Monday, March 26, 2012

A Picture of Service

Scripture: Matthew 26:17-19
On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare the Passover so You may eat it?”  “Go into the city to a certain man,” He said, “and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time is near; I am celebrating the Passover at your place with My disciples.’”  So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

Insights:  In General George Patton’s biography, Patton describes the way in which he selected leaders.  He would assign the men a task, a menial task I might add, and then standoff “hidden,” but close enough to hear them.  Patton then describes the complaining and frustration and the attempt at figuring out his motives and so on and so forth through which the soldiers went.  Finally, one soldier would say, “What difference does it make what [he] wants to do with this trench!  Let’s get it dug and get out of here.”  Patton said that man would be the one to get the promotion.  God too is looking for people to whom He can give authority and responsibility.  Like Patton, God gives us assignments and then watches us to see how we respond to Him.  Do we complain or are we obediently faithful?  In today’s verses we read about a picture being painted of disciples preparing the Passover meal for Jesus.  Another gospel tells us it is two disciples.  The point is they take on the responsibility of serving Jesus by getting the upper room set up for Jesus’ final meal on earth.  Obviously, these disciples did not know the significance of that meal at this moment in history.  For them it was just another year of preparing for the Passover.  They, however, took their assignment seriously.  There is another servant mentioned in these verses and that is the man who opens up his property for the meal.  Theologian Alfred Plummer believes this man to be John Mark’s father.  Whoever this man was is irrelevant to the point.  This man also served Jesus in any way the Master saw fit for him to serve.  In this specific case it was to open up his upper room for the disciple to prepare the meal.  Jesus requires us, as His disciples, to have a servant’s heart.  Servants obey!  Servants do not seek glory or praise, they obey!  Servants do not seek popularity or prestige, they obey!  Servants do not seek their will and desires, they obey!  Beloved, let us obey our Master, Jesus!

Questions:
  1. What kind of heart do you have: one of service or selfishness?
  2. In what ways are you displaying your servant’s heart?                              
Prayer: O God, we live in a very self-centered world, a world in which people often only serve if it benefits them directly.  Father, I pray this kind of attitude is not my own.  I pray You mold me into a true servant and follower of Your Son, Christ Jesus.  Amen.  

1 comment: