The Heart of a Servant

Hope you all had a good week. Interesting weather we get. Cold front blows in at the beginning of the week. Warms up, and it's short-sleeved weather at the end of the week. Ah, that's Texas. That's where we live. Don't like the weather. Stick around. About a day, it'll change. But, you know, when we do get warm weather, it reminds me that spring is around the corner, so I start thinking about Passover and the Holy Days coming up. And I was actually, it's interesting that Mr. Dove talked about complacency. It's almost too complacent to remember the word, because I was thinking about this week, and when I was putting this sermon together, I was actually thinking about complacency. And, you know, in the wintertime, it's the longest distance between two Holy Days. And we get busy, and trials happen just like they do all year round. Trials happen year round. But there's a distance between those Holy Days, and it is a testing period for Christians. And, you know, this is a time when we do become complacent. But we're not supposed to be. We've got a job to do. We've got a purpose for being called. We're not just walking through our daily life on autopilot, and yet we do that, especially in the wintertime. We find ourselves going through the motions, oh, we still pray, don't we? We pray every day. Do we pray fervently and wholeheartedly? Are we where we're supposed to be? You know, there's a goal that's set for us. It's laid out in the book of Daniel, where God foretells the final outcome of the righteous, those of us who follow Him. Daniel 7, verse 27. The kingdom and dominion and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him. We are called to lead with Jesus Christ, to have dominion. What kind of leadership does God want from you? What kind of leadership does He want from me? Who does He call saints? I'm just going to talk about one attribute of leadership today, of where we're supposed to be. God's saints have something in common. This quality comes from God and Jesus Christ, and every single saint has this quality. Without this quality, we're not one. Everyone who is called a saint of the Most High God will have a heart of a servant. When the Bible talks about a heart, it's not talking about our physical pump, it's a metaphor. It's our innermost motives, our innermost feelings. That thing which motivates us, the things that we rarely ever share with any other. If we're really close to a spouse, maybe we share that with a spouse. The things we only share, usually, with God and our spouse. What is on the inside, that is what counts. That's what God means by heart, and that's what He's looking for. God wants somebody, something different from us, than what our heart normally produces. Now, we're very familiar with Jeremiah 17 in verse 9. Let's go there and let's review. Let's not be complacent. Jeremiah 17 in verse 9. The heart is deceitful above all things. Who does it deceive the most? My heart is the trickiest to me. It's like Mr. Dove said, complacency is the hardest thing to see. The heart is deceitful above all things, and it tricks us more than it tricks anybody else. And desperately wicked, not word wicked means sick to the core, ill, in need of remedy. Desperately sick. Who can know it? Verse 10, "'I the Lord,' he answers the question. "'I the Lord,' searched the heart. "'I test the mind, even to every man according to his own ways.'" And there's the clue right there. There's the indicator of the heart, the actions that we take, the ways that we have, that comes out of the heart. "'According to the fruit of his doings.'" God has from the very beginning desired children who love to follow His way from our hearts.

And His is a kind heart. He has a heart of a servant, and that's what He wants in us. In 1 Samuel 16, let's read a few verses here, 5, 6, and 7. 1 Samuel 16, verse 5, Samuel replied, "'Now God just told him to go pick a king. Saul had been disqualified. Now he's going to go pick the next king of Israel.' Samuel replied, "'Yes, in peace I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come sacrifice with me.' Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, Surely the Lord's anointed stands here before the Lord." Here's a strapping young man, one of Jesse's sons, a natural leader, obviously someone who God would want to pick. Obviously the replacement for King Saul, who had turned wicked, had turned against God. "'This was the man,' verse 7, but the Lord said to Samuel, "'Do not consider his appearance or height.' Come on, Samuel! Didn't you learn from the last guy?

For I have rejected him. The Lord does not look on the things that a man looks at. A man looks at the outward appearance. Boy, howdy! Don't we ever judge each other on what we can observe. Yes, we do. We become complacent. We slip into judgmentalness quite a bit. But the Lord, continuing on, looks at the heart.

