THE LIFE OF A SHEEP THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS OUR INHERITANCE. IT IS OUR PAST AS WELL AS OUR FUTURE. AND THE PRINCIPLE OF HUMBLE SERVICE PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE TO OUR ENTERING IN. Jesus told of the day at the end of time when He will sit on His throne of glory with all the nations gathered before Him for judgement. THERE WILL BE ONLY TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE: THE SHEEP, OR THE RIGHTEOUS, AT HIS RIGHT, and the goats, or the unrighteous, AT HIS LEFT. Then the King will say to those on His right, Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in. I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me (Matthew 25:34-36). (NOTICE THAT THE INHERITANCE OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS NOT HEAVEN BUT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN). Remember that the Kingdom of Heaven IS A COUNTRY with a government and influence on the earth. It is yeast that is making its way through the minds and cultures of humankind. THE KINGDOM IS NOT NEW BUT HAS EXISTED SINCE CREATION, WAITING TO BE POPULATED BY THE RIGHTEOUS. The time has come, and Jesus says to them, Come, take your inheritance. THEN JESUS DESCRIBES THE CHARACTER OF THE RIGHTEOUS THAT SETS THEM APART FROM THE UNRIGHTEOUS, THE CHARACTER OF SERVICE AND A SERVANTS HEART, It is practical service: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, tending the sick, and visiting the imprisoned. NOTICE ALSO THAT JESUS VIEWS ALL OF THESE ACTIONS OF COMPASSION AS BEING PERFORMED FOR HIM: I was hungry...I was thirsty...I was a stranger...I needed clothes...I was sick...I was in prison. CHARACTERISTICALLY, THE RIGHTEOUS SERVANTS RESPOND WITH HUMILITY (NOT FALSE MODESTY): Then the righteous will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit You? The King will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me (Matthew 25:37-40). Humble service is so natural and so second nature to those with a servant heart that they do not think of themselves as having done anything special or of particular merit. If asked about their actions they would say, It is the least I could do. TRUE SERVANTS HAVE NO ULTERIOR MOTIVES. THEY ARE NOT OUT TO GET NOTICED NOR DO THEY SEEK TO USE THEIR SERVICE AS A STEPPINGSTONE TO SOME GREATER OR HIGHER POSITION. TRUE SERVANTS LIVE TO SERVE AND ARE DELIGHTED TO DO SO. JESUS SO IDENTIFIES WITH THE HUNGRY, THIRSTY, SICK, DESTITUTE, DOWNTRODDEN, AND CASTOFFS OF THE WORLD THAT HE REGARDS ACTS OF KINDNESS AND COMPASSION DONE FOR THEM AS BEING DONE FOR HIM. IN OTHER WORDS, WHENEVER WE SERVE THE NEEDY, WE SERVE THE KING. This is a mind-set that all of us who are Kingdom citizens need to develop. NO PERSON IS BENEATH OUR DIGNITY, UNWORTHY OF OUR COMPASSION OR BEYOND THE REACH OF OUR LOVE. (We need to learn to look into the faces of other people and see the face of our King looking back at us). Regardless what our job, career, or profession, we have an assignment from our King to serve Him by serving others. Thats why it is wrong for us to focus just on getting a paycheck or raising our standard of living. THE PAYCHECKS WILL COME, AND SO WILL GREATER PROSPERITY, AS LONG AS WE KEEP OUR FOCUS WHERE IT OUGHT TO BE; ADVANCING THE INFLUENCE OF THE KINGDOM BY SERVING OTHERS IN THE KINGS NAME. WE ARE AMBASSADORS OF THE KING ON A KINGDOM MISSION. THIS UNDERSTANDING WILL ENNOBLE ANY JOB, ANY UNDERTAKING, NO MATTER HOW MENIAL, UNIMPORTANT, OR EVEN THANKLESS IT MAY SEEM FROM THE HUMAN PERSPECTIVE. IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, NO SERVICE IS MENIAL, UNIMPORTANT, OR THANKLESS BECAUSE THE KINGDOM IS BUILT ON SERVICE.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 14:29:11 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015