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.” (Mark 10:45)
“Do the things you did at first.”
(Revelation 2:5)
This week we will cover a very important “first love” action that most Christians have let fall into disrepair in their lives: serving joyfully. It will take a lot of work by the Holy Spirit to reprogram our way of serving. Most of us only know how to serve in our own strength—even though we say a lot of prayers and use a lot of Christian terms when we serve. As a result, there’s not much joy or motivation for serving.
Jesus promises something very different for those who discover what it is to serve Him to people in need. Like a waiter who works for the most amazing chef in town, Christians who understand how to serve Jesus to people in need can sit back and enjoy the masterpieces Jesus delivers to hungry people. It may make you tired at the end of the day, but you walk away with some great stories and the desire to do it again!
In this world, people see serving as a punishment or belittling to their importance. They only do it for a paycheck, to gain power, or to please someone they fear or need. Yet, in Matthew 23:11, Jesus says the exact opposite: “The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
As we will see this week, individuals who make simple everyday choices to give Jesus, instead of themselves, will find lasting joy, abundance, and focus coming to their lives in overflowing ways.