Course Content
When you come to Church, do you come to serve or to be served?
What do waitresses, janitors, gas station attendants, zookeepers, lawn care attendants and taxi drivers have in common? All are working in service positions! Unfortunately, these necessary jobs tend to be looked down upon as meager and inferior by others.
Yet, there have been some very noteworthy and famous servants delineated in the Scriptures—to name a few, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Caleb, Joshua, Samson, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Elijah, Jonah, Isaiah, Paul, Mary, the prophets, Aaron and the priests.
In Matthew 20:20-28, Mrs. Zebedee sought special treatment for her sons. She wanted one of them to sit on Jesus’ right hand and the other on His left in the Kingdom. However, as we read in Romans 12:1, we learn that desiring to be servants is more pleasing to God.
When you come to Church, do you come to serve or to be served? That’s the question I hope to address in this article.
Jesus’ example
When Christ came to earth, He “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant” (Philippians 2:7). As Mark 10:45 explains, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Jesus came to serve! We can see that He set the example of service when He washed His disciples’ feet on Passover night (John 13:4-16).
Seeking to be served
Before we consider what it is to be a servant, let’s examine some examples of the opposite—someone who seeks to be served.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 explains that to be self-centered and self-serving is a mark of the perilous times in the last days. Luke 12:16-21 warns of taking care of oneself instead of sharing with others—the man in this example died before he was able to appreciate all of the wealth he had saved for himself. Romans 16:18 denounces self-serving, as it is not of service to Jesus Christ.
God used the prophet Elisha to heal the Syrian Naaman, yet Elisha refused to take any reward for doing so. However, Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, secretly ran after Naaman and asked for goods for himself. 2 Kings 5:15-27 details the contrast between these two attitudes.
The account of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10) describes how both a Jew and a priest passed right by the injured man. The only person who took the time to serve was a Samaritan.
Seeking to serve
Let’s now look at God’s Word for teachings about serving! We read “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). In Romans 12:1, we learn that it is reasonable to serve. One way to serve is to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
We are in the same Body, and it is an honor to care for one another! “But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you;’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12:20-26). (See also Ephesians 4:15-16).
Love should be our motivation for serving (1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Galatians 5:13), and serving is a method by which we show love (1 John 3:16-18). Beyond mere actions, service includes taking an interest in others (Philippians 2:3-4). It’s important to ensure that we serve in areas where we are prepared, not just willing, to serve. The Good Samaritan, for instance, had the means. He was able to perform first aid, treating the man’s wounds with oil and wine and bandaging him (Luke 10:34). He also had a donkey for transportation, and the money to pay for the man’s stay at the inn (Luke 10:34-35). We can follow this example and prepare now to be ready to serve when the opportunity arises.
Remember, it’s Christ whom you are ultimately serving! “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24).
Two men who exemplified service were Timothy and Epaphroditus. As Paul wrote of them, “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.”
“Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me” (Philippians 2:19-30).
Conclusion
Christ asked the question, “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods” (Matthew 24:45-47).
If we choose to serve in this manner, we can look forward to Christ’s words to the sheep on his right hand in Matthew 25:21, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Gary Antion is a long-time minister, having served as a pastor in both the United States and Canada. He is also a certified counselor. Before his retirement in 2015, he was an instructor at Ambassador Bible College, where he had most recently also served as Coordinator.
