try { Its the way you naturally respond when a service opportunity comes up. 12:3-8). But this also demonstrates how servant living is accomplished in usthrough faith and understanding of who we are in Christ and by confidence in the eternal glories of the future. Please use numbers only, no dashes or other separators. Why Students Need Bring Your Bible to School Day. We cannot change our hearts. I believe that the first three, encouragement in Christ, a comfort provided by love, and fellowship in the Spirit are what come to us through our walk with the Saviorthey are the products of fellowship. window.top.location.href = 'https://go.undoubtedgrace.com/simplifying-life-planner-tw/'; He was the perfect example of service. (emphasis mine). The late Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators, was visiting Taiwan on one of his overseas trips. The Good Samaritan. This is the toughest of all the demands of servanthood. This growth is a blessing as are lives become billboards again for the glory of God and his ability to work in and through each of us. 2:3 Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. For every success, there are others who did not succeed. However, when serving others and their needs, if the underlying motive and goal is some form of self love, like the praise of others for the service rendered, then ones service is in reality hypocritical. Further, this need will be constantly inflamed by the influences of a world system that operates on a totally different basis. It appears in many arenas: athletics, business, entertainment. In this story, Jesus models the importance of serving others and humbling oneself, even performing a traditionally reserved task for lowly servants. B. 3.3 We were commanded to serve others. When we are being served, we need to be sensitive to the demands we make and careful to express gratitude when someone else serves us. And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? Amen. You will feel good for serving others and know you are making the world a better place. Again, in the realm of surrender and sacrifice, the Lord Jesus is our perfect example. Again Jesus said, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you" (Jn. Seeking to promote servant living, the apostle reminds us in Philippians 2:1 that there is encouragement in Christ, a comfort provided by love, fellowship in the Spirit, and affection and mercy. Please enter your area code, followed by your phone number, mobile phone preferred. Therefore, one of the keys to effective service is faith and constant orientation with the weight of eternity (2 Cor. But it did take the attitude of a servant. Everything we have is on loan from the Lord, entrusted to us for a while to use in serving Him." John MacArthur "Prayer is not just getting ready for Christian service. 10. All had been prepared for this last meal with the disciples with the exception of one thing. 22:24 A dispute also started among them over which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. 5. Everyone would say that. This type of service is really aimed at serving selfish endsusually in the futile pursuit of personal significance through something like praise, power, or status. Selfish ambition is the opposite of serving the needs of others. The benefits of serving include many of the fruits of the spirit. Required fields are marked *. (3) Burnout in those who are ministering. My observation over years of serving in both a Christian organization and a local church is that the lack of a serious commitment to faithfulness in assigned or agreed on tasks is a major problem among Christians. Christ's Example of Servanthood (John 13:1 - 14:7) | Bible.org Whether through acts of kindness, evangelism, or other service forms, Christian service is a vital way to express our love for God and our neighbors. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. This passage emphasizes that our freedom in Christ is not a license to do whatever we want but rather a call to serve others in love. Why? Can the person over us count on us to do the job which we have been given to do? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? "Would he thank that servant because he did what he was told to do?" Yes, if we are to accept the challenge of being servants, we must be prepared to accept ingratitude; to accept being taken for granted by thoughtless members of the Body of Christ. He lived in humble service to others, and his entire mission centered on serving and saving humanity. No one is able to serve God and possessions (Matt. Its one of those gifts that has great value but no price tag. (4) Self-centered living or seeking happiness from the world rather than in the Savior and His purpose and call on ones life is another cause for failing to live as servants. 4-6). And in full knowledge of who He was and the authority that was His, He arose from the table and began to wash the feet of the disciples. We might compare the many who followed Christ. As you make new friends and deepen existing connections you will find your mood lifting and the tilt towards stress and anxiety dissipating. When he left the earth he commissioned us to draw all men to him, and there is no better way to do that then to practically give what we can to those in needs. So, who are some people you can serve at school? Christs security, His love, and His confidence in the Father and future allowed the Lord Jesus to assume the position of a servant, an amazing example of condescension (vss. I can just see the disciples looking around expecting someone else to do this, but never for a moment considering it himself. 16. My overriding goal must be in every circumstance to respond biblically, to put the Lord first, to seek to behave as he would want me to. You could offer to tutor another student who may be struggling with that same subject. Serving God by Serving Others - Whats in the Bible I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.". Eventually this kind of self-seeking service will crumble under criticism because it is more concerned about self and ones personal significance than with the needs of others. 