September 20, 2017 BEING A SERVANT
Mark 10:42-45 “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not so among you, but whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be a slave to 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.”
This section of scripture is another clear example of how the lives of followers of Jesus as depicted in the gospel are in sharp contrast to the ways of the culture in which we live. The tragedy however is that many professing believers have at least to some degree have bought into the world system. It is the way of the world for one to fight his way to the top, or to a place of having authority over others, and to admire and recognize those who have gained a place of power and authority. For a believer to have a place of authority in their employment, or in the church is not in itself a bad thing and is not in conflict with the gospel. The critical issue is how one comes to a place where he has authority. If in a believers heart there is a desire to have authority over others, there is a problem. The SOP (standard operating procedure) for the believer is to be that of serving--no matter of the position held. The CEO of the largest organization or the pastor of the largest church should have as their motivation and their heart desire to serve those in the organization or in the church. And, this ‘serving mindset’ should be the real deal-not just in word only. The test for those in authority is whether or not they have the best interest of others in heart over their own best interest. Jesus, our example to follow, had all authority, but He emptied Himself and became a servant (Philippians 2:7). Even though Jesus came to serve and give His life for others, He was exalted by His Father and by those who believed in Him, and He was given authority and was seated next to the Father in heaven. In contrast to the world, to serve does not denote weakness, but on the contrary, denotes strength and character-providing the serving is done in the right spirit. If we see the needs of others more important than our own needs, then serving becomes our natural response. Let us today take on the role of a servant and find ways to serve our spouse, our neighbor, our friends, the clerk at the store, and those at our place of employment. As we serve, we can trust God to meet our needs-and He will. The body of Christ (the church) will stand in contrast to the world when those who make up the church prefer others over themselves, who because of their love for each other, serve one another—what a contrast to the ways of the world!
Matthew 23:11 “The greatest among you will be your servant.”
1 Peter 4:10 “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in various forms.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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