“For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 (Read v. 32-45)

These words of Jesus say so much to us as believers. It is as Jesus told James and John, and all His disciples (v. 35ff.; cf. Matthew 20:20ff.): “Whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all” (v. 43-44).

Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and so also His disciples and especially Christian pastors and ministers. They are called, not to be served by their congregations, but to serve their congregations. Like Jesus, they give up their own lives (their personal goals and ambitions) for the eternal welfare of their fellow believers.

Of course, the same is also true of husbands and wives in marriage. A husband and wife do not enter the covenant of marriage to be served but to meet the needs of their spouse (cf. Ephesians 5:22ff.). It means giving up personal goals and ambitions for the good of the marriage partner and the new family unit.

And, while some may desire positions of preeminence and glory, followers of Christ count it such a blessing to even be admitted to Christ’s kingdom — it’s all God’s gracious gift, neither earned nor deserved — they are happy to be servants that others, too, might come to know and trust in Christ Jesus as Savior.

It would be better to wash dishes in the kingdom of heaven than to be served like a king or queen in the kingdoms of this world. And, if I am granted to be but a dishwasher in heaven’s banquet kitchen, it’s still only by God’s grace and mercy and far more than I deserve – I remain thankful.

Finally, and most important for us all is the fact that Jesus came to serve and give His life a ransom for many. Indeed, He gave His life as a ransom for all, as St. Paul writes: “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5-6). Jesus “gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14).

If Jesus had come to be served and had not willingly suffered and died on the cross for our sins, where would we be now? Lost forever! Cursed and condemned to hell! But Jesus “redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). Through faith in His name, we have pardon, forgiveness and have a place in His eternal, heavenly kingdom. What a blessing this is!

And, it is precisely because Jesus came to serve and to be a ransom for all that we serve Him and give up our lives in this world that others too might come to know Jesus and what He has done to serve them! God grant that we be served by Jesus and that we then serve others!

We thank you, dearest Jesus, for serving our greatest need and atoning for our sins by going to the cross and dying in our stead. Grant that we also serve others by living to tell of You and Your atoning sacrifice for the sins of all. Amen.

[Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible]

For those who were unable to attend Wednesday’s Lenten worship service, a video may be viewed below:

“And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.” Mark 14:72 (Read v. 66-72)

Do we weep over our sins? Do we consider what they cost the Lord Jesus when He suffered and died upon the cross? Do we treat His blood, shed for us upon the cross, as common and unholy? Cf. Hebrews 10:29

Peter had just denied his Lord a third time before the rooster crowed a second time. He had rejected Jesus’ words and vehemently affirmed that he would never deny the Lord Jesus (v. 26-31). But he had done it. He denied his Lord three times!

“And when he thought thereon, he wept.” When he remembered Jesus’ words and considered his sin, he wept (v. 72).

Psalm 51:16-17 says: “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

Like David, in the Old Testament, Peter saw and acknowledged his sin unto the Lord and looked to Him for forgiveness (cf. Psalm 51:1-13).

In 2 Corinthians 7:9-10, the apostle Paul wrote: “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

As we remember the many ways in which we have betrayed and denied Jesus, our sins which were the cause of Jesus’ suffering and death, hopefully, we too are moved to sorrow, like Peter, who “when he thought thereon, he wept.”

Psalm 34:18 also tells us: “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

And, let that sorrow lead us to repentance – to be sorry for our sins and to trust in Christ Jesus and His death upon the cross in our stead for pardon and forgiveness and life everlasting!

God grant that we consider our sins and what they have done to Jesus, but that we then also place our faith in Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world that we might obtain pardon and life eternal through faith in Jesus’ name!

Forgive us, O Jesus, for betraying You by our sins and denying You to avoid sharing in Your suffering and pain. For the sake of Your cross, grant us mercy and forgiveness that we might serve You and hold fast to You as our Savior and Lord unto life everlasting! Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible]

For those who were unable to attend worship this morning, a video of the worship service may be watched below:

For those who were unable to attend Lenten worship on March 7, the video may be viewed below: