Paul wrote, in Galatians 5:13-15, “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.”

“Through love serve one another” is the practical outworking of the second greatest command, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” That is, in order to show love, we must learn to serve. Servanthood, therefore, since it is connected to the second greatest command, is vital to our spiritual welfare. If we do not serve, we do not love. 

Of course, it is the Lord Christ whom we serve (Col. 4:24). The implications of this, however, are tremendous, for serving the Lord will necessarily mean following His example in serving others. As Jesus said, “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (John 13:14-15). 

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). We’ll come back to this passage, but let’s just start with this basic point: Jesus is the Servant, the suffering Servant, who demonstrates what it means to have the mind of a servant who loves to the point of giving Himself completely. 

Are we up to the challenge of being servants? 

1. Love, sacrifice, and servanthood: The heart of a servant is found in the sacrifice given. 

Jesus is the perfect example. “Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). What is that mind, but the mind of a servant who presented Himself as a sacrifice (see vv. 3-4, then 6-8). Notice how, in Jesus, we find the perfect harmony of love, sacrifice, and servanthood. 

This is exactly what we are called to show: love, sacrifice, and servanthood. See how Paul connects these ideas in Romans 12-13. We are to be living sacrifices (vv. 1-2), who demonstrate love in our service (vv. 7-13). Then notice 13:7-10. What we owe to all men is love. This also means that what we owe is servanthood to all. This requires humble love, doing no wrong to another, seeking to do good. 

See also the connection of this point to the marriage relationship in Eph. 5:22-33. Love is connected to sacrifice and servanthood. While we often stress the submission of the woman to the headship of man, we must not miss this point: the man who loves his wife as Christ loved the church will be a living sacrifice who serves His wife. 

Marriage is a picture of Christ and the church. Now since marriage existed from the beginning (Gen. 2:24), then marriage is intended to be a reflection of God’s relationship with His people. It is a covenant relationship in which love is expressed and unity exemplified. We live in a culture that has corrupted this. Marriage is not seen in the context of a covenant relationship with God first. It is seen as something to be manipulated for our own purposes, turned into a political issue. But the reason marriage exists at all is because God put it into place as a reflection of His holy nature. 

The extent of God’s love in this desired relationship is seen in His sacrifice. We are pointing out here that the heart of a servant is found in the sacrifice given. Jesus is the true, suffering Servant. Let’s go back to Phil. 2:6-8 and ask, “Of what did Jesus empty Himself?” The answer is simply, “Himself.” 

How should this characterize marriage? Marriage is not a 50/50 arrangement. It is be characterized by two people becoming one, both of whom give themselves. Not part of themselves. Not something of themselves. But themselves. Fully. Completely. Without reservation. This is the heart of servanthood. It is unselfish, willing to die to self, and treat the other as more important than self. There is no selfish ambition. There is no empty conceit. There is humility, love, and service for the interest of the other. 

If we are concerned to be living sacrifices, not conformed to this world, then it needs to begin in the home, where husband and wife are living sacrifices for each other, not conformed to the worldly concepts of love and marriage, but fully engaged and committed as servants toward each other.

2. The focus on developing servants is greater than that of developing leaders. 

I realize that we often focus on the idea of developing leadership, and I wouldn’t diminish that need, properly understood. The problem is that we must be very careful not to get our ideas of leadership from the secular world rather than from Christ. 

This is a problem the Corinthians were apparently having. They were enamored with leaders, but failed to see what was most important. Paul reminds them: 

“What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth” (1 Cor. 3:5-7). 

“Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor. 4:1). Paul saw himself as a servant, and this is a much greater need than one seeing self as a leader.

Let’s come back to Mark 10:35-45 and notice the context of the in-fighting of the disciples as they were looking for positions of leadership, authority, and power. They completely missed what it meant to be disciples of the true Lord. The point is that our focus really ought to be in developing servants Let’s notice the point in Ephesians 4:11-12: 

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.” 

The reason for these teachers is to equip all disciples to serve. Each of us are ministers and servants. Each of us needs to learn to develop ourselves as servants. Now someone might say, “Yes, but a true servant is also a leader.” So be it. But not all leaders are servants. If we want the kind of leaders who are godly, then we need to focus on developing servants first. 

In the world we see all kind of leadership classes, leadership articles, and leadership materials, but when do we see a servanthood class and servanthood materials. Leaders are a dime a dozen in the world. Servants are far more rare. They aren’t the same. 

In Christ’s church, however, servants ought to be norm, not the exception. Any leadership model among God’s people that is not patterned after love, sacrifice, and service will fall woefully short. Notice again that Jesus did not say, “I came to lead…” He said, “I came to serve.” If the Lord Himself, the One who has all authority and power, came to serve, and we are to have the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5), then all of us are to seek to be servants. When we start fighting with each other, vying for positions of honor and power, failing to show love and sacrifice, then we are no longer disciples of Jesus. Through love serve one another. Let’s focus on developing ourselves as servants. The Christ-like servants will then be the leaders God wants, and they will lead through serving. 

Now let’s bring this back to the home. What kind of leader does God want in the home, men? A tyrant? Or a servant who sacrifices? What kind of leader is Jesus? What kind of love does He show the church? Let Ephesians 5 inform us. Let us become servants who sacrifice, and so lead through servanthood. 

