The Kingdom of Heaven – Part 7
One of the words that can be used to define Jesus’ ministry is ‘Service’. His major act of service was his sacrifice in the cross so we could be saved.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. – Jn 3:16
Some of the definitions for service (as found in answers.com) are:
- Employment in duties or work for another, as for a government.
- The performance of work or duties for a superior or as a servant.
- Work done for others as an occupation or business.
- An act or a variety of work done for others, especially for pay.
Based on this, we can summarize service as work done for others. The definition also includes ‘especially for pay’. This is also truth in the context of the Kingdom of Heaven, although the payment can’t be measured in monetary terms.
Some people think that being someone important is to have power over others. However, in the Kingdom of Heaven the metric is quite different:
Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves. – Lk 22:24-27
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mt 20:26-28
To become great in the Kingdom of Heaven we must first become servants. There is no doubt that Jesus is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven; and He demonstrated His greatness by giving His life in service for all of us. He didn’t came to be served but to serve. The greatest became a servant!
Since Jesus was clear about who He is, He didn’t have any problems acting as a servant.
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. – Jn:13:1-5
Look at the words in bold: “Knowing“. Washing the feet of someone was a task reserved for the lowest servant. Anyway, Jesus didn’t care about the stereotype, because He knew that service would make Him greater. However, He didn’t wanted service to be a characteristic reserved for Him. He wanted us to learn from Him, so we all follow his example.
“Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. Jn 13:12-17
The lesson is not about washing feet, but about service. However, Jesus’ example teach us that there is nothing too low to do when someone is in need of our service. We are called to serve. There are a lot of things we can do to serve others. But the greatest service we can do is to let other people know about the Kingdom of Heaven.
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. – Mc 16:15
Lets become greater by sharing the Good News.
If you would like to begin a discussion on this teaching please do so by accesing the topic about the Kingdom of Heaven our forum site http://forum.forachangeonline.org/
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