Is serving an activity that disciples do, or is it part of the process of becoming a disciple? The simple answer to this question is yes. Disciples serve and serving makes disciples. In Mark’s gospel we find Jesus with the disciples right before the triumphal entry, before the beginning of Holy Week, only days away from the cross, and a week before the resurrection. The disciples have just become angry at James and John for wanting to sit at the right and left of Jesus when He comes in His kingdom.
There is a massive misunderstanding of Jesus’ purpose, of what is about to transpire, and about the role these men are meant to play in the days to come. I can only imagine Jesus’ frustration with this situation, given His own understanding of what the next few days are going to hold. It is the moment of truth for these men, and they seem to be caught up in their own power struggle. Jesus addresses this situation with these words.
Calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall 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 a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)
I would say it is a pretty normal human desire to be great. Not all motivations to greatness are pure or holy, but a desire to be greatly used by God, to be a great mother or father, wife or husband, parent, airline mechanic, teacher, pastor, deacon, Sunday School teacher…you get the point. Those are holy pursuits.
Jesus tells us the path, and the result of greatness is humility and service. The exclamation on this truth is Jesus’ words in verse 45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” No one is greater than Jesus. And He did not come to be served, but to serve. If we are going to become like Jesus, the purpose of discipleship, then we are going to pursue serving. If we are going to make disciples, then we are going to push people toward serving.
And serving in the lowly places. Disciple-making is explaining and demonstrating the faith of Jesus. How did Jesus show them what He said in these words? On Thursday of that week, He washed their feet, so their bodies were clean. On Friday, He died on the cross, so that their souls could be clean. We need to be willing to serve in ways that cause us to die to ourselves and die for the needs of others. Serving in what is needed, not just where we feel the best fit. Yes, there are spiritual gifts given so we can serve from a place of how God has crafted us, but that is not the only way we are meant to serve. We learn to think and act more like Jesus when we humble ourselves and serve in what is needed for His body, the church.
This Sunday as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, determine to think and act like Jesus for the rest of your life as a means of honoring the raising of the Son of Man. Serve. Teach others to serve. If the world sees what you do as lowly, then rejoice. That is likely where Jesus would be also.
By His Grace and For His Glory,
Pastor Mark