This also challenges the way that biblical headship and submission are characterized by the world. Submission does not indicate inferiority. It does not mean that Paul hated women. Look at how he tells the men to treat their wives: as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for it. No greater act of servanthood and sacrifice can be found than what Christ did. He provides the soft landing for us as His church, for people who are sick and tired of the world and need peace: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy- laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30). 

We find rest for our souls in Christ. Husbands and wives ought to be able to find rest in each other. We are not to be heavy-handed, but gentle and humble, providing rest for the weariness of the world. The home, more than any place, should be that direct reflection of our relationship with Christ. This is the leadership we need to develop. 

3. Seeking servanthood will result in unity among like-minded brethren in Christ. 

Let’s go back to Ephesians 4. Verses 11-12 tell us what we all are to equipped to serve, but then notice what’s said next: “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ” (vs. 13). 

It is difficult to be divided when we are all working hard to serve each other. If we all strove for servanthood instead of recognition, we could avoid the petty jealousies that come from feeling that others are more important or have more significant roles than we do. As servants, it matters not whether one is a preacher or a simple encourager. It matters not whether one is male or female, if serving is the goal. Servants who are immersed in God’s word are concerned simply with being the servants God intends, regardless of the specific tasks assigned within that context. If we all strove for love instead of power, we could avoid the problems that arise from thinking others somehow need to pay more attention to us than we need to pay to them. Service, love, and sacrifice are what all of us can supply, and virtues toward which all of us can strive. 

When we focus on the specific tasks given to different people (preach, teach, shepherd, etc.), and lose sight of servanthood, then we start fussing and fighting over who gets to be the leaders and who gets the recognition. We get upset if some get to do a particular job, while others are relegated to another role. However, if we are all simply striving to be servants, in whatever capacity and role we can supply according to Scripture and ability, then we can move past the “some are more privileged than others and I don’t get to do anything” mentality. 

The religious world is filled with strife over questions of the roles of men and women in leadership positions in the church. We are seeing women preachers and pastors based on the argument that we are all equal and there are no real distinctions to be made in roles. If we say that men are to preach, then we are somehow demeaning women. The mistake here is thinking that the one who preaches is somehow more important than the woman who quietly influences her children to serve the Lord. The mentality places one position to be higher than another, and if we can’t do that, then we are second-class citizens in the kingdom. 

Nothing could be further from the truth, and if we understand biblical servanthood, we can avoid the divisions that come from seeking power over others and misunderstanding how roles work within the body of Christ. 

The elder is as much a servant as is the sister who writes cards and sits with the sick. The preacher is as much as a servant as is the one who quietly prepares the Lord’s Supper or makes a point to be an encourager to those who are struggling. The one who quietly visits others is as important as the one who stands in front of an audience to teach. The woman who perseveres in raising godly children is as important, if not more so, than the man who can pray in public or give a talk before the Lord’s Supper. We need to quit elevating what people do publicly to be more important than what people do quietly and privately before the Lord. We need to quit thinking that those whose names appear in leadership roles are more important than the ones who will never stand before an audience or have their names mentioned in any public service. 

All of these roles are needed, and all stand before God in the very same place as servants fulfilling their stewardships. None is more honored than the other; none is more important than the other, and none are rewarded more than another. It’s only when we elevate certain roles as being more significant and privileged that we set ourselves up for the bickering, jealousies, and divisions that will inevitably follow (see 1 Cor. 12:4ff; Rom. 12:4-5). 

Think about this with respect to the home: “It is difficult to be divided when we are all working hard to serve each other.” If we are serving one another, sacrificing for each other, loving as Christ loves, will we ever see the divorces, the broken homes, and in-fighting that so often occurs in homes? If we strove for servanthood over recognition and power, how will this transform our homes? Will we fight over who is in charge? Will we see the petty jealousies? Will we fuss and fight about the roles God has given the husband and wife? 

The husband is as much a servant in his role and work as is the wife who manages the home. The children will be as much servants as the parents who strive to train them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Cleaning the house will be no less important than bringing home a paycheck. Raising and even staying home with children will not be seen as demeaning, but as a sacrifice built on servanthood. The family will be one. The unity will be obvious. Husband and wife, and even children, will be co-workers, co-servants, all offering up themselves as living sacrifices for God and each other. This will transform every relationship, from mothers and daughters to fathers and sons, or mothers and sons with fathers and daughters. 

A home modeled on the sacrificial service of Jesus will be a united home. It will be exactly what God wants it to be. Taking back the home in a culture of corruption will not be done through political power. It will be done through sacrificial service that is grounded in Christ and the biblical worldview. Now, as much as at any time, we are in need of the lesson taught by Jesus: 

“They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?’ But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.’ Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, ‘Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me’” (Mark 9:33-37). 

Note especially the phrase “servant of all” (vs. 35). “Servant of all” should be our goal, and this can be accomplished behind the scenes as much as in front of the crowds. Put it in perspective. If we are going to think in terms of “out-doing” one another, then let it not be in who gets the recognition and power; rather, let it be in giving one another preference in honor (cf. Rom 12:10). Let it be in who gets to serve others without needing to be recognized for it. 

Conclusion

Love, sacrifice, and servanthood are all integrally tied together. What we owe toward others is love, which requires the heart of a servant. Yet this should not surprise Christians who understand that our Lord, whom we are seeking to imitate, demonstrated the true heart of the Servant. 

Doy Moyer