What happened to you after YOU received the gospel?

Life is filled with changes, accepting Jesus as ones Lord, savior is the greatest change, for it changes everything

So many things took place in our life after we accepted the gospel as the truth. First our eternal destination, direction changed, we are now promised heaven at death whereas before we did not have this hope. Our present relationship with the world changed because we have God personally working in our lives. We have God's Holy Spirit residing in us guiding us.

We are now spiritually, not carnally minded as we read the Bible and allow it to inform us and conform us to Christ. Christ’s nature is deposited in every believer to transform us. As we live by His word we spiritually grow. The Holy Spirit reveals the nature of God, transforming His children to be like the Son by this new nature residing in us.

Too many struggle with surrender. Many do not want to give up their control, even if they made tremendous mistakes, bad decisions in life. The want to stay in charge, so it becomes a matter of trust. But there is no one you can trust better than the Lord. No longer do you depend on yourself to find the answers, God has given them to you

The gospel does not just have you believe in Jesus, it changes your life into service for Him. Your affections for the world changed, before you were attracted to it and had no power to resist it, now you struggle against them are repelled by sin. Now you have a power inside you that you did not before, to resist and overcome.

You have come under new ownership. Jesus is no only your Lord, your savior but he is now your master. You are bond servant.

Rom 1:1 “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God”

Paul used this term of himself 5 times. Peter used it in 2 Pet 1:1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ”

James used it for himself in 1:1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

Likewise Jude 1:1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James”

These were his chosen men who were willing to do whatever he asked, even to put their lives down as witnesses.

Bond servant: Servant, Gr. -doulos from 1210; a slave (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary; frequently, therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency):

1) a slave, a bondman, a man of servile condition  a) a slave b) metaphorically, one who gives himself up to another's will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing His cause among men  c) devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests 2) a servant, an attendant.

When one becomes a slave they do not give up their skills but keep these and have others added. To be under a master means we submit to another in a higher position, we are loyal and dedicated to serve him and his purposes. Jesus treated his servants as friends. And he asks us to follow Him and serve Him by serving others the way he did.

A servant patiently waits to hear from his master and willingly (In our case joyfully) fulfills the task they are given. They would pray before they acted.

Jesus promised  If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor” (John 12:26)

Jesus speaks of wicked and lazy servants (Matt 25:26) and good and faithful servant; Matt 25:23, those who were faithful over a few things, will be ruler over many things.

The apostles are our examples. They were so dedicated that even a demon possessed girl cried out publicly

Acts 16:17 This girl who was demon possessed followed Paul and us, and cried out, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation."

That is what they were sent out to do and the demon knew this but was powerless to stop them from giving the message but was forced to agree on their purpose.

Paul said to the Galatian church whom was about to correct Gal. 1:10 “ … do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”

Can you tell the difference? Today it is difficult because of our own lack of dedication and loyalty to the word and the umpiring of the Spirit.

Here is the spiritual principle Matt 23:11 "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.”

Mt. 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

If you can't tell the difference between someone who loves the world and doing it for money and another doing it for Christ than you need to read the bible more carefully and be willing to distinguish them. If you listen to the wrong teachers your spiritual growth is in jeopardy.

If someone tells you the truth and you reject it and another prevents you from pursuing the truth you have listened to the spirit of error and it will never lead to peace.

Col. 3:24-25  knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.”

Even if one is saved and abuses their position, think as they manipulate situations and people they got away with it. They will be called to account. Though it looks like they skated free, No one get away with anything.

Gal 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

Serving the flesh shows selfishness, serving others, being compassionate and actually caring to help shows one is spiritual.  We do not bring the smorgasbord concept we held prior before we were saved, into our Christian view; to pick and choose what we accept. Jesus did not purchase our life from the slave market to give us freedom to continue make our own choices which were mostly wrong. We can’t do what we want any longer and tag his name on it to conform it is Christian.

Rev. 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants-- things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John”

Even the apostles were called servants. Real leader’s show how they serve, or they are fakes.

Our prime example of a bondslave who servant who loved to serve is the master himself.

Jesus came as a servant to the Father”

Phil 2:7-8 “but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

 Jesus did not come as a king, he came born away from the population, only letting the shepherds of the field watch the sheep know he was just born. He humbled himself as man to be under the Father and obey perfectly. He had a mission to accomplish that would cost him the highest price, his life. But throughout his over 3 years of ministry, he suffered great conflict, the opposition grew and could be violent. The simple people, the everyday man heard him speak and believed, but the majority of the religious leaders did not. Why? You need humility to receive his words, and only with humility can one follow and become a servant. His words were not over their heads but he simply explained the profound giving the spiritual answers to life.

Matt 20:28  "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

As someone who served and then gave his life he understands our struggles and everyday hardships,

Too many People do not understand commitment or loyalty. We are told to freely give to others what we have received. It’s called the great commission and it is a command to all believers in Christ no matter what our opposition is.

Let us Give Honor and glory are to the lamb, God who became man, who died for the sins of his friends and enemies; Honor and glory to the lamb who was slain and raised from the dead among his friends and his enemies.

 Use your time wisely for God and God will use your mouth, your hands and your life for something good, for his purposes. Nothing goes unnoticed, you will be rewarded. Go tell your friends and enemies the message that can save them. Make a difference in someone’s life.

Matt 24:46 "Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.