Week 3, Day 2: Imitate Jesus: Be a Servant.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 23:11-12; Matthew 20:26-27; Philippians 2:3-11

According to Jesus, greatness is measured by the quality of our service to others!!  Jesus proved this point.  He was the greatest man to ever walk the face of the earth; as a matter of fact He was God, and listen to what He said:

“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” -Matthew 20:28

To reach the world, Jesus served the world. He came to serve and to give His life away.  He calls us to that same level of service. That is what makes the message of the cross so unique. Jesus didn’t come with self-seeking ambition, He came to demonstrate self-sacrificing love to serve a world that did not deserve it.

This demonstration of serving was a message that would stand out in a self- centered culture.

A lifestyle of serving and self-sacrifice for the good of others is a direct contradiction to the very nature of man.  Because of our sin nature we are given toward selfishness and pride. We are taught to look out for number one and climb over the back of anyone who stands in the way of our objectives.  Get yours, or someone one else will.

This thought is so pervasive in our society that any act of genuine love is usually met with skepticism or sheer amazement. Jesus came to demonstrate the unconditional love of an infinitely loving God by serving us.

When we follow in His example and love in this way, this love and service becomes attractive to the world. When we love like that, then others see a genuineness in us that draws them to the author of this love. Even simple acts of loving service can have profound results.

Let’s be imitators of Jesus and go out of our way to serve others. Serving is the onramp to the highway of proclamation. As we serve others, it gives us an open door to tell them about the reason why we are serving.  We get to tell them about our Savior who first served us.

Prayer Point: Pray that God would place a servant’s heart within you.  Ask God to help you look for opportunities to serve others and to make serving a way of life. Pray specifically that over time God would bring people into the kingdom through your acts of service.