If Any Man Series 3

06 April 2017 If Any Man Series 3 – Manna by Dorothy Callies

Mark 9:35 “And he sat down and called the twelve, and said to them, IF ANY MAN desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.” [Desire to be first means want to be number one]

Jesus went through Galilee and came to Capernaum and went into the house.  Jesus asked, “What were you arguing about on the road?  The disciples did not answer because they were kind of embarrassed that they had argued who should be number one.

Why did the disciples do that?  The disciples knew that some day when Jesus takes over the future kingdom on earth, each of the disciples wanted to be number one. It means each disciple wanted to have a very important place with Jesus.

Then Jesus found a chair and sat down and He called twelve of His disciples to Him. He said, “Whoever wants to be the most important must be the last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35, NVC).  He took a small child and had him stand in the middle of twelve disciples.  

Jesus had taken the child in His arms and said to them, “Whoever accepts a child like this in My name accepts Me . . . (Mark 9:36 NCV).   In another word, to accept a child means whoever is willing to serve this child is the same way as you are being willing to serve Jesus. In many people’s view, serving a child seems to be the lowest position, but in Jesus’ view, you are serving Jesus.

I watched a classic movie called, Bonanza and they had a story about raising money for the orphanage children who have lost their parents and their families. It was during Christmas time, orphan children were invited to Ben Cartwright’s big ranch home. It was an excited time for the children to receive gifts from Santa Claus. It was also a time to announce how much they had raised money for the children’s needs.

What impressed me was how the people who were so willing to “serve the children” by providing their needs. They had a special singer to sing to the children and Ben would read Christmas story.  It was a great blessing to watch children’s face being lit up.

So Jesus is saying to all of us, “Do you want to be number one?  Then you become a servant of all.  A servant is the one that serve; helping others and meet their needs. Take notice when others need help.  There’s a song that goes with this verse, Mark 9:35.

Song: If You Would Be Great—

If you would be great in God’s kingdom,

then learn to be servant of all . . .

If you would be great in God’s kingdom,

then learn to be servant of all . . .

Learn to be servant of all . . .

Learn to be servant of all . . .

I’ll open up a river when thou art a giver

and learn to be servant of all . . .

[Author, unknown] 

May the Lord bless you today!

Dorothy