesus paints a picture of a master and a servant. And he asks the question now would a master ever say to a servant after he comes in from the field with the sheep… come on in and sit down and let me look after you? I think that Jesus expected his disciples to laugh out loud when he said that. It was an absurd idea for those who heard it. Of course no master would ever say that to a servant.
In the time of Jesus the boundaries between the servant and the master were clearly defined.
A servants life was not his own, or her own… their time and energy belonged to their master.
The master was there to be served…
the servant was there to serve.
It seems that the point Jesus is making is that there is an order in our relationship with God.
There are clearly defined roles.
He is our master...we are to serve.
Are you happy with that idea?
3. It is helpful to remember that God is not like any other boss that you we have ever known. All he ever wants is our good. He is not interested in making a profit out of us.. he simply wants to bring good into our lives and into his creation through our lives.
… and We are called to lovingly and willingly give ourselves in service to him, and to others in the name of Jesus… following his example … (as we remind ourselves in this service today)
(remember what Paul said about Love….!!)
If our service is done grudgingly and without love then forget it … because whatever that service might be it is not service done in the name of Jesus, nor is it service done by the power of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ who freely and willingly humbled himself and came among us as a servant.
But when we serve as an expression of our love, then we are doing no more or less than what any servant of God should do.
God will often call us to do things that we like doing. Please don’t forget that.
He will give us opportunities for service that will bring joy and happiness in serving.
And it is important to remember that God will never ask us to do anything that he will not help us to do.
But giving ourselves in service WILL mean that sometimes our tasks are difficult…
Look at the examples in the parable…
Ploughing a field (vs.7) may bring satisfaction, a sense of achievement even... but it is not EASY work, and we would expect to feel tired after it.
Looking after the sheep… didn’t mean sitting out in the sunshine all day looking at the view. It could mean making long treks over difficult hillsides, it could mean facing danger from wild animals, and coping with cold sleepless nights.
So our service for Jesus will not always be easy.
4. I was talking to someone a little while ago who had been ordained in previous twelve months. I asked this lady a question that I have often been asked myself by my friends since I was ordained.
I said to her “Are you enjoying it?” In return I got a sort of grimace, and a smile and I received the answer… “enjoy” is not the word.
You could ask me … “ Duncan do you always enjoy being a vicar here in Burntwood.”
I’d have to say “Of course I enjoy it - it’s wonderful - there’s never a cloud on the horizon, everyone in the church is always so willing and helpful and loyal and co-operative, so eager to serve and so generous and supportive… and so full of initiative and ideas and always ready to do whatever it takes to build God’s kingdom here.”
Of course if you know me… you would know that sometimes I’d have to say.. well just at the moment… “enjoy” is not the word I would use.
Actually… do you know what brings joy to a servant of Jesus?
The joy of being a servant comes not from the task or thing being done… not from whether things are going well or badly, the joy of being a servant certainly doesn’t come from knowing what other people think about you or say about you.
The joy of being a servant simply comes from the knowledge that we are doing what Jesus has asked us to do.
Maybe you have heard this prayer before - it’s one that I learned as a child… it goes like this…
Teach us, dear Lord, to serve thee as thou deservest;
to give and not to count the cost to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labour and not to ask for any reward save that of knowing that we do thy will.
The reward is the joy of knowing that we do the will of Jesus. The reward is the joy of knowing that we are his servants. Can you get that?
When we engage in works of service in the name of Jesus.. our reward - in this life - is simply knowing that we serve him. Nothing more. Nothing less.
That servant in the parable Jesus told...
worked hard in the fields, worked hard looking after sheep, and then worked hard serving the master’s meal… and all of that was what a servant should do.
There was no extra bonus, no extra words of praise or appreciation - Nothing… except the knowledge that the servant had done what had to be done.
Does that seem hard?
5. Our problem can sometimes be that we apply our economics to our Christian Service. So that we expect to receive a BONUS in addition to the reward of knowing that we are a servant of Jesus… and then we grumble if we don’t get it!!
“I feel as if what I do isn’t appreciated.
“The Minister had better not forget to thank me again, or this is the last time I’m doing anything for this church.”
“Fancy… getting my address wrong on the Parish Directory… shows how much notice they take of me!” This sort of list could go on for a long time, but you get the picture? I could draw up one for myself with all my whinges.
Although we might find it hard to admit this… as Christians we sometimes crave for a BONUS, we want our reward to be the approval and recognition and affirmation of others, rather than simply the knowledge that we are serving our Lord Jesus.
6. The trouble with this is that it damages our walk with Jesus who calls us to follow his example... the example of a servant who freely and lovingly gave himself in obedience for the sake of others.
... and it spoils our relationships with one another.
Now It IS important that we thank one another, express our appreciation for one another. Of course it is. Why? Because we are commanded to “ENCOURAGE” one another… (Hebrews 10:25; 1 Thess. 4:18) and God prizes and values this so much that he even empowers some people by his Holy Spirit to be encouragers in a special way to help build up the body of Christ… (in Romans 12:8) Within this church here there are people who God calls to exercise that special Holy Spirit ministry of encouragement and support. I thank God for them. I hope you do.
As followers of Jesus we do have an obligation to GIVE our thanks and encouragement to one another…
but we don’t have a right to expect and RECEIVE thanks and praise from others…
and we certainly have no permission from Jesus to sulk an complain and whinge if we don’t get it!
Being willing to be a servant for the sake of Jesus, might mean that we receive no thanks, no recognition… no extra bonus of receiving affirmation from others.
7. I want to read a story... and then I want you to hear that other short passage from the bible.
A faithful missionary couple came back to this country after many difficult years of service in Africa. As their ship docked in harbour they heard a band on the dock playing welcome music for returning passengers. Hundreds of people, family and friends were gathered to greet their loved ones. The passengers began to disembark… and by the time the missionary couple came down the gangplank the band and the welcoming crowds had all gone their separate ways. All that was left to greet them were a few seagulls and the streamers and confetti lying on the ground from the celebrations that had been held earlier on the dock. They didn’t know what to do next, they walked the hundred or so yards through to the customs point, carrying their suitcases in silence. They telephoned from a call box… and after several calls found a hotel that was cheap enough for them to afford… and they booked in for the evening. As they sat in the hotel room, the husband could not contain himself any longer. In anger and frustration he cried out : "We’ve worked so hard all these years. We have been faithful to Jesus, to our calling, to our mission abroad and to our church in Africa. You would have thought that someone would have met us and welcomed us home, wouldn't you?"
There was silence. And then his wife said…
"But Darling… we aren't home yet!".
Do you know what she meant?
That missionary couple hadn’t come home… they were just still on their journey of serving Jesus.
8. Now here is the second bible passage. And this will be where I finish. It’s another picture that Jesus painted… and once again it’s about a master and his servants. And in this picture there is a promise … a promise for the future of every one who gives themselves in love and service to Jesus…
Luke 12:35 & 7 (NIV)
“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning…. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.
I tell you the truth, for then he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table
and (then he) will come and wait on them.”
If you are willing just to love and serve Jesus… this promise is for you.