The gospel by Mark emphasizes Yeshua’s ministry and life as being that of a servant. He is our Servant King. We also must become servants of the Messiah and our Father – and of one another. We will serve – if He is living in us and active in our lives. If we seek Him, focus on him, learn about him and ask him to live, move and speak in us – he will serve.Because though our Yeshua is the coming King of kings, he is also the Servant of servants.
Check out the newest sermon on this site – Yeshua – The Servant King of kings.
There is so much more that could have been said about our calling to be a “servant of all” – of everyone. I found doing the study to be very instructive and corrective to me, the one who was getting ready to present it. I have a lot to learn about this and every subject. It was very humbling to realize how much more I have to still let Yeshua live in me. Maybe you’ll find the message helpful.
Here are some additional thoughts on serving that didn’t get into the sermon (ran out of time):
- The best service opportunities are often when it is most inconvenient for us. It’s 2 in the morning and someone needs to have you be with them. And they live a long ways away. Or you’re on your way to church services and an old woman looks distressed by the side of the road with a flat tire and seems lost. (Remember the priest and the Levite on the way to the temple who passed by the wounded man – in the story of the Good Samaritan?) So acts of service often don’t get set for convenient appointment times – but just crop up when it’s not convenient. Give up your favorite show – and serve anyway.
- The best service opportunities are those not seen or known by a lot of people, or even by ANYONE – but God sees, and He promises to reward us openly. You may not be recognized for the good you do, but do it anyway. If it’s worthy of recognition, Father promises He’ll do so openly in the world to come. A godly servant is constantly looking for ways to help others be more comfortable and to know they are loved.
- The best service opportunities leave people feeling wonderful, like they’ve been visited by an angel.People will soon enough forget what we did and what we said. But they won’t soon forget how we made them feel. (Yes, I preach to myself too.) So serve in a way that people realize you are esteeming them highly and worthy of your valuable service – and leave people feeling good. Yes, I’ve had some repenting to do on this one. But even if people don’t seem to appreciate our hard work or don’t leave US feeling wonderful after all our hard service, serve anyway.
- The best service opportunities are not often fun, often have no glory, and in fact sometimes downright awful, humanly speaking – until you realize you’ve let Yeshua live in you and you’ve done some good.
Changing a toddler’s diaper, or taking him to the bathroom when he’s already “done it” in his pants – not fun, but boy does your wife appreciate you doing it, for once.
The cross of Yeshua wasn’t fun either. It certainly did not feel good. It certainly was not convenient. It certainly had no glory. He did it anyway. It was a felon’s death by extremely painful slow execution and a shameful way to go. One was often nailed up there in his misery and stark naked—but my Savior did it for me and you because it was his greatest act of service: dying for you and me so we wouldn’t have to. Praise you, Yeshua. Wow, wow, wow. As we come nearer to Passover, praise you!
- The best servants don’t have “working hours”. They put God first, but never stop trying to help. Yeshua, even as he was dying on the cross was still thinking of others. I did mention this in the sermon, but it bears repeating. On the cross, while he was being reviled and ridiculed, he says “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And then he made sure his mom would be well taken care of by John. Wow, Yeshua. Wow!
- When we serve by letting people use or borrow our “stuff” – camping gear, canoes for the kids camp, our tools, etc. – they often come back marred, scratched, or missing. Do it anyway. When our Father let us borrow His Son for a few years, we made the Son of God be born in an animal feed trough and then returned him more than a little scratched. We can put up with some scratches and missing pieces. Serve anyway.
I wanted these thoughts to be added to the sermon on “Yeshua, our Servant King”. I hope you enjoy it and benefit from it. Only those who are first learning to be servants of all will be allowed to have rulership and authority. Kingship in the kingdom will be servant leadership.
There’s also a recent sermon on Yeshua, our High Priest. There are verses in Exodus 28 that will just come alive for you as you hear that message.
We focus on our Messiah and our Father in this website. What a great, great God we have. What a great, great Savior/Redeemer. Praise you Father. Praise you, Yeshua. Come live in us, Master – and give us your HEART, the new heart, the heart of a Servant. Amen.