Servants, not Spectators
And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:42-45
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:3-8
Jesus came as a servant. We believe that being shaped into the image of Jesus means that we too are made to serve. We practice serving one another to reflect God’s love by living out the Gospel in action: helping to alleviate suffering, building community, and advancing the mission of Christ to a broken world. Jesus perfectly modeled service with humility and compassion throughout His life in many ways, ultimately sacrificing Himself on the cross. As disciples of Jesus, we should look for ways to selflessly use our time, talents, and resources to meet the needs of others in our local community, in church ministries, and in our daily lives.
Some time ago, a friend of mine asked if I could help them move. Honestly, it wasn’t a good time. I was tired. I had a long list of things I needed to do, and selfishly, the last thing that I wanted to do was carry boxes up and down stairs. But I remember pausing and thinking: That’s not who I want to be. So, I texted back: “Sure. What time?”
Serving isn’t just about meeting needs. It’s not just about volunteering. It’s not about showing up when it fits my calendar or when I feel inspired. Serving is about remembering who I am in Christ. It’s about the kind of person the gospel is forming me into. We don’t serve to earn God’s approval. We serve because in Christ, we’ve already received it. And we serve because we’ve already been served by the One who gave everything for us.
The Son of God—Jesus—knelt to wash the feet of men who would abandon Him within hours. He served them anyway. He wasn’t waiting for appreciation or applause. He didn’t do it because it made sense socially. He did it because that’s who He is. And He told us, “I have given you an example, that you should do just as I have done to you.” He didn’t stop at foot-washing, either. He went to the cross for those who had nothing to give back.
That’s where this all begins—not with guilt, not with duty, but with the gospel. We were the ones with dirty feet. We were the ones with broken lives and stubborn hearts. And Jesus came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life. If that reality sinks in, it changes everything.
This is why we talk about serving as a spiritual discipline. Not because it earns you points with God, but because it trains you to become like Jesus. Disciplines are things we do repeatedly to shape who we are becoming. And serving—when practiced regularly—forms humility, compassion, patience, and love. It helps kill pride. It teaches us to move toward others, not away from them. And it invites us into the very pattern of Christ’s life.
But let’s be honest—this isn’t easy. There’s a part of us that resists serving. We like to be noticed, not overlooked. We like to be comfortable, not inconvenienced. We’re more eager to be helped than to help. Some of us have been hurt or burned out. Some of us are afraid of being taken advantage of. Some of us are just used to being the recipient, not the giver. But the gospel reorients our posture. We don’t serve others because they’re always worthy. We serve because Jesus is.
And in Christ, we’ve been given a new identity. We’re not just believers. We’re servants. We don’t wait for others to ask—we live with eyes open, ears attentive, and hands ready. In the home, we serve our spouse with joy, even when they’re having a bad day. We serve our kids when no one sees. We meet needs in our neighborhoods not to be impressive, but because that’s what love does. We serve in our churches in the hidden places—not because we need recognition, but because we’ve already been accepted.
The danger, of course, is that we’ll start to think of serving as something “extra.” Something we fit in after the important stuff. But in the kingdom of God, serving is the important stuff. It’s where spiritual maturity gets tested. It’s where discipleship becomes visible. And it’s where the power of the gospel gets put on display.
We don’t need more people to spectate. We need servants who understand who they are and what they’ve been called into. That doesn’t mean we just do more church events. It means we start seeing all of life through the lens of servanthood. We ask: how can I meet a need today? How can I take the lower place for someone else’s good? How can I live in such a way that the humility of Jesus is not just something I talk about—but something others experience through me?
And the beauty is—we don’t have to do it alone. The Holy Spirit lives in us. He empowers us to say yes when we’d rather say no. He gives us joy when we serve in secret. He reminds us that the reward isn’t in the results—it’s in the obedience. And He’s forming us, through every act of service, to look more and more like Christ.
Imagine what would happen if our churches became places where no one waited to be asked. Where everyone showed up ready to take the towel and stoop low. Where the goal wasn’t status, but sacrifice. Where the joy wasn’t in being known, but in making Jesus known. That kind of church turns the world upside down.
Practical Suggestions
Serve in Your Local Church – Volunteer in children’s ministry, connect, tech, or worship teams.
Serve in a Missional Community – Join a Missional Community in serving the needs of the city. Participate in block parties, food drives, or neighborhood clean-ups. Serve also those in your community by volunteering when needs arise, helping with meal trains, etc.
Serve at Home – Open your home for a meal with neighbors, church members, or those in need. Serve your parents, spouse, or children. Commit to one tangible act weekly that reflects the heart of Jesus to those in your home.
Prayerful Availability – Daily pray for God to show you opportunities to serve others in your workplace, family, or community.
Resources
The Gospel Comes with a House Key – book, Rosaria Butterfield
Serving Without Sinking – book, John Hindley
The Simplest Way to Change the World – book, Dustin Willis
A Meal with Jesus – book, Tim Chester