“Servants”
March 12, 2006
Mark 10:32-52
We are very rapidly approaching Passion Week. Counting today, there are only six more weeks until Resurrection Sunday. And as we near “Passion Week” together, in Mark’s introduction to Jesus, Jesus is nearing His passion week. Jesus is heading towards Jerusalem. Deliberately.
Jesus has set Himself on a crash course with the religious leaders in Jerusalem. And He knows how it is going to end.
In our passage for today, Jesus tells them for the third time (in so many chapters) what is about to happen to Him. And, again, they don’t get it. They don’t yet understand the Cross. They don’t yet understand discipleship. So, Jesus, gently but firmly, instructs them in what He has come to do and sets for them (and for us) a perfect model of what it means to be a servant.
This morning, I want to carefully read from verse 32 to the end of the chapter explaining things as we go along. And then, I have 2 points that I want to draw from this passage and apply to our lives. Two points about “Servants.”
Mark chapter 10, verse 32.
“They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid.” Stop there.
Notice that Jesus was “leading the way.” Jesus is a man on a mission. Nothing is going to stop him from reaching His destination.
His disciples and the others in the crowd know that something is up because they are “astonished” and “afraid.” They know that Jesus is heading into “enemy territory,” but they don’t really get what is going to happen to Him. So, He tells them. V.33
“Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ‘We are going up to Jerusalem,’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.’”
Jesus knows that His death is just around the corner. He is going into it intentionally. His eyes are wide open about His fate. There is no surprise here.
He knows what is coming: Betrayal. Condemnation. Ridicule. Persecution. Agony. And Crucifixion. And then three days later–Resurrection! He told them in advance.
However, the disciples still don’t get it. They must have thought he was talking in riddles or exaggerating because they just did not get it.
They believed that He was the promised Messiah, yes, but they obviously didn’t believe that He was going to suffer like He said He would. They didn’t have any categories for that.
James and John were confused enough to come to Him with big requests based upon their misunderstanding of Jesus’ words. V.35
“Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’”
Uh oh. “Lord, please write us a blank check!” V.36
“‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked. They replied, ‘Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.’”
This is the height of arrogance. Remember two weeks ago, when we read that the disciples were arguing over which of them were the greatest? Well, the sons of Zebedee have it all figured out. They are!
Jesus, when you come into your kingdom–you just said that you are going to be rising soon! (Didn’t get the rest, but caught that!)–when you come into your glory, let James and I share it at the highest places in the Kingdom–the right and left hand of the King! Glorify us when you glorify yourself!
V.38 “‘You don't know what you are asking,’ Jesus said. ‘Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?’”
The answer to that question should be an obvious, “NO!”
He has just said what His cup and baptism are going to be like in vv.33 and 34. Are you ready for that, James and John? You should answer, “NO.”
You don’t know what you are asking. [There’s a lesson there about unanswered prayer, isn’t there?]
You don’t know what you are asking. If you want to share in my glory, you must share in my suffering!
Suffering is my path to glory.
And Jesus’ suffering was unique. The cup He drank to the bottom was the cup of the wrath of God against the sins of His people. Jesus’ cup was the Cross. His baptism was His crucifixion. And they could not follow Him there.
But they didn’t understand that or believe that. V.39
“‘We can!’ they answered.” They aren’t called the Sons of Thunder for nothing! (Edwards, pg. 323) “We can!”
Now, catch what Jesus says next. “Jesus said to them, ‘You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.’”
“James, John, in one sense, NO you don’t know what you are talking about. You cannot drink my cup or be baptized with my baptism of suffering. But in another sense, I know that you will drink my cup and you will be baptized with my baptism. You, too, if you follow me, will suffer. You will experience hardship and persecution and difficulty and pain on the Gospel Road.”
Discipleship is not easy. It is painful. It’s difficult. Remember, being a Christ-follower means taking up our crosses, too.
If we belong to Him, we, too, will experience hardship in following Him. We, too, will drink from His cup and be baptized with His baptism.
“But James and John, I don’t decide who sits on my left or my right. The Father does. And I am always submissive to His will. And it’s already been decided. So don’t go fighting for it. And don’t go thinking that you can get to it without the path of suffering!”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t just James and John who misunderstood. The rest are no better. V.41.
“When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. [Probably jealous that they thought of this first! Probably Peter was the most indignant because he was, with James and John, part of Jesus’ inner circle. So, v.42...] Jesus called them together [It’s time for a lesson.] and said, ‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them [dominance]. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [here’s where the servant language begins] and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”
Now, this is an important teaching. Jesus turns the whole world upside-down!
