The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Servant Lord"
Leaders must be more humble than their followers. No less than the Lord Jesus Christ showed us this.
"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God, He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments, and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded… So after He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet" (John 13:2-4; 13-14).
Many speak of "servant leadership." The Servant Lord Himself confirms this most beautiful affirmation of character traits found in the love of God, and perfectly expressed in the Son of God. From conception as a human being, to a lifetime of humility, to the washing of His disciples' feet, to His suffering and death on the cross, to His ultimate yielding of all things to His Father's authority, the heart and life of the Lord Jesus shine as the most wondrous of all glories. Rather than exercising His leadership as a tyrant, He kneels to wash and then hangs to die for those under His authority. "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).
This does not preclude His firm hand when necessary, nor His ultimate service as the judge appointed by God the Father. "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son, that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father" (John 5:22-23). Nothing could be more appropriate. The Christ who humbled Himself to serve all and make redemption possible must necessarily be the Judge to all who will not have Him as Savior. If one rejects His ministry as a servant, he must know His righteous office as the Judge of all things. Such administration in service to His Father involves humility no less than His death on the cross. Sadly, however, those condemned will not happily perceive the Servant Lord's execution of judgment:
"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of His wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?" (Revelation 5:15-17).
When thinking of servant leadership, we begin with only One. We continue with Him forevermore because all genuine authority exercised with humility proceeds from the Lord Jesus, whether by example or by His presence in those who believe. "God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father" (Galatians 4:6). Yes, if called to lead, we will do so as a servant, if led and guided by the Servant Lord. In God's economy, leadership is service. Leadership is kneeling to wash, hanging to die, and then rising to fulfill Solomon's ancient prophecy that begins with One, and then finds place in many who trust the Servant Lord…
"Before honor is humility."
(Proverbs 15:33)
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
(Philippians 2:5-11)
Weekly Memory Verse
And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
(I Timothy 1:14)
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