Matthew 20:28: even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
A king has no reason to step down from his throne to serve his people. He serves with orders, laws and directives, not by removing royal robes and donning a servant’s towel. But the King of all kings rejected this way of the worldly ruler. His Way, THE ONLY WAY, is elevation through humiliation. The greatest servant is the highest of all in the Kingdom of the Highest King our Christ.
In Matthew 20:28, Jesus spoke of this Way. He came to serve not to be served. But these were no mere words of the wise rabbi. Jesus demonstrated service of the highest degree from incarnation to exaltation, with the Cross as the climax of servanthood, a paradox where the King of all was crowned with thorns and raised up in a display of sacrifice; an ascent to an unexpected throne. “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name...” (Phil. 2:9).
For those in Christ there is a call to do likewise. The one who wishes to be greatest must make himself the least (Matt. 20:26) and we must have in ourselves the same mind — the same mentality — as Christ Jesus had when He humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross (Phil. 2:5,8). This will lead to physical death for a few martyrs who give all for the cause of Christ, but for most of us, becoming like Christ in His death (Phil. 3:10) means a death to our own sin, desires, pride, self-sufficiency and ambitions, and a taking up of Christ’s desires for us in the love of God to live daily for Christ according to His will, in the power of the Spirit, for the glory of God.
How do we put to death our sin, desires, pride, and self-sufficiency? It starts with the posture of our hearts before the actions of our hands. The story of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:3-42) reveals two postures: one of self and one of abiding. Martha was so focused on her to-do list and maintaining the appearance of serving, that she missed her moment with the Lord. Jesus says that there is only one necessary thing: the good portion of sitting at his feet (Luke 10:42). It is out of this posture of abiding, in tune with our Master, that we then can put to death our flesh by the power of His Spirit through serving others.
Romans 12:9-18 lists out the “marks of a true Christian.” Notice how many of them are others-oriented: love one another with brotherly affection, outdo one another in showing honor, contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality, bless those who persecute you, rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, do not be haughty but associate with the lowly, live peaceably with all. When you are engaging in these activities, you are putting to death the natural desire to serve self. However, one can do all these things out of duty and therefore still be focused on self: God commanded this, so I have to…this is what I’m supposed to do…if I don’t do this, then I won’t deserve His love. This is where the heart posture comes in. If you are truly sitting at Jesus’s feet, communing with Him daily, moment by moment walking HIS WAY — love for Him and for His people will outweigh love of self. But it is a choice to remain in that posture of service, out of love for the King who came to serve you.
What will you choose today?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I thank you for the life of sacrifice that You lived, emptying Yourself to show me the way of Your Kingdom: Last-first and first-last. I thank you for the Cross that ransomed my life from death so I can die to sin and self and live for You. Show me the Way by Your Spirit and through Your Word to walk out this life of service to You my King, as a living sacrifice for You, my whole life laid down. Teach me how to humble myself in your presence and serve those around me like You served. I thank you for the privilege of giving my life for Your glory; may You always be more evident through me today than yesterday, and may Your Kingdom be seen on earth as it is in heaven through my life, to the honor of Your Name.
Joshua & Sarah Tubbiola
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