Topical Bible: Servants: when Good are Guided by God

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In the biblical context, the role of a servant is often highlighted as one of humility, obedience, and faithfulness. The Scriptures provide numerous examples of servants who, when guided by God, fulfill their roles with excellence and integrity, ultimately contributing to God's divine plan.

Old Testament Examples

1. Joseph: One of the most prominent examples of a servant guided by God is Joseph. Sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph served in the house of Potiphar, an Egyptian official. Despite his circumstances, Joseph remained faithful to God, and the Lord was with him, granting him success in all he did. Genesis 39:2-4 states, "The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and made him prosper in all he did, Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant." Joseph's journey from a servant to the second most powerful man in Egypt illustrates how God can elevate those who serve Him faithfully.

2. Eliezer: Abraham's servant, Eliezer, is another example of a faithful servant. Entrusted with the critical task of finding a wife for Isaac, Eliezer sought God's guidance through prayer. In Genesis 24:12 , he prays, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham." His reliance on God led him to Rebekah, ensuring the continuation of God's covenant with Abraham.

New Testament Examples

1. The Centurion's Servant: In the New Testament, the account of the centurion's servant in Matthew 8:5-13 demonstrates the power of faith and divine guidance. The centurion, a man of authority, recognized Jesus' power and authority, expressing faith that Jesus could heal his servant with just a word. Jesus commended the centurion's faith, saying, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith" (Matthew 8:10). The servant was healed at that very moment, showcasing the impact of faith and divine intervention.

2. Onesimus: In the Epistle to Philemon, Onesimus, a runaway slave, encounters the Apostle Paul and becomes a Christian. Paul writes to Philemon, urging him to receive Onesimus not merely as a servant but as a beloved brother in Christ. Philemon 1:15-16 states, "For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for good—not as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother." Onesimus's transformation and return highlight the redemptive power of God in the lives of servants.

Principles of Godly Servanthood

1. Obedience and Faithfulness: Servants guided by God exhibit obedience and faithfulness, as seen in the lives of Joseph and Eliezer. Their commitment to their earthly masters reflects their ultimate devotion to God.

2. Humility and Submission: Biblical servants often demonstrate humility and submission, recognizing their roles within God's greater plan. This is evident in the centurion's acknowledgment of Jesus' authority and Onesimus's willingness to return to Philemon.

3. Prayer and Dependence on God: Seeking God's guidance through prayer is a hallmark of godly servanthood. Eliezer's prayer for success and the centurion's faith in Jesus' word exemplify this dependence on divine direction.

4. Transformation and Redemption: The account of Onesimus illustrates the transformative power of God's guidance, turning a runaway slave into a brother in Christ. This transformation underscores the potential for redemption and new beginnings for those who serve faithfully.

In summary, the Bible presents servanthood as a noble calling when guided by God. Through obedience, humility, prayer, and transformation, servants play a vital role in fulfilling God's purposes, demonstrating that true greatness is found in serving others under God's guidance.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 24:7,27
The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spoke to me, and that swore to me, saying, To your seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife to my son from there.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

God's Workmanship and Our Works
... guided by the plain teaching of Christ Himself and of all His servants. ... See that
it is guided so as to drive the spindles and the ... Created unto good works which ...
/.../gods workmanship and our works.htm

How the Will Being Dead to Itself Lives Entirely in God's Will.
... that it is not exactly as with servants who follow ... thus united to that of our sovereign
good, as was ... himself, letting himself simply be led and guided by that ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter xiii how the will.htm

To Brother William of England of the Hermit Brothers of St. ...
... will of God, which wishes naught but our good, and that ... the servants of God or of
the servants of the ... say and believe that another man was guided and mastered ...
/.../benincasa/letters of catherine benincasa/to brother william of england.htm

Walking with God
... it is every Christian's bounden duty to be guided by the ... to provoke one another to
love and good works ... his being advanced above the princes and servants of the ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/walking with god.htm

The Praise of Men.
... look on good men singly as instruments and servants of God ... be anxious even for the
praise of good men. ... the approbation of those whose hearts are guided by God's ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol vii/sermon iv the praise of.htm

Bit and Bridle: How to Escape Them
... is good to get broken in early in life: "it is good for a ... Kick not at his servants. ...
Dear friends, what a wretched descent is this from being guided by God's eye ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/bit and bridle how to.htm

Union and Communion with God the End and Design of the Gospel
... called to be friends, "I call you not servants, but friends ... Power and good will encamp
about both faith and the ... their own heart, and will not be guided by Christ ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/lecture ii union and communion.htm

On the Saying of the Saviour, "All that came Before Me were ...
... in an ecstasy," as [1988] the servants of the ... therefore, are dispensed from heaven
for good, "that by the ... from a bad constitution, but are guided by universal ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xvii on the saying of.htm

To Master Raimondo of Capua of the Order of the Preachers
... for I will fulfil thy desires, and those of My other servants. ... and I think the thing
will have a good end ... Then every act you shall do will be guided and ordered ...
/.../benincasa/letters of catherine benincasa/to master raimondo of capua 2.htm

Several Degrees and Stations in an Internal Life; as the Three ...
... in the souls of His perfect servants, and not ... other way; and this experience will
make good even in ... reading, or instructions, are immediately guided by God's ...
/.../chapter i several degrees and.htm