Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - June/84

Contributor - June/84

Title - Christian Servanthood

Topic - Discipleship

The Necessity of Servanthood

It is a common understanding among Christians that, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are to live according to His example. Yet in all of the gospel accounts of Christ's life and teaching, there is only one occasion where our Lord explicitly states that He was leaving His followers an example. This noteworthy instance is recorded in John 1 3 where Jesus sets forth the example of servanthood. Having just humbled Himself by washing His disciples dusty feet, Jesus says, "I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you" (v. 15).

The implications of this truth are most significant. Christians are not necessarily called to be imitators of Christ in His capacity as a leader of men or a teacher of truth, nor in His blessed role as a healer of the sick, not even in His duty of criticizing the religious hypocrites of His day. Indeed these responsibilities could perhaps arise in the life of a particular believer, however the Christian is called to be an imitator of Christ at a much more fundamental level - as a servant of God and men.

In the Old Testament the coming Messiah is described as the Servant of God upon whom the Lord would place His Spirit in order that, "He will bring forth justice to the nations" (Isaiah 42:1). Christians worship Jesus as that messianic Servant of God and men. Christ's service was supremely evidenced in His sacrificial death on our behalf, thus fulfilling His claim that, "The Son the Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mk. 10:45).

Christ's life was motivated by a desire to be a servant to people. His teachings, miracles and death on the cross all stem out of that basic desire which stands to be modelled by we who love Him.

The Difficulty of Servanthood

There are two reasons why the call to servanthood is a difficult one. The first is a personal reason. Being a servant requires that we renounce ourselves for the sake of the person whom we are serving. Ideally it means that we take our eyes completely off of ourselves and look only upon the interests and needs of that person who is receiving our service. Servanthood is the highest form of love. But it is not easy because our natural human inclinations oppose the spirit of servanthood. Sin has perverted man's desires such that we would all rather be served than serve. Self-love, not love of God or fellowman, is the mark of depraved mankind. At its essence sin means that we worship ourselves as kings of the universe. So it is difficult when we are asked to step off of our self-made thrones in order to become a servant of the Lord God. Yet this is what Christ demands when He states, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mt. 16:24). Self-denial is the foundation of Christian servanthood. It implies letting go of our own desires and expectations in our care for that other person. So often our service of love is conditional. The quality of it depends on variables such as how much we like that particular individual, or if that person responds to our benevolence in ways which we deem appropriate, or how we are going to look in performing a certain act of service. These are all expressions of that sinful self-orientation of man which taints our love for others. In Christian servanthood self is to be denied. Our goal is unconditional love and that is difficult!

A second challenge to servanthood comes from our contemporary society. Our world teaches us that it is better to be a master than a servant. To commit yourself to serving anyone other than yourself is frowned upon. A recent best-selling book entitled Looking Out For Number One, typifies this spirit. This is a godless ideology built on the principle of self-love discussed above. Our world instructs us to think that being a servant is undignified and even wrong. This belief influenced the disciples James and John who urged their mother to ask Jesus if they could be rulers in His coming kingdom. Jesus' reply shows that the values of the Kingdom of God are directly opposed to the values of this world. He answered, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave" (Mt. 20:25 - 27). As Christians we must be aware of the selfseeking philosophy of our world lest we become captivated by it. Members of God's Kingdom must strive to live by Christ's priorities and chief among them is servanthood. A.B. Bruce has written, "In other kingdoms they rule, whose privilege it is to be ministered unto. In the Divine commonwealth, they rule who account it a privilege to minister".

The Motives for Servanthood

Given the necessity and yet difficulty of servanthood, what is the key to making us more effective servants? The answer to this question is important because it brings out the distinctively "Christian" aspect of our service. As Christians, our motivation for servanthood is based on our understanding of truth. To be a humble servant of Christ we must realize who God is, who we are as redeemed people and further, God's great love for mankind. A faith-comprehension of these truths gives us the attitude and inspiration for holy service.

First, the greatness of God Himself. He is the Creator God, holy and omnipotent. Man is but His creation and is therefore under obligation to serve the Creator. As our confessions tell us, this is the chief end to man - to bring glory to God. Consequently, when God asks us to serve one another in love (Gal. 5:1 3), we are to do this out of a primary desire to glorify Him. We do not serve other people to gratify our egos or perhaps relieve our guilty consciences because we have been more blessed than they. Nor, contrary to the humanitarian, do we serve other people because they are worthy in themselves of our care. Christian servanthood is motivated out of a desire to glorify God and bring due honour to the Creator. This type of service is based on faith and is counted as righteousness. Christ said, "If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honour him" (Jn. 12:26).

But Christian motivation for servanthood goes even further and stems, secondly, from the greatness of God's salvation. Words are not adequate to describe the grace shed in the believer's heart to turn it towards God in faith, claiming His forgiveness and Christ's righteousness. When we appreciate the gift of eternal life, the call to servanthood becomes joyous. It has been written that, "Christians have been set free in Christ- not to do whatever they please, butto serve. Believers have been set free from sin to serve righteousness, set free from Satan to serve God, set free from self to serve others. Christians are no longer under obligation to serve the things of the old life, but free to serve voluntarily the things of the new life." Saved sinners are thankful that they can be servants of God and, like the slave in Christ's parable, say, "We are unworthy servants, we have only done what was our duty" (Lk. 17: 1 0).

One other truth that is indispensable in forming an attitude of servanthood is the greatness of God's love for mankind. This love is seen in so many ways, but supremely in the fact that God sent His only begotten Son to die for sinful man. Upon this truth God asks that we show our love for Him by loving our brothers and sisters (I Jn. 2: 1 0 - I I). We must attempt to see our fellowman as God sees him. This is challenging but necessary in order that we would be a willing servant unto them. God's image is borne by every man, upon that fact let us care for them. Yet sin has polluted all men making them frail and error-prone, upon that fact in our serving let us be patient and understanding. Here we must look to Christ in prayer to give us His wisdom and love in being a servant of men.

The Beauty of Servanthood

There is a glory involved in Christian servanthood and it is worthy to conclude by thinking upon it. Several Greek words are translated "servant" in the English Bible, but by far the most predominant one is the work "diakonos". Most significantly this word means, "one who executes the commands of another, especially of a master; a servant, attendant, minister". In other words, as John Stott describes, "the Biblical image of a servant is one who is representative of a higher authority whose commission and command he is fulfilling. He is acting in his master's name, and thus his master is acting through him."

This latter phrase points to the beauty of Christian servanthood. In giving ourselves in service to others, God works through us! The Lord has chosen that man be the channels of His grace and power at work in other people. As we offer ourselves as servants to God, He uses us to build His kingdom. Many of us know how great a blessing it is to see God at work in an individual's life through us.

The apostle Paul knew this beauty of servanthood. He wrote the Corinthian church to explain that their growth in the faith was not because of himself or his co-labourer Apollos, but because of God at work in them. Paul was simply, "a servant through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each" (I Cor. 3:5). This verse teaches us that God assigns different tasks and gifts to each of His servants, but it is He Himself who works through each of them.

A Christian servant is an instrument of God. This is the privilege and beauty of servanthood. Therefore let us enter into this high calling with earnestness and joyful anticipation.

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