The Challenge of Servanthood
If I were to describe the life of a Christian in a single word, to would be “Servant” someone who is sacrificing themselves for the sake of and benefit of someone else. I believe it is impossible to truly be a follower of Jesus and not be a servant. Serving is counter cultural, we live in a society that wants to be served, we expect and at times demand that things be ‘done’ for us.
Serving pushes us outside of our comfort zones, but you know, it is when we are outside of our comfort zones that we really begin to grow.
Being a servant grows your character.
The primary motive of Jesus life was to be a servant and he called his disciples to be servants too.
Mark 10:42-45
42 Jesus called them together 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. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 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."
Memory verse for this week
I want to challenge us this week to model your life around this verse.
If anyone had a right to be served, it would be Jesus. He comes as a saviour, the redeemer of the world, he could say “come serve me” but he didn’t. Instead he said “I am not here to be served, but to serve others” and this is why many people didn’t catch the reality that Jesus was the Saviour of the world that was promised. He didn’t act like a King or Messiah who would demand to be served, but Jesus said – and demonstrated – that he came to serve others, and to give his life up for the sake of others.
So How did Jesus live as a servant, what can we learn from him so we can model this challenge of servanthood?
We are going to look at a beautiful and classic passage in Phillippians 2:5-11
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very naturea God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very natureb of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death —
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
If the Goal of Christianity is to become a servant, how do we do this, what does it look like?
I think there is some misunderstandings about the power of servanthood, and in fact servanthood is the only real path to happiness.
Albert Schweitzer said: “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know, the only ones among you who will be really happy, are those who have sought and found how to serve.
Servanthood will make you happy and it is the life you were designed to live.
Servanthood creates harmony in a relationship, in fact many conflicts arise in relationships because we refuse to serve the other in the relationship
Servanthood changes people and it changes the dynamics of the relationship.
How do we do this?
- 1. PUT GOD FIRST IN MY LIFE
Phil 2:6-7
6 Who, being in very naturea God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very natureb of a servant,
A servant is defined by who they serve. Who are you going to serve with your life.
You will either serve ourselves (like most)
We choose a life of selfishness or we choose to serve God and we live a life of godliness. These two are always at odds with each other, over who is going to be first in your life.
Luke 16:13
13 "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
Who will you primarily serve? Yourself or others? When we begin to serve others it requires that we put the needs and interests of others ahead of ourselves, but the truth is we can only do that with the strength that God provides.
It is one thing to serve someone else when it fits into my schedule, when I am feeling altruistic. But serving others when I would rather be doing something else or when I just don’t feel like it is something else all together. That is when I need the power of God to help me serve others and I will receive his power when I am putting Him first.
When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethesmane, he knew he was going to the cross, and die the next day. The day that he was to give himself as a ransom for many was upon him.
Luke 22:42-43
42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me;
He knew that the death was going to be excruciating, “if there is any way we can do this another way...”
yet not my will, but yours be done."
Yet He was willing to submit to his Father – I want what you want. He was putting the Father and the needs of all the world ahead of himself.
I want your will not mine – a very powerful prayer – when was the last time you prayed that and meant it? When was the last time you said that in your career – God not my will for my career but yours? When was the last time you prayed that regarding your relationships or marriage. “God, not my will for my marriage, but yours.” Or your finances, God not my will for my finances, but your will.
Putting God first in our lives frees us up to totally, authentically serve others
- 2. PURSUE A NEW ATTITUDE
When we put God first, then he is able to begin changing us from the inside out.
Phil 2:5
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Serving is an attitude and our attitude can be determined by a lot of things. Sometimes we disqualify ourserlves in our own mind thinking –
Oh I cant really make a difference; I don’t have what it takes or what I need to serve others,
The truth is you don’t have to be an expert to serve someone else, you just have to have a heart for the other person.
Video
Most of us allow external circumstances to control or dictate our attitude, but in reality it is our internal response that determines our attitude.
The 20th century philosopher from Harvard, William James said:
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that you can control your actions by changing your attitude?
You determine by your choices your own attitude and it is revealed in how you respond to others in service. Even when you don’t respond, you are revealing your attitude.
God wants our attitude to be that of Christ Jesus... that though he was God – he did not demand or cling to his right to be God, instead he made himself nothing.
He took a humble position
To build a life of servanthood will require a position of humility
- 3. PURPOSELY CHOOSE HUMILITY
Now Jesus shows us what humility looks like, and it starts by empting himself, making himself nothing. He took a position where he willingly gave up his rights.
He had every right to be served, he had every right to hang on to his high positon, He was GOD
This is an amazing passage of scripture, he emptied himself to serve others and God became a slave.
A lot of people have misunderstanding of scripture here when it comes to slavery.
Slavery was an issue at the time of Christ, it was an issue during the New Testament times and it is still an issue today. There are certain areas around the world today where people are being sold into slavery against their wills.
This word in the greek is ‘doulou’ and it means a particular kind of slave, it is a slave that has not been forced into slavery or sold into slavery but it is a slave that willingly submits to a master – and that is what Jesus did. He made a decision to submit himself to God’s will.
Paul often referred to himself as a “Servant of Christ” and God wants us to willingly submit ourselves to Christ.
Submitting yourself to God’s will is not an act of weakness, but the ultimate act of strength and the perfect picture of humility.
Phil 2:7-8
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very natureb of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
there are a couple of enemies of serving:
- 1. Selfishness – they don’t have the strength to break outside of their own box, their own little world view
- 2. Materialism – M always wants more to satisfy themselves and we become consumed with consumption – the getting, getting, getting
- 3. Narcissism – you live your life trying to look good in front of others – we become self-obsessed
Humility breaks the bonds of selfishness, materialism and narcissism. You no longer care what others think and you are free to serve others. You no longer care about how much or little you have and you desire to serve others
Albert Einstein said “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile”
Humility builds a life of character through servanthood
- 4. PREPARE TO SACRIFICE
Jesus paid the ultimate price – he went to his death to serve God and us.
Phil 2:8
and became obedient to death —
even death on a cross!
Heb 12:2
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame,
45 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."
Unless you are in a position to be a servant, you will never be in a position to become great
Jesus wants our lives to be lives that bear much fruit, much fruit and fruit that lasts. He is also not overly interested in our comfort levels but wants us to continually be postured towards giving ourselves away, to lay down our lives for others, to serve them for their benefit.
Not just an occasional servanthood but a lifestyle of servanthood, where serving is becoming more and more a way of life.
I have known people who have served God and others for many years and then they come to a point where they say “enough” and they sit down. I have watched their lives and they stop growing, and soon they become hardened and selfish, wanting to consume more and more and their world revolves around them.
But that is not what God wants for us
Arthur Ash said: “True heroism is remarkably sobering, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost. But the urge to stir others at whatever cost.”
The Bible says
Luke 17:33-34
33 Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
My next step today is to
□ Memorize Mark 10:45 .
□ Commit my life to following Jesus for the first time.
□ Look for opportunities to serve others at The Bridge
□ Ask God what He would want me to sacrifice so I can serve other