The Servant Heart of Christ (2)

Mark 10:35–45 KJV 1900

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

I. What is Important

A. Disciples View

This passage of Scripture comes right after Jesus explains the suffering that he was going to go through. The pain, the anguish, the torment, and ultimately His death before the resurrection.

And it is right after Jesus explained to the disciples all that He would go through for them, that James and John asked Him for positions at the right hand of His throne.

The difference of the mindset between Jesus and James and John is shocking. The brothers were focusing on status, on who they could be, on what they could get.

But Christ was focusing on what He could do for others. On personal sacrifice. It is the difference between self and others.

This begs a question of all of us, what is important to you?

Is being important important to you? Is having wealth, or a title, or friends important to you? These aren’t wrong things. But when they get in the way of serving others they become a wrong thing.

B. Jesus View

We can identify more with the thinking of James and John then we can with the thinking of Jesus.

Because we are human, we oftentimes think about what we can get from a situation. Like when our birthday rolls around or a special event and we have that small voice inside of us asking us to think about just how much we will receive in presents and gifts.

But Jesus challenges all of that. There is not a single time in Jesus life where He looked out at the world or at people, and He thought, “Let’s see how much I can get them to do for me.”

Jesus mindset was, “Let me give them my all, because I love them.”

II. What is Greatness

A. Disciples View

The disciples all thought that greatness was something that came with possessing something. They thought if they had a position at the right hand of God they would be honoured and respected.

They wanted what was best for themselves because they wanted to feel something. Worth. Value. Importance.

What they were failing to realize is that they already had those things in Jesus Christ! They didn’t need a fancy title or a specific spot next to God. They were already loved so much that God sent His Son to be with them in order to die for their sins!

How great we are is not determined by what we do, or who we are called, or what we amount to in life. It is determined by the price that Jesus Christ paid for us!

B. Jesus View

How much did Jesus pay for you?

Death, but more then that also His life!

Jesus paid for you the greatest sacrifice possible with His death. But His entire sacrifice was not just His death, it was also His life and how He lived it.

John 13:1–17 KJV 1900

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

This passage of Scripture shows to us the mindset and the worldview of Christ.

Christ understood that He was God. That He was in control. That He had the authority. And He consciously made the decision to humble Himself, to disregard His high state, and serve us.

Remember, that the Jews did not accept Christ. They were looking for someone to come and free them from Roman rule and oppression because in their minds, the Great Saviour they were looking for, would be Great according to how they thought Greatness is displayed.

But Jesus breaks that worldview. He doesn’t limit Himself to what we think He should do and thank goodness for that. Because He had to come to earth to live a servant’s life in order to show us how we are to be different.

If Christ came as a conquering King, and we are little Christs and are supposed to follow His example, how do you think we would be supposed to live our lives in that example? We would be going around everywhere trying to conquer and to break the bonds of government and oppression and evil.

But He came with a different idea of greatness. Mark 10:45 is the purpose statement for Christ’s life

Mark 10:45 KJV 1900

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

III. What is Service

A. Disciples View

To be better than their friends with position.

Maybe they thought, if they had a position and power, they could use that for service? That if they were closer to God, they could help intercede on behalf of others?

Now, I am not saying that someone who has a position and power cannot use those things for service, because Christ did. What I am saying is that our service is not determined by those things. It is determined by the faithfulness we display in serving with what we have.

B. Jesus View

Philippians 2:1–11 KJV 1900

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory.

This is speaking of our motives. The “Why” we do what we do.

This is the Servant Heart of Christ. It is revealed in His heart. In His very motive for doing things.

But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

The Servant Heart of Christ is shown in your view of others. If you look at other people as a competition source, as in a, I have to be the best person, or the most liked person, or the person who has more things. Then you have missed what Jesus came to earth to show you.

If you look at others as an opportunity to minister and to serve, then you will understand the Heart of Christ. The heart of a servant, is the greatest heart and the greatest thing, you can hope to achieve in this life.