The Servant-Leader

Read Luke 22:24-38

Luke 22:27
For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves it? But I am among you as one who serves.

Imagine yourself as the coach preparing your hockey team for the Stanley Cup. This is the game of a lifetime and you have outlined the strategy for the game. You remind your team to stay focused as they are about to face their greatest enemy on ice. When you stop talking, the team members turn to each other and start squabbling about who is the better player, who has a better track record and who should play in which position.

You stop the bickering and try again to explain that they have come together so far as a team and remind them of the great plans ahead and how they need to be prepared for this big day.

Suddenly, the team captain jumps in and assures you that he is going to lead the team into victory. You know he has missed the point - he has underestimated the enemy and overestimated his capability. You stop him and tell him that before half time he is going to give away two penalties and even be sent-off.

As the coach, you try one last time - it is not going to be an easy game. You have journeyed with them thus far. But on the field, they are on their own. They have to remember everything they have learned and play it out in the field. One of them then says in jest, "It is ok - if it becomes too hard, we will just fight - punch them in the face!!!" The room breaks into laughter.

"That is enough!" You cry out in exasperation.

That in a nutshell was how Jesus felt in his attempt to prepare the disciples for his arrest, crucifixion and death.

We sense his loneliness and how his heart bleeds at being so misunderstood - even by closed friends. Frustration, disappointment and loneliness all roll into one in this scenario.

All who have been entrusted with God's vision and ministry will face times like these; when we have to carry through God's will despite misunderstanding, opposition, doubt and denial, even from close friends and ministry partners. In times like these, reading and re-reading this passage will give us the strength that we need.

In God's kingdom, the aloneness of ministry is a puzzling truth. In all great things that God wants to do through us, it will have to be through the baptism of loneliness and aloneness.

So Jesus went to the cross alone and took on the servant role alone. But the promise of the kingdom came to us because He was willing to go through it.

In times like these, i find it worthwhile to read Isaiah 52:13 to Isaiah Chapter 53 again.

If our leader so does it, we must be willing too.