Genesis 24:50-67 NKJV Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you either bad or good. (51) Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD has spoken.” (52) And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth. (53) Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. (54) And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.” (55) But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go.” (56) And he said to them, “Do not hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master.” (57) So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.” (58) Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” (59) So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. (60) And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: “Our sister, may you become The mother of thousands of ten thousands; And may your descendants possess The gates of those who hate them.” (61) Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed. (62) Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South. (63) And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. (64) Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; (65) for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself. (66) And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. (67) Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
This is the Word of the Lord, Amen?
- Well church, we have done it.
- With todays sermon we will have finally made it through Genesis 24.
- It only took us 8 sermons!
- 3 sermons about being blessed in all things, and now 5 sermons on how to be a good and faithful servant.
- If you are new here, welcome! We are just wrapping up this series on How to Be a Good and Faithful servant… based on the way in which Abrahams servant served him and Isaac.
- Abrahams servant made a promise to get a wife from Abraham’s people, for Abraham’s son Isaac.
- With what we read today, we see the end of the story. Througout this story we have identified 10 traits of a good and faithful servant… lets look at those traits as we recap this sermon series:
- The servant went to Abraham’s home country, faithfully doing what he said he would do. Then he positioned himself for success by staying by the well he knew the young women would come to.
- The servant relied on God, praying throughout his journey, and then praying specifically at the well “Father let it be the woman who gives my camels a drink also”, which mind you, watering 10 camels would take hours of hard labor from a well.
- When God came through, and Rebekah began watering the camels, the servant stopped and listened to God, in silence, in awe, in wonder… the servant stopped and listened “Is this the work of the Lord prospering my way?”
- Rebekah, also proved to be a good and faithful servant, she went ALL IN in serving… using her 2 or 3 gallon water just to gather around 300 gallons of water to water the servants camels. She did not know she was auditioning for the role of Ancestor of Jesus… she just went all in with everything she did…
- Through all of this, the servant continually gave all the glory to God, never taking credit for himself.
- He then proved the thing was from God to Rebekah’s family by telling the testimony of How God moved and made a way, and he made sure, before he even ate, that he honored his masters will… securing Rebekah as Isaacs bride before he was willing to satisfy his flesh with food and drink.
- Now, in today’s reading, we see that the servant was not willing to stay for 10 days to let Rebekah say her goodbye’s… he was laser focused on getting the task done.
- And as he returns home, mission accomplished, we can take a step back and see, through it all, it was the fact that the servant SERVED that we remember him, not his wealth, or influence… it was his servitude that was written about. It was his service that was remembered.
- A good and faithful servant SERVES!
- We started the series with “A good and faithful servant is faithful” and now we end the series with “A good and faithful servant serves”
- We have come full circle… I mean even in that phrase “Good and faithful servant” we see this whole sermon series… Good and Faithful Servant… there are three attributes right there “Good, Faithful, and Serving”.
- The Faithfulness comes from being a man or woman of your word… doing what you said you would do.
- The goodness comes from God, for there are none good apart from God… that is where many of these attributes come from… relying on God, listening to God, testifying about God! The good part of the good and faithful servant comes from God!
- And today we close with that tile “servant”, if you don’t serve how can you be called a servant… A good and faithful servant serves!
- But before we talk about serving, let’s start by addressing this attribute: A Good Servant is focused.
Point One – A Good Servant is Focused
Genesis 24:54-56 NKJV And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.” (55) But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go.” (56) And he said to them, “Do not hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master.”
- Do not hinder me… since the LORD has prospered my way.
- I have a task to accomplish.
- I said I would do it.
- God has made a way.
- Why should we wait any longer… do not hinder me! Send me away with Isaac’s wife!
- Abrahams servant was LAZER FOCUSED at accomplishing what he had set out to accomplish.
- He did not want to be distracted, he did not want to be hindered, he wanted to get it done.
- Yet here we are in America… we all have callings on our lives, we all have tasks for the Kingdom to accomplish.
- The Lord is prospering our path, He is walking with us and making a way…
- But man, in America, it is so easy to get distracted… to get hindered… to get held up.
- I remember watching a Reality TV show about a small family run business…
- One of the employees was a younger man who was VERY lazy… and in one episode he revealed that he LOVED IT when he was sent away on a task…
- If someone needed to take a deposit to the bank, he would happily volunteer…
- And he would leave the store they ran to take the deposit to the bank… but before going to the bank he would get some taco bell, and run home to take a nap and play some video games, and then he would head out and get a car wash and do some lite shopping, then he would take in the deposit to the bank and return to the store front… and just like that, his 8 hour day was all up!