Being a servant, brethren, is not about action. So what is it about? It is a matter of the heart. It's easy to pretend to be a good Christian. It really is. It's simple. And the longer you come to church, the easier it gets to pretend to be a Christian. God doesn't want people who just behave well on the outside. He doesn't want his children to exalt themselves over others on the inside, to be bitter towards each other, to disdain each other. Matthew 23, verse 27. Matthew 23, verse 27, woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, for indeed you appear beautiful outwardly. But inside you are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Brethren, is that us? Wintertime is a good time to ask that question, because we go for a long time in between holy days, and we can become complacent. Are we whitewashed on the outside and just a mess on the inside? I would guess that describes a lot of us, and I'm not excluding myself, brethren. Not at all.

God wants us to change in the heart. Jeremiah 31, verse 31. God wants us to change on the inside and then reflect His character that's inside us outwardly in action. And that's the servant's heart. Jeremiah 31, verse 31.

God calls us. He draws us. But we have to understand and answer that call and respond. By seeking Him, it takes more than just a little effort, brethren. It takes a total commitment. Yes, even in the wintertime. Even when we get kind of in a fog, not knowing where we are. We have to seek Him with our whole heart. Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 16. Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 16. I pray that out of His glorious riches, He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being. So what is He going to do for us?

God wants someone to hear Him. Someone who's willing to cooperate and follow Him. And we know that. And if you are baptized, and if you're not baptized, you'll need to come to this point. When you do hear God and do yield to Him and want to follow Him. But most people in this room, myself included, have been baptized for a long time. Does He... I mean, consider... because this is what I have been thinking this week as well. Consider, do I... am I where I need to be?

And the clear, crystal clear answer is, no, I am not.

And then the next conclusion that has to be drawn, you have to draw it and I have to draw it, is, then where do I need to go? So we ask God, take me where I need to go. Not on the outside, because I can have that down in about a week and pretend to be a great Christian. Oh, hi, how you doing? How was your week? Great! Oh, mine too. Just fine. Great tie. I love that tie. Where'd you get that tie? I'm a great Christian. Hogwash. Some serve for a reward. It's outward. Others serve to gain position. There can be a selfish motive for serving brethren. God's not looking for that. He doesn't want self-serving in our heart. He wants us to be real. He wants us to actually love each other.

Wholeheartedly, brethren. Ephesians 6. 5. We read Ephesians 3. Let's drop down a few chapters. Ephesians 6. 5. Slaves, obey your earthly masters. In our day and age we would say, employees, do what your employer asks you. Don't be a hard employee, one of those troubled employees. With respect and fear, he says, and with sincerity of heart. Do it from the inside. Not an outward appearance. Oh, yes, boss. You're a great boss. What an idiot. I hate that guy. It's not what God wants. Just as you would obey Christ. It's not saying that your employer is Christ. He's saying, you are a servant of Christ. I am a servant of Christ. I'm self-employed. I have my own business. So who is my boss? My client. The market. I'm not my own boss. They tell me what to do every single day. And what do I do? Well, I try to do my best for them as though I'm serving Jesus Christ. Because I remember I'm representing Jesus Christ. And that's what we have to do. That's what Paul is saying. Obey them not only to win their favor, in other words, not for personal gain. It's not why you're doing it. When their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord and not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether slave or free. And whether masters treat slaves in the same way, do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their master and yours is in heaven. And there's no favoritism with him. Jesus Christ loves you, yes, but he loves your boss too. He loves your boss just as much. Boss of yours may not be in the church, may be a wicked person, but someday, someday, he or she is going to have his or her chance. And Jesus Christ died for that person, same as he died for you or me. But you know what? It's not natural to serve in that way, what Paul just described. That does not come naturally. We don't just automatically do that. Oh, I'm just a serving person. Oh, there are a lot of us who have service as one of our attributes. It's a part of our personality. We just serve. We actually express our human love that way. Oh, let me get that for you. Can I wash that plate? Oh, I was thinking of you and I did this. And other people who don't do service have no clue that people like us are actually saying, I love you. They're like, what are you doing? You're in my way. Stop sweeping in front of me, will you? I'm trying to walk here. But that is not the servant's heart. It's similar to it, but that's not it. That's a personality trait, an attribute that God put in certain people. But not even that is what I'm talking about. That's not far enough. That falls way short of the way God and Jesus Christ are and the way we are to become if we're going to be the saints that Daniel was talking about.