In the world we live in, your rank and position determines your greatness.
But Jesus turns that upside-down. “Not so with you!” He says! “Not so with you!”
In Jesus’ Kingdom, greatness comes from humility and loving service. Greatness comes from suffering and laying down your life for the needs of others.
Not from position or rank or authority or role or power or prestige or status or standing!
In Jesus’ Kingdom, greatness comes from humility and loving service.
Notice, Jesus does not say that pursuing greatness is a bad thing.
No. Instead, He redirects our understanding of how to become truly great.
This Fall, I read an excellent book on this by C.J. Mahaney. It’s called “Humility: True Greatness.” [Read my review of it here.]
That’s exactly right. And it’s exactly the opposite of the world.
You will not find the Most Humble Person of Year on the cover of Time, Newsweek, People, or Sports Illustrated.
Humility is not the world’s idea of true greatness (though it has a power that is not always unnoticed).
But humility and servanthood do attract the gaze of God.
Listen to Isaiah 66:2, “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”
C.J. writes, “Humility draws the gaze of our Sovereign God.”
‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
True greatness comes from being a humble servant.
Who would know this better than the Greatest Servant Ever? V.45 again.
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
“For even.” That means, if even the Son of Man did not enter the world to be served, then how much more should we not expect to be served?
He deserved it!
If anyone ever deserves service it is the Lord Jesus Christ!
He is God! He deserves all worship and obedience to flow to Him. He is the Creator! All things were made by Him and FOR HIM! Right?!
But the Bible says that He did not consider His rights as God to be something to be grasped onto at all times, at all costs, but instead He “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:7&8)
That’s what Jesus is talking about here.
Instead of coming to be served, He came to serve in a sacrificial way. A cross-centered way.
“To give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus came to roll up His sleeves and go to work.
He came NOT TO GET something from us, but to GIVE SOMETHING TO US.
He became our servant.
Now, don’t misunderstand. Yes, we are supposed to be His servants in the sense that we submit to Him as King and do whatever pleases Him.
And He is not our servant in the sense that we get to order Him around. (If he was then James’ and John’s request in v.35 wouldn’t have been so misguided.) No. He remains our King.
But in our relationship with Him, the One who WORKS for the benefit of the other–strangely enough–is Jesus!
We are the served. He is the servant.
And that is great news for needy people like you and me! That’s the Gospel!
Jesus Christ does not want us to serve Him as though He needed anything. That would be a business transaction of works.
Instead, He wants us to trust Him. To exercise faith. And to let Him do the work in our lives.
That’s the gospel.
And here’s how He did it. V.45 once more:
He gave “his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus served us by giving His life as a substitutionary atoning ransom payment that sets His followers free from the penalty and power (and someday presence) of sin!
A ransom was the price paid to free a slave, a prisoner of war, or a condemned person.
You know what? That describes you and me, all of us, before we came to Christ.
And if you have never put your faith in Jesus Christ, that is you right now–a slave, a prisoner of war, a condemned person.
Someone had to pay a ransom for us to be saved. Look back up at v.33.
“‘We are going up to Jerusalem,’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him.”
He gave “his life as a ransom for many.”
Your Blood Has Washed Away My Sin
Jesus, Thank You
The Father’s Wrath Completely Satisfied [by the Ransom of the Son of Man!]
Jesus, Thank You
Once Your Enemy, Now Seated At Your Table
Jesus, Thank You (Jesus, Thank You, Pat Sczebel, 2003)
Jesus was the Greatest Servant Ever.
And that is the Greatest News ever for needy people like you and me.
And it calls for our faith.
That’s what Jesus looks for. Not for our working for Him. But for our trusting in Him to work for us.
That’s what Bartimaeus did. Verse 46.
“Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. [Here’s a needy man who can have nothing to offer Jesus. He’s blind. He has no eyesight. But he has plenty of insight into Who Jesus is. (Edwards, pg.320) V.47] When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’”
Blind Bart knows Who Jesus is. He gets it. More than the disciples who have seen Jesus do miracles with their open eyes! V.49
“Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ So they called to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you.’ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him.”
Notice that that is the very same question that Jesus asked James and John! James and John had said “The glory and greatness that we deserve, please!” But poor Blind Bart asks for what he needs. “The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see.’”
“‘Go,’ said Jesus, ‘your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.”
Bartimaeus was “poor in spirit.” Bartimaeus had faith. He trusted in what Jesus would do for him instead of trying to offer to do for Jesus.
