The Heart of Servanthood (I) (23/10/06)

Matthew 20:26-28
Instead whoever wants to be 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.

1 Peter 4:10,11
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, FAITHFULLY ADMINISTERING GOD'S GRACE in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ

Philipians 2:5-11
Your attitude (mind) should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, TAKING THE VERY NATURE OF A SERVANT, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place & gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven & on earth & under the earth, & every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father

John 13:1-17 (emphasis on v. 14,15,17)
Jesus washing the feet of the disciples
Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Jesus set an example of servanthood to us and He also showed us the power of serving. We are commanded to serve others with the gift that God has given us, so that we could administer/show God's grace and love to others (esp those who does not believe in God), and that in all things God may be praised.
God also showed me this one thing that when we serve, we can use the time to pray for the person so that God's saving grace may speak into the people whom we serve. This is truly a great and profound revelation to me of such powerful principle in serving others.

Have you discovered your God-given gifts?

Are you willing to serve as Jesus did?