Serve

Mark 9:33–37 NKJV

33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. 35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”

They Disputed Among Themselves!

You cannot really serve if you are trying to be the best or the greatest! To serve is an attitude. It starts with preferring others and not by disputing the fact that you or I are better than the other one.

Mark 10:42–45 NLT

42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Among Us It Will Be Different!

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great, because, greatness is determined by service” This is a different attitude. we serve and that makes for being considered great. Not famous!

Matthew 20:28 NLT

28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Philippians 2:4 NKJV

4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Serve Everyone!

The heart of a servant is to serve everyone! We need to lay down our lives for others the way Jesus laid it down. The word used in Matthew, ransom, means a consideration paid or demanded for the release of someone or something from captivity

Philippians 2:3–8 NKJV

3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 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.

2 Corinthians 8:9 NLT

9 You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.

Servant Mind!

We have the mind of Christ. We serve Him faithfully by serving others. That was His mindset and it needs to be ours.

Acts 20:33–35 NLT

33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34 You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Serve With Our Hands!

We not only have the mind and the heart of a servant, we do the practical and serve with our hands. It’s heart, mind and hands. We love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and that’s also how we serve Him!