Called to Be a Servant

Welcome to the Panhandle, and welcome to tonight's blog. Tonight we look at Christ Jesus as an the ultimate example of servanthood. Here is God come from heaven to be the perfect sacrifice for everyone's sins.

Jesus Christ Superstar is a 1970 rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the last week of Jesus's life, beginning with the preparation for the arrival of Christ Jesus and His disciples in Jerusalem and ending with the crucifixion. The song Jesus Christ has these lyrics:

Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?

Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?

Jesus Christ
Superstar
Do you think you're what they say you are

Jesus Christ
Superstar
Do you think you're what they say you are?

Christ Jesus came as a servant, not as a superstar. His three–year ministry was a powerful example of servanthood—from His first miracle of changing water to wine at a wedding feast in Cana ~ 1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2 and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."

4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."

6 Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each.

7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." So they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they took it to him. 9 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, 10 and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now."

11 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. (John 2:1-11).

To His sacrificial death on the cross in which His own blood flowed freely for the salvation of all who would believe in Him and receive God’s offer of forgiveness from sins.

Tonight we are going to look at one of two great statements about servanthood that Christ Jesus made. They were not only references to His own life and sacrificial death, but words that are related to our role as servants today.

1. Planted Like Wheat – John 12:20-26 ~

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

23 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

In the days immediately preceding His crucifixion, Christ Jesus spoke candidly with His disciples about His impending death and resurrection. Much of what He said they didn’t fully understand at the time He spoke to them; looking back, however, they understood very clearly the meaning of His words.

John tells in his Gospel about an incident that happened just before Passover. A group of Greeks had come to Jerusalem to worship at the feast, and they asked for a private audience with Christ Jesus. The news that Christ Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead had spread quickly and widely. Many had lined the path leading into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives to shout “Hosanna!” and to declare Christ Jesus as the “King of Israel!” (John 12:12–15).

Many at that time wanted Christ Jesus to make a public, political move to consolidate power and become an earthly ruler in place of both the Roman occupation and what was perceived by many to be an oppressive, legalistic Jewish Temple rulership.

The Greeks said to Philip, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip told Andrew of their request, and together, Andrew and Philip went to Christ Jesus. In response to this request Christ Jesus gave this answer: “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified” (John 12:23). This statement must have taken the disciples and supporters of Christ Jesus by surprise. They had just made a simple request – “These folks want to meet you.”

Christ Jesus answers with this powerful statement—“Now is the time!” To be glorified means to reach your crowning moment, your shining hour. Was Christ Jesus going to make His move to kick the Romans out and bring about religious reforms?

But then Christ Jesus quickly went on to say this: Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:24–25)

With that statement Christ Jesus made it very clear that He was not called to be a political king so that people might experience a better temporal, earthly existence. He was destined to die a sacrificial death so that all might experience an eternal, spiritual life. Christ Jesus was not called to become a king over a political domain, but, instead, the King of kings who reigns over an eternal kingdom not made with human hands.

The means to achieving Christ Jesus’ much higher and more meaningful goal was not to be found in the man–made systems and alliances of this world. His was the ultimate act of ministry and servanthood, a sacrificial death.

2. Follow Me – (John 12:26)

Jesus followed His statement to Philip and Andrew by saying, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor” (John 12:26)

Not only did Christ Jesus choose the servant role for Himself—which was actually the heavenly Father’s role for Him. Christ Jesus called His followers to become like Him, and to be, first and foremost, servants.

Christ Jesus concluded, “What shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name” (John 12:27).

Christ Jesus did not back away from servanthood or the ultimate act of service—His sacrificial death. Christ Jesus did not regard His crucifixion in any way to be a demeaning or a diminishing act. Instead He considered it to be the very purpose for His life and the fulfillment of His time on this earth. His entire life and ministry had been aimed at this supreme act of service.

So are you willing to die to self and live for Christ Jesus? To take up your cross daily and follow Christ Jesus.

Well that's something to chew on. 

Until next week I pray the Lord will bless you and yours greatly.

Biblesurfer