ICS Daily Devotions
Serve And Follow Him
John 12:26. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
In the Greek version of this Scripture, the word “serves” is “diakoneo”, and “servant” is “diakonos”. “Diakoneo” connotes “service” on behalf of someone while “diakonos” speaks of “service” as a slave under or subordinate to someone (as a bondservant or bond slave to the “lord” or “master”). Both types of service were considered shameful. The duty of the Greek person was to himself, to achieve his potential for excellence, while to be forced to subject his will or surrender his time and efforts for the sake of others was intensely distasteful and even humiliating. However, Jesus came to serve, not to be served. In giving Himself for others, He set the pattern for a transformed value system.
In Christ, serving is the highway to greatness. In Christ we achieve our full potential by giving, not by grasping. (Richards, L O: Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency)
Jesus counters the wisdom and the values of the world by elevating the menial role of the “diakonos”, declaring such a person to be on the pathway to greatness in His kingdom. It follows that for someone to be a servant is to walk in the steps of the Lord.
Jesus wants to build His church through us — both the local and universal church. As we serve Him, God will honour us in heaven and while we are on earth, but we must remember to have the heart of a servant, a “diakonos” — the way to greatness in the kingdom of God.
We should also bear in mind that Jesus laid down His life so that He can build the church and the gates of hell will not be able to prevail against it. Out of good intentions, some may want to run their own ministries, missions and work apart from the local church, and some work will be done through them, but it is only when they die to their own plans and work together through the church that many things can be achieved and lots of people will be blessed because strife and division is not of God, and unless a grain falls to the ground, it remains alone. Therefore, let’s die to ourselves and serve Him as one.
Sermon Series: A Fruitful Life For Christ
