8/21/2019 Serving at the Master's Pleasure

1/3

Serving at the Master’s Pleasure.

Ever since I was young, I have been amazed by how Presidential appointees would

often say that they serve at the President’s pleasure. I saw it as an act of humility

and reverence towards the President. It was a recognition that since they were

appointed into power by the President, their performance and eistence weredependent on nothing else but his pleasure.

Matt. 6:24

Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If anyman will come after me, let him deny 

himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

!hen I surrendered my life to the "ord, I came across this wonderful verse and

realized that serving the "ord was no di#erent. I recognized that I was serving at

the $Master’s Pleasure%, and so does every &hristian.

'll &hristians are appointed, speci(cally ordained, to serve. Some people thin) thatthe $call% is only for those who commit their lives to full*time service. +owever, we

must consider that the 'postle Paul, when tal)ing to the church in ome, besought

everyone -not only those who would be preachers, or pastors, or teachers to be

$living sacri(ces% as our reasonable service to /od.

Romans 12:1

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present  your bodies a livin sacri!ce, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

0ut what does it really mean to serve at /od’s pleasure1

 2here is an eplicit command from the "ord on how those who would li)e to follow

+im should do so. 'ccording to 3esus, if we want to be +is disciple we must4

5irst, $"et him deny himself6% 2his means Self*7enial.

1 Cor. 9:27

"ut I keep under my body, and brin it into sub#ection$ lest that by any 

means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

/od wants us to suppress our own pleasure and see) +is. !e do not serve

according to our own terms as a servant considers himself to be a property of his

master. +e )nows no rights ecept the grace etended to him by his lord. In the

same manner, we have been bought by the precious blood of 3esus &hrist. /od

gave +is only begotten Son to die on the &ross to be a ransom for our sins. 2he

message is clear * we have been bought with a price. !e must realize that because

of this, we do not have any other option but to see) +is pleasure.

8/21/2019 Serving at the Master's Pleasure

2/3

"et us try as)ing ourselves these 8uestions4 !henever we serve /od, who is

pleased1 In our daily lives, who is magni(ed1 !ho is made happy1 2he 0ible says

that in whatever we do we should do all for the glory of /od. Self*denial means

denying the 9oy of your mortal :esh, and see)ing things which please +im.

 2his was very clear in the statement of the 'postle Paul4

 Acts 20:24

"ut none of these thins move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself,

so that I miht !nish my course with #oy, and the ministry, which I have

received of the %ord Jesus, to testify the ospel of the race of God.

+e considered his life not dear unto himself so that he may (nd 9oy. Most people

may (nd this statement ironic as it is contrary to how the world pictures 9oy. !e

have been taught by the world to go after our dreams and give in to the desires of 

our heart. 2his, however, is not the will of /od. /od wants us to (nd true 9oy, the

)ind that lasts for eternity ; the 9oy that is in 3esus &hrist.

Second, /od wants us to be responsible. 'ccording to the verse, +e wants us to

$2a)e up his cross..%. 2he &ross spea)s of responsibility. Ever since &hrist was born,

+e )new very well that +e would one day die on the &ross for the sins of men. +e

was not distracted, nor was +e moved as +e focused on doing +is 5ather’s business4

Luke 2:49

 &nd he said unto them, How is it that ye souht me' wist ye not that I must 

be about my (ather)s business'

 2he &hurch has been ordained to bear fruit by abiding in 3esus &hrist.

 John 15:16

*e have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye

should o and brin forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain$ that 

whatsoever ye shall ask of the (ather in my name, he may ive it you.

'nd as members of the E))lesia, each of us has been called by /od and appointed

into a speci(c area of service where we may e#ective and fruitful.

Moreover, /od himself gave each and every one gifts which we should use for +isglory.

Romans 12:6-8

Havin then ifts di+erin accordin to the race that is iven to us, whether  prophecy, let us prophesy accordin to the proportion of faith -r ministry,let us wait on our ministerin$ or he that teacheth, on teachin -r he that 

8/21/2019 Serving at the Master's Pleasure

3/3

ehorteth, on ehortation$ he that iveth, let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth, with dilience he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

&learly then, there is no reason for any &hristian to be irresponsible.