“The Servant’s Way”
Mark 9:30-50
And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all. –Mark 9:35
The Servant’s way is a radically different one. The way up is down. It is the opposite from the world. But in the Spirit, it is the perfect way. It comes supernaturally. It is only by the Spirit of God working from within that we can be “servant of all.”
“Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, ‘What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?’ But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.” [Mk 9:33-34]
It is interesting the things that we hide, and the things that we show. But the Servant’s Way, which is humility and sacrifice, comes firstly by acknowledging our misguided way of pride and self. Confession leads to repentance, and repentance to Spirit-filled change.
Notice that just prior to their dispute Jesus “taught His disciples and said to them, ‘The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.’” [Mk 9:30-31]
Jesus taught them, “But they did not understand this saying” [Mk 9:32]. Now, how could the Master Teacher not be understood? It certainly was not because He was not a good teacher. The reason was that the Twelve were not ready to learn. Their hearts were still selfish. And that is why they needed [and we too] a change in heart.
You see, the Servant’s Way is a “born-again” way. It requires a new heart that comes by way of being born of the Spirit of God.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” This word “see” is horao, in the original Greek. It means to see [that is, to understand] by experience. It is the result of a changed heart that by through the Spirit becomes more God-centered and less self-centered.
It is the work needed to go the Servant’s way. “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
