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"We are your servants for Jesus' sake."

1) "We are your servants ...." Paul wrote these words in the Greek language, and here employed a word (doulos) meaning "bond-man, or slave." Everything a bond-slave does is for the benefit of someone else, not himself.

The supreme example of such servitude is Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5-8). He is "in the form of God" (v.6a), possessing deity; and "equal with God" (v.6b), being co-equal with His Father. But in order to save His people, He "made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant [Greek doulos], and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (vv.7f). All Christians, but gospel preachers in particular, will heed the exhortation "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (v.5).

The attitude of gospel preachers is therefore characterized by humility, voluntary servitude for the benefit of others, and self-sacrifice. The egomania and self-aggrandizement of many modern preachers proves they are not ministers of Christ and His gospel.

2) "We are your servants ...." A gospel preacher is first of all a "servant of Jesus Christ" (Romans 1:1), having acknowledged Him as "Christ Jesus the Lord." And, like all other believers, he is no longer a "slave of sin," having by faith become a willing "slave of righteousness" (Romans 6:16-22).

But when Paul writes "We are your servants," he is referring to the recipients of this epistle: "the church of God" and "all the saints" (2 Corinthians 1:1). Gospel preachers are therefore servants of the church of Christ their Lord. And although it is true that they are "overseers/bishops" of their respective churches, they nevertheless are not the "lords" of their churches (1 Peter 5:2f).

A gospel preacher must therefore devote both his time and talents to the church of God. To the best of his circumstance and ability, he forsakes worldly cares and pursuits in order to join the apostles in saying "we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:2-4). There is no place in the gospel ministry for a lazy and unconcerned attitude.

3) "We are your servants for Jesus' sake." As we have already noted, gospel preachers do not minister for their own glory. Rather, they echo the sentiment of John the Baptist regarding Jesus Christ: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). Neither do gospel preachers minister for the sake of their own denomination, as many preachers do today. Paul was not affiliated with any denomination, and neither should gospel preachers today. And although gospel preachers minister for the sake of the church of Christ, this is not their ultimate goal.

Rather, the ultimate goal of gospel preachers is to minister for Jesus' sake. i) They preach for the sake of Jesus' name. They therefore ever pray "Hallowed be Your name" (Matthew 6:9) in the hope that their message will result in Jesus' name being revered by all who hear them. ii) They preach for the sake of Jesus' kingdom. They therefore ever pray "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9f). iii) They preach for the sake of Jesus' glory. They therefore ever press onward to that day when "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea" (Habakkuk 2:14).

Have you believed our message?

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