Unworthy Servants or Treasured Possessions?

I have been thinking about the oft quoted words from Luke 17 that Jesus told his disciples to say after an act of obedience.

               

“Will any one of you who has a servant^[a] ploughing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? ⁸ Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly,^[b] and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? ⁹ Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? ¹⁰ So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants;^[c] we have only done what was our duty.’” [Luke 17:7-10]

This passage is quite strong when we read it with modern eyes. It gives insight into the status of a slave [the best rendering of the Greek Δούλος, (Doúlos) which most translations render as servant] in the first century Palestine. He is without much honour or recognition, he is not one to be invited to the table to ‘recline’ [interesting how they did not sit at tables like today but rather reclined] in a meal. His place was at work – to prepare a meal, to dress up properly and serve the master. Jesus then goes on to ask a rhetorical question, almost suggesting that a slave is not to be thanked. He is to serve without waiting to be asked or expecting to be thanked – it is a hard life and that is all his status as a slave entitles him to.

We get revolted when we think about such a treatment of workers. First it is important to note the Lord is not endorsing (neither is he condemning) the treatment of slaves at the time but rather using a well understood analogy to make a point. He then goes on to tell his disciples how their perception of themselves should be  - unworthy servants who only have a duty to do.  Does the Lord really mean that his workers are unprofitable? Does he really want them to perceive themselves as worthless? At one level, one might think the Lord is using self-deprecation as an expression of humility [quite common in certain cultures to debase oneself in order to show the worth of/respect to another] but it is also helpful to note that Jesus is addressing the heart here. As I reflected on the word ‘say’ in verse 10, I wondered who the saying is to be directed to and I came to the conclusion it is to ‘self’ which shows us this words are to be addressed to self. What the Lord is doing is really to rebuke the disciples. They think they need greater faith to do dazzling works [reading the whole passage in context] but the Lord reminds them they need to be like servants in their attitude.

It is interesting to notice that the Lord is not speaking from the masters point of view. Although he initially calls the listeners to identify with the master in the opening line, the punch line (lesson) is drawn from identifying with the slave in terms of attitude. Elsewhere and later on, Jesus [the ultimate master] will dine with his servants and they will recline at the table with him [22:14]. Afterwards, he will serve them as the servant in a perfect demonstration of servant leadership [John 13:33 ff].

It is striking how this contrasts speak volumes to us. It is Os Guinness, that famous writer on discernment  who said that contrast is the mother of clarity. We get clearer in our understanding when we look at things in contrast.  We are in the Lord’s vineyard working for him and we are indeed to perceive ourselves as slaves with a duty to do. In contrast, we are also treasured possessions in the Lords hands. The reward due to us is certain and it is glorious. The Lord is faithful and our labour in him is not in vain.

So, I do not think it is an either/or situation but rather a both/and argument. We are unworthy servants and treasured possessions (in jars of clay) at the same time.

Masaa

During my graduation from AIU early last month, a very dear person to me recently gave me a wrist watch. There are not many people who fancy wrist watches anymore largely  because of alternative means of knowing what time it is. Interestingly, like all things fashion watches have made a comeback and are apparently now a must have accessory [alongside a belt, leather shoes and a wallet as we were told in a recent MTC]. 

But I am sure Rhodah had more than an accessory in mind. They say [I wonder who ‘they’ are?] that in gift giving, it is the thought that matters. She must have thought about the symbolism of the watch before gifting it to me. Instead of asking her, I have been thinking about it and drawing quite some lessons. 

1.       Time is important. We are defined by our attitude towards God, Others, Money, Time and Self. I needed a constant reminder that time is important and it is all we’ve got in life actually. I come from a background that views time as a variable dynamic and not a static reality. I can easily think of events as fluid things that roll on rather than time-bound happenings that have a definite start and stop.

2.       Time is Life. Basically, this is to say that life is demarcated in units of time with a clear start at birth and a definite stop at death. Someone said that we live every day in denial of the reality of death but Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians that we carry death with us all day long. As a clock ticks away every second, a portion of our life is gone. Forever. Never to be lived through again. For good. This is a scary lesson – but I hope the point is not lost that we are momentary beings – only here for a season and soon we are gone. We have to make the most of now.

3.       Relationships are important. Perhaps that might come across as a stretch of my watch analogy but give me a chance to elucidate [I have always wanted to use that word but never got a chance]. In parenting, we are told that love is a four letter word spelled as t.i.m.e. That can seem mostly true for children but I suggest we spend time with whomever we love in any shade or expression of it. When we mismanage time we risk ruining relationships – and nothing makes us more human and dare I say, like God, than our capacity for relationships. Relationships take time. That can sound as if relationships consume time or they just take long to thrive but either way, the fodder of any relationship is time together – be it in prayer, watching a movie, taking a walk, studying or doing anything else of value.

4.       Time is money. Those old words may sound a bit overly capitalistic and as if money is everything. But I suppose the idea behind the words is to communicate the value or preciousness of time. I guess the words come from an understanding that if any money is to be made, it must take time and that perhaps we should view time more or less in the same way as we view money; precious, limited, important and to be handled wisely and carefully.

So here we are in the month of August. Another cycle is coming to an end – what seemed to be so far out sight for you is now at hand. You have come to the end of your apprenticeship in iServe Africa and next week we meet to take stock. Another team will be coming on board and to them maybe August 2017 seems way too far but trust me it won’t be long. Every time the clock ticks, a moment is gone and soon the year will be over. The big question then remains – what have you done/will you do with the time in your hands?

