Sacrificial Servant

 

    Jesus was the sacrificial servant for the world.  He was mutilated, tortured, and mocked for our benefit.  He emptied himself and was silently oppressed, so we can have a guaranteed opportunity for salvation.  He died the worst criminal death of the time when he was innocent, so that we can become innocent.

    Jesus was crucified on a course wooden cross.  It is a horrible and slow way to die.  It was meant to be prolonged torture, but it was still an execution.  He died as any human, but he is also God.  That means that death was unable to keep him.  He allowed it to happen.  He had the authority to end it, but he chose to be obedient to God's design instead.

    Jesus' taught how to be obedient to the point of death.  That is what a servant is called to do sometimes.  She was verbally abused, insulted, lied about, and more.  He showed Christians how to endure.  He went so far to ask God to forgive us for what we put him through.  

    Christians are servants to the world in representation of Jesus.  We have to learn how to accept insults, rumors, and more harsh things to represent God.  We are not to be a door mat, but we are not to lower ourselves to the same standards of those that do not know Jesus.  We are called to be Jesus' servants and representatives.  It is bigger than our ego.

    Jesus could have stopped it at any time in a way that we cannot.  Yet, he endured because it was necessary for our benefit.  Physical bodies will fail, but our souls are eternal.  If Jesus had not become out sacrifice, then there would be no hope for humanity.  

    Jesus showed us how to love God and people.  He took our sins as if they were his own, so that they could be destroyed.  Sin is a big deal.  Do not play it down.  Sin holds serious and eternal consequences.  Sin leads to more than physical death.  It kills any hope for eternal peace.  

    If you are Christian, then it pushes you away from God until you can feel lost.  Once you become a Christian, you still have to repent any sin you discover to stay close to God.  Don't be satisfied to just enter Heaven.  Allow heaven to enter you now, so you can live with an inner peace.

Psalms 53:4-6, 143:7-12, Mark 10:35-45, Romans 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 12:14-15, & Philippians 2:1-8