Let that end go. It's not natural for us to actually serve a boss or someone who treats us badly as though we were serving Jesus Christ. That just doesn't seem right to us. It takes a very converted heart. It takes wholehearted commitment. One we have to stick through, even in the winter, the longest months between Holy Days. And when it's easy to drift away and not diligently sink God, seek God, and ask for His Spirit to guide us.

Are we Christians on autopilot? Are the lights on but nobody's home? Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 29. Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 29. Brethren, what I want to encourage us today is to switch the autopilot switch off. Let's get back to being active Christians if we have cruised into that complacent being of being on autopilot. That state of being on autopilot. Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 29. But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him. If you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul. And if we're on autopilot, He'll pass us right by and we'll never know He was there. We have to be off of autopilot and actively, diligently with our whole heart, asking God to instill a servant's heart in us. As well as any other thing we need to overcome. Today I'm just talking about the servant's heart. If we seek our God with His whole heart, the good news is He promises He'll put it in us. We can't do it halfway. Now, He's not talking about doing good actions. It takes wholehearted effort. What is a servant's heart? I don't know how many of you know the comedian, Tim Hawkins. But he is sort of like Robin Williams in his style. But he's a quote unquote Christian comedian. He cracks on Christians. He makes jokes about us and our walk of life. And he's very funny, somewhat irreverent. I can't endorse him, but he is funny. His irreverence is sometimes inappropriate. But he did make a funny joke about the servant's heart. Someone walks up to him and says, Tim, you have a servant's heart. Man, you have a servant's heart. He says, what does that mean? I know what that means. That means you want me to stack chairs, buddy. When someone comes up to me and tells me I have a servant's heart, I say, yes, so is your mama. Because we have, you know, we do. We get this idea that it's outward action. And we're going to gain something if we are a servant on the outside. So, brethren, I'm not talking about stacking chairs today. Service from the heart. What does God mean? What am I trying to say? Service is reflecting God's love from our heart towards other people in the form of actions or words. In other words, service is God's love in action. Service is God's love put to action, and sometimes just to word.

Jesus Christ was the perfect servant, the perfect example. So what I would like to do with the remainder of the sermon is give several observations, attributes of Jesus Christ's servant's heart the way He was, the way we're supposed to become. He did it. He showed us how to do it. Let's observe what He did. And through this winter section on through towards the Passover, let's try to have this servant's heart grow in us more than it already is. First observation of what Jesus Christ had in His heart as a servant of other people, God's love in action comes from the heart, starts with the heart, and starts with humility. First observation of Jesus Christ, an amazing humility. Philippians 2. We'll come to Philippians a little later, too. But right now, Philippians 2, verses 5-7. Philippians 2, 5-7. Paul writes, How humble is that?

He listened to his own words, his own expression of humility. John, chapter 5. John, chapter 5 and verse 30. Jesus Christ said, He says this a lot in the book of John. John reports, Jesus said this all the time. And this is just one of many places He said this. John, chapter 5 and verse 30. By myself, I can do nothing. I judge only as I hear. This is God in the flesh talking to us. Who are we? Who are we? That's the question we should be asking.

Okay. By myself, I can do nothing. I judge only as I hear. And my judgment is just. And that word means righteous. For I seek not to please myself, but Him who sent me. John, chapter 6 and verse 38. John, chapter 6 and verse 38.