And then he did follow Jesus. Notice that?
Bartimaeus became a disciple by faith. He “followed Jesus along the road.”
I’m sure that he became a servant of Jesus.
But not before he had allowed Jesus to serve him.
Two points of application this morning.
#1. BE SERVED BY JESUS.
Allow yourself to be served by Jesus.
Does that sound heretical?
That’s why Jesus came! V.45
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
If you don’t allow Jesus to serve you, you are denying what Jesus came to do.
He has given His life as a ransom for many.
Are you a part of that “many?”
You are if you put your trust in His service.
You are if you place your faith in His grace.
You are if you are trusting alone in His ransom payment for you.
But you are not if you insist on doing it yourself!
On the night He was betrayed, Jesus took off his cloak and started washing His disciples’ dirty feet.
It was obvious that He was acting like a servant. (John 13)
When he got around the table to Peter, Peter said “No, you shall never wash my feet.”
March 12, 2006
Mark 10:32-52
We are very rapidly approaching Passion Week. Counting today, there are only six more weeks until Resurrection Sunday. And as we near “Passion Week” together, in Mark’s introduction to Jesus, Jesus is nearing His passion week. Jesus is heading towards Jerusalem. Deliberately.
Jesus has set Himself on a crash course with the religious leaders in Jerusalem. And He knows how it is going to end.
In our passage for today, Jesus tells them for the third time (in so many chapters) what is about to happen to Him. And, again, they don’t get it. They don’t yet understand the Cross. They don’t yet understand discipleship. So, Jesus, gently but firmly, instructs them in what He has come to do and sets for them (and for us) a perfect model of what it means to be a servant.
This morning, I want to carefully read from verse 32 to the end of the chapter explaining things as we go along. And then, I have 2 points that I want to draw from this passage and apply to our lives. Two points about “Servants.”
Mark chapter 10, verse 32.
“They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid.” Stop there.
Notice that Jesus was “leading the way.” Jesus is a man on a mission. Nothing is going to stop him from reaching His destination.
His disciples and the others in the crowd know that something is up because they are “astonished” and “afraid.” They know that Jesus is heading into “enemy territory,” but they don’t really get what is going to happen to Him. So, He tells them. V.33
“Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ‘We are going up to Jerusalem,’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.’”
Jesus knows that His death is just around the corner. He is going into it intentionally. His eyes are wide open about His fate. There is no surprise here.
He knows what is coming: Betrayal. Condemnation. Ridicule. Persecution. Agony. And Crucifixion. And then three days later–Resurrection! He told them in advance.
However, the disciples still don’t get it. They must have thought he was talking in riddles or exaggerating because they just did not get it.
They believed that He was the promised Messiah, yes, but they obviously didn’t believe that He was going to suffer like He said He would. They didn’t have any categories for that.
James and John were confused enough to come to Him with big requests based upon their misunderstanding of Jesus’ words. V.35
“Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’”
Uh oh. “Lord, please write us a blank check!” V.36
“‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked. They replied, ‘Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.’”
This is the height of arrogance. Remember two weeks ago, when we read that the disciples were arguing over which of them were the greatest? Well, the sons of Zebedee have it all figured out. They are!
Jesus, when you come into your kingdom–you just said that you are going to be rising soon! (Didn’t get the rest, but caught that!)–when you come into your glory, let James and I share it at the highest places in the Kingdom–the right and left hand of the King! Glorify us when you glorify yourself!
V.38 “‘You don't know what you are asking,’ Jesus said. ‘Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?’”
The answer to that question should be an obvious, “NO!”
He has just said what His cup and baptism are going to be like in vv.33 and 34. Are you ready for that, James and John? You should answer, “NO.”
You don’t know what you are asking. [There’s a lesson there about unanswered prayer, isn’t there?]
You don’t know what you are asking. If you want to share in my glory, you must share in my suffering!
Suffering is my path to glory.
And Jesus’ suffering was unique. The cup He drank to the bottom was the cup of the wrath of God against the sins of His people. Jesus’ cup was the Cross. His baptism was His crucifixion. And they could not follow Him there.
But they didn’t understand that or believe that. V.39
“‘We can!’ they answered.” They aren’t called the Sons of Thunder for nothing! (Edwards, pg. 323) “We can!”
Now, catch what Jesus says next. “Jesus said to them, ‘You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.’”
