THE TARGET (cont'd)
As we build up treasure
in heaven we will by nature become more set apart from the world,
for our heart’s desire will be in heaven. “Lay not up
for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves do not break through nor steal: but lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure
is, there will your heart be also (Matt. 6:19-21).” Let us be
set apart to things above that are of the kingdom of God because,
bottom line, all that is not pointed in that direction will be destroyed
and only that which we reserve in heaven will last for eternity. We
must be set apart to the kingdom of God; otherwise we will be empty
handed in heaven.
Finally, we need to be set apart to servant hood and others. Jesus,
teaching His disciples in Matt. 20:25-28, “called them unto
Him, and said, ‘Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise
dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon
them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great
among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among
you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for
many.” Not only does Jesus tell us we are to be each others
servant here, but clearly shows that to be like Him we must serve
others above ourselves. Jesus came to serve us, the creation. Wow,
what an example Jesus sets for us. God the Son becomes the servant
of His creation, man. The example is clear and what we must do is
also clear. We must be the servant of others putting ourselves at
the bottom of the list. Paul illustrates this for us in Romans 1:1
with, “Paul, a servant (bond slave) of Jesus Christ, called
to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.” Paul called
himself a bond slave. In Old Testament times, when a servant was about
to be set free and refused to be let go because he loved his master
and wished to remain serving his master for life, they pierced his
ear with an awl. This marked him as being a permanent slave for life
to his master. This is what a bond slave is, a slave by choice due
to love for the master. This is how Paul addresses himself, as a bond
slave of Jesus. This is also our calling, to serve the Lord Jesus
Christ with all our being for life, out of a heart of deep devotion
and love for the Master. When we become Christ’s bond slave
we automatically become a servant to the whole world because Jesus
loves the world and came to serve in obedience unto the very death
of the cross that the world might have life.
In the final analysis then, we must be set apart from sin and weights,
the world, and self and be set apart to holiness, the kingdom of God,
and to be the bond slave of Christ and servants of others. This is
the target God has for us that we might glorify God by becoming like
Jesus. Only when we become like Jesus will we heap mounds of treasure
in heaven that when we stand before Him, loving Him with all that
we are and desiring to place gifts in love at His feet, will we have
those gifts to give Him. What a sad event to stand before the Savior
with nothing to give Him, while loving Him with a perfect love. Let’s
set our target upon being like Jesus, separating ourselves from sin,
the world, and self and separating ourselves to holiness, the kingdom
of God, and the bond slave of Jesus and servant-hood of others.