He says, For I have come down from heaven, not to do my will, to do the will of Him who sent me. Brethren, are we seeking our own will in the middle of winter? Have we drifted away from the vision of who we are and where we're going? And we're just kind of doing our own thing? Let's be more humble than that. Let's ask God for humility. Not for humiliation. I'm not saying that. But for humility. A good way to start, if we're off track in this area, the starting point of a servant's heart is humility.

And if we don't have this, acknowledge God's greatness when we pray to Him. Consider how vast, huge, magnificent, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, all-merciful, all-kind He is. And then do what Mr. Dove said and look in the mirror. Works for me. Gray hairs, double chin, wrinkles, bags under my eyes.

God is awesome. Wow. Consider your own weakness like King David did in Psalm 8 and verse 4 when he asks, What is man that you are mindful of him? The answer to that question is we're his children, and he loves us very dearly. But the point is a servant's heart starts with humility. And Jesus Christ led the way.

He gave us the example. And that's what we need to do. Second observation about Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ put others' needs above his own. He put others' needs above his own. Boy, did he? Wow. Watch this. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 3. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 3. For what I received, Paul says, I pass on to you as of first importance, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Enough said. But there's more. Not only did he die for us, but he lives for us now.

He lives for us, and all of mankind, now. When he walked on the earth, he fed thousands who came to listen to him. He healed the sick. He cast out demons. He ate with sinners and tax collectors. And while he himself did not reside in a home most of the time, but for the vast majority of his ministry, he traveled around the dusty roads and slept outside or in somebody else's home, a traveler, the Son of God.

Do we put others' needs above our own? Jesus Christ did. Someone who has a servant's heart puts others' needs first. Philippians 2, again, verses 3 and 5. We're going to step up a little bit from where we were. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit. In other words, personal motives, doing our own thing.

But in lowliness of mind, let us esteem others better than himself. What does that mean? What does that mean? Esteem others better than yourself. Put them first. Put your needs second. Put your needs second. It's not just words. It has to be done from the heart. Jesus Christ did it. We could continue on. Paul says more about that. Verse 4, let each of you look out not only for his own interest. Yes, it's okay. In fact, it's good to work hard at your job and try to get ahead and do those things.

That's fine. Paul wasn't saying that. Jesus Christ wasn't saying you have to martyr yourself every day and not provide for yourself or your family. In fact, in another place, Paul says if you don't provide for your family, you're worse than the ungodly. So he's not saying that. He's saying, but if it comes down between you and the other person, you make sure they get that piece of pie. Or whatever it is, even if it costs me or you, they go first. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

This is the way he was. This was the example he set. He was humble, and he put other people before himself. Third observation, an attribute of Jesus Christ's servant heart. This has nothing to do with stacking chairs, does it? Third observation, approachable, he was approachable, and he initiated contact. Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, was and is approachable, and actually initiates contact.

Do we? Are we? John 4, verses 6-10. They're up in Samaria, outside of Judea, where Gentiles who followed God, called the Samaritans, lived. Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans. They were Gentiles, they were unclean, according to Jewish tradition, even though the Bible never instructed that the way they interpreted it. And here is Jesus Christ sitting at a well, John 4, verses 6.

