Luke 22:24-28
24 Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
Good morning and welcome to a beautiful Panhandle morning, the only way it could be better is if it was raining. Have you ever though about, "What does it mean to be successful?" Or "What is it that makes a person successful?" There are two sets of answers to these two questions, man's and God's. After looking at this study ask yourself, "Which are you living your life for?"
During the American Revolution a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repariing a small defensive barrier. their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, "Sir, I am a corporal!" The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers. The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, "Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again." It was none other than George Washington.
Today in the Word, March 6, 1991.The world has a hierarchy, a “ladder,” for evaluating the success of a person. Sometimes that ladder is based upon fame, sometimes upon money. In an organization, the person who has made his or her way to the position of CEO or chairman of the board is considered to be at the top of the ladder.
This is not a definition for success that is new to our century or to modern man. Christ Jesus had to deal with this thinking among His own disciples. In fact, even during the Last Supper, a dispute arose among the disciples “as to which of them should be considered the greatest” (Luke 22:24). It wasn’t the first time this had happened. Several times in the course of Jesus’ ministry we find a concern expressed about position and authority.
Christ Jesus answered His disciples during the Last Supper by saying: The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called “benefactors.” But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater [in the world’s viewpoint], he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves. (Luke 22:25–27)
This concept of service being equated with greatness seemed completely upside down to the disciples. It was a perspective that went against the grain, against common sense, against the prevailing world opinion. And, it still is. Our world today may regard servants to be heroes, but generally only in isolated circumstances and situations.
If a person engages in servanthood all the time, and especially so if he or she is a servant at heart in all situations to all people, that person is considered to be a wimp, a chump, a doormat, a nothing, and a nobody. Or, in some cases, such a servant is considered a living saint, but usually by people who don’t remotely think sainthood is possible for all people or who believe that service is to be the way of life for all Christians. There are also those both in and outside the Christian community who believe that servanthood is the way to salvation or maintain one's salvation status.
The person who is widely admired by the masses tends to be the person who has shown himself or herself to have the most power, the most appeal, the most intelligence, the most money, and the most accomplishment—the one at the top of the scale.
God does not deal in hierarchies. He deals only in categories. A person is either saved or unsaved. A person is either following God in obedience or rebelling against God. A person is either a servant or not a servant.
1. A Simple Definition
Christ Jesus gave a very simple definition of service in John 12:25 when He said: He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Okay I know we all “love” our life, I mean I soon not die if I don't have too. But I don't believe this is not what Christ Jesus is talking about. The person Christ Jesus is talking about is the person who lives for self at all costs. It is the person who is the person who is self–centered, selfish, greedy—the one who lives totally for his or her own benefit. This is the person who desires to be served. In the end, he or she will lose everything they have ever attempted to gain for themselves.
When Christ Jesus is talking about the person who “hates” his or her life He is not talking about self-loathing. He is talking about the person who is willing to put others first—the one who gives and helps others. This is the person who is a servant. In the end, Christ Jesus said, this is the person who will enter into eternal life. Not because of sacrifice or works, but because he or she has invited Christ Jesus into their hearts and they want to be a servant like our Lord and Master, Christ Jesus.
2. Misunderstanding
Back to something I said earlier, some people confuse “hating one’s life” with having low self–esteem or with diminishing one’s gifts. People who are self–deprecating, always saying negative things about themselves, refusing to accept compliments, or who are down on themselves may indeed hate themselves, but this is not what Christ Jesus meant with these words.
This is the wrong attitude. We are to value ourselves highly. We are to recognize that we are wonderful, unique creations of God. Each of you has been given a set of gifts, traits, and talents by God. You have been designed with a specific purpose in mind—you are God’s workmanship ~ For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10).
You are God’s treasure, His delight, His chosen vessels, His beloved children. The fact is, God valued you so highly that He sent His Son, Christ Jesus, to die on the cross so that you might be reconciled to God and live with Him forever. God’s love alone gives your life great value!
When you recognize your great value to God and embrace the wonderful qualities that God has placed in you, you can have a servant’s spirit. When you are willing to use your gifts for the benefit of others and not solely to bring applause, recognition, or reward to yourself that is a servant’s spirit.
We “hate ourselves,” from God’s standpoint, when we completely abandon our own self–advancement in order to help others in need, or to fulfill whatever call of the Gospel God has placed on our lives.
3. Those That Love Their Life
What happens in a very practical way is that those who love their lives tend to hate the lives of other people. They use, abuse, and manipulate others for their own purposes. Sadly some of these call themselves Christians.
Those who “hate” their lives in the way Christ Jesus is talking about are those who, in comparing their own benefit with the good that is to be done for others, choose to love others more than they love their own advancement. They bless, give, and benefit others.
This is the quality of life that Christ Jesus lived. He didn’t dislike Himself or hate the call of God on His life. He knew who He was, and He fully embraced what His heavenly Father had commanded Him to be and to do. But he didn’t exalt Himself, seek His own fame and power, or attract attention to Himself. His purpose was to bring glory to the Father and to obey the Father in all things. His purpose was to serve.
John 7:18 – "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. “
John 8:54 – Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, "He is our God';
The more you recognize all that you have been given by God—including God’s greatest gift to you, your salvation—the more you should recognize that you are required to give much in the way of service. Those who have the greater talents are required to give the greater service. Paul wrote to the Philippians that Christ Jesus emptied Himself of His heavenly possessions and identity when He became a bondservant of God and took on the likeness of mankind.
Christ Jesus “made Himself of no reputation” (Philippians 2:7). That does not mean that Christ Jesus wasn’t worthy or deserving of a good reputation—He had the ultimate reputation in that He never sinned against God or man. However Christ Jesus was willing to empty Himself of all His gifts and goodness, in service for you.
Some people work themselves to death in order to get ahead in life, Christ Jesus on the other hand gave Himself to death so that you could have life and have it more abundantly. The person who follows Christ Jesus’ example and gives themselves to death of self will receive the great rewards in eternal life.
Thanks for dropping by. I pray you found something here to help you in your walk with our Lord and Saviour, Christ Jesus. And may the Lord richly bless you and yours.
Biblesurfer
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