This fact produces a big Christian failing: we do not allow Jesus to show us how to serve God. We let culture judge reasonable religious service. As culture changes, our concepts and understandings of reasonable service change. We let society determine the standards of reasonable religious service. As society changes, our concepts and understandings of reasonable service change. We let the church define reasonable service. Leading men and women in the congregation are often permitted to demand compliance to their concepts and understandings of service.
These responsibilities reveal our biggest challenge. (1) Each Christian places Jesus on the throne of his or her heart (1 Peter 3:14-16). Jesus alone is Lord. Jesus alone is in control of that person. (2) Each Christian allows Jesus (not culture, society, or people of status in the congregation) to teach him or her what it means to be God's servant. (3) Each Christian understands how to be God's servant by keeping his or her eyes on Jesus.
Remember the concept of a servant.
Read Psalms 123:1,2.
He lifted his eyes up to God (Thee). This One was enthroned in the heavens.
As the eyes of a servant look to the hand of his/her master/mistress, the psalmist looked to the hand of God. A good servant knew what his master wanted without being told, and he readily, quickly functioned precisely as the master wished. He knew his role; he accepted his role; he fulfilled his role. He knew and accepted his dependence on the master.
Jesus, as God's good servant, never took his eyes off of God's hand.
Read John 5:19,20.
Jesus could do nothing of himself. Everything he did was done because he looked to the hand of God as a good servant.
The only thing Jesus did is what he saw the Father doing.
Jesus did what he saw the Father doing and did those things as the Father does them.
The bond between the Father and the Son was the bond of love. Jesus served God in precisely the way God wants to be served. He did this because he loved the Father and the Father loved the Son. The Christian must realize that we understand precisely how God wishes to be served by observing how Jesus served God. The Christian must understand such service can exist only if it is founded on love.
Read John 5:30.
Jesus could not do anything of his own initiative. That means that everything Jesus did was exactly what God wanted him to do. That emphasizes the essential nature of Jesus' example.
What he heard from God's will determined how he judged. His judgments did not originate in him, but in the God who sent him. They did not come from his personal deductions, conclusions, or reasonings. They came from God's clear and certain communication.
Read John 6:35-40.
Because Jesus is the bread and water of life, the believer who comes to Jesus will not hunger or thirst. He perfectly satisfies our life needs. By satisfying our life needs, he makes life in God possible. Were he not the food and water of the believer, not even faith could make life in God possible.
All that the Father gave him would come to Jesus. Jesus would not cast (throw) away the person who came to him. During Jesus' earthly ministry, it took great faith and understanding for a person to come to and believe in Jesus. Many came for benefits they could receive. Few came simply because they believed. Consider how few remained loyal to Jesus the first fifty days after Jesus' crucifixion.
Jesus came from heaven to do the will of the One who sent him; he did not come to do his own will. That truth emphasizes the importance of a believer following Jesus' example, learning from Jesus' teachings, and developing Jesus' heart and attitudes.
The will of the One who sent him was that Jesus not lose anyone that he was given. The resurrection of those who were given to Jesus was the will of God.
The will of the Father is that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life so that Jesus may resurrect that person on the last day.
Read John 8:28,29.
They would know Jesus identity when they lifted him up (crucified him).
At that same time they would know (1) Jesus did nothing of his own initiative and (2) he spoke the things that the Father taught him.
The One who sent him (God) was with him, and he always did what pleased God.
Read John 12:44-50.
Faith in Jesus was faith in the One who sent Jesus (God).
The person who saw him saw the One who sent him (God).
He came as light so that believers would not have to remain in darkness.
He did not come to judge the world. He came to save the world.
Jesus' words were not produced as a result of his own initiative.
The One who sent him (God) gave him the commandment about what to say and what to speak. In the most direct manner imaginable, Jesus' teachings and sayings are the actual word of God.
He spoke just as the Father told him. Again, that is a powerful stress on the importance of allowing Jesus to be our example and his teachings to be our guide in doing God's will.
Read John 14:9-11.
The person who saw Jesus had seen the Father. The point is not that they are the same person (being), but that God determined everything Jesus was, Jesus did, and Jesus said.
The origin or source of Jesus' words was the Father living in him. Again, nothing he said came from his own initiative.
The relationship: Jesus lived in the Father and the Father lived in Jesus. This was an "abiding" in each other.
Jesus shows us how to serve God because he was God's perfect servant.
The basic point you wish to make in this lesson connects this quarter to everything learned last quarter about Jesus as God's servant. We will allow him to be our example when we realize that he was exactly the servant God wanted. We cannot be the servant God wants unless we allow Jesus to be our example. Everything Jesus said and did came from God. He saw God. He listened to God. He exclusively did as God showed him, told him, commanded him, directed him. Nothing in his life, his actions, or his words came from his own initiative. That understanding should change the way a Christian looks at Jesus. That understanding should change our understanding of service to God.
Link to Student Guide Quarter 2, Lesson 1