Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning, May 20, 2001, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.

THE VOW OF A SERVANT

By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 15:1-10

Text: 2 Samuel 15:8

2 Samuel 15:8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.

Introduction: All this month we are emphasizing vows, as we are having renewals of marriage vows at the close of the Sunday morning services. The first vow we looked at from scripture was the vow of a spouse. Today I want us to consider the vow of a servant.

In our scripture reading, Absalom explained that he had vowed a vow to serve the Lord if the Lord blessed him. However, he was lying. How many people today have vowed to serve God but had no intention of doing it! How many Christians have vowed to

: 1. start attending church faithfully, Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night
: 2. get baptized
: 3. join the church
: 4. start reading the Bible through from cover to cover
: 5. start praying regularly and more
: 6. start winning souls
: 7. get more involved in church, teaching a class, working on a bus route, signing up for the nursery list, etc.

I. THE VOW OF A SERVANT IS A VOW OF LOYALTY

Psalms 119:38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

Notice the word, “devoted,” in the above verse. A servant should be a devoted servant. When you are devoted, you are FOCUSED. It means to be consecrated and dedicated to somebody or something.

Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., founder of Bob Jones University, is quoted as saying, “If a man ain’t LOYAL, he ain’t NOTHING.” (May God give us more college presidents who will give more emphasis to good CHARACTER than to good GRAMMAR!)

A. We should be loyal to one Owner

There are many authorities in this world.
We are commanded to submit ourselves to the higher powers.
Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Our Owner is God. He is the highest Power of all!
If any conflict between authorities occurs, we obey HIM.
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

B. We should be loyal to one order

We have one main command toward God:
Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.
We have one main command toward men:
Matthew 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
We need to do whatever God wants us to do.
Illustration – Dr. Faulkner as he was promoted under Dr. Roberson.
Illustration – Jonah was willing to preach, but not where God wanted him to preach.

C. We should be loyal to one organization

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
When Mrs. O’Neal and I married in 1971, we made up our minds to be loyal to a local church.
When we married we moved to Havre de Grace, MD, where I would be stationed for duty at Bainbridge for only 14 weeks. Instead of VISITING churches for 14 weeks, and instead of NOT BEING INVOLVED for 14 weeks, we jumped into a church with both feet! We went to EVERY service! In 14 weeks we got involved in every ministry that we could, and during that time God called me into the ministry!
Who knows what God might do with YOU if you would just make up your mind to get into the local church God has for you, and devote yourself to it?

II. THE VOW OF A SERVANT IS A VOW OF LOVE

Deuteronomy 15:16-17 And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; 17 Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.

V. 16 “… I will not go away from thee; because he LOVETH thee and thine house …” (emphasis mine)

A. Our love should be a genuine love

Ephesians 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

B. Our love should be a grateful love

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

C. Our love should be a giving love

D. Our love should be a glowing love

People should be able to tell that we are in love with God, like you can tell when a man and woman are in love.

III. THE VOW OF A SERVANT IS A VOW OF LIFE

V. 17 “… he shall be thy servant for ever.”

A devoted servant realizes that:

A. There is no retreat from service to God

B. There is no retirement from service to God

C. There is no release from service to God

D. There is no replacement for service to God

Conclusion: I remind you that NO ONE is saved BY serving God. A person is saved by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-9; 1 Cor.15:3-4; Acts 16:29-31). However, people ARE saved TO serve God.

May you vow to serve God loyally, in love, for a lifetime. Do it today!