Leading by Serving?

This morning I was reflecting on a dream I had that had some unique symbolism, that which I thought had to do with servant leadership.  I was thinking about that as I opened my Bible and felt like I should read from Mark 10, and sure enough the following verses are found there - Mark 10:41-45 NIV:

[41] When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. [42] Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. [43] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [44] and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. [45] For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

This is such an interesting dynamic in the ministry of Jesus. He was clearly leading them, but He was serving them at the same time.  The question for me is how to lead from a place of servanthood? Jesus provides the counterpoint of the way the gentiles leaders Lord over, and exercise authority over people, and says to the apostles that it must “not be so” with them! 

I would imagine that this statement from Jesus must have really caused them to think.  James and John had just asked Jesus for the seats right next to Him in His kingdom, and the rest were indignant, and one would suspect thinking to themselves that they were the ones that Jesus would choose to sit next to Himself.  Never mind that Jesus had just finished telling them how He was going to suffer and die… they were all thinking about position and title, and such, and Jesus speaks the bit quoted above, to realign their thinking.

Jesus actually uses two different words in verses 43 and 44, just to make sure they fully understood.  In verse 43, what is translated servant is the Greek word diakonos, and it means:

1) one who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master, a servant, attendant, minister

2) the servant of a king

3) a deacon, one who, by virtue of the office assigned to him by the church, cares for the poor and has charge of and distributes the money collected for their use

4) a waiter, one who serves food and drink

In verse 44, the word translated slave is the Greek word doulos, which is defined as:

1) a slave, bondman, man of servile condition

      A) a slave

      B) metaph., one who gives himself up to another's will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men

      C) devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests

2) a servant, attendant

Again, Jesus was not just making a point, He was giving them instruction!  This is how they are supposed to see themselves, and their role in His ministry. This is clearly quite different from the other leaders they could look to, and much more in line with the idea of being a shepherd, caring for and feeding, putting one’s life on the line in defense, etc.  

We do see that the Apostles did learn and understand this, for they recognized the role and responsibility and were themselves fulfilling this role (servant) in the early church. When the church grew too large, they had to find others to help and in the following verses describe the character that the Apostles were looking for in the people chosen as deacons, found in Acts 6:1-4 NIV:

[1] “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. [2] So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. [3] Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them [4] and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

I think that in our modern day church, we often overlook this idea of servant leadership, and becoming a bondsman or slave of Christ. I think that at times the church clamors for leaders like we see in the world around us, similar to Israel asking God for a King (see 1 Sam 8), and this is a mistake.  We don’t need rulers, we need servant leaders!  We must have leaders who represent Christ to us, and Jesus constantly rejected the models of the world. 

Let us pray for our pastors, leaders, teachers and others who are serving the body of Christ that they might fully understand and embrace this call to serving tables, to being bondsmen of Christ!  Help us to encourage this mindset and understanding in our churches! 

Amen!

Stay on Target

This morning I felt led to turn to 1 John 2, and spend some time in that chapter. The following verses are the ones that I highlighted anew - 1 John 2:5-6,15-17,20-21,24-25,27 NIV:

[5] “But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: [6] whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” 

[15] “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. [16] For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. [17] The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 

[20] ‘But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. [21] I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.” 

[24] “As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. [25] And this is what he promised us—eternal life.” 

[27] “As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.”

I like the verses I underlined, while some of them are familiar, they are not the common themes one hears preached regularly. John is setting the target, and showing the helps we have been given.

Target - “Live as Jesus did!”

Opposite of the Target - “lust of flesh and eyes, and pride of life”  

Helps - “You have been given a real anointing which shows us the truth and teaches us”

The last bit about the anointing being real and remaining in us was really encouraging to me this morning. Sometimes I feel like I am far away, and just unaware of the moving of the Holy Spirit, but the reality is that the anointing is real and it remains in me! Lord, please help me to look to You, and to speak this truth to myself when I am feeling disconnected! 

Also, please help me to live as You lived, representing You to those around me!

Amen!