A Tale of two men

A tale of two men: What is the Gospel? 

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures”

                                                                                                                1 Corinthians 15: 3-4

I became a follower of Jesus from a very young age and begun going along to groups at church. In high school I was quite involved with the Christian Union as one of the leaders. In college, I was even more involved doing missions and discipleship and basically living out my Christian faith.  Although I confessed Christ as my Lord and saviour I barely understood what the gospel was and why it was good news. It seemed to me like a cultural movement, one to which we needed to recruit people and belonging to which, one needed to adhere to certain moral expectations.

It is only years later when I read the Bible more carefully that the light of the gospel begun to dawn on me.  I think most people do not really understand what the gospel is, let alone its implications.  Many see Christianity or being saved as possessing a ticket to heaven, others view it as joining an exclusive club of special people and many others, perhaps in following in the steps of their families, find themselves in this cultural/religious movement whose claims they agree with but not necessarily understand.

So what is the gospel?

The word gospel simply means ‘good news’ and usually refers to the four ‘gospel accounts’ of the life of Jesus Christ – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  But then what good news are we exactly talking about? To understand the good news, we will take a few steps back in time and first hear some really bad news. 

A Holy, Just and Righteous God

When we look at our world today it is full of bad news. Terrorism, corruption, immorality, murders and kidnappings, accidents, tribalism, racism, loneliness, diseases, poverty and death are everywhere. But it was not so from the beginning. We are told in the Bible that God made a perfect world – he looked and behold, it was all good. (Gen 1:31) There was no lack or pain or suffering or death. It was a perfect relationship of a holy God and his created order. Human beings, created in God’s image lived in perfect harmony with God, each other and with nature. 

But this did not last for long. A disastrous event happened when the devil tempted human beings to disobey God and they fell for it. They disobeyed God’s law and the consequences were severe – their relationship with God was eternally broken, their relationship with each other was severely strained and their relationship with the rest of creation was damaged. From that moment on the earth and all in it suffered under the judgement of God. No longer could we expect to enjoy God’s presence like Adam and Eve did, nor expect to enjoy eternal life. A holy God could not relate with a sinful, disobedient people and since He is just and holy he had to judge sin and not just look the other way.

But the really bad news is that this was going to be the eternal state of things. You and I, by the one act of disobedience of our first parents, were eternally separated from God. Never again to be his people enjoying his presence in His holy place. Even more depressing is knowing that there is nothing we could do about it unless God himself acted to redeem us from our fallen state. We had been corrupted by sin totally, we were responsible for it and we could do nothing about it since as scripture reveals, we were dead in our transgressions. (Ephesians 2:1)

A Loving, Gracious and Forgiving God

Although it really grieved the heart of God to see the broken relationship between himself and his created people, he initiated a process of restoration to bring back fallen humanity into a perfect relationship with him. He promised a redeemer right there [Genesis 3:9, 15b] who would overcome the deceiver and restore the broken relationship. This promised ‘serpent crusher’ is Jesus Christ who was born of a virgin girl from Nazareth named Mary. 

A new chapter was now opening. Another Adam had come onto the scene. He who had long been promised through the prophets had finally arrived and His name was Jesus Christ. The good news of God’s grace was now taking shape. Jesus Christ led a perfect life and was obedient in every way. In the end, he was crucified on a cross like a sinner even though he had committed no offence. He suffered judgement on behalf of you and I because God poured His wrath on Christ who was sinless so that the guilty may be counted free. That really is the good news of God’s grace – God’s goodness freely lavished on guilty sinners. 

Imagine it like this – you go to a private school and the child of the owner of the school is in also in the school – it is a beautiful school with all the facilities you can imagine. One day, out of sheer mischief, you obtain some chemical from the laboratory and poison the food and the entire school is exposed to food poisoning. Soon the police are involved because the entire population is at risk. The director learns of the situation and comes in and is informed of your act of felony – this time you are being held at the Deputy Head Teacher’s office. He carefully considers the matter and decides that the felony will be blamed on his son, who was innocent all along. This hurts the director deeply but he knows it is the only way to save you from a lifetime in prison. His own son is whisked away by the police and suffers separation from his loving father. He knows that the father means well and is totally confident of His father’s decisions.  The director then pays all the fines and expenses for those who were sick and the court fines so that his son is released from prison.  He then comes to you and tells you to go back to class, as everything has been restored to normal.  Imagine hearing that! That is really good news, so amazing it is, that our proud selves can hardly accept it. That is Grace – totally undeserved favour. 

Two Men

Essentially then, the gospel is a narrative about two men – the first man, Adam and the second Adam, Christ. The first represents the natural man, who is fallen and subject to God’s judgement and eternal separation from God in Adam, there is death, wrath and indeed law. The second man is Christ in whom there is forgiveness of sins and restoration of the relationship with God lost in the first Adam. In Christ, there is hope of resurrection from the dead as He himself was resurrected. In Him there is life, grace and redemption. 

The gospel is about a swap – a substitution of a sinner with a righteous man. One who is guilty and deserves death goes free and the innocent one is punished. The big question then is – in whom are you found? The first or the second Adam? This is indeed of first importance. 

“And be found in Christ, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith”

-          Philippians 3:9