REMEMBER HIS SERVICE

Mark 9:33-34
The twelve were arguing about who was the greatest among them. This is the very thing that we all desire deep down in our hearts, and like the disciples we are secretly ambitious about it. Even Jesus was not let into this conversation.

It is not wrong to want to be great, but are we going about it our way or Jesus' way? If you want to be first and great then you must be last and the servant of all. It seems as if Jesus has got it all backwards - where is the greatness in being a servant, thinking about what people need, being sent out of your way, getting tired while others are resting, getting yourself dirty?

But God's wisdom is always the opposite of man's normal way of thinking. Jesus understood this. Do you?

Mark 10:35-45
One chapter later the two brothers haven't understood it yet! Jesus, for his part, understood that the reason he came to the earth was not to be served, but to serve. The principal reason for which you are at your workplace, at your school or in your family is to serve. Let us look at the way Jesus served and then learn from him.

1. JESUS SERVED WITH LOVE
John 13:1
Jesus loved his own by serving them. Even though the world did not recognize him, Jesus served right frpom the beginning of his ministry.

Mark 1:21-39
Driving out demons, taking care of Simon's mother-in-law's fever, healing many who had diseases. This was Jesus' life. We see his heart's desire to do this over and over again in other places as well.

Mark 1:40-44
It was not for recognition that Jesus did these things, but out of love. Are you filled with compassion for people to the extent of reaching out your hand and touching them - the sick in hospital, HIV/AIDS patients, the homeless? They need to feel our love and our touch because this is the heart of Jesus. Jesus served without expecting anything abck. His schedule was interrupted countless times yet he still looked for ways to serve the people he loved. Let us serve with love.

2. JESUS SERVED HUMBLY
John 13:1-5
It is easy to serve someone in a position of greater authority than yourself, or to serve where money is involved or where your job is at stake. Jesus had the highest authority and the greatest power and yet he stooped down to serve his disciples. This is true humilty and service.

Q. How far are you willing to go in serving others? The needs around us are overwhelming - are you going to humble yourself and serve someone somewhere? V.17 What Jesus did is not just for us to be amazed but for us to follow.

Philippians 2:3-8
Jesus washed his disciples' feet. Who are you going to wash? There are sick people in hospital who have no one to wash them. The only way to do this is to take the very nature of a servant and consider others better than yourself.

3. JESUS SERVED TO THE END
John 19:25-30
Right at the end of his life when he had shown the full extent of his love by going onto the cross, Jesus was still serving the people! He is thinking about his mother and putting things in order. In all that Jesus had done while on earth, this was the greatest service of all. Right at the end, he sacrificed his life for all of us. If he had not been thinking of us he might have come down from the cross, but he had us on his heart.

Jesus was ready to take us home to be his own. John was ready to take in Mary into his home. Who are you ready to take into your home? There are so many orphaned children - will one find a home because you have decided to serve completely? If we do not lead the way in adopting babies, who will?

Jesus gave everything. Let us give of our time. He hung on the cross for three hours for us. Is that too much to give - in the hospitals, to the needy and touch countless numbers? At the end of our lives let us be able to say the same, where we will have done everything within our power to serve like Jesus.