Servant Heart

“Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” John 12:20-26

It was the day after the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. He had ridden into the city on a donkey, palm branches had been thrown in His pathway, and the people had flocked around Him, cheering for Him, hailing Him as their king. The beginning of John 12 shows us this scene, and it records that the disciples didn’t know what to make of all the commotion (verse 16). People just wanted a glimpse of this Jesus; they had heard the rumors, they had probably known or heard of Lazarus who was raised from the dead, it seemed as if everyone in the busy town of Jerusalem had heard that this Jesus was here and they all wanted to see for themselves, locals and foreigners alike. In the midst of this commotion, did Jesus seize the moment and give a compelling speech about the grandeur of heaven? No, Jesus began to teach about being a servant. Instead of focusing on the apparent “success” of His earthly ministry, He begins by talking about a lone grain of wheat, falling to the ground and dying. Not a very cheery sermon topic. But everything that Jesus said was for a reason, every single word. Why did He mention a tiny seed? He was referring to Himself, and He was also referring to the beautiful sacrificial heart of a servant.

In the gospel accounts of the Last Supper on the night in which He was betrayed (Matthew 26:20-29; Mark 14:17-25; Luke 22:14-23), we see the Lamb of God Who came to take away the sins of the world, humbling Himself, stooping down, picking up a basin of water, kneeling at the feet of His disciples and taking on the Servant’s role of washing their dirty smelly feet. After three years of walking and talking and teaching and reaching the people, Jesus demonstrates the most direct example possible . This is not at all the only example of Jesus' Servant-God approach, but it is the most direct. "When He had finished washing their feet, He put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:12-17

Jesus told them that now that they knew these things, that they would be BLESSED if they did them. This direction is for us today as well. A servant of Christ chooses to be like Christ and serve others. Servants do it in whatever way is needed, but prefer doing it in person. They see freedom not as a great way of doing something for themselves, but as the freedom to do what's needed to lift someone else who needs it. The servant forgives those who do them wrong, since God forgave them in Jesus. Most of all, the servant is actually looking for helpful ways to serve, to give, and to build up. They're happy to do it.

Why is service so central to Christian belief? Because we follow a God Who values service and demonstrates that He Himself has this attribute in His Person. Think about that for a moment. The GOD of the Universe, the One Who made heaven and earth… has a Nature that includes serving the needs of others. He sees our weak human frailty and provides all that we need to live and thrive. He gives you the air to breathe, water to drink, a heart that beats strongly within your chest. He provided eyes to see the beauty of His creation, ears to hear the songs of the birds. He saw the need for a sacrifice that would cover the sins of the world, and He provided His Son, which broke His heart but He did it for us. Even more, we follow His Son, Jesus Christ, who loves others. And we have in us a Holy Spirit who gives us gifts expressly for the purpose of building up other people and serving one another. We are told to be like Jesus Christ, to take on His attributes, and remember: He Is God! Many times He told us that if we had seen Him, we had seen the Father… so what do you observe Jesus doing during His earthly mission? Healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, binding up the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, He came to model what God’s desire was for us as His creation, to be His children, to follow in HIS footsteps. To say, Not My will, but THINE be done…. In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus demonstrated this when He said, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:9-13. Consider what this world would be like if we all followed I Corinthians 13 and demonstrated God’s love living and breathing through us, through our hands and feet, through our words and deeds. When God’s people truly understand and grasp and accept God’s Will in their lives to serve one another, what a place this would be… heaven on earth!!!

Paul reminds us that it is not out of obligation or resentment that we are called to serve but through LOVE that we serve one another. “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serves one another.” Galatians 5:13. We can be servants of God and do the work He has given to us with true joy in our hearts! When you have a servant’s heart, you are humble. As servants, we must die to ourselves and our flesh that demands to have rights. As a servant, you are called to follow the directives of the one you serve…. Basically, you simply do as you’re told. You respect those in charge. You serve faithfully and quietly. There can be times a servant’s only task is to do nothing but watch and wait for the master’s call. Have you asked the Lord to give you something more to do for Him—something big? As you wait for that something big, seek to serve Him and grow in your Christian walk. Remain content with where he has put you, while continuing to watch for his leading. Stand before Him available to do anything He might require of you, alert to His guidance, and ready to walk in obedience to His will. Serve the Lord with Gladness, and whatever your hands find to do, do it all for the glory of God.

"It is the Lord your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him." Deuteronomy 13:4

Be like that tiny grain of wheat, and let Jesus be glorified as you serve Him faithfully until He returns.

Shalom, sister Lahoma

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