Offend Our Religiousness

Last evening we had a meeting at church where we were talking about how the Lord would proclaim the Kingdom and then demonstrate its reality, and how some people were offended by the way He did those things.  This morning I felt led to turn back to a very familiar story that I have reflected on many times, the story of Jesus healing the man born blind, recounted by John in chapter 9 of his gospel.  This is such a great example of how religion can get offended by moves of God. Here are verses recounting the aftermath of Jesus healing the man, and local religious authorities being confronted by the reality of God moving in their midst.

John 9:13-19,24-34 NIV:

[13] They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. [14] Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. [15] Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” 

[16] Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. 

[17] Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” 

The man replied, “He is a prophet.” 

[18] They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. [19] “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” 

[24] A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” 

[25] He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” 

[26] Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 

[27] He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” 

[28] Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! [29] We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” 

[30] The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. [31] We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. [32] Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. [33] If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 

[34] To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.”

I am always amazed at the absolute unwillingness to consider that God might be moving in ways that the religious would consider unacceptable!  To non-believers, it was quite clear that God had worked a miracle!  It was the religious, the experts, who struggled. In fact the man was basically schooling them in the right approach, the right perspective, and they just couldn’t receive it!   

One wonders how we would handle such a miracle in our midst, in some similarly out of order way?  What if someone got radically healed in the midst of a sermon, like went from being blind to seeing?  Would we stop and celebrate?  Would we later have a “talk” with the Lord explaining that its all fine and good if He wants to heal someone, just please do it during the ministry time in the future?  Would we wonder why He didn’t do such a thing when we were speaking?  

There are hundreds of possible responses, but I think the Lord is after our hearts!  I think it is safe to say that He wants our response to be increased faith, and sometimes that requires repentance on our part!  

A second question just popped into my head - are we gathering on Sunday mornings to talk about God and remember what He did, or to encounter Him in the present?  

I think the teachers of the Law, the Pharisees and Sadducees were so busy looking backwards to what God had done and had said, that they couldn’t accept what He was doing right in their midst!  

My prayer is that we might embrace this idea that God wants to encounter us anew!  He is still creating, still doing new things, and we want to look back at what He said and did before, rather then taking a chance of encountering Him now!  

Lord help us to encounter You now!  Help us to have the courage to open our eyes, to open our ears and to step into what You are doing right now, right here!  Oh Lord, I pray that You would offend our religiousness so that we might grow in our faith, and in our experience of You!!

Amen and Amen!

Active Love and Destroying the Devil's Work

This morning felt led to read from 1 John, chapter 3.  I didn’t remember exactly what was in chapter 3, so was surprised to find one of the verses I have been quoting regularly, nestled into verse 8.  Here are the surrounding verses for context and additional conversation - 1 John 3:7-19,23-24 NIV

[7] “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. [8] The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. [9] No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. [10] This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. 

[11] For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. [12] Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. [13] Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. [14] We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. [15] Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 

[16] This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. [17] If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? [18] Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 

[19] This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 

[23] And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. [24] The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”

Lately I have been praying for the Lord to destroy the devil’s work.  I see his hands at work  sowing division, deception, disagreements, accusations, and the like.  Lord, we pray that You would break through into our hearts and minds and reveal any works of the enemy in our lives, in our thinking, in our actions, in our talking.  Help us to realize that we can’t be attacking a brother or sister at the same time saying we love our brothers and sisters. 

I do love John’s writings for he boils it down to the basics, our love for the Lord and our love for one another are directly related. He challenges us to put real actions behind our words. He pushes those of us who are wholly smitten with God, but who don’t think about or care for people, in his mind the two are inseparable, and directly related to one another. 

John makes it very clear, if we hate, its as if we are murderers (verse 15 above).  While this might seem excessive it does tie back to Jesus’ words during His sermon on the mount - Matthew 5:21-22 NIV:

[21] “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ [22] But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”

Clearly, this is some serious stuff.  Bringing it back to Jesus' words, again echoed by John in verses 16 and 23 above.  We are called to love one another the way Jesus loved us, being willing to lay down our very lives for one another.  John makes it very practical, laying down one’s life doesn’t usually involve stepping in front of a person to take a bullet, it is seen in our day to day lives, how we care for one another, how we love in real action!  Verses 17 and 18 are the real challenge!  Can we share our material possessions with those in need, can we open our home to brothers and sisters, can we provide food or care for the downtrodden?  Can we do so when we don’t have extra, but when we are tapping that which we depend on ourselves? 

