“In the same way, the Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people,” Matthew 20:26-28.
Jesus is not just looking for kingdom leadership in the ‘ecclesia’ of men and women of God [the ‘called out ones,’ the ‘elect’ individuals chosen by God for salvation]. The calling must be rooted in biblical theology, but in the ‘laity’ you do the work of the Kingdom of God.
“Many are called, few are chosen,” Matthew 22:14.
While a large number of people receive God’s invitation to salvation (the ‘called’), only a smaller group respond, accept and follow Him (Jesus). They are the chosen or the elect.
Jesus taught his disciples/leaders how to be revolutionary leaders and how to open the window of wisdom, calling for the church to enter into servant hood as a model to the world. Jesus called for ‘humility,’ instructing us all to put others first and serve in practical ways. He reversed worldly leadership, stating the first must be last. He declared: “Whoever wants to be great, must be a servant, and whoever wants to be first must be willing to serve others.”
A servant leader is a symbol of God’s ministry. He or she must exemplify a new leadership that gives the word of God to build other’s. Not as a facilitator, or a public speaker, but a chosen vessel of God to bring people into true spirituality to serve the Lord with their whole heart.
Serving the Lord with your whole heart means dedicating your entire being, affections and actions to God without reservation. As described in Deuteronomy 6:5 and Ephesians 6:7, it involves sincere devotion—acting with a spirit of excellence and loving obedience. You do the work for the Kingdom of God rather than just for human approval.
A great leader is seen as a servant first—to be the new moral guide into the time that we live, not focusing in on being authoritative, but releasing authority into the lives of all who are granted the permission and power to lead. They are proven to be servants first. This motto provides peace and unity in the church, but the calling to ministry as a leader leads us into a projective vision that executes authority in the spirit of God. This is ‘kingdom leadership,’ that leads people to God, not to man. It directs them to have faith and to trust God—and to hear God‘s voice for themselves.
Jesus tells His disciples that to be a leader or great in His kingdom, one must first be a servant to others. He contrasts this with worldly leaders who dominate others for self gain—actions driven by personal benefits, spanning financial gain, social advancement, or emotional satisfaction. ‘I came to serve, not to be served, and to give My life as a ransom.’
The key aspect of Jesus’ teaching on servant leadership is a radical shift of true greatness that is measured by service, not status, reversing the typical worldly power structure.
Jesus used Himself as the ultimate example: ‘the Son of Man has come to serve rather than to be served.’ This is a loving action rather by not focusing on yourself when your focus should be on others.
