The Pattern of Servanthood (Matthew 20:20-28)
This sermon explores the profound contrast between humanity's typical pursuit of power and position, and God's pattern of selfless service. It delves into how Jesus not only taught but also perfectly embodied servanthood, ultimately giving His life as a ransom for all.
This sermon contrasts the world's pursuit of power with God's pattern of servanthood, perfectly embodied by Jesus. He ultimately gave His life as a ransom, demonstrating true greatness and providing a way for humanity to be reconciled with God.
Overview
The sermon begins by highlighting a fundamental conflict: thinking the world's way versus God's way. This often hinders people from discerning God's will, as seen even in the church's tendency to adopt worldly patterns rather than God's. Jesus directly challenged this worldly pattern, offering a different path in His teachings.
Using Matthew 20, the sermon examines the bold request from the mother of James and John for positions of honor in Jesus' kingdom. Jesus contrasts this desire for worldly authority, where rulers lord it over others, with God's kingdom, where true greatness is found in becoming a servant or a slave.
The ultimate expression of Jesus' servanthood was giving His life as a ransom for many, defined as a price paid to set a slave free. The sermon emphasizes that the cross, through Jesus' atoning death, is the core of Christian belief, making salvation, redemption, and forgiveness possible by covering our sins with His righteousness.
Finally, the sermon explores how Jesus "emptied Himself" (Philippians 2) not of His deity, but of His favorable position to divine Law, His relationship to sin, His riches, and His heavenly glory. He further exemplified this by washing His disciples' feet (John 13), setting a practical example for believers to embrace servanthood in their own lives.
Key points
- People often struggle to find God's will because they think according to the world's pattern instead of God's.
- Jesus contrasted the world's desire for power and authority with His kingdom's principle that the greatest are servants.
- Jesus' ultimate act of servanthood was giving His life as a 'ransom for many,' paying the price for humanity's freedom from sin.
- The cross is the core doctrine of Christianity, enabling salvation, redemption, and forgiveness through Jesus' atoning death.
- Jesus 'emptied Himself' not of His deity, but of His favorable position to divine Law, His relationship to sin, His riches, and His heavenly glory.
- God the Father 'made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf,' placing all the guilt and penalty for sin upon Jesus on the cross.
- Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet served as a practical example of servanthood, demonstrating how believers should serve one another.
In Charles Stanley's words
“He that is greatest among you will be a slave.”
“A ransom was a price paid to set a slave free.”
Outline
- I. The Conflict Between Worldly and Godly Thinking
- A. The world's influence distorts our understanding of God's will.
- B. Jesus' challenge to worldly thinking (Matthew 5:38-42).
- II. Servanthood: God's Contradiction to the World's Pattern (Matthew 20:20-28)
- A. The mother of James and John seeks positions of honor.
- B. Jesus defines greatness: the greatest will be a servant or slave.
- C. Jesus' self-identity as a servant: 'The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many.'
- III. The Ultimate Expression of Servanthood: The Ransom of the Cross
- A. Understanding 'ransom': a price paid to set a slave free.
- B. The cross as the core of Christian belief: salvation, redemption, and forgiveness.
- IV. How Jesus, as God, Became a Servant (Philippians 2:5-8)
- A. 'Have this attitude in you which was also in Christ Jesus.'
- B. Jesus 'emptied Himself' – not of His deity, but of:
- 1. His favorable position to divine Law.
- 2. His relationship to sin (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).
- 3. His riches (2 Corinthians 8:9).
- 4. His heavenly glory.
- V. A Demonstration of Servanthood (John 13:12-17)
- A. Jesus washes His disciples' feet as an example.
- B. The call to be servants, not seeking high positions.
- C. The question: 'Is the servant greater than his master?'
Scripture references
- Matthew 5:38-42
- Matthew 20:20-28
- Philippians 2:5-8
- 2 Corinthians 5:20-21
- 2 Corinthians 8:9
- John 13:12-17
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Insights
Thinking like the world makes God's will difficult to discern.
True greatness in God's eyes comes from humble service.
The cross reveals the ultimate cost of sacrificial love.
Questions & answers
What is 'the pattern' that the sermon discusses?
The sermon refers to 'the pattern' as the way God wants us to live, which often contrasts sharply with the world's way of thinking and acting. It specifically highlights God's pattern of servanthood versus the world's pursuit of power and authority.
How did Jesus define greatness in His kingdom?
Jesus taught that in His kingdom, whoever wishes to become great must be a servant, and whoever wishes to be first must be a slave. This contrasts directly with the world's rulers who lord it over others.
What does the sermon mean by Jesus giving His life as a 'ransom'?
The sermon explains that a 'ransom' is a price paid to set a slave free. Jesus gave His life as a ransom to pay the price for humanity's sins, freeing us from the power of sin and its eternal separation from God.
What did Jesus 'empty Himself' of, according to the sermon?
According to Philippians 2, Jesus 'emptied Himself' not of His deity, but of His favorable position to divine Law, His relationship to sin by becoming sin for us, His immense riches, and His heavenly glory.
What is the ultimate expression of Christ's servanthood?
The sermon states that the ultimate expression of Christ's servanthood was giving His life as a ransom on the cross. This act paid the penalty for our sins, providing salvation, redemption, and forgiveness.
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