Because his disciples, who would have never said anything to her, his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. The woman was surprised, for Jews refused to have anything to do with the Samaritans. She said to Jesus, you're a Jew, and I'm a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink? And Jesus replied, if you only knew the gift of God has for you, and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water. How approachable are we? How approachable am I? I ask myself that question. That's why I throw this point in there. Men, we tend to come across sometimes as being intimidating or grumpy, and not approachable. We do. We need to stop that. We need to be approachable. Jesus Christ could be approached by a Gentile, a man, a woman, a child. It didn't matter. Anybody could come up to Jesus Christ and approach him. How about us? Men, we've got to be less foreboding and more approachable. Women need to be careful about seeming aloof or better than other people. Sometimes it's just insecurity. I'm not picking on you. I care about you very much. Sometimes you just feel insecure, and so you won't say anything to anybody. Some of you are introverts, and there's actually nothing wrong, something very right about being an introvert. I am an extreme extrovert, and my wife is an introvert. We are exact opposites. And she understands me very much. But I understand her now, too. And I understand if you're an introvert, I get it. You hate small talk. Hey, how are you? You hate that. I know you do. I love that. That's the way I start every conversation. Hey, how's it going? Like the sun, introverts hate small talk. They like to talk if there's something meaningful to talk about. So I'm not picking on ladies. If you seem aloof or better than other people, maybe you're just insecure. Maybe you're just introverted. Be approachable. Men. Sometimes you're introverted. Hey, that's great to me. I now understand being an introvert, and I think it's awesome. I have some wonderful conversations with introverts. As extroverts, we need to learn to stop making small talk to people who hate small talk. Say something meaningful. Talk about something that is relevant and worth talking about. You won't get an introvert to shut up. It's true. Introverts like to talk. But we have to be approachable. As men and women in the Church of God, we need to be someone who people feel safe coming up to. Jesus Christ was. You can't serve someone who you can't interact with. You just can't. How can you serve them if they're afraid to even talk to you? It's basic information, I know. This is basics. Brethren, let's not be complacent. We haven't got this down yet, totally. And I am positive about that. I live here. I know me. And I know you. I know this is basic information, but I also know we don't have it down yet. Not 100%. Fourth observation. Fourth observation of Jesus Christ. This one. I love this one. He was an encourager. Jesus Christ. Oh yeah, He could blast people. He could give powerful sermons. But at His core, He was and is an encourager. Luke 22, verses 28-32. At the end of His ministry, the disciples are about to face some very difficult times. More difficult than in their young lives. They're probably in their early 20s at this point. They've never faced the wrath that they're about to face in their life, most likely. The death of their teacher, threatened of their own lives, scattered, feeling completely abandoned. They were about to go through a very tough time. What did Jesus Christ say to them?

Luke 22, verses 28-32. You are those who have stood by Me in trials, He says. He compliments them. Verse 29. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as My Father conferred one on Me. And then He points them to the future. Hey, something good is going to happen. After this really bad stuff is about to happen in our immediate future, something really good is going to happen to you guys. And then He says in verse 30, So that you may eat and drink at My table in the kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Simon, Simon. This isn't flattery. He doesn't just... encouragement is not flattery. Jesus Christ is speaking plain here, and He's warning them, but He's encouraging them at the same time. It says, Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. And Satan can sift us like wheat. Boy, howdy. Verse 32, Yeah! Bad things are about to happen. But I'm on your side. That's what Jesus Christ did for Him. And then what did He tell him to do? Oh, you do this for others as well. What I just did for you, buddy, you do for others. Brethren, do we do that? Or do we pick at other people for their faults? You know, when we've been in a congregation as long as some of us have been together, it is so easy to see each other's faults. It's not even funny. You guys can pick out my faults like that. Do we complain? Do we pick? No. That's not what Jesus Christ does. He sees our faults better than all of us combined. He sees right into the core, right at the heart, not the outward appearance that we can observe. And yet, He encourages. Brethren, let's help people to look to the future, point them to the future, and don't forget to express that we care about them. You know, sometimes that's all we can do. That is all we can do. What do you do when a loved one dies? What do you say? I never know what to say. There's nothing you can say. It's terrible. It's horrible when someone dies. How do you encourage them? Well, about all you can do is point to the future and care. Because that is way, way beyond our control. Death, that is. That's in God's hands, not our mere mortal hands. There's nothing we can do about that. But we can remember a bright future is coming, and we can care. That is something we can do.