- Now if you were the owner of that small business, would you consider this employee to be a good and faithful servant?
- No, that is a wicked and lazy servant! Good enough is not good enough, amen?
- We need to stay laser focused on accomplishing the task.
Luke 9:59-62 NKJV Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” (60) Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” (61) And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” (62) But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
- This is such a strong warning from Jesus… No on having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom.
- He said that not to a prostitute who wanted to keep turning tricks… not to an addict who wanted just one more hit… Jesus said that to someone who simply wanted to say goodbye to their family before following Him.
- THIS IS HOW SERIOUS FOCUS IS TO OUR LORD!
- If you see Jesus, standing right there in front of you, hand out, saying “Come and follow me” and your response is “Ok, but first…” Then Jesus says “never mind, you are not fit for the kingdom”
- If you turn back you are not fit for the Kingdom… if you lose focused and adjust your focus somewhere else, you are not fit for the Kingdom… Lot’s wife learned that lesson the hard way, didn’t she?
- In fact there are many examples of people losing focus in Scripture.
- Lot’s wife turned to salt when she lost focus her salvation.
- Isreal missed out on the promised land when they focused on the Giants instead of God’s call.
- Samson focused on women instead of what God had clearly called him too, and it cost him his hair and his life.
- David lost focus of the kingdom, staying home from war… and it ended in adultery and murder.
- Martha was distracted with serving, instead of focusing on Christ in front of her.
- Peter walked on water… but when he lost focus of Christ he sank like a rock.
- Jesus tells a parable where the seed of God’s word is chocked out amongst the cares of this world.
- The rich young ruler walks away from Jesus because he loved his things too much.
- Eutychus thought sermon time was nap time and he fell… he fell asleep and fell to his death form the window he was sitting in… Boring preaching kills… and so does losing focus.
- Listen church, I have a broken bone in my back… why? Because the driver behind me was not focused on the road but instead focused on her phone…
- Now I got away lucky, because distracted driving can kill!
- I think we all know that, right, we know that distracted driving can kill somebody‽
- Well how much more important are maters of ETERNITY than driving a car.
- Listen church: Distracted driving risks lives… but Distracted Living risks souls!
- Losing focus of serving God can mean there are people who should have heard the Gospel, but they didn’t because you , God’s Servant, were too distracted with the cares of this world to do what God had called you to do!
- Has God called you to give your life for missions?
- You should be laser focused on that… figure out what barriers you have… write them down and overcome them…
- What debts need to be paid off, what training needs to happen… write out a list, and be focused on making it happen.
- Has God called you to be a pastor, Ryan?
- You should be LASER FOCUSED ON IT.
- What training do you need, what character flaws need ironing out…
- Write down a list, and start tackling it with prayer and urgency.
- Has God called you to fix your marriage?
- What are you doing about it TODAY?
- Don’t let a moment pass where you are not focused on fixing your marriage… or bringing your kids back to Christ, or stabilizing your life so you can be freed up for ministry, or dealing with your finances so you can faithfully support the works of the Kingdom of God, or getting into shape so you can be healthy to do what God calls you do…
- WHATEVER GOD IS CALLING YOU TO DO… BE FOCUSED… Because a good and faithful servant is FOCUSED.
- Now that brings me to point two, our final point for this sermon and our final point for this series “A good and faithful servant… SERVES!”… A Good servant serves!
Point Two – A Good Servant Serves
Genesis 24:61-66 NKJV Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed. (62) Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South. (63) And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. (64) Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; (65) for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself. (66) And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
- Ok, call me crazy church… but as I think about all the servant went through… and how much he relied on God… and all the faithfulness… and as I imagine them all riding to greet Isaac, I keep hearing the phrase “Mission Accomplished”.
- And that makes me think of the time President Bush gave a speech from an Air Craft Carier with a huge banner that read “Mission Accomplished”.
- I remember that speech, I remember the sense of VICTORY!
- Now of course that speech is now looked back on as premature… The war ragged for years after.
- But none the less, I remember that patriotic feeling.
- And here we have Abrahams servant, sent on a task full of faith, faithfulness, and miracles. He positioned himself for success, he relayed on God, he stopped and listened, he overcame by the word of his testimony… and now he is riding back, Isaac’s bride in tow… Mission Accomplished.
- But the mission was only accomplished because THE SERVANT SERVED.
- He actually went out and did the work.
- He did what he said he was going to do… and that required… DOING.
- You can’t be a good and faithful servant while sitting in your arm chair, you got to get up, get out, move, act… serve!
- A Good servant SERVES.
- You think the Bible has something to say about this y’all?
