Christ's True Servants

Video Talk

 

Isaiah 49:5-6 ESV

 

“And now the Lord says,

    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,

to bring Jacob back to him;

    and that Israel might be gathered to him—

for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord,

    and my God has become my strength—

he says:

‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant

    to raise up the tribes of Jacob

    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;

I will make you as a light for the nations,

    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’”

 

Now, this is regarded as a prophecy about Jesus Christ, and that he is the servant being spoken of here. Yet, it also speaks to our calling of God to be his servants and to be those who take the truth of the gospel to the ends of the earth and who encourage (exhort, urge) the body of Christ toward holy living and away from living in sin and in wickedness.

 

For we are to speak the truth in love, one to the other, so that we are not led astray by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful scheming, and so we are not carried about by every wind of doctrine. But so that we are all able to grow up (mature) in Christ Jesus, “from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:1-16).

 

And we are to be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ, as is fitting in the Lord. And we are to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom. And we are to exhort one another every day so that none of us may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. And we are to consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, encouraging (exhorting, urging) one another.

 

And if anyone of us is caught in any transgression, those of us who are walking in obedience to the Lord, and not in sin, should restore (bring back) the fallen Christian in a spirit of gentleness (controlled strength). And if any fellow Christian should wander from the truth, if we bring that person back to the truth and to holy living, we will save that person’s soul from death. For, again, we are to speak the truth in love one to the other so that we don’t fall away or so that we bring them back to the Lord Jesus.

 

[Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:17-21; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20]

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI9s-beln2w

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Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

 

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

 

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

 

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

 

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

 

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg

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