Video Transcript: Servanthood

We're continuing to look at the transformational leader, and now we're going to  talk about servanthood. And Jesus said, You know that those who are regarded  as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, their high officials exercise authority  over them, but not so with you. I remember having a conversation with a  Christian leader, and I was talking to him about matters related to servant  leadership and how it would apply to his staff, and I remember him saying, I I  can't do that. If I did that, my staff would walk all over me. It seems that for many Christian leaders, servanthood is okay, but when you get into being the boss,  you you have to be careful. You can't you can't really do that, because  servanthood could mean people walking all over you. And so some questions,  what does servanthood look like? Does it look does it look like volunteerism?  Does it look like a missions trip? If you go on a missions trip, then you have  fulfilled the command. Is it a matter of just being, just in general, a submissive  person? What does it mean, and how does the Bible's teaching on servanthood  strike you? Does it strike you as serious? Or perhaps it is idealistic. Maybe it is a lofty ideal, but it's not attainable. Have you ever known or worked for someone  that you would characterize as a Christian micromanager? I mean, isn't  Christian and micromanager a oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. Is it possible  to be both a boss and a servant to your employees or your staff? Well, Jesus put it to us this way. He said, Jesus called them together, His disciples, and He said, You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over  them, and their high officials exercise authority over them, but not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant. And  whoever wants to be first must be slave of all, For even the Son of Man did not  come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many, let's  take a look at the context of this statement. We find it starts when Peter rebukes  Jesus. Remember when Peter first says, You are the Christ? And Jesus says,  Don't you know, blessed are you? Simon bar Jonah. And then he goes on to tell, reveal to them that he is going to go to Jerusalem and be crucified and will rise  again on the third day, and that when Peter rebukes him, he rebukes him,  because that's not what they had in mind. That was not that was not the story  that was playing out in their minds. And Jesus says, Get behind Me, Satan. Well, what was going on between that moment and the moment of Jesus making this  statement is that as they're walking along, Jesus is kind of in the front, and the  disciples are joining him, but they're all talking about and arguing over, who's the greatest they're doing this behind the scenes. In fact, the disciples stopped  someone from casting out demons in Jesus's name. He said, we stopped them  because he was not one of us. In other words, we're the greatest and not him.  This was a major issue for the disciples. And then finally, you have James and  John that come to Jesus, and they ask, Can we sit at at his side? In other  words, they're saying, settle the matter. Matter Jesus. We're the greatest, right?  Make us the greatest. And when they did that, this band of disciples, they just 

erupted with anger. That's what was going on. That's the setting in which Jesus  makes the statement. Well, there are things going on behind the scene today as  well. There are leaders who profess to be servant leaders, yet act as benevolent 

dictators, micromanage. Is common in the workplace and the mic, the  micromanager has a core ethic. It's not just I used to think micromanagement  was just someone always looking over your shoulder, but it runs a little bit  deeper than that. It really has to do with control and the attitude of control, and  so there's a core ethic that the micromanager has, and it's this, I'm the boss. I  own you, and you owe me. If you're working for someone that displays that kind  of perspective, then you know that you are being micro you are being  micromanaged. And then look at the Gentiles and their view of greatness.  Greatness is the ability to rule others with absolute power. Greatness is the  ability to act as the Lord of others, and greatness is the ability to dominate  others. Now, what's true greatness? First of all, Jesus says something emphatic, not so with you. You don't live this way. You don't think this way. This is not who  you are. He uses two words to describe who they are. He says Your servant. He says they will or must be your servant. And then he says their slave, they will, or  must be the slave of all and I believe that word was as offensive back then as it  was as it is today. Now this is what he's not saying. This tell your bosses. They  now take orders from you, boss. You're my slave now you do as I say. That's not a smart idea. No, that's not, and that's not the point that he's making. But he is  making a point. He's saying Jesus is saying. Jesus is saying what great leaders  do, and who great leaders are, great leaders serve. Leaders. Focus attention on serving others. It pairs with it is similar to the command to love. Love is seeking  the other person's highest good. It centers on doing that which is best for others. We seek others highest good. That's what love is, and that's what being a  servant is. Great leaders serve. They serve others. And great leaders are slaves of all they serve as slaves. Now, I know that can be very offensive, and let's walk through this for great leaders, servanthood is more than an act your ser your  servant. It is character slave of all it describes more than what we do. It defines  who we are. We live as servants. We live as as people who we exist to serve  others because God loves us. We can love others. We are free to love others  because of the magnitude and greatness of God's love for us, He prepares us to be able to speak, to be to serve and to be servants. And Jesus makes a  statement. He says, not even the Son of Man came. Even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many this this  phrase, it builds an intensive intensity. First he says to be great, one must serve. Then he says to be first, one must be slave to all. And then finally, he says, this  is exemplified in me. So how does Jesus's statement regarding being a servant,  servant? How does that impact us? First of all, Jesus was emphatic that we  never think about ourselves as lords, even in positions of responsibility and  authority, we are servants slaves of all the main characters in our ministry are 

the young people we serve, and not us. In order to be a servant, we. Must. We  must come to them and say, How am I serving you? They are not the we are not the main character. We are not the main character in the story. They are the  main character in the story. What Walt Whitman? What Walt Whitman expressed in his poem, that he that by me, He that by me, spreads a wider breast than my  own, proves the width of my own. We serve youth by maximizing their  leadership potential, always pointing them to the One who created loves and  saves them. So how do we sync with servanthood? How does Jesus's teaching  on servanthood impact you as a transformational leader? Does it change the  way you think about your role, your ministry, your youth, even your family? And  are there relationships where a shift from Lord to servant is needed? What steps will you take to make that change? So here are some key points. The  micromanage micro managers, core ethic is I'm the boss. I own you. You owe  me. Emphasis on I'm the boss. Jesus is not the boss I am, and therefore I own  you. You owe me. Great leaders serve. They focus attention on serving others,  and this pairs with love. We love others. Great leaders are slaves of all for great  leaders, servanthood is more than an act. It is character. This. It describes, it  describes more than what we do. It defines who we are. So for a servant leader  and your relationship to youth, you have one attitude, you are here to help them  win. You are here to help them win. Can you do it? Can you be a servant  leader? Another comment, you can tell I spent I've really benefited from the  wisdom that comes from Bob, Bob Biehl, one point, he said, never compare  yourself to others. Only compare yourself to your own potential and to the need  at hand. So some questions, what is your potential and what is their or the youth you serve what is their need? You answer these questions, and then you will  discover how to serve your youth.