“James, John, in one sense, NO you don’t know what you are talking about. You cannot drink my cup or be baptized with my baptism of suffering. But in another sense, I know that you will drink my cup and you will be baptized with my baptism. You, too, if you follow me, will suffer. You will experience hardship and persecution and difficulty and pain on the Gospel Road.”
Discipleship is not easy. It is painful. It’s difficult. Remember, being a Christ-follower means taking up our crosses, too.
If we belong to Him, we, too, will experience hardship in following Him. We, too, will drink from His cup and be baptized with His baptism.
“But James and John, I don’t decide who sits on my left or my right. The Father does. And I am always submissive to His will. And it’s already been decided. So don’t go fighting for it. And don’t go thinking that you can get to it without the path of suffering!”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t just James and John who misunderstood. The rest are no better. V.41.
“When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. [Probably jealous that they thought of this first! Probably Peter was the most indignant because he was, with James and John, part of Jesus’ inner circle. So, v.42...] Jesus called them together [It’s time for a lesson.] and said, ‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them [dominance]. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [here’s where the servant language begins] and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”
Now, this is an important teaching. Jesus turns the whole world upside-down!
In the world we live in, your rank and position determines your greatness.
But Jesus turns that upside-down. “Not so with you!” He says! “Not so with you!”
In Jesus’ Kingdom, greatness comes from humility and loving service. Greatness comes from suffering and laying down your life for the needs of others.
Not from position or rank or authority or role or power or prestige or status or standing!
In Jesus’ Kingdom, greatness comes from humility and loving service.
Notice, Jesus does not say that pursuing greatness is a bad thing.
No. Instead, He redirects our understanding of how to become truly great.
This Fall, I read an excellent book on this by C.J. Mahaney. It’s called “Humility: True Greatness.” [Read my review of it here.]
That’s exactly right. And it’s exactly the opposite of the world.
You will not find the Most Humble Person of Year on the cover of Time, Newsweek, People, or Sports Illustrated.
Humility is not the world’s idea of true greatness (though it has a power that is not always unnoticed).
But humility and servanthood do attract the gaze of God.
Listen to Isaiah 66:2, “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”
C.J. writes, “Humility draws the gaze of our Sovereign God.”
‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
True greatness comes from being a humble servant.
Who would know this better than the Greatest Servant Ever? V.45 again.
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
“For even.” That means, if even the Son of Man did not enter the world to be served, then how much more should we not expect to be served?
He deserved it!
If anyone ever deserves service it is the Lord Jesus Christ!
He is God! He deserves all worship and obedience to flow to Him. He is the Creator! All things were made by Him and FOR HIM! Right?!
But the Bible says that He did not consider His rights as God to be something to be grasped onto at all times, at all costs, but instead He “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:7&8)
That’s what Jesus is talking about here.
Instead of coming to be served, He came to serve in a sacrificial way. A cross-centered way.
“To give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus came to roll up His sleeves and go to work.
He came NOT TO GET something from us, but to GIVE SOMETHING TO US.
He became our servant.
Now, don’t misunderstand. Yes, we are supposed to be His servants in the sense that we submit to Him as King and do whatever pleases Him.
And He is not our servant in the sense that we get to order Him around. (If he was then James’ and John’s request in v.35 wouldn’t have been so misguided.) No. He remains our King.
But in our relationship with Him, the One who WORKS for the benefit of the other–strangely enough–is Jesus!
We are the served. He is the servant.
And that is great news for needy people like you and me! That’s the Gospel!
Jesus Christ does not want us to serve Him as though He needed anything. That would be a business transaction of works.
Instead, He wants us to trust Him. To exercise faith. And to let Him do the work in our lives.
That’s the gospel.
And here’s how He did it. V.45 once more:
He gave “his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus served us by giving His life as a substitutionary atoning ransom payment that sets His followers free from the penalty and power (and someday presence) of sin!
A ransom was the price paid to free a slave, a prisoner of war, or a condemned person.
You know what? That describes you and me, all of us, before we came to Christ.
And if you have never put your faith in Jesus Christ, that is you right now–a slave, a prisoner of war, a condemned person.
Someone had to pay a ransom for us to be saved. Look back up at v.33.
“‘We are going up to Jerusalem,’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him.”
He gave “his life as a ransom for many.”
Your Blood Has Washed Away My Sin
Jesus, Thank You
The Father’s Wrath Completely Satisfied [by the Ransom of the Son of Man!]
Jesus, Thank You
Once Your Enemy, Now Seated At Your Table
Jesus, Thank You (Jesus, Thank You, Pat Sczebel, 2003)
Jesus was the Greatest Servant Ever.
