A servant of God or of Satan Whose servant are you? Welcome all to Ashley Heights Church of Christ. Good to be here and glad to be with my brothers and sisters learning more about God. Hope that my sermon tonight is encouraging and reminds us of who we need to be as Christians. But my lesson tonight is about…… and I ask the question, Whose servant are you?

Shades of Gray Many people see world as shades of gray Some people are OK some good and some are worse. There are many truths. Evil people can have good intentions? Many people in the world see it as Shades of Gray. I mean things aren’t black and white, 1+1 doesn’t always equal 2 depending on the person or the situation, or there is several ways to interpret things. As far as people go, the world sees some as good, OK, or truly evil. According to man’s eyes. Some would go so far as to try to make excuses or rationalize evil. Example- Man kills someone because he doesn't like his hair or a look he gave him. In court lawyers will spin all kind of stories . And some people will be on his side and others not.

Which religion is right? Many people are confused as to where to go or are quick to assert they can do anything they want and it’s OK. One example, article by Brian Gallagher: “Most importantly, there is no way that you can make a logical case that your belief system is "more right" than anybody else's.” Acts 26:24-26 Went online to research the topic at top. And I found many interesting things. People are confused where to go. Some quickly assert….. A lot of the searches came up with, “Which religion is right for me. People are shopping for a religion or belief system that fits their own desires. Or they make up their own. Instead of changing themselves to conform to a system, they change the belief system to conform to themselves. (Give example) This would be no problem if no God.

His conclusion... “If you try to find the core principles that guide most religions, you will find that they all share many similarities, and there is room in the world for all of them.” John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” His conclusion…Tries to make case that nobody is right, so everybody is OK and any belief system will fit in the world. Never mind that many systems don’t leave room for others. It all comes down to how much people really believe or are committed. Some people will toss out their beliefs or change them to fit situations. (Gay example) John 14:6

Are all religions the same? Do the Catholics teach immersion baptism unto salvation? Do Calvinists teach that a Christian can fall away? Does the Islamic religion teach that Jesus was the son of God? Does the Jewish faith teach the new covenant? Does Hinduism teach that men are appointed once to die and then judgment? Do Mormons teach marriage between one man and one woman? Go along with his statement. Are all religions the same? Read list…. Talk briefly about each.

The Answer No to all the questions. Does Mr. Gallagher’s statement add up? Many religions and many beliefs. Does it add up? Make sense? Most people even in other religions would agree it doesn’t make sense. Even among Christian’s and “Christian’s” There is numerous beliefs and types. Has God truly delivered a plethora of beliefs to many different people?

Bible makes it simple Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5. one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6.one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. We serve God and only one God, the God of the bible. Remember Jesus said he is the truth. The nature of truth is that there is only one. There can’t be many truths or else all would be wrong and one correct. A child will even tell you that the only answer to one plus one is two.

All people should have same beliefs? Philippians 3:16-17 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. 17. Brethren join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. You can tell people that we should all believe the one true God and His word as communicated in the Bible. You can do research and look on your own to see in the bible passages that go along with words like: together, same, united, no difference, and also there antonyms. This a pattern. We all know and could easily recreate it. We know what it means to follow a pattern. And although this is a man-made pattern, following God’s pattern is not much different.

Is this a pattern. Is this what God had in mind Is this a pattern? Is this what God had in mind? Can you follow this or recreate it? Some people that teach chaos theory will try to argue with you about this. But really it is just one big mess.

So who do you serve? Philippians 3: 18-19 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19. whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame-- who set their mind on earthly things. Talking about people in the world mostly and we know the dividing line. It is simple to understand. You serve either God or Satan. They serve Satan.

If you don’t serve God then who? Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Mammon- n. Riches; wealth; or the god of riches. So do you serve yourself and your desires? If you aren’t serving God you serve Satan. As Christians can we truly say that we serve God. That’s what we are saying when we come to worship. When we take the Lord’s supper, when we do things for one another. What else?

If you don’t serve God you serve Satan. John 8:44-47 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. As I said before if you don’t serve God then you serve Satan, even as a Christian. Case of the Pharisees who desired to kill Jesus and refused to believe Him.

John 8:46-47 46. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47. He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God. Do we hear God? How can we hear unless we read, study, and are preached good words? How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace... Do we know that things being preached are words of God?

Be honest with yourself Acts 5:3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?” Whose servant was he being? Do you lie for worldly gain? Ananias and Sapphira land example. Held back money for themselves. Greed, lust of flesh. Whose servant was he? Do we lie for such things as money or any other fleshly desire?

Who is being served? Genesis 22: 10-12 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11. But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Who is being served.

Genesis 22:12 12. And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Who was Abraham serving? Do we serve God with the same spirit? Who was Abraham serving? Do we serve God, knowing that He has our best interest and that He speaks the truth? Do we sacrifice to Him even though the things we are giving up is precious to us? Surely we’ll be tested and asked to give up something really hard…. Can we pass the test? Are we prepared or are we preparing?

Whose servant are you? Romans 6:6-7 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7. For he who has died has been freed from sin. As Christians we should no longer serve sin and Satan. Whose servant are you when considering these examples and passages.

Do no let sin reign Romans 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. We know what lusts our body desires for even though we are Christians we still have a mortal body. We still have desires, but don’t let them control you or cause you to lose your salvation you have gained!!! Serve God with all joy.

Romans 6:13 And no not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. What’s an instrument or a tool? Do you have one you find useful and works well? Do you have one that doesn’t do what it is supposed to do? Do you throw it away if it doesn’t work? Are we God’s instrument?

Are you an instrument of God? Romans 6:16-18 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? 17. But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. Read.

Romans 6:18 18. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Do you understand what being free from the slavery of sin means for the Christian? Do you find joy in that knowledge? Do you want to tell others? Can we take the knowledge Bible gives us and apply it to our lives. Great to read and to know but to actually live by and use it is another thing. Do we have joy in knowing that when we die as a Christian that we aren’t going to torment? Does this knowledge and joy come through when you tell others? Can they tell that you seem different because you know where you are going?

Romans 6:21-23 21. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Scriptures say it better than me. God knows what we need.

Are you a Christian? Have you decided to obey God instead of Satan and resolve to live as his servant instead of a slave to unrighteousness? Do you understand what the Bible says about salvation? Or are you a Christian that needs the prayers of the Church because you haven’t been living as a servant of God? Are you a Christian? Do you understand that outside of obedience to Jesus you cannot get to heaven? Do you need help in understanding what the Bible teaches? Or are you a Christian that has fallen short of being a servant to God and need help?