37.3 If We Just Do Our Work We Are Useless Servants

(Luke 17:7-10)

“Suppose one of you has a servant who is plowing or looking after the sheep. When he comes in from the field, do you tell him to hurry along and eat his meal? Of course not! Instead, you say to him, ‘Get my supper ready, then put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may have your meal.’ The servant does not deserve thanks for obeying orders, does he? It is the same with you; when you have done all you have been told to do, say, ‘We are ordinary servants; we have only done our duty.’”

37.2 Service Instead of Exerting Power

(Luke 22:24-27)

An argument broke out among the disciples as to which one of them should be thought of as the greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the pagans have power over their people, and the rulers are called ‘Friends of the People.’ But this is not the way it is with you; rather, the greatest one among you must be like the youngest, and the leader must be like the servant. Who is greater, the one who sits down to eat or the one who serves him? The one who sits down, of course. But I am among you as one who serves.

37.1 Hypocrisy Of Scribes

(Matthew 23:1-12)

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples. “The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees are the authorized interpreters of Moses’ Law. So you must obey and follow everything they tell you to do; do not, however, imitate their actions, because they don’t practice what they preach. They tie onto people’s backs loads that are heavy and hard to carry, yet they aren’t willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads. They do everything so that people will see them. Look at the straps with scripture verses on them which they wear on their foreheads and arms, and notice how large they are. Notice also how long are the tassels on their cloaks! They love the best places at feasts and the reserved seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the market places and to have people call them ‘Teacher.’ You must not be called ‘Teacher,’ because you are all brothers of one another and have only one Teacher. And you must not call anyone here on earth ‘Father,’ because you have only the one Father in heaven. Nor should you be called ‘Leader,’ because your one and only leader is the Messiah. The greatest one among you most be your servant. Whoever makes himself great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be made great.

36.4 God Cares For the Lonely

(Psalm 113)

Praise the Lord!

You servants of the Lord, praise his name!
His name will be praised, now and forever.
From the east to the west
praise the name of the Lord
The Lord rules over all nations;
his glory is above the heavens.

There is no like the Lord our God.
He lives in the heights above,
but he bends down to see the heavens and the earth.
He raises the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from their misery
and makes them companions of princes,
the princes of his people.
He honors the childless wife in her home;
he makes her happy by giving he children.

Praise the Lord!

36.3 Help Others, Including the Foreigners

(3 John 2-8)

My dear friend, I pray that everything may go well with you and that you may be in good health—as I know you are well in spirit. I was happy when some Christian brothers arrived and told me how faithful you are to the truth—just as you always live in the truth. Nothing makes me happier than to hear that my children live in the truth.

My dear friend, you are so faithful in the work you do for your fellow Christians, even when they are strangers. They have spoken to the church here about your love. Please help them to continue their trip in a way that will please God. For they set out on their trip in the service of Christ without accepting any help from unbelievers. We Christians, then, must help these people, so that we may share in their work for the truth.

36.2 Be Hospitable, Use Your Talents

(1 Peter 4:8-10)

Above everything, love one another earnestly, because love covers over many sins. Open your homes to each other without complaining. Each one, as a good manager of God’s different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift he has received from God.

36.1 After Being Mistreated By Them, Joseph Was Hospitable To His Brothers

(Genesis 43:31-34)

After he had washed his face, he came out, and controlling himself, he ordered the meal to be served. Joseph was served at one table and his brothers at another. The Egyptians who were eating there were served separately, because they considered it beneath there dignity to eat with Hebrews. The brothers had been seated at the table, facing Joseph, in the order of their age from the oldest to the youngest. When they saw how they had been seated, they looked at one another in amazement. Food was served five times as much as the rest of them. So they ate and drank with Joseph until they were drunk.

35.4 It Is Good To Live As Brothers

(Psalm 133)

How wonderful it is, how pleasant,
for God’s people to live together in harmony!
It is like the precious anointing oil
running down from Aaron’s head and beard,
down to the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew on Mount Hermon,
falling on the hills of Zion.
That is where the Lord has promised his blessing—
life that never ends.

35.3 Have The Same Attitude To All

(Romans 12:9-21)

Love must be completely sincere. Hate what is evil, hold on to what is good. Love one another warmly as Christian brothers, and be eager to show respect for one another. Work hard and do not be lazy. Serve the Lord with a heart full of devotion. Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times. Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians, and open your homes to strangers.

Ask God to bless those who persecute you—yes, ask him to bless, not to curse. Be happy with those who are happy, weep with those who weep. Have the same concern for everyone. Do not be proud, but accept humble duties. Do not think of yourselves as wise.

If someone has done wrong, do not repay him with a wrong. Try to do what everyone considers to be good. Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody. Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God’s anger do it. For the scripture says, “I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord.“ Instead, as the scripture says: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for by doing this you will make him burn with shame.” Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good.

35.2 Invite The Poor And The Cripple

(Luke 14:12-14)

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your rich neighbors--for they will invite you back, and in this way you will be paid for what you did. When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind and you will be blessed, because they are not able to pay you back. God will repay you on the day the good people rise from death.”

35.1 Befriend Aliens

(Deuteronomy 10:14-21)

To the Lord belong even the highest heavens; the earth is his also, and everything on it. But the Lord’s love for your ancestors was so strong that he chose you instead of any other people, and you are still his chosen people. So then, from now on be obedient to the Lord and stop being stubborn. The Lord your God is supreme over all gods and over all powers. He is great and mighty, and he is to be obeyed. He does not show partiality, and he does not accept bribes. He makes sure that orphans and widows are treated fairly; he loves the foreigners who live with our people, and gives them food and clothes. So then, show love for those foreigners, because you were once foreigners in Egypt. Have reverence for the Lord your God and worship only him. Be faithful to him and make your promises in his name alone. Praise him--he is your God, and you have seen with your own eyes the great and astounding things that he has done for you.

34.4 The Lord Is My Hope

(Psalm 71:1-8, 18b, 22-23)

Lord, I have come to you for protection;
never let me be defeated!
Because you are righteous, help me and rescue me.
Listen to me and save me!
Be my secure shelter and a strong fortress to protect me;
you are my refuge and defense.

My God, rescue me from wicked men,
from the power of cruel and evil men.
Sovereign Lord, I put my hope in you;
I have trusted in you since I was young.
I have relied on you all my life;
you have protected me since the day I was born.
I will always praise you.

My life has been an example to many,
because you have been my stronger defender.
All day long I praise you and proclaim your glory.

Be with me while I proclaim your power and might
to all generations to come.

I will indeed praise you with the harp;
I will praise your faithfulness, my God.
On my harp I will play hymns to you,
the Holy One of Israel.
I will shout for joy as I play for you;
with my whole being I will sing
because you have saved me.