Hosanna Restoration Church

In John chapter 15, Jesus told His followers that he no longer called them servants because a servant does not know what the master is doing. Jesus said I call you friends because I have told you everything. As a pastor I have often said that I feel very blessed that God called me to serve Him. But as of this week, I no longer serve God. Now don’t run away until I finish what I am saying. I worship God, I love God, I give my life for God, but I prefer now to be God’s friend. I know it may sound like just a play on words, but I think it may just bring about a change in life as well. After all, those who were referred to as God’s friends did pretty well in the Bible.

Let me attempt to explain how this changes some things. In Acts 17:25, it is very clear that God has no needs. Sometimes we can get so full of ourselves that we think God actually needs us. I have heard preachers tell people that they are the only ones who can get this message to the world. Well that is just not true. God can use a donkey if He has to.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in what we believe is serving God that we miss what He really wants us to do. What is that? He called us to serve people. As a friend of God I have the privilege of coming into His presence. I have access to the throne of His grace. I can love Him and tell Him how wonderful He is. I can ask Him for anything and talk to Him about anything. He enjoys my company and all, but who reaps the greatest benefit from this? Well, it is me of course. While God enjoys me and is glad to see me, I am not so puffed up as to think He needs me. He is the need supplier. I am the chief benefactor.

Still, we have been called to be servants. We are to be servants to one another. We are called to serve large portions of God and His kingdom to a lost world. We have been called to serve one another in love. Jesus said that He came not to be served but to serve and He said He was sending us in the same way.

The people who crucified Jesus thought they were serving God. They obviously did not know what the master was doing. We need to be careful that we do not get so proud of our being servants of God that we neglect to serve people. Lots of people think that if they say they are a Christian and even go to church that they have done all they need to serve God. We need to remember that we have been called to love and worship God and not forget to serve the people. Everyone is called to do this.

There are a lot of hungry people waiting for someone to serve them a taste of the goodness of God. So let’s show God how we love Him, by the way we serve Him to the world. Get the picture? Pray for me, I will pray for you. We can do it.