3.6 We please God when we help others. Just think, if He had come to be served, our redemption could and would never have taken place. But whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant. The attitude is, we are here to be ministered to rather than be equipped for ministry. He left everything to live among us and show us the best way to live and to claim the victory over death and sin that had been present on earth since the fall of humanity. As the following passages will demonstrate, the Lord Jesus came as a servant with a commitment to serve. But Paul was a servant. Such an attitude toward a servant may sound heartless and perhaps even cruel to us today, but apparently it was a typical attitude in the days of Jesus. To see their needs and to better understand where we can be of service. 23. What does the search for personal significance produce? 15. This naturally leads to bitterness, contention, and division in the body of Christ. 20. Foolishly thinking that such status would give them happiness and significance, they wanted positions of authority, praise, and power. When we help those in needs, our capacity for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control grows. How seldom is that persons labor adequately acknowledged! It is one of his enduring refrains throughout Scripture. He uses the Scripture, prayer, and obedience. It is true that many people do not do this. It is relatively easy to serve those above us. But Jesus does not stop with our acceptance of inconsiderateness and ingratitude. We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. . Now Jesus deals with something else that is foundational for servicehope for the future. window.location.href = 'https://go.undoubtedgrace.com/simplifying-life-planner-tw/'; Knowing and being confident of His identity (John 13:1f), knowing why He was on earth as the servant who must die for our sin, focusing of the rewards of the future, and acting out of a heart of infinite love, Christ washed the feet of the disciples. 12:7). 22. Serving gives us purpose and direction and encourages us to branch out and walk in our spiritual gifts. Caring for the Weak. We all want to be faithful servants and help others, but sometimes it can be hard to know where to start. 10 Key Bible Verses on Serving | Crossway Articles }. Again, let it be stressed that Jesus style of ministry is the opposite of the worlds power-based mentality where certain kinds of accomplishment are viewed as a badge of importance and power. Z 34 Bible Verses about Jesus Serving Others 2 Kings 2:23-24ESV / 966 helpful votes HelpfulNot Helpful He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, "Go up, you baldhead! 13. As each one does its part, the body grows in love. You could volunteer for Vacation Bible School, helping with a Bible study, and so much more. 2 Cor. There are many examples of serving in the Bible. How can you express Christs love through service? The qualities that should characterize Christian leaders are also the marks of spiritual maturity as described in the Bible. First, we should note that the source of Jesus actions lay in His knowledge and security of who He was and where He was going (vss. (1) The opposite of a servants heart is self-seeking, which leads to consequences like jealousy, envy, disunity and division. Having a Servants heart helps us grow in humility. This is very evident in the reluctance of the disciples to take the towel and the position of a servant as seen in John 13. But who would take the position of this servant and perform the task? 37 They replied, "When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left." 38 But Jesus said to them, "You don't know what you are asking! Thats why weve put together this practical, biblical guide to help you complete this months challenge to serve others! In fact, most people always want others to serve them. (2) Failure to get involved in ministry. As Ephesians 4:11ff shows, the leadership of the church has been given the mandate to equip the saints for the work of ministryservant living. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Pet. This parable is in Luke 10:25-37, and it talks about helping your fellow man, even if that fellow man is supposed to be your enemy. He counseled us to strive to follow His perfect example by helping our fellow men. MEN 7/52 is a men's ministry of bible.org. His kind of service set an example. Thus He showed His followers how to serve, and He demanded no less of those who would carry on His work on earth. A good place to start is with chores. Christ gets the glory, but there is nothing wrong with the servant receiving honor. Sign up for the Live It Challenges for more fun, practical ways to live out your faith, build biblical habits, and strengthen your relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus himself modeled a life of service, and we are called to follow his example by using our gifts and talents to serve others and to advance Gods kingdom on earth. Give a meal you prepared to someone who is sick. When we give Jesus Christ His rightful place as Lord of our lives, His lordship will be . This post may contain affiliate links. 13:15 For I have given you an example: you should do just as I have done for you. If youre skilled with technology, maybe you can help run the A/V. But we can do those things which God ordinarily uses to change us. Without hesitation the man replied, "He cleaned my shoes.". For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. This verse reminds us that Jesus came to serve others and that we are called to follow his example. 22:27 For who is greater, the one who is seated at the table, or the one who serves? In the Old Testament, there are many examples of prophets serving God and his people, such as Moses leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and Elijah and Elisha performing miracles and preaching Gods word to the people.