Advent 12: Servant

Scripture: "The son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)

Song: Servant King

Jesus defied all expectations of the Messiah - God's chosen one. Israel was waiting, longing, for someone to come and free them from the oppression of Roman rule; they were hoping for a powerful King, an unbeatable military ruler, who would come and conquer and make everything right. 

But our God - who loves to turn the world upside down - flipped the notion of what it means to lead completely on its head: his chosen leader would come in such a humble way that people would fail to recognise him. His chosen leader would come as a servant.

In the middle of an argument between two of his disciples - James and John - about which one of them is better (Mark 10:35-45), which one of them deserves the best place in his kingdom - Jesus tells them that they are entirely missing the point: if you want to be a leader then you need to be a servant. 

Jesus came to serve us. His is a ministry of feet washing, of doing what no one else will do, of sitting amongst the broken and the outcast and being treated as one of them. Jesus' servant heart led his to the cross. His love for those who rejected him was so great that he would serve them - even as they scorned and mocked him - by dying for them. Jesus is the servant king.

Reflection: Jesus calls those who follow him to be like him. After he washes his disciples' feet, Jesus tells his friends that they are to treat his act as an example to follow. (John 13:13-17) Who can we serve today? Think of someone who needs to know that Jesus loves them and do something practical to demonstrate that love today.