Tag: Serve

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With you it’s different.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world Lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. ‭‭Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭42‬-‭45‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus said, you know that those recognized to “archó,” to rule over the “ethnos,” a race, the nations (usually referring to unbelieving Gentiles, non-Jews), do so in two ways; they “katastrēniáō,” exercise lordship or dominion over, and they “eksousiázō,” exercise authority or wield power over. Using dominion and power to gain compliance. It’s a very common and effective way to force people to do things against their will. Jesus then told his disciples, “however, it should not be among you.”

Jesus noted that in this world there is a prevalent leadership model that uses hierarchy and power to achieve results. Sometimes it’s good results, sometimes it bad. James and John had asked Jesus to grant them this opportunity to lead with position and power by placing them at the right and left hand of his throne. They still expected Jesus to become the messianic king of Israel. Thus, James and John were asking for positions or titles of authority in this earthly kingdom.

In a very teachable moment, Jesus asked the brothers if they truly knew what they were asking. Then he asked them a rhetorical question (a rhetorical question is asked to make a point or emphasize something, not to get an actual answer), ”Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?” Still thinking Jesus was referring to the struggles of leading a revolution, the brothers replied “Oh yes, we are able!” Then completely reorienting their ideals of taking over Rome, Jesus said to them, that it’s not up to him, and they will indeed suffer. But, more importantly, Jesus makes his point – they are to be completely different kinds of leaders. Jesus strongly says, “It will NOT be with you!” Referring to how Rome governs people.

Jesus followers are not to lead from high status, but of low. They are not to wield power by controlling, but by serving. Is there such a thing as low, servanthood leadership? Jesus clarified that in His kingdom as the Son of man, he came to serve not to be served. He came to give His life as ransom-money to free slaves! Jesus modeled the leadership qualities he expected of his followers.

A simple observation, James and John felt comfortable enough to ask Jesus about the seating arrangements in his kingdom. The other disciples were incensed, but instead, Jesus engaged them with a question, not immediately giving an answer. Does the Holy Spirit still respond to our questions like this? Not immediately answering the question but sending us off on a journey of curiosity and discovery. A great question is a teacher’s delight because it means the student is hungry to learn!

As a Pastor/teacher I believe people should ask questions. And, I am sure they want answers. I have to refrain from thinking these questions come from places of doubt or manipulation. I get too defensive thinking it’s just a trap, like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. Even then Jesus enjoyed answering with one of his own questions! James and John may have been asking for positions of power, but Jesus was able to use it for a teachable moment – but for you it’s different.

Prayer

​Dad,
I should not be so surprised when I see Jesus using such powerful, patient words to cut through the pretense of the moment and engage people in truth. It’s like He knows us because He is the creator of all things! I get so defensive when I feel cornered, trapped or manipulated, it’s hard to think straight. Yet, Jesus was always looking for ways to engage our hearts and cause deep change within our soul and spirit. It is such a beautiful moment to read these real stories and watch the Master at work. Thank you for your grace and mercy, your patience and love in catching on to what you want us to see and do likewise. Amen.

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Contrarian mandate for leaders.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world Lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” Matthew‬ ‭20‬:‭24‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

BE DIFFERENT

Matthew’s gospel records a series of conversations that seem to flow from one difficult conversation to the next. These observations may not be linearly connected. However, Matthew, isn’t just writing a gospel account, he is led and inspired by the Holy Spirit to communicate a narrative, and he does so with persuasive intent.

Jesus had just been telling his disciples of the events that would take place very soon. Namely, that he would be handed over to the Romans, tortured, then crucified! But afterward, he would rise from the dead. That’s A LOT to take in for his followers!

Then, Matthew has a mother approaching Jesus, asking for a future favor that would place her two sons on the right and left seats of the ruling throne of a king. Of course, she believed that Jesus, being the messiah meant that he was going to be taking over Rome and establishing himself as the legitimate heir to rule and reign over Jerusalem and the people of Israel. She believed this is how God would create a new world order.

Jesus clearly told her this is not how things will take place. He said to her, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” She and her boys were still thinking of the suffering it would take to overthrow Caesar and take the capital by force. “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”” Jesus ends the conversation with, “that is up to Father God.”

Just the mention of which of the disciples would get honored positions gets the whole group riled up! Matthew writes, the others were (aganakteó), grieved and incensed! Jesus then admonishes the disciples telling them the counterculture, counterintuitive way the Kingdom of God works. Jesus admits that rulers in this world lord and flaunt their authority over those they lead. Interesting Jesus connected secular lordship with rulers exercising “decisive control,” and power, “exerting authority downwards, oppressively.” We know this is how the world works. Rulers or leaders get to wield control and power to get things done.

However, Jesus emphasized the model of His rulership. Anyone who desires to be great in the Kingdom of God will NOT lead through control and power, but rather they will lead by serving! He told them very specifically, “But among you it will be different!” Leaders in God’s economy will be (diakonos), a servant/minister. The word comes from the common table waiters that serve in the open air cafe’s that line the dusty streets of Jerusalem. As Kingdom leaders, they wouldn’t control or oppress, they would serve so well, so fast that they would “raise the dust” to attend to their guests! They would be dust-raising table waiters! What? How? Why?

Jesus didn’t just tell them this is how he rules and reigns in the Kingdom of God, he showed them, he lived it! “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

I will leave it up to you to decide if this applies to ALL disciples, all followers of Jesus – which may be you. Or, it just applies to those who aspire to lead, to pastor, to shepherd. Maybe it even applies to those who lead in their business or other areas where they volunteer. You decide. Just know this, if you choose to LEAD in God’s Kingdom, God’s economy – you MUST be a dust-raising table waiter… a servant of all. Albert Baylis said, as a Jesus follower, “we all want to be called servants until someone treats us like one.”

Prayer

Dad,
That all sounds wonderfully spiritual and humbling for sure, but everyone knows it it NOT easy. It’s easy to preach and proclaim servanthood. It’s easy to tell others to serve. But when it comes down to it, actually serving others, it is very hard. Once one serves, people begin to expect it and they seem happy to demand more. It’s hard to figure out the difference between humbly serving and being someone’s doormat. Try we must, right? You did it. You let people mock you and speak lies about you and yet you still gave your life to save us. What a magnificent mystery. Help me not to hold power or control over others, but instead, to serve them.