Serve Not Served
The Way of True Greatness
SCRIPTURE:
Mark 10:45 NKJV - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
OBSERVATION:
Despite the teaching in Mark chapter ten and the rebuke about who would be the greatest in chapter nine, James and John asked a deliberate question. They wanted to “rule” with Jesus in His kingdom.
Mark 10:37 NKJV - They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory."
The right hand was the place of the second in command, and the left hand was the place of the third in command. Even though Jesus had told the disciples a third time that He was about to suffer and be crucified, they still thought that when He reached Jerusalem, He would be proclaimed King, not as they expected.
Jesus gives the greatest teaching on servanthood.
Mark 10:42-44 NKJV – But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.”
The “Servanthood” teaching applies not only to those in ministry but also to each of us, whether or not we are in ministry.
When was the last time you served your family? Often, we think they should serve me!
“Don’t they know what I have done to provide? This is my kingdom, and I rule it.”
When we get that promotion at work, our attitude shifts from being a team player to serving ourselves and making ourselves look better, rather than focusing on how we can help our team be the best.
Leadership means we lead, not lord over others.
APPLICATION:
Jesus, God in the flesh, said He did not come to be served. If any man who walked this earth deserved to be served, it was Jesus! Yet He chose to serve, not merely to serve, but to give His life as a ransom.
We MUST understand ransom - it is used in the OT as redemption - it is used in the context of one who is in servitude or imprisonment, from which, no matter how hard we try, they cannot free themselves.
If Jesus came to set us free, why do we desire to enslave others? Set people free!
Let us adopt the same attitude as Jesus:
Philippians 2:5-8 NKJV - Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Serve, not be served. What needs to die in us today to make this possible?
PRAYER:
Thank you, Jesus, for being the greatest servant of all. Thank you for loving me even when I didn’t (still don’t) deserve it. You had (have) every right to be served to the fullest, yet you chose to humble yourself and love me so I can serve others. Change my heart today from “served to serve.” May I be one who serves, not one who is served.
Mark 10:45 NKJV - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
OBSERVATION:
Despite the teaching in Mark chapter ten and the rebuke about who would be the greatest in chapter nine, James and John asked a deliberate question. They wanted to “rule” with Jesus in His kingdom.
Mark 10:37 NKJV - They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory."
The right hand was the place of the second in command, and the left hand was the place of the third in command. Even though Jesus had told the disciples a third time that He was about to suffer and be crucified, they still thought that when He reached Jerusalem, He would be proclaimed King, not as they expected.
Jesus gives the greatest teaching on servanthood.
Mark 10:42-44 NKJV – But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.”
The “Servanthood” teaching applies not only to those in ministry but also to each of us, whether or not we are in ministry.
When was the last time you served your family? Often, we think they should serve me!
“Don’t they know what I have done to provide? This is my kingdom, and I rule it.”
When we get that promotion at work, our attitude shifts from being a team player to serving ourselves and making ourselves look better, rather than focusing on how we can help our team be the best.
Leadership means we lead, not lord over others.
APPLICATION:
Jesus, God in the flesh, said He did not come to be served. If any man who walked this earth deserved to be served, it was Jesus! Yet He chose to serve, not merely to serve, but to give His life as a ransom.
We MUST understand ransom - it is used in the OT as redemption - it is used in the context of one who is in servitude or imprisonment, from which, no matter how hard we try, they cannot free themselves.
If Jesus came to set us free, why do we desire to enslave others? Set people free!
Let us adopt the same attitude as Jesus:
Philippians 2:5-8 NKJV - Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Serve, not be served. What needs to die in us today to make this possible?
PRAYER:
Thank you, Jesus, for being the greatest servant of all. Thank you for loving me even when I didn’t (still don’t) deserve it. You had (have) every right to be served to the fullest, yet you chose to humble yourself and love me so I can serve others. Change my heart today from “served to serve.” May I be one who serves, not one who is served.
Following Jesus means choosing humble service over position, power, or being served—because greatness in God’s kingdom looks like the cross.
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