Question 1

What does it mean to be a servant?

Accepted Answer

Philippians 2:6-8Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.A servant is humble and obedient to God.Matthew 20:26-28“But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”A servant ministers to others regardless of their status in life.John 13:5Then he [Jesus] began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.A servant gladly performs tasks that others consider beneath them, and doesn’t even wait to be asked.Romans 6:13Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.True servants use all their energy and talents for the benefit of God and others.

Question 2

What are some requirements for serving God?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 2:11Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.Serving God requires a joyful heart and a reverent awe of God.Psalm 101:6I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me.Psalm 119:59I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws.Psalm 42:1-2As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?Serving God requires a desire to please God and walk in his ways, while longing to be in God’s presence.Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”Serving God requires that we have loyalty to God even in the face of worldly distractions and priorities.Romans 7:6Now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.Romans 8:14All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.Serving God requires a desire to be led by the Holy Spirit.Acts 20:19“I [Paul] have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews.”Serving God requires humility over time and in the face of trials.Galatians 5:13You have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.Serving God requires that we consistently demonstrate love for others.

Question 3

What is the mindset of servanthood as Jesus defined it?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 20:25-28Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”Luke 17:5-10The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.” The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you! When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’”Servanthood on the part of followers of Jesus is always directed toward Jesus, even if the immediate context involves meeting the needs of other people.

Question 4

What does servanthood look like in the community of believers?

Accepted Answer

Romans 12:3-13Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.1 Corinthians 12:4-7There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.Servanthood within the church is a deep application of the principle that believers are the body of Christ and everyone has a function within that body that is needed by the rest of the body. As we discover that function and offer it to others, we are fulfilling God’s purpose for us.

Question 5

How can I serve God today?

Accepted Answer

Joshua 1:8-9“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”We must develop our knowledge of God’s Word and make our lives available to him.Joshua 22:5“Be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.”We are to obey God’s Word, which will motivate us to help others, even when it is not convenient.Joshua 24:14-15“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”We are to honor God by making our relationship with him our first priority; then we will want to do what he asks.1 Corinthians 12:5There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.We are called to exercise our spiritual gifts. We are to serve the Lord by discovering our spiritual gifts and enthusiastically investing them in the ministry of the church.Matthew 25:23“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’”We are to demonstrate love and kindness to all people, especially those in need. Regardless of the level of our gifts and abilities, God expects us to invest what he’s given us into the lives of others. God promises not only to affirm what we have done but also to give us more to do.Romans 12:11Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.We are to serve with enthusiasm. As we do, our passion will not only energize us; it will also rub off on others.

Question 6

How did Jesus serve?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 20:26, 28“But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, . . . For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”John 15:13-16“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”Jesus served to the point of sacrificing his very life for us.Philippians 2:7Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,Jesus humbled himself, becoming human so that he could understand human life, its struggles and temptations. As we follow Jesus, we also are called to humble ourselves to the level of those we wish to serve.Matthew 20:32When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”Jesus made himself available to serve the people who needed him.John 13:4-5, 14-15So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. . . . “And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. His greatness and leadership were shown through this profound act of service. It was the attitude of his heart that made Jesus a true servant.

Question 7

How can I have a servant’s heart?

Accepted Answer

Philippians 2:5-9You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names.We develop a servant’s heart by humbling ourselves as Jesus did and obediently doing what God wants. The more we obey, the more our hearts become like the heart of Jesus.Romans 6:12-13Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.By submitting ourselves to obey Jesus’ commands and live by his words, we put our hearts in a position ready for passionate and obedient action.Genesis 24:18-20“Yes, my lord,” she answered, “have a drink.” And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. When she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough to drink.” So she quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water for all his camels.We are to look for opportunities to help those who need us. If we wait until we feel like helping, we will rarely help anyone. The best way to change our attitude is to start helping. Then our hearts will follow.Luke 1:38Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.The essence of servant leadership is doing what God asks us to do, no matter what it costs us.Luke 17:7-10“When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’”We are to develop the humble recognition that no matter what we do, we are not paying for or earning all that Jesus has already done for us. We are serving the One who also serves us.

Question 8

How are leaders to view themselves?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 20:26“But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant.”Mark 10:45“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”The biblical model for leadership is servanthood. Worldly leaders use power to get things done for themselves, but biblical leaders use power to serve those they are called to lead and care for. Worldly leaders want to be served; biblical leaders want to serve. When we decide to model the leadership style of Jesus, we will become true leaders.

Question 9

What does it mean to be a servant leader?

Accepted Answer

John 13:4-5, 14-15So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. . . . “And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”Philippians 2:5-9You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,Jesus revolutionizes our understanding of leadership by teaching “downward mobility.” In a most striking picture of servanthood, Jesus humbles himself through practical obedience. By performing the task of a slave, Jesus models how far we are to go in serving one another.Matthew 20:32When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”Servant leaders listen and respond to the needs of those around them.Matthew 20:27-28“Whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”Mark 10:43-44“But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.”Luke 22:24-26Then they [the disciples] began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.”We must learn to follow before we can learn to lead. A self-serving leader is not a true leader.

Service/Serving/Servant