Christ as Servant: A Study in MarkSample

What does it say?

Jesus was baptized by John and tempted by Satan for 40 days. Then He preached, healed, and cast out demons. He called four men to leave their jobs and follow Him.

What does it mean?

Because Jesus is fully God, He has the authority and power to drive out demons and perform miraculous physical healing. Because Jesus was also fully human, He identified with hurting, needy people and was filled with compassion for them. That love moved Jesus to make serving others a high priority, and He freely used his power to teach and heal people in the crowds who came to Him. In order to be strengthened and equipped to continue His mission on Earth, Jesus also prioritized spending time alone with the Father in prayer early in the morning before His day began.

How should I respond?

Since serving others was a priority for Jesus, it must also be for us. This passage teaches us how to go about serving the way He did. First, set time aside for prayer. Being alone in the presence of God gives you power and encouragement to carry out His will and bring Him glory. Then, be generous as you move through the day, doing everything you can for all kinds of people. Check your motives to see if genuine love and compassion are behind your good deeds. How do your priorities line up with those of Christ? How can you better model a servant’s heart today?