Serving and Compassion (Matt 20:24, John 13:12-17)
- Matt 20:24 The context here is that the mother of the Zebedee’s sons had come and asked for her sons to sit at the side of Jesus. Matt 20:20
- Then the other ten disciples get made about this. “They were indignant with the two brothers”
Verse 26 In the Greek Jesus actually states this very emphatically, it must never be this way with you.
- He states that the path to greatness starts with and ends with being a servant.
- The word servant here is the Greek word deeakonos from which we get our English word deacon.
- The primary meaning behind this is, “one who serves others.”
Verse 27 The word slave here is the Greek word doulos. It’s primary meaning is slave or bondservant
- But it also means, One who gives himself up to another’s will. Devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interest.
- Jesus is using strong language here. We are to make ourselves slaves to others in service.
- This is the mission of Jesus and this is what it is to be a follower of Jesus.
Verse 28 Jesus did not come to be served. He is the King of Kings; so He deserves to be served.
- The world had a sin problem and the only way to fix it was for a perfect sacrifice, once and for all.
- Jesus took on that role as servant and came to be that sacrifice.
- Because the Lord of Lord’s became a servant to us His creation, there is no room left for us to seek greatness or glory. Jesus has already taken all the glory there is.
- This is the Gospel
- Suffering is a part of the Gospel.
- So, it is with serving.
- This passage makes it clear that the God of the universe came to serve.
John 13:12 Here Jesus puts into action what he stated in Matt 20.
- Even though He is their teacher and master, He washes their feet.
- Of course, this task of washing feet is usually reserved for the lowest servant or slave in the household.
- Or, if there was no servant or slave, the lowest woman in the house hold.
- Now of course this was actually a needed service.
- They wore open sandals and walked on dusty dirt roads.
- It was considered a common courtesy to wash the feet of any one entering your home.
- So culturally there was a place for this.
- But for Jesus to do it, was scandalous.
Verse 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
- Jesus ends by saying that we will be blessed if we do this.
- I think Jesus was intending this to be an everyday heart issue.