Mark 10:45 NKJV For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
- If you think you are too good to serve than you must think you are better than Jesus, because Jesus came to serve.
- I was talking to a guy who asked why I observe the Sabath when we are not under the law but we are free and under grace… Well dear sir, Galatians 5:13…
Galatians 5:13 NKJV 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.
- You see if I am going to be all in serving God by serving people… if I am serving six days a week, well I am going to need to rest on that seventh day! Because I use my freedom TO SERVE.
- By the way, if you would like to be known as someone important in heaven… Jesus teaches us how to do that… if you want to be first… YOU MUST SERVE.
Mark 9:35 NKJV And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
- And when you serve, God recognizes that service… he won’t forget what you have done…
Hebrews 6:10 NKJV For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
John 12:26 NKJV 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.
- Look, we are charismatics, we believe there is power and gifts from the Holy Spirit and that those gifts are alive and active today… well how should we use those gifts?
1 Peter 4:10 NKJV As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
- The Bible is full of verses about SERVING… because a Good and Faithful Servant SERVES!
- Abrahams Servant had to, you know, SERVE… He had to gather the men, gather the camels, go on the journey, pray the prayers, listen to the Lord, position himself for success… these were all active things he did… he went out and did the physical and the spiritual work to serve his master Abraham and to accomplish the mission he set out to accomplish!
- I once heard it said… I think it was Pastor John Butcher who said it… he said “If you don’t serve, you aint saved”.
- And I think that is true… if you don’t serve, you are not saved.
- I don’t mean serve in the church, mind you… you can serve God anywhere… But we try to make it EASY to serve God here.
- If you are a part of this church, man, you have no excuse not to serve God and others… we make it so easy.
- In fact Pastor Elizabeth has a booth set up in the back there to help people sign up to serve… there are so many ways you can serve God and others here.
- You can greet, you can usher, you can be on security, you can help teach the children, you can help clean… you are already coming to Church, why not ALSO serve God, whilst you worship Him?
- If you don’t serve you ain’t saved!
- How can I say that? Because the phrase is “well done my good and faithful servant” not “Well done my good and faithful Christian”.
- If you don’t serve you ain’t saved!
- How can I say that? Because God says “If you love me you will keep my commandments”
John 14:15 NKJV “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
- Some of those commandments are about serving!
- If you don’t serve you ain’t saved!
- How can I say that… Because God said it through Joshua… CHOSE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE.
Joshua 24:15 NKJV And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
- Again, this is not talking only about volunteering at church… you should be serving EVERY DAY… our lives should be LAZER FOCUSED on serving God and all that He has asked us to do…
- But, man, if you can’t serve at church… where can you serve… we make it SO EASY HERE.
- We once had a family leave because we asked them to serve “I don’t come to church to serve, I come to receive”.
- What a selfish attitude… man Pastor Mike said it best on Wednesday… I was bought with a price… I don’t belong to myself… Therefore I am obligated to serve my master…
- Because I want to be a good and faithful servant!
- Alright, let’s wrap this series up, if someone wants to come play I will get on with the conclusion here…
Conclusion
Show “Series Title – How to Be a Good and Faithful Servant.jpg” in Title Slides folder
- Genesis 24… 67 verses… 10 verses about seeking blessing and promising to serve… then 57 verses about faithfully following through with that service.
- A practical how-to guide for how to be a good and faithful servant.
- We started of with learning about faithfulness… what it means to be faithful, and how if we want to be faithful we need to position ourselves for success.
- We went on to talk about relying on God and giving glory to God.
- From there we talked about going all in, serving as unto the Lord in EVERY AREA of our live… and going all in for giving God glory.
- We talked about overcoming doubt, and temptations, and challenges, and the evil one by the word of our testimony…. We talked about making sure our lives are about honoring our maters will and not our own.
- Then today we concluded with a reminder of the importance to stay focused… and the simple truth that to be a good and faithful servant… you must actually serve.
- Man, if each and everyone of us would take this message to heart, if we would all start displaying these traits… these 10 attributes… WHAT A POWERFUL CHURCH THIS WOULD BE. It would be the easiest church in the world to pastor… we would get so much Kingdom work done… we walk in so many blessings…
- But listen… I can lead you to water, but I can’t force you to drink… the next part is up to you… Will you live your life as a good and faithful servant… or will you live with a “good enough is good enough” attitude?
- As for me and my house… WE SHALL SERVE THE LORD!
- Gospel Call
Join us this Sunday at either 8:30AM or 10:30AM for worship followed by this message from the Word of God.
Christian Life Church of Cedar Rapids
2808 Schaeffer DR SW,
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
www.CedarRapidsChurch.com
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