Instagram Jesus Week 3: Devotional Day 6

Instagram Jesus Week 3: Devotional Day 6

DAY 6 – Saturday

Daily devotional

Read

Mark 10:42-45

Ask

How can you imitate Christ’s humility in serving others and thinking of others better than yourself? Talk as a LifeGroup about:

1) What opportunities and needs you have to serve within your group

2) How you could serve together for the broader mission of the kingdom

Reflect

There is something remarkable about Jesus. He has all power and authority, yet he uses it in service. When two of his disciples come to him seeking positions of great power (Mark 10:35-37), Jesus uses it as a teaching moment for all of the disciples. Jesus begins by acknowledging that the desire to pursue power and use it to exercise authority over others is part of the culture they live in. Perhaps it’s not that different than our culture today. Instead of living in this way, however, Jesus calls them to live in a different manner, in the way he himself has lived, a life dedicated to service. As James Edwards writes in his commentary on today’s passage, “service is love made tangible”.[1 

When you encounter today’s Ask question, don’t be too quick to give a short answer and say ‘service is great’ and move on. Really take the time to think about it for your own life and discuss it in your LifeGroups.

Regarding the first Ask question to talk about in your LifeGroups, think about specific opportunities you have to be of service to one another. Realize too that acknowledging a need for help could be a struggle for some people. Yet, from life experience, we all know that we all need help at one time or another. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Realize that it is a blessing to be served, yet it is also a blessing for the one serving to have that opportunity!

For the second question, try to come up with something you could do together as a group. Yes, it is likely true that every member of your group has ways in which they are serving in different areas. That is great! Celebrate how the group is reaching into multiple communities. There is something special, though, when people have the experience of serving alongside one another on a particular project. Is there an opportunity within the next two months for you to serve together?

[1] James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Mark, Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002), 325.