The Servant King Series

Introduction

In the movie The Princess Diaries, young princess Mia makes a speech about her decision whether or not to accept the role as princess of Genovia.

I wondered how I’d feel after abdicating my role as princess of Genovia. Would I feel relieved or would I feel sad? And then I realized how many stupid times a day I use the word I. In fact, probably all I ever do is think about myself. And how lame is that when there are 7 billion people out there on this planet? But then I thought, if I cared about the other 7 billion people out there instead of just me, that’s probably a much better use of my time. You see, if I were princess of Genovia, then my thoughts and the thoughts of people smarter than me would be much better heard, and just maybe those thoughts could be turned into action.

Elapsed time: 01:40:55 to 01:44:41 (DVD scene 25).

Why did THIS baby change the world?

Jesus came into the world and nothing has ever been the same, we even change the way that we keep track of the years. But why?

There have been other leaders born – lots of them, but none of them continue to make the kind of impact that Jesus does, not one.

Mark’s gospel starts differently than the others, in that there is very little background information, Jesus comes right after John, and is Baptized in the Jordan river and a voice reveals – This is my son, whom I love, Listen to him.

The Roman’s knew power – and this looks like power

The Jews had dreamed of power – and this looked like what they waited for.

In Mark chapter 9 Jesus is on the mountain with Moses and Elijah – and he is in the end standing alone – that is real power

Someone just forgot to tell Jesus

1. The Baby and the Kingdom of God

Mark 10:43-45 (NIV)

43 “…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

I want to back us up a few chapters so that you can get in on the conversations that the disciples were having after Jesus was on the mountain with His disciples, appearing with the greatest hero’s of the Jewish nation. Moses, who was the great lawgiver, and Elijah who was the prophet all others were compared against – God’s man for the nation.

The Disciples thought – we’re with the greatest leader in the whole would – we’re going to be great in the kingdom

• You know that when your team is doing well it is easy to wear the clothes with your insignia on it, because we are going to will, or we won the championship

• If you follow a great leader then you are great – that is the way that the disciples felt

They were arguing about who was the greatest among the disciples and James and John even went so far as to ask if they would be allowed to sit in the places of highest honor in the Kingdom – making all the rest of the disciples made (I think because they didn’t ask the question first)

They are not alone – we have a lot of people that treat the Kingdom of God like a club to beat the rest of the world into shape.

Jesus told the disciples that this kind of kingdom and leadership is not why he came

Mark 10:41-43 (NIV)

41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

They didn’t understand the reason that Jesus came in the first place.

Jesus made his purpose clear

Mark 10:45 (NIV)

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

A. Jesus coming made him a king that was different from all the others kings in all history. He came not to be served, but to be served.

Think about all the over paid athletes, entertainers, politicians who travel with entourages, maids, handlers, and all other kinds of servants that take care of all the details of life. A 1st century king could have anything he wanted at any time