Josh McGuire - Becoming An Unworthy Servant | Austin CFC | 2021-12-19
Summary
The speaker emphasizes adopting an attitude of unworthiness before God, mirroring Paul's self-description as a bondservant. He uses the story of Eliezer from Genesis 24 to illustrate this point, meticulously tracing potential timelines and suggesting that Eliezer served Abraham for many years, implying a lifetime of humble service without expecting recognition or credit.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
What is Luke 7:10 teaching us about expectations?The speaker shares Luke 7:10 as his favorite verse, explaining that Jesus expects us to have an attitude of having no expectations because we deserve nothing and are simply unworthy servants.
Who is the servant in Genesis 24?Looking at Genesis 24, the speaker examines the servant sent to find a bride for Isaac, who is widely believed to be Eliezer even though his name does not appear in the chapter.
What can we learn from the hidden years of Jesus?Just as Eliezer served quietly for decades, Jesus spent eighteen hidden years learning obedience to His parents and growing as a servant before beginning His public ministry.
Eliezer was content being a nobodyThe servant never sought credit or recognition for himself, simply identifying as Abraham's servant and letting his master receive all the attention.
He was trustworthy and obedientAbraham trusted Eliezer with all his possessions, and Eliezer obeyed immediately without making excuses about his age or the long journey.
He asked questions and depended on prayerEliezer asked clarifying questions to ensure he understood his task, and his immediate instinct upon arriving was to pray for God's help rather than relying on his own wit.
He understood God answers prayers of faithBecause he lived with Abraham and observed his faith, Eliezer expected God to answer, and Rebecca appeared before he even finished praying.
He was a worshiper who gave God all the gloryUpon seeing God answer his prayer, Eliezer immediately fell to his knees in worship among strangers and gave all the credit to God rather than himself.
His mission came before his own comfortDespite traveling through the desert for seventeen days, Eliezer refused to eat until he had settled his master's business.
He longed to be with his masterWhen Rebecca's family asked him to stay a few more days, Eliezer's heart was set on returning promptly to his master.
He was completely transparent with his masterUpon returning, Eliezer gave a full and honest account of everything that happened on the journey, hiding nothing from Isaac.
How the loss of Sarah prompted God's planA contributing speaker notes that Sarah's death served as a painful interruption that eventually set in motion the fulfillment of God's promise for Isaac to find a wife.
Eliezer and John the Baptist pointed others away from themselvesAnother speaker compares Eliezer to John the Baptist, noting that neither sought to captivate people for themselves, but instead constantly drew attention to Isaac and Jesus.
Why Abraham trusted Eliezer so completelyA speaker highlights the remarkable trust Abraham placed in Eliezer to find a wife for his son, noting that Eliezer had no selfish ambition regarding the inheritance.
Setting our hearts on eternal thingsConcluding the meeting, a speaker summarizes the core attitudes of the servant as humility, honesty, and faith, urging believers to live with an eternal perspective.
