LESSON ESSENTIALS

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

LESSON 2: SERVANT LEADERSHIP

Who would sign up for life as a slave, or to be someone’s servant “For am I now seeking the
rather than the master? It is upside down kind of thinking – but this is approval of man, or of God? Or
precisely the life that Jesus Christ has called all of us to. But we may am I trying to please man? If I
were still trying to please man, I
wonder what it means to both serve others and also lead them? How
would not be a servant of
can a person be the least and the greatest at the same time? This Christ.”
lesson looks at the character virtue of servant leadership which Jesus
set the example for. It requires putting the will of God and the good of Galatians 1:10
others before our own. Read on to find out more!
 The disciples must have been very perplexed as they were sitting down
for their Passover meal. Instead of a servant laying aside his robe and
“Whoever would be great washing the dirt off their feet before they ate, Jesus Himself was doing
among you must be your it! Any one of the disciples should have been washing Jesus’ feet.
servant, and whoever
Jesus didn’t come to earth to be served, but to serve. Saving us from our
would be first among you
sins required sacrifice on His part.
must be your slave, even
as the Son of Man came Why was Jesus washing the disciples’ feet? In the Gospel of John, we
not to be served but to read: “He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it
serve, and to give his life around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash
as a ransom for many. “ the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped
around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you
Matthew 20:26-28
wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not
understand now, but afterward you will understand.”… When he had
washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place,
he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call
me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord
and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do
just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not
greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who
sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
(John 13:4-7, 12-17)

Jesus was no less a leader because He humbled Himself, and no less a

king because He took up the work of a servant. He simply demonstrated
what it means to lay aside our own personal will for the will of God. This
is what servant leaders do.

When people take a position of leadership, it is often difficult and

stressful, but many are willing to bear with it for the rewards of power
and honour and wealth. After all, there is security in being the one who
sets direction and have people follow you. But this is worldly leadership,
and not the leadership Jesus Christ displayed. All Christian leadership
should be servant leadership.

Here is Jesus’ definition of servant leadership: “Whoever would be great

among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among
you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served
but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many“ (Matthew 20:26-
28).

But this leaves us with all sorts of questions! Can a leader really maintain
his or her position if they do the work of the servants they lead? What
will people think of them? How can they have sufficient time to both
serve and lead?

Jesus’ life confused many people because they were expecting

something different of the Messiah, the promised Saviour from God!

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They expected a leader who would take power from the Romans, amass
an army, and draw worldly glory to Himself. Instead, Jesus was a man who
ate and drank with ordinary people, bent down to heal leapers and the Jesus used His power not
unclean, and stooped to wash His disciples’ feet. to control others, but to
love them and call them
Throughout His ministry, Jesus taught servanthood by the words He spoke
to the truth. He set aside
and by His actions. Even after His resurrection, in His glorified body, Jesus
His own honour in order
made breakfast for His followers (John 21:4-14). And yet, Jesus is
to obey the will of His
remembered as one of the most powerful leaders in all of history. He did
Father, even to the point
not rule by oppression or fear, but with love and truth. What other leader
of dying a humiliating
in the history of the world has had such a following?
death on a cross.
Jesus used His power not to control others, but to love them and call them
to the truth. He set aside His own honour in order to obey the will of His
Father, even to the point of dying a humiliating death on a cross. In the
same way, we can lead with the power that comes from putting God’s will
first and acting out of love for our followers. It is love that changes hearts
and minds and brings about repentance and faith.

As a leader, if you truly want to follow Jesus’ example, consider it an

honour to serve those you lead, and do it for their good rather than your
own glory. This is the call of Jesus Christ on our lives: that we serve as He
served and love as He loved!

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 IN REVIEW

• Servant leadership is acting for God’s glory rather than our own,
and the good of others before ourselves.

• Jesus modeled servant leadership, and demonstrated that it is

more powerful than worldly models of fear and control. Jesus
told us that we must serve one another, even to the point of
humiliation.

• If we truly want to be disciples of Jesus Christ, we will examine

how we lead and choose to please God.

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 HAVE YOUR SAY
• What would being a servant leader look like in the place where
you lead? In your church and community, how could you serve
others and take on tasks that might be beneath you in order to
put the will of God and needs of others first?

• What is your heart reaction to the idea of serving others? Does

it make you angry, afraid, skeptical or delighted? Does God
need to change your heart so that you are able to serve others
as you lead? Spend some time in prayer talking to God about
how servant leadership makes you feel.

• Think of leaders you respect and admire. Do they demonstrate

servant leadership? What would change if people knew that
their leaders desired to serve God and others before
themselves? Would they gain followers? Be taken advantage
of? Be a good witness of the Gospel?

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible,

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2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
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