"The Disciples Servanthood

Luke 22:27 ESV

For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

Luke 22:

John 15:20 ESV

Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

Isaiah 42:1–4 ESV

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.

Isaiah 42

One of the greatest paradoxes of Jesus’ teaching is that He completely turns around our understanding of servanthood and greatness! I mean, think about in our world - our context - those who are “great” whether it be the president or a CEO or a celebrity - someone with a lot of prestige and power - they typically have people do things for them - serve them. In Jesus’s culture, servanthood was about as low as one could get.

Sanders points out several principles from Jesus’s life and model of servanthood that we need to learn from.

Dependence

Isaiah 42:1 ESV

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

Philippians 2:5-8

Philippians 2:5–8 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

He emptied himself - not of power or divinity but of self-will & self-sufficiency.

John 5:19 ESV

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

John 7:16 ESV

So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.

John 14:24 ESV

Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

“The HS will be able to use us to the measure that we adopt the same attitude. The danger is in our being too independent.”

Adrian Rogers - Commitment vs. Surrender - Commitment - I’m in control.

Acceptance

A life pleasing to the Lord - a pleasing aroma...

Ephesians 5:

Ephesians 5:1–2 ESV

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Self-Effacement

Isaiah 42:2 ESV

He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;

I

He will not be loud & screamy…not strident or flamboyant but modest & self-effacing. Humility - not for show/self.

Not serving in a way that attracts attention.

Empathy

Isaiah 42:3 ESV

a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.

Read page 60…Jesus was drawn to the weak.

Optimism

Isaiah 42:4 ESV

He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.

Not disheartened/pessimistic/crushed…the key here is HOPE...”The implication is that though God’s servant engages in a gracious ministry to bruised reeds & smoking wicks, He is neither one nor the other.

Anointing

Isaiah 42:1 ESV

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

Again, we can’t do any of this/live any of this apart from the HS! I think “ANOINTING” has been really misunderstood - explain…the same spirit that Jesus was filled with is the same spirit who is available to us!

John 17:4 ESV

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.