Purpose: To realize that the mark of a great leader internally
is develop the heart of a servant. |
Key Verse
Matthew 20:26
If one want to be great in the, they must first
be a servant |
In your own words can you describe what you
think a servant is?
In your own words can you describe what a servant
does?
Do You Have a Servants Heart?
Part of the developing the inner character of
Christ is developing a servant’s heart. Jesus Christ was the greatest example of a servant leader that there ever will
be. In the truest spirit of servant hood the creator of our universe came down
to earth in the form of a man to serve His creation by dying on the cross for our sins.
How much more of an example of a servants heart do we need before we as Christians get the big picture.
For America Christians having the heart of a servant
seems to be a hard concept for many to grasp. Americans seem to have developed
an inward lack of modesty and servant hood. We are a proud people, but
sometimes that pride makes us appear arrogant to the world. The Army boasts that
if we sign up we can “Be All We Can Be” and all manner of commercials proclaim that if you buy their cars or use
their products then you will be the best at what you do. I have to admit
I bought a pair of those Shaquel O’Neal basketball shoes and I still wasn’t able to play basketball the way he
does.
As Christians we have become no better than our
secular counterparts. How many times as a Christian have you looked at someone
and said in your heart that that person is beyond all help or will not be responsive to the good news? How many times as Christians do we sit in judgment and announce just like the proud man in the temple
who gave his offering and announced “I am glad I am not like those other people” (my paraphrase). The truth is we need to examine every bit of our character and as we have already stated in humility
ask ourselves “do I have a servant’s heart?)
To experience a servant like attitude this week
by finding someone you would normally not associate with and taking them to lunch in order to get to know them.
You could also find someone who needs help performing
a routine menial task and help him or her with that task.
I know you are going to say your church has deacons
that normally carry out those kind of duties. The problem is that as Christians
we say that sort of thing too much. It is time for all of us to get out of our
seats and into the trenches, loving, caring for and assisting others with the
servants heart of Jesus.
Follow Jesus’ Heart Example of Servant Leadership
|
Before we can develop the heart of a servant
leader we must first discover the servant heart of Jesus.
What does the Bible say about having the heart of a servant? Read the
following verses and summarize what Jesus taught about having the heart of a servant.
Mark 10:35-45
John 10:11-13
John 13:1-17
Colossians 3:23-25
In Philippians 2:1-11 Paul laid out for us an example of the heart attitude of a true Christian. Part of this attitude is having the heart of a servant. Read
Philippians 2:1-11 and then answer the following questions.
1.
In
the opening verses (1-4) Paul lays a life that is different from what the world we live in, In your own words describe the
contrast between our life and the life of a citizen of this world
2.
In
verses 5-11 Paul uses the life of Jesus as a pattern for us to follow. Outline
how we are to live according to the pattern laid out by Paul in Philippians.
3. Now using Philippians 2:1-11 describe in your
own words how having heart and attitude of servant will help make a difference in how you view
A Servants heart Manifested in My Life
Be willing to do what I ask
others to do!
How many times in your life have you asked
someone to do something that you were not willing to do yourself?
As a Christian if you answered the
above question with 1 or more times then you need to examine your heart and pray to God for an attitude of service.
Serve God with the joy set
before us!
Do you live your life like the Grinch
with a small heart and a sour attitude?
The Grinch failed to see with his heart
and only his head. Christians are not immune to this mentality. How many times have you gone around grumbling about some small insignificant problem? These are the problems that we let ruin our day because we don view through the eyes Jesus and the Spirit
of God. If we did we would see even the difficulties of life as a joy. It goes back to the old is your cup half full or half empty philosophy.
As Christian our cups should run over with joy everyday because each day is a gift from God and another day we can
share the Good News of the Gospel with others.
What does Psalm 100:2 say about
our heartitude?
Expect nothing in your heart
in Return for what you do!
There is an old saying that saying that goes something like this “ if you do not expect anything in return for
what you do or give, you will never be disappointed and as Christians that should be our heartfelt attitude towards servant
hood that we should not expect anything in return for what we do. I like the
Christmas not because of what I am given but because I can feel the spirit of giving in the air. I realize how much God gave up for me, and how little I can give in return to Him. This should be our attitude throughout the whole year. The
idea of giving to others the love that was given to us on that first Christmas day.
If that love includes selfless service to others then that is what I should do.
The following verses talk about what our attitude towards service should be.
Read the verses, write down the lessons you learn from each one and then live out those lessons in your life each day. Selfless service to others is a chief way that the TEAM can grow.
1 Corinthians 9:19
Luke 22:25-26