The Servant and His Service
(Mark 1:21-45)

The end of this chapter consists of a summary of practical characteristics that one should possess if he is to be a servant of the Lord.

We could outline them as follows:

  1. Authority
  2. Power
  3. Accessibility
  4. Dependence
  5. Knowledge
  6. Fruit

We commend these qualities to the prayerful consideration of the reader, as he sees them so wonderfully displayed in God's Perfect Servant; the Lord Jesus Christ.

May our service result from learning Him!

Authority

And they go into Capernaum. And straightway on the Sabbath he entered into the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes. (1:21-22)

The first point of all true service is that of authority. Unlike the scribes, the Lord taught with authority. His language was not that of theory, but of fact. Where did such divine assurance come from? In John 7:16 Jesus said, "My doctrine is not mine, but him that sent me." Speaking as the Perfect Man, He recognized that the source of his teaching was not self, but God. He goes on to state that "if anyone desire to practice his will, he shall know concerning the doctrine." (Jn. 17:17) Obedience, not self (including brain power), is the way one advances in the knowledge of the Truth. You might say that communion with God (Jn. 7:16) and a broken will (Jn. 7:17) are the recipes for an enlightened path and a divinely approved way! When one walks such a course his service will bear the stamp of boldness and people will see the reality of the Lord's work in his life. He can, therefore, speak and act with authority - offering God's mind on matters. This will be a great blessing to others. May we, like our Lord, possess the kind of holy boldness that can only come from an obedient and lowly spirit so that what we offer by way of service may cause souls to rest on the authority of God's Word and not our own.

Power

And there was in their synagogue a man possessed by an unclean spirit, and he cried out saying, "Eh! What have we to do with thee, Jesus, Nazarene? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God." And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Hold thy peace and come out of him." And the unclean spirit, having torn him, and uttered a cry with a loud voice, came out of him. And all were amazed, so that they questioned together among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." (1:23-27)

Here we find a second trait our Lord possessed as the Servant: power. Along with His authority came power. Do you know what the Christian's two-fold provision is? They are the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Paul upholds this two-fold provision during the early days of his ministry (Acts 20:32) and latter days of his ministry (2 Tim. 2:13-14). The Bible and the Spirit - Authority and Power. The two must always go together. Paul said to the Thessalonians, "For our glad tidings were not with you in word only, but also in power..." (1 Thess.1:5) Christ possessed not only authority in His words but also power in His deeds. For us, such power can only come by the Holy Spirit, for it is only through a "demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (1 Cor. 2:4) that you and I can overturn the effects of the enemy in the lives of those who "walk according to the ruler and authority of the air." (Eph. 2:2) May we be yielded men and woman so that there can be spiritual power in our service, glory for Christ and fruit for God.

Accessibility

But evening being come, when the sun had gone down, they brought to him all that were suffering, and those possessed by demons; and the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many suffering from various diseases; and he cast out many demons, and did not suffer the demons to speak because they knew him. (1:32-34)

What a beautiful scene. The day is fading and with it, all the energies of the workingman, yet there is one Man who seemed to labor tirelessly. "All that were suffering" are brought to Christ and many are healed. There is grace and mercy for all, yet it is not simply His willingness to serve that we see here, but also, His accessibility. The Spirit of God mentions that the city was gathered "at the door," that is, at the place where He was readily accessible. One might say that our Lord possessed an "open door policy" when it came to those in need! What good is authority and power if it is not made accessible to others? Do we shut our doors on those who need our help? Oh, that we would reflect the heart of the Master who labored tirelessly and beckoned that "whosever will may come."

Dependence

And rising in the morning long before day, he went out and went away into a desert place, and there prayed. (1:35)

Here is the secret to untiring and effective service: dependency. It is not books or seminars on service that determines the fruitfulness of our labor - it is time spent with the Lord in the quiet place. The greatest thing to be feared in the life of God's servant is much ministry and little prayer, much activity and little communion. Do you recall Martha and Mary at home with the Lord? Martha's service was right according to duty, but Mary's was right according to affection and that is always the better half. Duty must spring from affections and affections must be cultivated at the feet of Jesus. Regarding this, Mary indeed chose the better.

One has said somewhere, "There is no strength but in Christ. I have none at any time unless my soul is in communion with Him...Now the direct power of Satan is towards this point, to keep our souls from living on Christ."

Knowledge

And Simon and those with him went after him: and having found him, they say to him, "All seek thee." And he says to them, "Let us go elsewhere into the neighboring country towns, that I may preach there also, for this purpose am I come forth." (1:37-39)

This scene might seem peculiar to some. Simon comes to the Lord and tells him that many are seeking him, undoubtedly those in need. Yet, the Lord decides to depart! Why? Because the ministry of Christ was not determined by the needs of men, but the will of His Father. "For this purpose am I come forth." He had a mission, a purpose. He had just come from morning prayer, seeking God's face in dependency and receiving His directions from heaven. It was the knowledge of the Divine Will that determined the course of His ministry, not man. Though this knowledge included the needs of man, they by themselves did not determine it!

How many today simply serve because there are needs? How many of God's dear children burn themselves out by trying to satisfy everybody rather than following the Lord's lead! If we would but go to God, seeking His will, He shall guide us in our path and commission us according to what we should bare. "Not for numbers, nor for fame, all for service in thy name!"

Fruit

And there comes to him a leper, beseeching him, and falling on his knees to him, and saying to him, "If thou wilt thou canst cleanse me." But Jesus, moved with compassion, having stretched out his hand, touched him, and says to him, "I will, be thou cleansed." And as he spoke straightway the leprosyleft him, and he was cleansed. And having sharply charged him, he straightway sent him away, and says to him, "See thou say nothing to any one, but go, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing what Moses ordained, for a testimony to them." But he, having gone forth, began to proclaim [it] much, and to spread the matter abroad, so that he could no longer enter openly into the city, but was without in desert places, and they came to him from every side. (1:40-45)

Here, at the end of our chapter, we find the result of true service - God receives all the glory. The Lord tells the leper, after he was healed, to go to the priest and offer what Moses ordained according to Leviticus 14:3-4. The law would then become a witness to God's goodness in the healing of the leper. From this we learn an important lesson. As the Servant, he takes no glory to Himself and is content to dwell in obscurity so that His God might alone be exalted! This is the final lesson in the school of service and should be the goal of all those who claim to be the Lord's workman.

Do you serve for the glory of Christ? Can you say, along with the apostle, that "in all things He might have the preeminence?" (Col. 1:18) May this be our desire as we seek to serve Him who is altogether worthy. He must increase and we must decrease, for "where man is removed, Christ is expressed."

We have meditated a little bit on how the Spirit presents our Lord at the end of this chapter. God's servant must possess authority and power if he is to be of any good to the Master. He must ever avail himself of the Word of God and the Spirit of God, but that is not all. He must be accessible to the needs of others and willing to be used. Such activity can be wearisome if not done in dependency, seeking His face in prayer. Such seeking will always result in the kind of spiritual intelligence and purpose that can distinguish between what is God's will and what is simply man's will. In the end, where these qualities are possessed and increasing, Christ alone shall be exalted to the glory of God the Father.


Vin Santanelli