Be a Servant

Introduction

The desire to be independent reigns in our social fabric. Children grow up wanting to be more independent. Adults value being able to make their own decisions. Businesses want less regulations. Our culture is built on independence. Our political documents laud the idea of independence and such is the title of one of our country’s founding documents “The Declaration of Independence.” We celebrate July 4 as Independence Day. This view and desire is ingrained in us. Dependence makes us feel weak. Talking with older individuals over the years there is a common theme — I don’t like giving up my independence.

The lack of independence means there are fewer choices. It means that others make those choices for us. Its loss reflects not merely a change in life but a lessening of importance and power and significance. We have a hard time imagining the loss of independence. To some degree we look down on those who do not practice independence. Depending on the circumstances we do not feel good toward those who are not independent. We expect people to stand on their own two feet unless something prohibits such. Independence is a sign of power and control and when tempered with humility is valued in our culture.

Our text leads us once more to alter our worldly view. Jesus calls on those who follow him to look at life through a godly lens and as such the clarity of that lens brings reality into sharper focus. It would be devastating to have our independence forcibly taken from us. Wars have been engaged to ensure it remains. But what happens if we choose something else over control and power and independence? Would not the choice itself be a sign of the very thing we want? Jesus thought so.

Who Is the Greatest?

This is the second time Jesus has announced that he is going to die. The first time was in 8:31. There Peter rebuked him for such statements. Here the disciples don’t understand and out of fear refuse to speak. Were they afraid of Jesus or afraid of the statement or afraid of their own lack of understanding? Students are like that. Afraid of what others will think or afraid of what I will think, they refuse to ask questions. This particular announcement occurs on the way to Capernaum. The disciples have time to think and talk. But instead of talking about what Jesus says they talk about the measure of greatness and which of them possesses it.

My speculation is that what triggers this discussion is what has happened previously. Peter, James, and John were given the privilege of ascending the mountain with Jesus. The other nine were left below and they couldn’t heal a boy with an unclean spirit. Add to that distinction that Jesus had commanded Peter, James, and John not to talk about what they had seen on top of the mountain probably resulted in a conversation that produced inquiries and not so subtle insults. “What did you guys do on top of the mountain?” “We can’t tell you but what we saw was beyond description.” “What couldn’t you guys heal the boy?” “We tried.” “Well if we had been there, things would have been different.” And before long, the conversation devolves into an attempt to decide who is the greatest among them. It has to be Peter, James, or John.

Verse 34 tells us that the disciples know they have been caught. Like little children caught in the act of doing something they know they shouldn’t do, the disciples clam up. How do you tell your rabbi that the discussion was about which of them was the greatest? How do you tell the rabbi that they are vying for position? This will spill over into a discussion later in 10:35-45. Spoiler alert — James and John vote themselves as the greatest.

Jesus sat down in verse 35. This is the teaching posture. The disciples gather round. He is going to say something profound and life changing. The disciples will hear it, but they will not immediately change their lives because of it — see Mark 10:35-45. The greatest is the servant. To make his point, Jesus takes a child and says that those who welcome the child welcome him and the Father. Their response begins in verse 38 but stopping here allows us to begin the process of changing our thoughts and behaviors as well.

What Does It Mean to Be a Servant?

The word for servant is a fairly common word. It is used to describe the one who carries out the will of the master or a king. It is used to describe a waiter. If you go out to eat today, listen carefully to the person taking your order. You might hear the words, “Hi, I’m _____, I’ll be serving you today.” There it is. The word is also used to describe a deacon. A man appointed to a role in a congregation who is to serve others. It is not a position associated with authority but associated with carrying out the will of another. In this case, Jesus says his disciples will be servants.

Jesus uses a child to make that point. In Jesus’ day, it was not a child centered world. They carried out the will of the father. Children in the Jewish mind were not seen as innocent but as weak. They were to know their place and were not given control. They were controlled by their parents. Powerless they did as they were told. This is the visual parable that Jesus teaches. The greatest is like a child. Not the innocence and purity that we often inject but powerless, weak, without control. The greatest serves. The greatest seeks to carry out the will of the Father.

We sing, “Lord make me a servant” and well we should. The point of the song is to give up our will. To deny ourselves. To take up our cross and join with Jesus in serving others. What happens when people serve? Father is seen. Jesus makes it clear that failure to take on this role means that we have rejected Father. None of us want that, but we cannot share positional authority with Father. We carry out his will. We serve others in his name. We have no claim to independence and control. Here is the beauty of this — when we carry out the will of Father we get what we actually want — freedom. Not political freedom. No personal freedom. Freedom from sin, guilt, and shame. Freedom to love without seeking something in return. Freedom for the burden of having to prove ourselves. Freedom to be the child of God who simply wants only to carry out his will.

Think of it this way. If Jesus were here, would we not with gladness of heart serve him? Would we not find ourselves in his presence wanting to do his bidding? We are surrounded by siblings that all want to do the same. Would we not gladly serve each other? Let us begin here, learning to serve each other with gladness; learning to serve without having to prove anything; learning to serve with the only agenda being that Father is seen. Let us stop looking through the lens of power and rediscover the beauty of seeing through the godly lens of serving. Nothing to prove. Only to serve. Invitation.

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