The Rewards of a Servant's Heart (5 of 5): Jesus, the Greatest Servant of All

To conclude this series of blogs, we'll discuss Him who was the prototypical servant in the earth, our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ.  Indeed, He knew His purpose was to serve.  He said of Himself that He "did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for many," Matthew 20:28 (NKJV).

With this statement, Jesus dispels the misnomer that ministry is simply a position of honor and privilege.  At times, especially when ministry is being birthed and formulated, it can be very much a thankless occupation.  Jesus can certainly testify to this.  He went to-and-fro preaching and healing the sick among His countrymen, and needless to say many were grateful and honored Him for it.  But in the end, many of those same countrymen spat upon Him, cursed Him, and like Stephen, handed Him over to the executioners. 

Jesus was purposed to be a martyr, and He understood this.  It was the love of God in His heart that powered Him forward while always aware of the dreadful consequences He'd ultimately suffer.  It is important to recognize here that you are also made in the image of God and purposed at creation to advance God's kingdom in the earth.  Understand as Jesus did that you may endure hardship in fulfilling purpose but your servant's reward is on the horizon.  You will truly reap the harvest if you faint not.

Apparently Jesus was Stephen's example; similarly with His last breath He begged foregiveness such that death not be returned to those deserving of it.  From Jesus, Stephen understood the creative power of forgiveness.  Stephen's forgiveness created Paul.  Jesus' forgiveness created that Body of Christ.  The reward of Jesus' servant's heart was you as a believer.

The Rewards of a Servant's Heart (4 of 5): Stephen, the Deacon Who Performed Miracles

Acts 6 talks of the selection of men "full of faith and the Holy Spirit" called upon to do what people might consider very subsurvient work.  Proof, I suppose, that position in God's kingdom is always both privilege and responsibility.

It's ironic, though, that it's by doing the tasks that no one else wants to do that you are truly set apart.  Such was true for Stephen, one of those men selected in Acts 6. 

By most interpretations, Stephen was simply a waitor or go-fer, doing whatever the church leadership required of him--tasks many people even in church might consider beneath them.  But apparently this was purpose fulfilled for Stephen for the Bible says that signs and wonders were accomplished by his hands among the people.

We also glean from Acts 6 that Stephen died a martyr's death, unfortunate, I think for the Body of Christ of that era and this one.  But standing by, holding the coats of Stephen executioners, was an astute young Jew highly-motivated to persecute Christians named Saul.  With his last breath, Stephen asked for forgiveness his executioners, Saul included. 

For his participation in Stephen's execution, Saul deserved to suffer as well.  But Stephen's request for forgiveness was an act of intercession.  And this intercession produced Paul, a.k.a. Saul, whose ministry would lead many in history to refer to him as the Father of the Modern-Day Church.  At one time in his life, Saul lived to make Christians suffer, but after Stephen's intercession, now known as Paul, his missionary trips and writings immortalized him in time and, in the present-day, still define the doctrine on which the Christian church is founded.

How 'bout that for a servant's reward.