Title Matthew 20:25-28 Servant Leadership
Contents Matthew 20:25-28 / Leadership in service
It seems to be easy to use the word ‘serving’ these days. Serving should never stop with slogans.
The original servant leadership is a word derived from the leadership of Jesus who came to serve. Jesus' leadership is servant leadership. Because Jesus abandoned the heavenly throne and came into the world as a human and as a servant, he is the king who serves and the leader who serves.
Servant leadership is characterized by letting go of one's rights. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:18, “What then is my reward? This is when I preach the gospel, I preach it freely, and do not use up all my rights because of it.” For the sake of the mission and for the kingdom of God, he completed his service by not using all his rights. In the end, the word service means to go down to a lower level and work for the other person without using all of the rights given to you.
Today, government leaders and Korean church leaders must ask if they are giving up any right they have been given to truly stand in a position of service like the Lord. And you should ask if you are listening to the voices of those who are lower than you. If not, you are not a servant leader.
In verse 25, we read, “Jesus called his disciples and said to them, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles have dominion over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.” Since the society at that time was largely divided into the rulers and the ruled, the rulers and high officials were viewed as powerful. Those in power have power. He has the authority to place people, to make people come and go, to make life, and to kill. As a result, those in power always exercise the powers given to them at will. But the Lord saw that it was not right. Today's powers are not limited to rulers and dignitaries as they were in the days of the Lord. In today's industrial society, industrial power approaches us much more seriously than state power. To put it more simply, industrial power is the power possessed by managers or superiors in a company or workplace, and is the same type of power as those in power and dignitaries.
In a democracy, in reality, the powerful and dignitaries have their own checks and controls, such as elections. The spirit they truly need is service.
Verse 26 says, “It must not be so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant.” Verse 27 says, “Whoever wishes to be first among you must be your servant.”
What should those who want to be great among you and who want to be first The important thing is to be your servant and your servant. It is you. Let's become Christians who can lay down their rights to serve their co-workers, friends, and loved ones in the church.