MATTHEW 20:28

"THE SON OF MAN CAME NOT TO BE MINISTERED UNTO, BUT TO MINISTER."  WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MAINSPRING OF PAUL'S SERVICE IS NOT LOVE FOR MEN, BUT LOVE FOR JESUS CHRIST.  PAUL'S IDEA OF SERVICE IS THE SAME AS OUR LORD 'I AM AMONG YOU AS HE THAT SERVETH;" "OURSELVES YOUR SERVANTS FOR JESUS SAKE."   WE HAVE THE IDEAS THAT A MAN CALLED TO THE MINISTRY IS CALLED TO BE A DIFFERENT KIND OF BEING FROM OTHER MEN,. ACCORDING TO JESUS CHRIST.   HE IS CALLED TO BE THE "DOORMAT." OF OTHER MEN; THEIR SPIRITUAL LEADER, BUT NEVER THEIR SUPERIOR. "I KNOW HOW TO BE ABASED," SAYS PAUL. THIS IS PAUL'S  IDEA OF SERVICE.  " I WILL SPEND MYSELF TO THE LAST EBB FOR YOU; YOU  MAY GIVE ME PRAISE OR GIVE ME BLAME, BUT IT WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE." SO LONG AS THERE IS A HUMAN BEING WHO DOES NOT KNOW JESUS CHRIST, I AM HIS DEBTOR TO SERVE HIM UNTIL HE DOES. THE MAINSPRING OF PAUL'S SERVICE IS NOT LOVE FOR MEN, BUT LOVE FOR JESUS CHRIST. IF WE ARE DEVOTED TO THE CAUSE OF HUMANITY, WE SHALL SOON BE CRUSHED AND BROKEN---HEARTED, FOR WE SHALL OFTEN MEET WITH MORE INGRATITUDE FROM MEN THAN WE WOULD FROM A DOG.; BUT IF OUR MOTIVE IS LOVE TO GOD, NO INGRATITUDE PAUL SAYS CAN HINDER US FROM SERVING OUR FELLOW MAN. PAUL'S REALIZATION OF HOW JESUS CHRIST HAD DEALT WITH HIM IS THE SECRET OF HIS DETERMINATION TO SERVE OTHERS. "I WAS  BEFORE A PERJURER, A BLASPHEMER,--AN INJURIOUS PERSON" NO MATTER HOW MEN MAY TREAT ME, THY WILL NEVER TREAT ME WITH THE SPITE AND HATRED WITH WHICH I TREATED JESUS CHRIST. WHEN WE REALIZE THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS SERVED US TO THE END OF OUR MEANNESS, OUR SELFISHNESS, AND SIN, NOTHING THAT WE MEET WITH FROM OTHERS CAN EXHAUST OUR DETERMINATION TO SERVE MAN FOR HIS SAKE. WHEN THE SPIRIT OF GOD HAS SHED ABROAD THE LOVE OF GOD IN OUR HEARTS, WE BEGIN DELIBERATELY  TO IDENTIFY OURSELVES WITH JESUS CHRIST'S INTERESTS IN OTHER PEOPLE, AND JESUS CHRIST IS INTERESTED IN EVERY KIND OF MAN THERE IS. WE HAVE NO RIGHT IN CHRISTIAN WORK TO BE GUIDED BY OUR AFFINITIES; THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST TESTS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS CHRIST. THE DELIGHT OF SACRIFICE IS THAT I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR FOR MY FRIEND NOT FLING IT AWAY. 'IF WE ARE ABANDONED TO JESUS, WE HAVE NO ENDS OF OUR OWN TO SERVE." PAUL SPENT HIMSELF FOR ONE PURPOSE ONLY------THAT HE MIGHT WIN MEN TO JESUS CHRIST. PAUL ATTRACTED TO JESUS ALL THE TIME, NEVER HIMSELF TO HIS LIFE. "I AM MADE ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN,, THAT I MIGHT BY ALL MEANS SAVE SOME." WHEN A MAN SAYS HE MUST DEVELOP A HOLY LIFE ALONE WITH GOD, HE IS OF NO MORE USE TO HIS FELLOW MEN:  HE PUTS HIMSELF ON A "PEDESTAL", AWAY FROM THE COMMON RUN OF MEN, THAT I MIGHT BY ALL MEANS SAVE SOME. PAUL HAD BECOME A SACRAMENTAL PERSONALITY; WHEREVER HE WENT, JESUS CHRIST HELPED HIMSELF TO HIS LIFE.. MANY OF US ARE AFTER OUR OWN ENDS, AND JESUS CHRIST CAN NOT HELP HIMSELF TO OUR LIVES " REMEMBER IF WE ARE ABANDONED TO JESUS, WE HAVE NO ENDS OF OUR OWN TO SERVE. PAUL SAID HE KNEW HOW TO BE A "DOORMAT" WITHOUT RESENTING IT , BECAUSE THE MAINSPRING OF HIS LIFE WAS DEVOTION TO JESUS. WE ARE APT TO BE DEVOTED, NOT TO JESUS CHRIST, BUT TO THE THINGS WHICH EMANCIPATE US SPIRITUALLY. THAT WAS NOT PAUL'S MOTIVE. " I COULD WISH MYSELF WERE ACCURSED FROM CHRIST FOR MY BRETHREN"--- WILD, EXTRAVAGANT TO TALK IN THAT WAY, AND PAUL IS IN LOVE WITH JESUS CHRIST.