Page 6 - The Standard Volume 1

“You must take up your cross and follow Me.”
family, friends, and others may not understand your servanthood either. They might say, “You’re always doing something at church.” Perhaps one day you will not let what they think matter to you.
What the people didn’t understand was when Jesus was on that cross, He could not come down. Why? Because God needed Him on that cross! Some people do not understand that you were asked to serve because you were needed.
Remember how we said you have to deny yourself? That means no more quitting from volunteering because somebody didn’t act like they appreciated you. Help was needed and you did it to give glory to the Lord’s name (Psalm 115:1).
Philippians 2:7 CEV
“Instead he gave up everything and became a slave, when he became like one of us.”
Cross bearers always rise to the top. They may not be the most popular people in the church, but they always seem to be blessed. Why? It’s because they serve with a love that’s genuine. S
saying that Jesus is not your hero. Beloved, the CROSS is your jersey!
You must separate yourself from those who murmur and complain for these are the people who will try to talk you out of serving. You’ll get ready to serve and they’ll say, “Oh! Let me tell you about blah blah blah.” And that is why we no longer ask them to serve. A person who complains about serving doesn’t understand that servanthood is the ministry of following Jesus Christ’s example. His example requires a denial of self which models how Jesus became a servant and it requires carrying a burden. Yes beloved, it IS the will of God for you to carry a burden. For you are supposed to be heavy with church work, whereas too many people have light loads! God will not put more on you than you can bear.
THE CROSS IS A SACRIFICE
Mark 15:29-30 CEV
“People who passed by said terrible things about Jesus. They shook their heads and shouted, ‘Ha! So you’re the one who claimed you could tear down the temple and build it again in three days. 30 Save yourself and come down from the cross!’”
As we just read in Mark 15, people were trying to talk Jesus out of His cross so don’t be surprised when people will try to talk you out of yours! Jesus hung on the cross publicly so when you serve, it too should be in the open.
“I may not serve in church, but I do little things for people some of the time.”
Page 6 The Standard 5
No, a sacrifice is to be done openly so everyone can see it. However, we don’t do it just so it can be seen but for the people who need it so it can be experienced by them.
They said to Jesus, “You must be out of your mind to be hanging up on that cross. If you are the Son of God, come down.” The world did not understand that He was doing what God called Him to do. Your
SERVANTHOOD
~Jesus
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• Reflections on Servanthood
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