Title: Serving Life
Contents
Lesson 5 Serving Life ( September 29 )
read ; Mark 10:35-45
words to memorize; “Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be a servant of all” (Mark 10:43-44).
hymn ; Chapters 278, 372, 404 The life of a mature saint requires a life of sacrificial service for others. There is bound to be voluntary service in which one devotes one's time, talents, and material things for God, for the church, and for neighbors and society.
1. Disciples who want to be served
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to the Lord and asked them to sit in one of His glory, one on the right hand and the other on the left. In Matthew 20:20-21, we can see that the mothers of the two disciples also prayed with me. They had a misunderstanding about the purpose of the Lord's coming to this earth and the kingdom of God. But the actions of the disciples who were listening to this story toward James and John make us even more perplexed. Verse 41 says that they were angry. The lessons of Jesus' continued service show that the disciples' anger was not against the misunderstanding of James and John, but rather for their desire to be exalted above them. The disciples did not speak, but it would be accurate to say that they had the same heart as John and James.
2. Jesus' Lessons on Serving
Looking at these disciples, Jesus points out their misunderstandings (verse 38) and teaches them about who is truly the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus clearly states that He did not come to this earth to receive glory, but to carry the cup of suffering, that is, the cross. The greatest person in this world is determined by who is served more. But in heaven it is determined by who serves more.
3. Jesus came to serve
Jesus did not come to this earth to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many (verse 45). When we say that we are saints who are becoming more like the Lord, we must always think about whether our actions are taking a different image from that of Jesus.
Meditation Donkeys and horses alike were traveling with their masters, carrying their burdens on their backs. Before long, the petite donkey was exhausted first and begged the horse to lighten his load a little. However, the horse refused because it could not carry anything other than its own burden, and the donkey, exhausted, fell down. The owner then transferred all the donkey's burdens to the horse and continued the journey.
As members of Christ, we have to walk the path of life together, encouraging each other in faith, covering our faults, and helping each other with our burdens.
Prayer Title Pray that I will become a person who sacrifices more for my neighbors!