But Whosoever Will Be Great Among You, Let Him Be Your Minister
To stand closest to Jesus, we must learn the spirit of self-renunciation and glad submission to proper authority.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes that true greatness in the Kingdom of God is found in servanthood, as exemplified by Christ, who became a servant to all. He explains the distinction between 'diakanos' (minister) and 'doulos' (bondservant), highlighting that the latter represents the highest form of service through self-renunciation and submission to authority. Simpson encourages believers to embrace a spirit of humility and to yield their own interests for the glory of God and the benefit of others. He calls for a transformation of heart that aligns with the servant nature of Christ, urging the congregation to seek this spirit of ministry in their lives.
Text
The first word here used for service is diakanos, which means minister to others in any usual way or work. The word doulos, however, means a bondservant, and the Lord here plainly teaches us that this is the highest form of service. Christ made himself the servant of all, and he who would come nearest to Him and stand closest to Him at last must likewise learn the spirit of the ministry that has utterly renounced selfish rights and claims forever.
It is quite possible for us to be entirely loyal to the Lord Jesus, and yet for His sake to be servants and under the authority of those who are over us in the Lord.
The doulos spirit is the spirit of self-renunciation and glad submission to proper authority-service utterly disinterested, yielding its own preferences and interests unreservedly for the glory of the Master and the sake of our brethren. Lord, clothe us with such humility and make us wholly Thine.
Sermon Outline
- The Meaning of Service points: - Ministering to Others - The Greek word diakanos
- The Highest Form of Service points: - Being a Bondservant (doulos) - Renouncing Selfish Rights and Claims
- Loyalty to the Lord points: - Being Loyal to Jesus - Submitting to Authority
- The Spirit of Self-Renunciation points: - Disinterested Service - Yielding to Proper Authority
Key Quotes
“Christ made himself the servant of all, and he who would come nearest to Him and stand closest to Him at last must likewise learn the spirit of the ministry that has utterly renounced selfish rights and claims forever.” — A.B. Simpson
“The doulos spirit is the spirit of self-renunciation and glad submission to proper authority-service utterly disinterested, yielding its own preferences and interests unreservedly for the glory of the Master and the sake of our brethren.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- We must be willing to renounce our own preferences and interests for the sake of others.
- We must learn to submit to proper authority with gladness and humility.
- The key to standing closest to Jesus is to learn the spirit of self-renunciation and submission to authority.