I could continue on this line of thinking for I am reminded of Jesus’ parable about the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and how Jesus expands the idea of loving one’s neighbor.  This morning I am just encouraged to look at my life, at the way I treat and think about others, and to look at my track record of care for those in need!  I see many times where I stopped short of putting my beliefs and spoken words into actions.  Lastly, I am reminded that my loving of others is actually destroying the works of the enemy, for he sows division, disagreement, judgment and hatred!  

Lord help us, for I think the Church has many opportunities to grow in these areas!  

Amen! 

Make the Most of Every Opportunity

I am continuing my reflection on some verses from yesterday.  I find that often I will spend a day or two ruminating on some specific theme or set of verses, and that usually means I need to get these more into my life.  Here are the verses from Paul’s letter to the Colossians 4:2-6 NIV:

[2] “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. [3] And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. [4] Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. [5] Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. [6] Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

These are such good verses for this time, this season of being together with family, and friends, some of whom might not be believers. A couple of very good points that Paul makes, and my expansion (Verse 2, 5 & 6), not that they are needed, but I Like to try to apply them to my own life:

1) Be devoted to prayer…

A) This is not just a casual observance, but something of significant and constant focus.  The definition of the Greek word proskartereō:

    i. to adhere to one, be his adherent, to be devoted or constant to one

    ii.to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing

    iii. to continue all the time in a place

    iv. to persevere and not to faint

B) This mindset requires a constant vigilance, not with a critical eye but as someone ready to help.

2) In the place of prayer be watchful and thankful

A) Watchful tends to bring an idea of being awake and alert ( towards danger) but I think this could also be for what the Lord is doing… (although the Greek tends towards danger).

B) Thankful - with a heart constantly tuned to gratitude… and eyes to see what the Lord is doing and recognizing and then treasuring this in one’s heart. I think that thankfulness must move from our brain to our heart.

3) Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders.

A)  The Greek word means those without, or outside the door, and this is clearly talking about those outside the church.

B) This could be taken to mean that we should be guarded, and there is wisdom in that not all people understand our thoughts, actions, and different citizenship, however I think this relates more to Paul’s vigilance towards every opportunity to share the Gospel of Grace, which is what he continues with….

4) Make the most of every opportunity.

A) This is a clear focus on presenting the Gospel, speaking of Christ , sharing one’s life in the most opportune and effective manner.

B) I find this most difficult, as I struggle with the “fear of man”, and my own personal space boundaries.

C) One certainly understands that Paul, in his courageous work seemed to live this encouragement.

5) Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt

A) Oh that we would learn to respond this way, both verbally and through our actions. 

B) The Greek word is charis, and it is briefly defined as follows:

    i) grace

        A) that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech

    ii) good will, loving-kindness, favour

        A) of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues

C) This is not a broadcast of words flowing from our lips, like some sidewalk preacher, but this is a conversation, as in two people conversing back and forth.  Oh, that we would learn how to listen, to really hear what the other is saying.

D) This is an encouragement to the church to be a place of conversation, not just proclamation.

E)  A note from David Guzik, referring to the phrase “seasoned with salt”

     i) “In classical writers ‘salt’ expressed the wit with which conversation was flavoured.” (Peake) “Grace and salt (wit, sense) make an ideal combination.” (Robertson)

6) So that you may know how to answer everyone.

A) This is a prayer of mine, for conversationally I am often slow, and think of what I should have said, hours and sometimes days later.  I want to be in the flow and knowing what I should say in that moment.

B) I don’t think this is a methodological preparation for every possible conversation point as one of my college professors urged (grade-school music of all things) but rather a sensitivity of heart and mind to understand one’s fellow conversant, both what is being said and what is left unsaid, to understand the heart of the matter, and being able to speak in that context. 

C) We find times where Jesus operated in this gift, knowing what people were saying among themselves, or even thinking…(Luke 9:47; Matt 9:4)

D) Oh that we would have His same sensitivity!

Lord, thank You for Your encouragement through Paul this morning!  Help me to put these encouragements into practice, even as You clearly demonstrated them in Your ministry.  I want to make the most of every opportunity, speaking with grace, salt and love!

Amen!