Service, Not Status

There was fighting over whose show we were going to watch, fighting over who was sitting where, and shoving to see who would get to the waffles first.

Unfortunately, that is pretty much an ordinary occurrence in life, isn’t it?

When we are in elementary school, everyone always fights to be the line leader, the first one done with our work, or the first one in line for lunch.

It keeps going into middle and high school, where we want to be first chair in band, the soloist in choir, or in the starting lineup on the team.

As we get older, we get better at masking it, but we still want to be first. We want to be the first one with the new gadget or toy, we want to be the first one with a family and the white picket fence.

We want to graduate top of our class and land the biggest job after school.

We want the nicest office and the best view.

Sometimes, we live this way through our kids, hoping they will excel in the areas where we failed.

When we start to feel bad about it, we say things to ourselves like, “Well, shouldn’t I want to be the best I can so I can do the most good I should?”

I would answer that with a resounding, “Yes!” You should strive to excel at everything you do so you can be in strategic places to bring the most honor and glory to God that you can.

However, I think if we’re honest, that isn’t what drives us most days. Most days, we want to be the best because we think that once we reach that pinnacle, that point, we will finally be happy with who we are.

After all, aren’t the people at the top the most important?

This is where Jesus enters the picture and challenges us by turning our patterns, our behavior, and our way of thinking completely upside down.

You see, the disciples were just like we are in many ways.

They wanted to be first, and Jesus’ response to them speaks directly to our life today.

We’re picking up in this morning.

For context, let’s look at verses 30-32...

You probably didn’t notice the tagline on the graphics, but we have titled this section of Mark as, “The Road to the Cross”.

Jesus’ work on earth is nearing completion, and these chapters are taking us closer and closer to Jerusalem, where Jesus will ultimately be killed and then rise from the dead.

Even though Jesus has told the disciples outright what is going to happen, they still don’t get it, because it doesn’t fit with what they think God is going to do.

That leads us to verses 33-42, which is where we will spend most of our time this morning.

The disciples end up having a conversation that they are too ashamed to talk to Jesus about. Let’s read it…(verses 33-34).

They were fighting about who was going to have the highest positions in Jesus’ kingdom.

Maybe this was brought about after Peter, James, and John had their encounter with Jesus on the mountain, or maybe it was just because they wanted to be first in line like we all do.

Although some of what Jesus says seems a little tricky to understand at first, we are going to see unequivocally that in the Kingdom of God, the priority is service, not status.

In fact, if you don’t hear anything else I say this morning, I want you to hear this: God’s priority for you is service, not status.

By the way, this is a great reminder to our men who have been nominated to serve as deacons: it’s not about the title, it’s about the opportunity to do the most good and give God the greatest glory.

For all of us, though, I want you to see two main truths Jesus teaches us about service in the kingdom of God.

Let’s read what happens here, then we will break it apart: (verses 34-42).

Let’s go back and unpack this. Jesus clearly lays out our main idea in verse 35: the greatest people in the kingdom are willing to be the last, serving others instead of themselves.

In the discussion that follows, Jesus outlines two different truths about that service that are crucial to us:

1) Serve the lowest people.

After laying out the principle, Jesus brings someone up to help him drive home the point: a young child.

Since they are in Capernaum, it is possible that this is one of Peter’s children.

This wouldn’t have been proper, because children were among the least in society in the eyes of those adult men.

Children didn’t have a say in what went on in the family, and they were typically overlooked.

However, what does Jesus say? (verse 37)

Jesus brings the child to stand in the middle of the group.

Notice something that I almost overlooked: he didn’t just point at the child and say, “When you welcome...”

What did he do? He picked him up!

Jesus took one that society would overlook, and not only set him in the middle of the crowd, but actually picked him up!

Don’t let that escape you this morning.

It’s easy to say we are welcoming the least from a distance, isn’t it?

The life of service Jesus calls us to calls us to get in and touch the ones society overlooks!

We may be happy to give money or food for food baskets to help people, but actually ask me to invite someone to my home and eat with them? No way.

I’ll send a shoe box of gifts to help a child in another part of the world, but I sure as anything won’t go there.

After all, why would we want to be around those people?

Think about it for a minute: who are the lowest in your eyes?

I believe it is safe to say that all of us struggle with some level of prejudice. It may be along racial lines, along social and economic status, or it may be based off how externally obvious their sins are.

Whatever it is, we rank people in our minds, even though we know we shouldn’t.

Picture someone who is in that “least” category for you—what if God called you this year to spend concentrated time loving, caring for, and sharing the Gospel with that person? How would you respond?

Jesus said that serving the ones society overlooks is actually serving him!

When you welcome the least, you are welcoming Jesus. Not only that, but you are welcoming God the Father as well!

What does that mean? That when God calls you to serve the lowest in society, you are actually serving him!

Whatever it is, we rank people in our minds, even though we know we shouldn’t.

Jesus said that serving the ones society overlooks is actually serving him!

That fits with what the Bible teaches us about our jobs, doesn’t it?

While talking about how slaves were supposed to do their jobs, Paul said,

Ephesians 6:7–8 CSB

Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to people, knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord.

Your service is to the Lord, not towards people.

So, if you want to become great in God’s kingdom, don’t look for a position so you can have a higher status. Instead, look for opportunities to serve, even if that means serving those whom others overlook!

By the way, this is more than just doing a good deed to feel better about yourself and help others feel better.

Anyone can do that, with or without Jesus.

In and of ourselves, we can’t do this.

