The Parables of Christ no. 30

The servant’s attitude

Good Friday April 9, 2004

Rev. Brian Kocourek

Prayer…

LUKE 17:7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? 8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. 10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

EPHESIANS 4:1 ¶ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 ¶ With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Its all about attitude.

II CHRONICLES 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Abraham 56-1208 P:49 Now, we mustn't walk at this or go at this with a half hearted attitude. We must go with a full surrendered attitude. We must come to the church and listen to the Bible, and if anything is brought out of this Bible, believe it. If it's not out of the Bible, then it's up to you. But the Bible is God's foundation plan. It's His plan of redemption. It's His plan of healing. It's the plan of everything that He has, is laid out right here; and the Bible said, "Woe unto him that will add to or take out." This is it. I believe the Word. I've been into churches, and watched how people a lot of time in churches, watch how the pastor acts. The church will act that way. Friends, I say this (not as sharp talking), but I say it as a servant of Christ to be honest with you. Many times they get one another's spirit instead of the Holy Spirit (see?); and that's the reason when I... You act... It makes them act alike. Notice but that's the reason when I come to you, I know nothing but the Bible. I want you to have the Spirit that's in the Bible, which is the Spirit of Christ; and that's the reason I try to stay in the Word and get nothing but what's in the Word (See?), and bring it to the people.

JOHN 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; (notice, this speaks of His presence) and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Roman nobleman 55-0621 P:3 I want you to notice his attitude. He didn't approach feeling that he had it coming to him; he approached, said he was unworthy. I want you to take that attitude also, that you cannot come with a predominating attitude and get anything from God. You must come reverent, humble, and then God will deal with you. And then you will get what you ask for.And that's the attitude that this Roman taken.Look at his a--approach to the Lord Jesus. He said, "I am not worthy for You to come under my roof. So I sent... I felt, myself, I wasn't worthy to come to You." Said, "Just speak the Word." He said, "I am a man under authority." And said, "I say to this man 'go,' and to this man 'come,' and they go and come." Said, "You just speak the Word, and my servant will live."I want you to notice that. That Roman, being under authority, that knew that whatever was under him had to obey him. On his testimony, he witnessed that Jesus Christ was over all sickness. He could make sickness obey Him, just the same as he could make his soldiers obey him. If one of the soldiers failed to obey him, it was a death penalty. And he recognized that same authority in Jesus, over evil spirits or sickness. That's why he said, "Just speak the Word."

Seven church ages 54-0512 P:15 Now, before we speak to Him, or speak of His writing, let us bow our heads and speak to Him just a moment in a word of prayer.Our kind heavenly Father, as we solemnly bow our heads to the dust, whence we were taken and shall return someday if Thou does tarry, we bow in humility to ask that You will be near us tonight, to

bless us. I can lay back the pages of this Bible, but there's no man that's able to open the Book or to loose the seals thereof. And it's written in Here, "He that takes out of This, shall be taken out of, his part, of the Book of Life and who adds to It, the plagues of God will be poured out upon him."Father, realizing as mortal men and women setting here tonight, knowing that we're an eternity bound people, God, may the Holy Spirit come, the Writer of this Bible, and open up these pages to us. And may Thy humble, unprofitable servant preach as a dying man to dying men, as if this would be the last service I'd ever have this side of eternity, the last night we'd ever gather together. And may every one of the laity act tonight as if this was their last sermon they'd ever hear. God, take away all folly. Make us sincere, knowing that we must answer at the judgment of God someday. And our attitude towards Him and His Word now, will 'termine our eternal destination.So Father, with trembling hearts, we come to Thee, and ask: Let the Lord Jesus in the form of the Holy Spirit, take the Word of God tonight, and give It to every heart, as we have need. For we ask it in His Name. Amen.