Proverbs chapter 12 and verse 25, a very solid point that Solomon makes here. Proverbs chapter 12 and verse 25, Anxiety in the heart of a man causes depression. What causes anxiety? Life coming at you at 120 miles an hour. Life breaks the speed limit all the time. Anxiety in the heart of a man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad. I was thinking about you today. How are you doing? Be an encourager. Let people know you care about them. Okay, fifth observation. Fifth observation of Jesus Christ's servant heart. He saw potential in others. That's simple. Jesus Christ saw potential in others. You mean everybody? Everybody. You mean even the bad ones? Yup. Oh, he also saw when people were going to the lake of fire, and he told them so. But he told them so so that they would repent. He saw potential in others. A servant of God sees potential in other people, even when they're evil. Even when they mistreat you. Even when they seem hopeless. You don't see their heart. I don't see their heart. Don't ever say you see somebody's heart. You can see what comes out of their heart, but you don't know everything that's in there because you don't have a microphone plugged into their heart. And neither do I. A servant sees potential in everybody. God the Father and Jesus Christ are both that way. Otherwise, we'd already be smoke and ash. Romans 5 and 5. Romans 5, the fifth verse. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to us. You see, at just the right time, when you were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. He didn't die for the good. He didn't die for those He favored. He died for the rest of us. He died for you and me, the ungodly, when we were. Very rarely did anyone die for a righteous man, verse 7. Though for a good man someone might possibly die, you know, soldiers lay down their lives for their buddies. You hear stories about that. That's huge admiration. But you never hear a story, at least I've never heard a story, where a soldier laid down his life for his enemy, the guy he was killing. No, he killed him. He didn't lay down his life for him. It was his job to kill him. That's a soldier's job. So I'm not blaming the soldier. I'm just saying, that's Paul's point. Yeah, you lay down your life for your comrade, but not for your enemy. Oh, Jesus Christ did. Verse 8. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this. While we were still sinners, as Mr. Petty said, enemies of God, Christ died for us.

You are more likely to serve someone if you see value in them. Don't be quick to condemn. See potential in everybody, especially those who mistreat us. See potential in everyone. In the sixth observation, final observation, Jesus Christ allowed inconveniences. He did. Jesus Christ allowed inconveniences. He allowed himself to be inconvenienced by others. Even when it would be completely and totally justified for him to blow people off. He allowed people in. Let's take a look at that. Matthew 14. He just heard John the Baptist died. Jesus Christ just got the news that John the Baptist was beheaded. John the Baptist was dear to him. He mourned. Matthew 14, verse 13. When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Wouldn't you do that? I would. He wanted to be alone. And he had good reasons and wanted to be alone. Hearing of this crowd, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. We're not talking about ten people here. We're talking about thousands of people. Talk about not being alone. The one time you want to be alone. Just five thousand people traipsing after you, making all kinds of noise. Hearing of the crowds that followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed, he saw the large crowd and he blew them off. Nope. And he had compassion on them and healed the sick. Brethren, Jesus Christ allowed conveniences. Talk about not being in a mood to deal with people. He just learned that John the Baptist, who was dear to him, died. Brethren, do we allow inconveniences? Do we? This comes back to putting the needs of other people first. But this is a really practical thing, a practical application of God's love. Allowing inconveniences. You know, it's not a good time for me right now, so you're just going to have to go away. Nope. Aren't you glad, God the Father and Jesus Christ? I really need you right now. I'm sick, I'm in debt, somebody's trying to kill me. It's not a good time, son. Sorry. It's inconvenient. Are we that way? We are. We need to not be that way. Being a servant, serving others, and caring for the needs is the love of God reflected through action. It's a matter of the heart. It's not about stacking chairs. It's not about being seen by people. It's not about gaining position or favoritism. It's about love.