Serving the least is about showing Jesus to people who need him so they can find what you have found and what every human heart longs for: peace in a relationship with the powerful, majestic, amazing, incredible God of the universe.

After all, didn’t Jesus do the same thing for us, drawing us back to God?

When Jesus first appears on the scene, ministering in public, he shows up a a synagogue, and they ask him to read the Bible passage for the day:

Luke 4:17–21 CSB

The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.”

Jesus came for the poor, the captive, the blind, and the oppressed.

By the way, in case you’ve missed it, that’s us!

Without Christ, we are blind to our sin, spiritually bankrupt, and without hope.

He served us by sacrificing himself in our place for our sins, and by doing so, he modeled for us what it is to serve the least of these.

So, first, are you willing to let Jesus serve and save you?

Second, who are the least in your mind? Are you willing to serve them, just like Jesus has served you?

Are you willing to welcome them, pick them up, and love them with the love Christ has shown you?

The heart to serve is what leads to greatness in God’s kingdom.

However, a heart that is willing to serve the least must also be willing to...

2) Serve in the smallest ways.

Thinking now would be a good time to point out how devoted they were to Jesus, John decides it would be a good time to tell Jesus about another situation (verse 38).

Jesus responded very differently than John expected. Instead of commending him, Jesus rebukes him. Look back at verses 39-42.

As he does, he makes yet another point about service.

John was concerned that this man was stealing some of their thunder, so he tried to put him in his place.

Instead, Jesus says that he should be commended!

Jesus makes it clear that you are either working for Jesus or you are against him.

There is no middle ground, which we need to remember as we pray for those around us.

We need to be cautious on how we talk about other Christians with whom we disagree, because God may be using them in ways we don’t understand.

We cannot excuse sin, and where people are clearly in error, we have a responsibility to hold up the truth.

In fact, Jesus tells us that even the smallest act, done out of a heart that seeks to honor and glorify Christ, is going to be rewarded.

However, when it isn’t clear, we need to be careful.

Why? Because Jesus tells us that even the smallest act, done out of a heart that seeks to honor and glorify Christ, is going to be rewarded.

Look back at verse 41...

Isn’t that incredible?!

Serving others is so near to God’s heart that he notices and rewards even the smallest actions done for his name and his glory!

Matthew records Jesus talking about the judgment at the end of time, where God will separate those who are his from those who aren’t.

In Matthew, we see Jesus talking about the judgment at the end of time, where God will separate those who are his from those who aren’t.

Jesus said they will be commended for all these small acts that they did for Jesus, and here is how their conversation progresses:

Matthew 25:37–40 CSB

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’ “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Even the smallest deeds, done for the least of these, is an act done for Christ.

Again, Jesus is the model for us here.

In just a matter of weeks or months after he said this to the disciples, he would be hanging on a cross, taking our sin, while naked and bloodied and humiliated to pay for our sin and offer salvation through his death and resurrection.

Here, the God of the universe, who spoke all of creation into being and sustains it with his power, humbled himself to becoming obedient to death on a cross.

Is there anything that could ever be more beneath you than the cross was beneath Christ?

He is God, and yet he allowed himself to be brutally, humiliatingly killed like a common criminal.

What could he possibly ask you to do that would be more humiliating than that?

Let’s put feet on this: Are you willing to serve your lost neighbor by loving them, even though they have complained about your yard to the HOA?

Are you willing to love your co-worker well, despite how many times you have had to cover for them?

Are you willing to serve in a lower position at church than you think you deserve?

The greatest in the kingdom are those who pursue a life of service, not of status.

I am so grateful for the servant hearts that many in this church have.

There are some who don’t hold any official title, or may not be officially serving in a capacity, yet when there is a need, they step up to the plate and do what needs to be done!

Those are the greatest ones in the kingdom of God!

However, notice the strong warning of verse 42.

Just like the smallest kind act done for the lowliest person for the glory of God will not escape notice, so also the smallest act to pull someone away from Christ.

There is a strong warning here, especially if you are in a position of leadership or authority: Jesus said it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a massive stone around you neck than for you to lead someone away who is struggling with the faith.

That’s why it is important for me as a father, teacher, pastor, and friend to make sure that my motives are in check.

Examine your heart and see if it is pride that is driving you, or if it is a genuine desire to glorify Christ.

The smallest deeds, done for Christ, will result in a reward that we cannot fully understand now.

So, do you want your life to matter? Seek to serve. Don’t seek a status.

If you chase a position in the church or in life so everyone will look at you and see how good you are, you better hope they notice, because the Bible tells you that’s the best reward you are going to get.

However, if you want to live a life of eternal significance, give yourself wholly to Christ.

Go to the least, to people who can never repay you, and do whatever it takes.

Why?

Because that’s what Jesus did for you, and that’s how he defines greatness.

I have a theory, and we’ll just have to wait until we get to heaven to see.

Judging off these verses, I wonder if one of the things that will most surprise us is who we see in special places in heaven.

We would expect to see people like Billy Graham, Adrian Rogers, C.H. Spurgeon, and people like that. After all, they served Christ so well in this life, and I am sure they will have great reward.

However, I have to wonder if we won’t see some of those people who seem to have the greatest reward and ask, “Who in the world is that?”

I think we’ll find that they were pastors in small African villages who loved the Lord faithfully and served him in the most thankless situations.

I think we will see grandmothers who prayed fervently for their children and loved and served Christ well in those ways.

I think we will be surprised to see who the last and greatest servants are.

Let’s strive to be among them, not for the reward, but for the opportunity to honor the God who served and saved us.

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