And that is the Greatest News ever for needy people like you and me.
And it calls for our faith.
That’s what Jesus looks for. Not for our working for Him. But for our trusting in Him to work for us.
That’s what Bartimaeus did. Verse 46.
“Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. [Here’s a needy man who can have nothing to offer Jesus. He’s blind. He has no eyesight. But he has plenty of insight into Who Jesus is. (Edwards, pg.320) V.47] When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’”
Blind Bart knows Who Jesus is. He gets it. More than the disciples who have seen Jesus do miracles with their open eyes! V.49
“Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ So they called to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you.’ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him.”
Notice that that is the very same question that Jesus asked James and John! James and John had said “The glory and greatness that we deserve, please!” But poor Blind Bart asks for what he needs. “The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see.’”
“‘Go,’ said Jesus, ‘your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.”
Bartimaeus was “poor in spirit.” Bartimaeus had faith. He trusted in what Jesus would do for him instead of trying to offer to do for Jesus.
And then he did follow Jesus. Notice that?
Bartimaeus became a disciple by faith. He “followed Jesus along the road.”
I’m sure that he became a servant of Jesus.
But not before he had allowed Jesus to serve him.
Two points of application this morning.
#1. BE SERVED BY JESUS.
Allow yourself to be served by Jesus.
Does that sound heretical?
That’s why Jesus came! V.45
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
If you don’t allow Jesus to serve you, you are denying what Jesus came to do.
He has given His life as a ransom for many.
Are you a part of that “many?”
You are if you put your trust in His service.
You are if you place your faith in His grace.
You are if you are trusting alone in His ransom payment for you.
But you are not if you insist on doing it yourself!
On the night He was betrayed, Jesus took off his cloak and started washing His disciples’ dirty feet.
It was obvious that He was acting like a servant. (John 13)
When he got around the table to Peter, Peter said “No, you shall never wash my feet.”
[By the way, “No” is a bad thing to say to Jesus. “Never” is a worse one! Peter got them both in one sentence!]
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
He was saying, “Peter, you must let me serve you. It’s the only way for you to have any part of me.”
Be Served by Jesus!
Allow Christ to work in your life. Trust in His and not your own. Embrace His work in your life.
Let me ask you a question:
Who are you trusting?
What does your life say about who you are trusting?
I talked with a man once who said, “I have trust-issues.” Meaning, it is really difficult for me to put myself in someone else’s hands. I’d rather take my chances with my own hands.
Do you have “trust issues” with Jesus?
Are you trying to go it alone? You will not succeed.
You’ll have about as much success as if Bartimaeus had tried to heal his own eyes!
You will not succeed at being righteous enough to enter heaven. Only His ransom is sufficient.
You will not succeed in living a satisfying, God-pleasing life, either. Only His power and grace in your life is sufficient. Don’t go it alone.
Be Served By Jesus.
He’s the Greatest Servant Ever.
And #2. BE A SERVANT OF OTHERS.
Jesus has set the standard.
He has not only set us free by His ransom paying Cross, but He has set before us an example to live by.
‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Be A Servant of All. Be a Servant of Others.
Pour yourself out in love for others. Meet needs. Give. Stretch yourself and prefer others above yourself. Treat others as more important.
It’s what the Bible often means by loving others. We often take that to mean just having a warm fuzzy feeling about someone else. But the Bible says that true love is not just an attitude and an affection but also an action of sacrificing for someone else’s good.
Be a Servant of Others.
That sounds good and all, but it is painful when you actually do it, isn’t it!
Being a servant sounds good, but it hurts.
Our world is built on “looking out for number one.” And just try to go out in the world and be a servant, and you’ll get kicked in the teeth before you know it.
That’s part of our cup and baptism in identifying with Jesus. Don’t let it stop you from being a servant.
You and I are tempted to do one or another thing with people. We are tempted to either FEAR them or TRUST in them. But we are supposed to do neither.
We are supposed to love them and serve them.
Be a servant to others.
It hurts.
Giving up your agenda in your personal relationships–at first, that won’t feel good! But it will bring glory to God and show Him to be the Treasure of your life.
Be a Servant to Others.
That does not mean be a doormat and let everyone walk all over you. Jesus was not a doormat, and He is our greatest example of servanthood ever.
But it does mean laying down your life. It does mean surrendering your desires to meet the real needs of those around you.
It is not easy. You will fail. But there is a Ransom that has paid for every failure. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain by being a servant to all.