Shalom 64-0112 P:11 Our heavenly Father, we are so grateful to You, that we can even be privileged to address You as our Father, for "Father" means that we have been begotten of the great God that created the heavens and earth. And we are so happy for this privilege, that we can think in our hearts, and then, that we are sons and daughters of Yours. And then to see You strictly identify Yourself in the midst of us, that You are our Father, changing our thoughts from the things of the world, and changing our motives and objectives and attitudes, and every phase of us, to love You and to believe You, and--and know that Your promises are true.We have assembled here this morning in this place that we call, the backside of the desert, or I call it that. Thinking that, reason I say that, Lord, is not to reflect anything upon this little group of people, but of anything that would be of a nature of being small.But I'm trying to think that it was Moses, Your servant, who was at the backside of the desert, maybe just he and his sheep, maybe his wife, Zipporah, and--and--and Gershom, his son, might've been along. I... That I do not know. But it was there that they had an experience that changed that prophet from a runaway coward to the service of the God Who had ordained him for the job on the backside of the desert. It was there that--that the Pillar of Fire that was made manifest for the first time in human life, that we know of, that Fire was laying back in a little desert bush, and it burnt not. But--but it was the glory of God reflecting Itself through that bush, that Moses the prophet taking off his shoes, drawed nigh unto It, and was commissioned by God to deliver a nation of God's people.

Roman nobleman 55-0621 P:28 Now, there's nothing could be hid from Him. Whatever that Voice was, speaking just a few moments ago, it wasn't your brother. It was Jesus Christ using my voice. Now, it depends on the man's approach to that, what he thinks about it, will determine what he receives from it.If there is a power here that knows you, knows your condition (And you know that's true.), if you believe that to be Jesus Christ? Then if He is still present, these signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall get well. You believe that? Come forward.Oh, great God of Heaven, may Thy mercy rest upon this man, may his body...?... this cancer...?... Amen.Now, there is a different feeling. It's gone. That's right. The cancer is dead. Go, God be with you.Have faith in God.What is cancer? What is tumor? It's a life. It's not your life. It's a life of the devil, taking your life.

This day this scripture 65-0219 P:23 Now, we find Him, as He would not join up with them; He would not have nothing to do in their ranks; then He was an outcast. He would not have any... Besides that He went into the temple one day. A man went in there and found the house of God just about contaminated as it is today. They were buying, selling, changing money, and He turned over the money tables took ropes and plaited them and beat the moneychangers out of the temple and looked upon them with anger. And said, "It's written (Hallelujah.), My Father's house is a house of prayer and you've made it a den of thieves. And you with your tradition has made the commandments of God of non-effect."Oh, could a bunch like that ever believe in Him? No, sir. They had been so hog-wallowed in the muck of societies and filth of the day until they were so ecclesiastical froze up until they couldn't feel the vibrations of the power of Almighty God. No wonder the little woman could touch His garment and get healed by it, and a drunken soldier could spit in His face and feel no virtue. Depends on how you approach It; depends on what you're looking for. When you go to church it depends on what you're looking for.

PSALMS 51:17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Now, attitude is the number one destroyer of any ministry. If you can not love the people you are trying to help, then you should get out of the ministry.

Brother Branham said the reason his ministry was so effective, is because of his great love for people.

DO YOU NOW BELIEVE 55-0610 E-28 If you want to be a real outstanding person in your church, wherever church you go to, you just fall in love with God with all your heart; and when you do that, you will fall in love with every member of your church, and every member of everybody else's church with all your heart. Now, you can't bluff that. Now, there's something about it that people know. If there's anything I can contribute the success of my meetings to, earthly speaking, is to know that people have a conscious to know that I truly love people. I just love people. And they know that. And you can't fool them on that. If you are making out, or pretending... Just like Christianity, if you're pretending to be a Christian, you will never make a go of it. No, sir. It's absolutely got to be there. That's all. Love will do it. I have been a great lover of wild life. You know that. And I've noticed in animal life, if you love animals, if you love them, you can do anything with them you want to. And if you don't love them, they know it. And if you're afraid of them, like a biting dog, if somebody said, "The dog will bite," if you're afraid of him, you're sure going to get bit. See? Now, you're not going to fool him. You might say, "I'm not afraid of him," but you... That better come from somewhere besides your lips, 'cause he knows better. See? Now, if you're not afraid of him, it's different.