True, godly service comes from the heart. We have to ask God to put that in us. It doesn't come naturally. It doesn't. Psalm 51. David knew that. Every time he messed up, he knew that. Psalm 51, verse 10, David said, In me a clean heart, O God, renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not vanish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me as he was repenting. But he knew, David knew, and we must know, that God and only God can put a servant's heart inside us. It's not our goodness being reflected, brethren, because that will stink. It has to come from him. Like David, ask God to put his heart in you, God's inner motives to become your inner motives. And that's what we should pray for when we privately talk to God. Let's not be a Christian on autopilot. People, us, you and me, often have a slightly haughty tendency to show kindness to those people we like and ignore those people in partiality and judgmentalness that we don't like. We just ignore them. We will not be in the kingdom of God if that is in our heart. That has got to be completely gone. We tend to look out for our own needs, including trying to exalt ourselves over others. But God helps us to look out for the needs of others, as Jesus Christ did. On our own, we don't have humility, but God will instill that in us. Ask him for it. On our own, we tend to be unapproachable.

We play it safe. We only deal with the people we feel safe with. Let's not do that. Let's not be grumpy. Let's not be foreboding. Let's not be aloof or come across as though we're better than other people. But let's be approachable by everybody. You can't serve people you can't interact with. Be approachable. On our own, we don't encourage. We look to the immediate future and we despair, especially knowing the immediate future of mankind. But with God, we have hope and we can encourage others to know that, hey, a good thing is coming and, hey, I really care about you.

And on our own, brethren, as human beings, we are very disgusting, judging other people, showing partiality, smiling at some and despising others. But with God, we despise no one. We see potential in everybody. Even when they misbehave. It doesn't mean we can relate to them when they misbehave. Mr. Petty has made that very clear.

I wholeheartedly agree with that. Some people we just can't have a relationship with. But we can see value in them. And we can love them. And when possible, we can serve them. Can't always relate to them. When we are on our own, we are very impatient with people.

We tend to complain when we are inconvenienced by them. But with God's Spirit, He gives us patience. And we need to give people more chances than we do. Let's use our salvation, brethren, that Jesus Christ gave us, which is freedom from eternal death. Not to do our own thing, but to serve others as though we were bound like a servant. As though we actually had to do it. This is my job today.

That others might see God's love through us and follow that example. Peter sums up the servant's heart. In 1 Peter 2, and this will be our last verse, 1 Peter 2, verse 16. As free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice. Not using our salvation to just do our own selfish thing. But as a bond-servant of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God and honor the King.

Servants, even when you don't like the President, honor the President. That's what Peter said. Servants, be submissive to your masters. Employees, do what your boss tells you to do. With all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable if because of conscience toward God, one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently?

Really, what credit is it? You deserved it. I deserved it. Happens all the time. I know. But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. That is the servant's heart. The bond-servant of God that Peter talks about up in verse 16. Verse 21, For to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps.

And we just went through six. And those aren't even a complete list. But six attributes of His serving heart. He is our example to follow. So it's not like you've got to make it up. All you've got to do is read the Bible and see what to do. It's all there for us.

Who Himself bore our sins, verse 24, in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sin, might live for righteousness, by whose stripes we are healed. For you were like sheep going astray. Let's never forget that, brethren. Not one of us is perfect. Don't judge any other human being. But have now returned to the shepherd and overseers of your souls. Brethren, having a servant's heart does not mean just outwardly serving people in the church. That is so easy to do.

It's so easy to fake being a Christian. It's so easy to drift into Christian-on autopilot. Switch that autopilot off. Being a Christian, being a servant, is so much more than that. It's your heart, your innermost thoughts, your motives. Where are they? That's where our battle lies. Let us follow the example of Jesus Christ, our Savior, and ask God for humility that Jesus Christ had. Put the needs of others first, like Jesus Christ did. Become an encourager, like He was. See the potential in others, like He did, and still does.

And allow for inconveniences. In the book of Daniel, God tells us that we are to lead in His kingdom. What kind of leaders does He want? Well, He doesn't want pretenders. He doesn't want Christians on autopilot. He wants children who will have His heart in them, deep inside them, where their motives are, their true feelings lie. Ask God, and He will put His heart in you, the heart of a servant.