Servanthood: Submissive, Suffering, Sacrificing & Strengthened (Pt. 1)

Jesus taught his disciples in Mark 9:35, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” Before we look closer at that verse we need to realize a couple of things about its surroundings.

• This is the second explicit statement Jesus has made regarding discipleship. Earlier in 8:34 he said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” I have explained 8:34 & 9:35 as being Jesus’ teaching as to what it looks like to to be a disciple, what it looks like to be born again. Jesus is not telling us “do this” to maintain your eternal life. However, he is saying, this is what eternal life in you will look like and produce. Together these verses show us what our relationship to God will look like when we are born again (8:34) and what it will look like toward other believers (9:35).
• This verse (9:35) is found in a string of verses and passages which teach and display the centrality of servanthood in the Kingdom of God. If you want to better know what it means to live in the Kingdom and serve read Mark 8:27-10:45.
• Finally, this all culminates in the example and teaching found in the words of Jesus: “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many” (10:45).

The theme of servanthood is rich in Mark 8-10. Mark shows us this as a central part of who Jesus is and how those in his kingdom are to conduct themselves toward one another. However, we also see this of Christ and his church elsewhere. Of Christ this is thoroughly taught in Philippians 2:5-8 and of his church in 1 Peter 4:11.

We will not look at those texts unto themselves but will reference them as we look at a biblical model of servanthood. We will go through four points of servanthood in a two-step pattern: 1) How it is seen in Jesus, and 2) how we are to follow him in it.

Servanthood: Submissive

Again and again throughout the gospels, yet with a great portion found in John, we see Jesus saying or acting on the idea that he was on earth to do the Father’s will. Two statements which stand out to me are found in Luke 22:42 and John 4:34. In Luke 22:42 we find Jesus uttering these words regarding his redeeming sacrifice on the cross:

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Luke 22:42

We find this also in Matthew 26:39 & Mark 14:36 however I point us to Luke because in his account this prayer has just come after the disciples had argued once again about who was the greatest as they did in Mark 9:34. In short, Jesus tells them that they are to view others from a servant’s perspective just as Jesus lives as a servant to his Father and even to his followers. Just a few verses later we see the weightiness of Jesus’ words by how he speaks in prayer. He is more concerned with submitting to the will of the Father than he is the weight of torment which awaits him at the cross.

Jesus is not a teacher or king who does not lead by example. Yet, he goes above and beyond to such a degree that we could never truly follow since the extent Jesus went is beyond what we as creatures could ever do. Paul tells us:

“[He] emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Philippians 2:7-8

Jesus’ servanthood looked like humility and produced obedience. No man can truly be a servant apart from humility; anything else is just eye service, not service from the heart. This heart of service will produce obedience. This was the paradigm in which Jesus navigated his life. But it was not only his view of how he went through his day, it was also his fuel.

“Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”

John 4:34

When we stop and think about our relationship to food there are at least two ways we interact with it:

1. We desire it. By desire I do not mean crave. We may crave Lays potato chips…after all, “betcha can’t eat just one.” But that is not the desire I’m referring to, but the desire we have when hungry. Its the hunger when your stomach is talking to you and you need to get to subway five minutes ago. This was the desire of Jesus for the will of God: the desire of a hungry man in need of food to strengthen him.
2. Then there is the other side of the same coin: desire on one side and strength on the other. Jesus’ food was to do the will of the Father. What is it that invigorated and made Jesus vibrant: doing what God desired. He turned down bread because he had a greater food. That is why he was able to “humble himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Jesus hungered to do the will of his Father and in that obedience he found strength.

Following the Submissive Servant:

We must check our everything that makes up what we call life in light of the standard and law called God’s word. In this we humbly bend the knee of our hearts in submission to our King. The most practical and evident way in which we do this is when we submit ourselves to others who are also followers of Christ.

At the beginning we looked at a key teaching from Jesus on what a disciple’s life looks like. We read:

“If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”

Mark 9:35

The result of the new life given us by God in our conversion is a developing heart and mind which puts others before ourselves. The needs of others we tend to directly or indirectly before our own. But this is not only reactive but also proactive. To be servant of all is to be living in a mindset which is seeking how to live as one who is last of all. We do not simply sit back and wait for an opportunity, but we are looking for ways to serve. Specifically looking for such opportunities among our brothers and sisters in the faith. Jesus is teaching his disciples how to live with one another.

Two Applications:

1. The Reactive Disciple: This is where we begin by learning from and daily setting out to follow The Servant. It is he who teaches us to live reactively among the brethren. By living reactively I mean responding to other believers with a mindset of being “last of all”. When spoken to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry (James 1:19). Be patient with others in your faith community (1 Cor. 13:4). When asked by a brother or sister in Christ for help and time, doing so gladly for you are last of all. Every other Christian comes before you. And as you do this you are rejoicing for it is God at work in you teaching you to live with the brotherhood in this way…and should yet again you do it begrudgingly you pray and ask God to change your heart. The way we react will always need work, yet we have a faithful God who will continue and complete his work in us.
2. The Proactive Disciple: Here is where we step out beyond just waiting for an opportunity. But we follow the example of The Servant who “humbled himself by becoming obedient.” He was active and engaging the situation. We too in each day and season, circumstance and vocation be consciously looking for and planning out how to serve. Who do you live with: parents, siblings, cousin, grandparents, roommate, husband/wife, children? What is your plan? What do they need? How can you plan and be intentional to serve them? What church do you attend? How are you serving regularly and proactively?
3. The Reflective Disciple: Ask yourself and consider your own heart prayerfully: Do I serve for the benefit of my conscience and reputation, or do I serve for the benefit of others? Which is your motive? Prayerfully search this out.