If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. (John 12:26) 

So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’ ” (Luke 17:10) 

These verses, when compared, reveal an interesting paradox concerning service in the kingdom of the Lord. The first says, "If you serve Me, you'll be honored." The second says "When you've rendered your service, you've earned nothing, you have but carried out your responsibilities." But both are true. The disciple of Christ is to work hard at carrying out every command that his Master has given him. He realizes that his life is no longer his to do whatever he pleases. He has willingly put himself on the auction block. No one forced him to make that decision. When he confessed Christ as his Lord and put him on in baptism he declared, “All to Jesus I surrender; all to him I freely give”. There was an exchange of holy currency and the price was paid. Paul asks, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The apostle Peter declares that Christians “were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19). God has two liens against you. One, because he made you and you’re living in his world. Two, because he bought you back from sin and death with his blood (Acts 20:28).

Yet the Master of the slave sees something else. He sees one who has been enslaved to sin and the fear of death for many, many years. He sees one who has spent his days working for a cruel taskmaster. He sees a tired, hurting and broken soul. And he says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The Master is thrilled beyond measure to offer this slave a new life. He can't wait to get him home so he can bless him some more. Because this slave, who has been gone for so long, who has been broken by sin and setbacks, is his son. And, oh how he wants to bless him! Isn’t that the way we feel about our children? Regardless of the depth of disappointment a parent may experience, isn’t that pushed to the side when the child wants to come home. And if we, the flawed parents that we are, are eager to have a wronged relationship righted with our children, how much more is this the case with God? Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11)

The servant understands that he is owed nothing. He just wants to do his duty and live off the kindness of the Master. That's the nature of a servant. But the Father's going to reward him anyway. That's the nature of a Father. 

God bless you,

Brad Fry