Having a servant’s heart. Read John 13:1-17

Matthew ch.20 v.25-28 “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles Lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet is shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Here below is The World’s View of Self-Serving: Greece said, “Be wise, know yourself!” Rome said, “Be strong, discipline yourself!”  Religion says, “Be good, conform yourself!” Epicureanism says, “Be sensuous, enjoy yourself!” Education says, “Be resourceful, expand yourself!” Psychology says, “Be confident, assert yourself!” Materialism says, “Be satisfied, please yourself!” Pride says, “Be superior, promote yourself!” Asceticism says, “Be lowly, suppress yourself!” Humanism says, “Be capable, believe in yourself!” Legalism says, “Be pious, limit yourself!” Philanthropy says, “Be generous, please yourself!” Christ says, “Lose yourself, die to yourself, submit yourself, humble yourself, give to others, serve others, honour others.”

Jesus view of service/ministry was so radically different from this world’s view, that even His disciples were shocked. His views on forgiveness, prayer, possessions, love and worship, were counter intuitive to our natural instincts.  Jesus was marked out from among other religious leaders by something He exemplified. Something He continually modelled before His disciples. Servanthood, having a servant’s heart. He was so different from the Scribes and Pharisees. They loved to parade themselves. They loved to pray in the market place to be seen of men. They felt they were the elite. The thought of being a servant to other men was beneath them. Men of their position and religious rank, expected to be served, not to serve.

The disciples themselves were getting too big for their boots also. On the very night that Jesus was betrayed by Judas, the other disciples were arguing among themselves as to who would be the greatest in the coming  Kingdom of God. James and John came to Jesus and asked that they might sit at His right and left hand when He came into His glory. (Mark 10:35-45) The other disciples were mad at James at John (Mt.20:24) They would have liked that position too, but James and John blurted it out first.  That is when Jesus straightened them out on the matter of leadership and serving. (Read again our text at the beginning of this devotion.)

In that Upper Room, when Jesus put on a servant’s apron and washed His disciple’s feet, it was an incredible lesson on servanthood. (John 13:1-17) Do we desire the throne of authority more than the towel of servanthood?  Do we desire the robes of a ruler more than the apron of a servant?   

- Pastor David Goudy