Proverbs 25-26
2 Corinthians 9
“…Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant…” Philippians 2:5-7
Charles Spurgeon once said, “You cannot have Christ, if you will not serve Him!” What did he mean? We cannot have Christ if we will not bow and yield in loving adoration to serve Him. When we serve Christ, we are not serving a dictator and it is also not a democracy. He is a King, where He directs, leads and guides the Church. Our experience of Christ is directly impacted by our willingness to embrace a life of self-emptying service towards the needs of others. But as we embrace a life of servanthood, our experience of Christ in our daily life deepens because that is where Jesus is.
Jesus lowered Himself to serve creation and it was not in contrast to His Godhood that He did these things, but because of His Godhood that He embraced these things. Jesus demonstrated this through a fundamental lesson that He taught His disciples. John 13:3-5 tells us, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round Him.” This is the God that we worship.
While we are squabbling over our own self-perceived greatness and are distracted by a million things that do not really matter, in His grace, Jesus did not condemn us; instead, He clothed Himself with humility and washed the dirt off His own disciples right before going to the cross. Jesus told His disciples, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:15-17).
With the exception of Judas Iscariot, every single disciple took Jesus’s lesson to heart. We see this evident in Peter’s letter: “Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1). James writes, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1). Jude also writes, “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James” (Jude 1:1). Every single disciple in the New Testament bore the image and identity and nature of a servant. Why? Because that was what their Master embodied. As we walk with Jesus, may we embrace a life of self-emptying service and humility towards others.
Dear Jesus, thank You for emptying Yourself and demonstrating what it means to humbly serve others. Help me to reflect what it means to be Your disciple by serving others.
2 Corinthians 9
“…Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant…” Philippians 2:5-7
Charles Spurgeon once said, “You cannot have Christ, if you will not serve Him!” What did he mean? We cannot have Christ if we will not bow and yield in loving adoration to serve Him. When we serve Christ, we are not serving a dictator and it is also not a democracy. He is a King, where He directs, leads and guides the Church. Our experience of Christ is directly impacted by our willingness to embrace a life of self-emptying service towards the needs of others. But as we embrace a life of servanthood, our experience of Christ in our daily life deepens because that is where Jesus is.
Jesus lowered Himself to serve creation and it was not in contrast to His Godhood that He did these things, but because of His Godhood that He embraced these things. Jesus demonstrated this through a fundamental lesson that He taught His disciples. John 13:3-5 tells us, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round Him.” This is the God that we worship.
While we are squabbling over our own self-perceived greatness and are distracted by a million things that do not really matter, in His grace, Jesus did not condemn us; instead, He clothed Himself with humility and washed the dirt off His own disciples right before going to the cross. Jesus told His disciples, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:15-17).
With the exception of Judas Iscariot, every single disciple took Jesus’s lesson to heart. We see this evident in Peter’s letter: “Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1). James writes, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1). Jude also writes, “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James” (Jude 1:1). Every single disciple in the New Testament bore the image and identity and nature of a servant. Why? Because that was what their Master embodied. As we walk with Jesus, may we embrace a life of self-emptying service and humility towards others.
Dear Jesus, thank You for emptying Yourself and demonstrating what it means to humbly serve others. Help me to reflect what it means to be Your disciple by serving others.
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