Invincible Servant

Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. "But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:42-45)

The concept of leader as servant is deeply embedded in the Bible. This is not a minor or fringe teaching. It is central to everything the Bible says and shows about leadership. Yet I think this teaching has been ignored by church leaders more than almost any other. Growing up in church and spending my adult life serving in or near churches, I have witnessed again and again men (and women) motivated and pursuing power much more than servanthood. They want their way. They try to protect their jobs. They get defensive, protective, aggressive. When attacked you get a bunker mentality. I see it in families too where the Dad thinks that he needs to rule and dictate and control the house. Now I want to be clear. I Understand That! Boy do I ever. As a church leader, I have felt those emotions, been tempted to those reactions. What saves me, what has to define me, and all leaders, is the Biblical teaching of Servant. We are servants, not rulers. The Mark 10 passage is so clear. And here is the totally cool part. The hidden secret power that those who cling to power, prestige, and control miss. When you become a servant, you become invincible. That's right. When someone is shooting at you, what is the safest thing to do? Drop to the ground and lay low. The very picture of humility. Servants bow, they get down. This is not about surrendering authority or being a doormat. It is about focusing on what others need, not on what you want. Jesus is the perfect example. When being arrested, he focuses on the need of the man whose ear got cut off. Hanging on the cross, he asked for forgiveness for the people and took care of His mother. You might say to me, "but Ira, Christ wasn't invincible. They killed Him." There you would be wrong. That is the wonderful power of servant. Others have no power over you. Jesus said ""For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." (John 10:17-18). Jesus service went as far as being willing to give up everything. By giving up everything, no one could take anything from Him. The same goes for us. I don't need to protect my job, my pride, etc. I need to give them up. Here is another great passage showing the invicibility of servants.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED." But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. (Romans 8:31-37)

So throw it at me. Criticize my faults? I've got a ton of them and will freely admit them to you. I'm not perfect, I'm just trying to be used of God. I might need your help. Feel I'm inadequate? Boy you got that right. I'm working on letting God shine through me and work through me. Don't like me? That's ok. God loves me, even knowing my shortcomings and flaws. Want my job? You can have it. There is so much service to perform, I'll never get it all done myself.