On that fateful night after Jesus had washed Peter’s and everyone’s feet, He said, “Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me Teacher and Lord and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you....You’ll be blessed if you do [it].” (John 13:12-17)
Whose feet are you being called to wash?
Your husband? Your wife? Your whiney children? Your demanding parents? Your difficult room-mate? Your domineering co-workers? Your weird neighbor? Your enemy?
You will be truly great if you serve.
I’ve come to love that word “serve” in the last year.
“How can I serve you?”
“I think that Mommy has really served us, Kids!”
“I want to serve you in this.”
“She is a real Servant.”
“He is a real Servant.”
Many of you here are such good examples of servanthood–exhibiting true greatness.
Anyone can be great because anyone can serve.
Want to be a great husband?
Want to be a great wife?
Want to be a great dad?
Want to be a great mom?
Want to be a great kid?
Want to be a great boss?
Want to be a great staff member?
Want to be a great neighbor?
Want to be a great Christian?
Follow Jesus and Be a Servant to Others.
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
He was saying, “Peter, you must let me serve you. It’s the only way for you to have any part of me.”
Be Served by Jesus!
Allow Christ to work in your life. Trust in His and not your own. Embrace His work in your life.
Let me ask you a question:
Who are you trusting?
What does your life say about who you are trusting?
I talked with a man once who said, “I have trust-issues.” Meaning, it is really difficult for me to put myself in someone else’s hands. I’d rather take my chances with my own hands.
Do you have “trust issues” with Jesus?
Are you trying to go it alone? You will not succeed.
You’ll have about as much success as if Bartimaeus had tried to heal his own eyes!
You will not succeed at being righteous enough to enter heaven. Only His ransom is sufficient.
You will not succeed in living a satisfying, God-pleasing life, either. Only His power and grace in your life is sufficient. Don’t go it alone.
Be Served By Jesus.
He’s the Greatest Servant Ever.
And #2. BE A SERVANT OF OTHERS.
Jesus has set the standard.
He has not only set us free by His ransom paying Cross, but He has set before us an example to live by.
‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Be A Servant of All. Be a Servant of Others.
Pour yourself out in love for others. Meet needs. Give. Stretch yourself and prefer others above yourself. Treat others as more important.
It’s what the Bible often means by loving others. We often take that to mean just having a warm fuzzy feeling about someone else. But the Bible says that true love is not just an attitude and an affection but also an action of sacrificing for someone else’s good.
Be a Servant of Others.
That sounds good and all, but it is painful when you actually do it, isn’t it!
Being a servant sounds good, but it hurts.
Our world is built on “looking out for number one.” And just try to go out in the world and be a servant, and you’ll get kicked in the teeth before you know it.
That’s part of our cup and baptism in identifying with Jesus. Don’t let it stop you from being a servant.
You and I are tempted to do one or another thing with people. We are tempted to either FEAR them or TRUST in them. But we are supposed to do neither.
We are supposed to love them and serve them.
Be a servant to others.
It hurts.
Giving up your agenda in your personal relationships–at first, that won’t feel good! But it will bring glory to God and show Him to be the Treasure of your life.
Be a Servant to Others.
That does not mean be a doormat and let everyone walk all over you. Jesus was not a doormat, and He is our greatest example of servanthood ever.
But it does mean laying down your life. It does mean surrendering your desires to meet the real needs of those around you.
It is not easy. You will fail. But there is a Ransom that has paid for every failure. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain by being a servant to all.
On that fateful night after Jesus had washed Peter’s and everyone’s feet, He said, “Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me Teacher and Lord and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you....You’ll be blessed if you do [it].” (John 13:12-17)
Whose feet are you being called to wash?
Your husband? Your wife? Your whiney children? Your demanding parents? Your difficult room-mate? Your domineering co-workers? Your weird neighbor? Your enemy?
You will be truly great if you serve.
I’ve come to love that word “serve” in the last year.
“How can I serve you?”
“I think that Mommy has really served us, Kids!”
“I want to serve you in this.”
“She is a real Servant.”
“He is a real Servant.”
Many of you here are such good examples of servanthood–exhibiting true greatness.
Anyone can be great because anyone can serve.
Want to be a great husband?
Want to be a great wife?
Want to be a great dad?
Want to be a great mom?
Want to be a great kid?
Want to be a great boss?
Want to be a great staff member?
Want to be a great neighbor?
Want to be a great Christian?
Follow Jesus and Be a Servant to Others.
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