Lead by Serving

Read This Week: Mark 10

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” – Mark 10:42-45 NIV

The Christian pastor and author Henry Blackaby once wrote, “Spiritual leadership is effectively leading others on to God’s agenda and purpose.” Spiritual leadership aims to serve God and others. The point of spiritually leading people is to serve them by guiding their lives to the Lord and His will. Jesus put it like this in the second part of verse 43: whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.

It is obvious in this section of Mark 10 that God wants us to be different than the world when it comes to leadership and our approach to people. Jesus explicitly says this in verses 42-43:

Those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you.

His desire for us as His followers and disciples is not to be leaders by worldly standards but spiritual leaders that reflect the heart of God and serve other people and the Gospel mission. Natural leaders are self-confident but spiritual leaders are confident in God. A natural leader makes their own decisions, while a spiritual leader seeks God’s will in those decisions. A natural leader is ambitious only, but a spiritual leader is humble in their pursuits. Natural leaders create methods, enjoy power, seek rewards, and flaunt their independence. A spiritual leader follows the Holy Spirit, delights in obedience, loves Jesus and people, and values dependence on God.

Jesus states the way the world leads and deals with others should not be so with followers of Christ. The difference lies in who is leading us. The filling of the Holy Spirit is the essential catalyst to spiritual leadership. Nothing is more awkward, futile, and destructive than a person trying to lead spiritually without being led by the Spirit themselves. The natural leader can lead and perform tasks in the church and world but cannot serve Jesus and people in a way that honors God and is of eternal value.

Our encouragement from the Scriptures is to lead and serve like Jesus. Verse 45 reminds us that He is the ultimate example of servant leadership and the bar of excellence in how we should conduct ourselves on mission. He said even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. This standard of leadership was good enough for Christ, and it is certainly good enough for us.

4 Comments

  1. Kathy on January 26, 2022 at 4:23 pm

    In reading Mark 10, this was what God said to me, “It is so important to bring children to Jesus, as they have a whole life in front of them to serve Me with. They can have a long and happy life, serving Me with all their hearts. Children can receive the blessing of Jesus without trying to make themselves worthy of it. You need to receive My blessings in this same way. You must enter the kingdom with a childlike faith. Come to Me with a faith that trusts Me like your father, and leave all your problem’s up to Me, as your Papa. Receive and don’t feel like you have to earn anything.

    It is about relationship. When you don’t know who Jesus really is, you don’t know who you are either. I look at your heart, as well as your actions. Real Ministry is done for the benefit of those you minister to. I want you to have the same servant heart that Jesus does.

    What this said to me is I need to have childlike faith. It is not about me trying to make myself worthy of it or earning it. I need to trust that God is my Papa, and I am His child, and He wants what is best for me, and He will take care of me. I need to have a servant’s heart and love everyone He places around me every day. This shows others what real love is about, and it will bring others to Him.

    • Jason on February 5, 2022 at 11:11 am

      Receive and don’t feel like you have to earn anything. I love this line so much, Kathy. I think so many of us struggle with the receptivity of grace, forgiveness, and blessing in our lives and it greatly impacts our peace and joy in the Lord.

      I love how you tied this into a relationship with Jesus and how intimacy with and knowing Him is the key to knowing who we are in Him. Those truths solidify our identity and allow us to live freely in the understanding that we are His children, and He wants what is best for us, and He will take care of us. Wonderful post!

  2. Heidi on January 31, 2022 at 8:58 am

    Mark 10:45 says, For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a [f]ransom for many.

    Every day I desire to be like Jesus, learning to be a light, making a difference for our Father God. I love the song Keep Me in the Moment. That’s my prayer too, asking Father God to help me to keep me in the moment, help me to live with my eyes wide open cause I don’t want to miss out on what You have for me, Don’t let me stray, I just wanna stay where you are. Nothing is wasted when everything is placed in your hands!

    I also like the part in the song where it says, “I’ve been thinking about heaven and the promise you hold so, it’s all eyes on you until the day You call me home.” That’s me, Father God, help my eyes to see what You see. To serve others well, having faith in You in the midst of serving, knowing You know everyone’s needs and You give me what I need to be an awesome servant.

    Thank you Father that I get to because You love me and You love everyone. Jesus came to serve not to be served so have fun serving everywhere you go. It’s a blessing to you and to them! Love you Jesus thank you for all you have done and continue to do.

    • Jason on February 5, 2022 at 11:23 am

      Thank you for this deep, insightful post out of Mark 10, Heidi. It is such a wonderful challenge and reminder to stay in the moment God has placed us in and to see other people and our mission with His eyes and heart. It is so easy to get distracted and out of focus on the Lord’s purposes for our lives. We need Him and His wisdom and guidance.

      This should be a prayer of every believer: Father God, help my eyes to see what You see. To serve others well, having faith in You in the midst of serving, knowing You know everyone’s needs and You give me what I need to be an awesome servant. Thank you for sharing your heart with us.

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