40 DAYS in the GOSPEL Sample

THE SERVANT TEST

The kingdom of Jesus is an upside-down kingdom:

• The first shall be last; the last shall be first.
• The humble are exalted; the rich and famous are humbled.
• The childlike are welcomed; the self-sufficient are rejected.

And here, Jesus says, the way to be great is to serve.

I don’t mind the idea of serving, as long as it’s on my terms. When the minister says on my wedding day, “Will you take this woman to be your wife?” I eagerly say, “I will.” When my wife asks, “Will you serve the drinks when our guests arrive?” “Sure.” But I find more resistance in myself on the descent into servanthood:

“Will you admit you’re wrong when you’re wrong?” Maybe. If I determine I am.

When God says, “Will you serve your wife by putting down the TV remote and going along with her desires rather than your own?” “Lord, you ask so much!”

Suddenly, serving doesn’t sound as appealing as it once did. As it’s been said, “The true test of a servant is how you respond when you are treated like one.”

But Jesus doesn’t lie. It’s still true. “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant” (Mark 10:43b). Jesus isn’t against aspirations of greatness. He isn’t opposed to my desire to be an excellent leader. What He is concerned about is how I plan to get there. He is saddened by my desire to get my way and expect others to serve me.

The gospel isn’t just personal. It has implications for families and fatherhood and for high school, marriage, and friendship. The good news of Jesus is meant to impact corporations, government, and the workplace. God envisioned a different kind of world, so He sent His Son into the world to show a different way of greatness. Can you imagine it? Can you see the possibilities? Imagine bosses who ran their companies this way. Imagine employees who had the attitude of a servant. Imagine pastors and leaders whose heart was to serve others. Imagine churches that served their communities and cities. Imagine a family table where everyone is glad to serve each other. Wouldn’t that be the kind of world you’d like to live in?

The good news isn’t just for you, so you can escape hell and go to heaven when you die. Jesus wants you and I to bring a taste of heaven on earth where the truly great are like the One who said, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

PRAY ABOUT IT: Lord, I admit that I don’t like being treated like a servant. Will you help me see the value of servanthood? Show me the way to greatness in the everyday, moment-by-moment decisions of life, and give me the capacity to do it with joy. Spend a few minutes asking where God is asking you to serve today.