Imitating the Servanthood of Christ
Introduction
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45).
If we intend to be like Christ, we must be prepared to take on the role of a “servant.”
And in the NT, Christians are usually described with the word which meant not a domestic servant, but a “slave.”
The Priority Of Servanthood
Values and concepts of “greatness” are upside-down in the Lord’s kingdom - Mt. 23:11,12.
In the kingdom of God, it is an honor to be a servant - 1 Cor. 4:1.
The spirit of servanthood is one of the primary foundations of unity among the Lord’s people - Phil. 2:1-4. “The Christian who tugs on the oars hasn’t got time to rock the boat: (Austin Alexander Lewis).
Menial Service
Are we willing to serve others in ways that are lowly and unpleasant?
Jesus never did anything more lowly than when He washed the feet of His disciples - Jn. 13:12-17.
Service to People Who Are Difficult to Serve
In our servanthood, are we willing to go beyond those whom we find it easy to serve?
We must be willing to serve even our enemies - Mt. 5:43-48. Cf. 1 Pt. 2:18.
Sacrificial Service
Are we willing to serve others when it is inconvenient and costly to us? Cf. Phil. 2:5-8. Cf. v.30.
In Christ, our individual “privileges” and “rights” should not be our main concern - Gal. 5:13. Cf. Rom. 14:19; 15:1-3.
“Ministry that costs nothing, accomplishes nothing” (John Henry Jowett).
Conclusion
Do we have the attitude of the psalmist who said, “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psa. 84:10)?
“God does not so much need people to do extraordinary things as he needs people who do ordinary things extraordinarily well” (William Barclay).
Gary Henry — WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com