Being the visible hands and feet of Jesus.
by Jamin Teran
When someone is asked at church, “What is your gift?” ninety percent of the time they answer, “Service.” Most people consider themselves able to help those in need.
This response fits the biblical model for believers. The words servant, service, and serve appear in the Bible (NIV) over one thousand times. Service is the nature of the King himself. Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28).
In this attitude the church must continue making an impact today. Jesus wanted to make His kingdom known to others. But in a broken world, absent of God, we need to provide opportunities for people to sense the presence of God. We do this through service. We are the visible hands and feet of Jesus — those who make His will and ways known from generation to generation.
Self-service
As simple as this sounds, many Christians have lost the sense of service, pleasing themselves instead.
Though we consider ourselves modern, the human race continues to portray what history has always known: We are in constant conflict with “self.” As social media continues to mold today’s society, we see millions serving themselves by satisfying their need of validation and a sense of belonging. They make Jesus’ words a reality: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Luke 16:13).
Serving God and others cannot be overshadowed by serving our own needs. That endless ambition of being recognized distorts Jesus’ calling on our lives. Making a name for ourselves (Genesis 11), we stray from our relationship with God and miss the opportunity to minister in God’s plan.
Biblical traits
A group of women in the Gospels shows us a different way. Luke 8:2, 3 says they ministered and served alongside Jesus. After encountering Him as Lord and Savior, they responded to His call. Through their example, we see three important traits that inspire service.
Gratitude. Luke tells us that these women were grateful for what Jesus had done for them. Each one had a great deal of brokenness, physically and spiritually. Verse 2 highlights Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus called out seven demons. Having been saved by Jesus, she and other women became His loyal disciples, serving Him and others.
Jesus has done the same for us. We were restored from our own brokenness with the joy of salvation. Jesus removed the bondage of sin that corrupted our hearts and minds. When we are grateful, we find ways to serve Him with our time and gifts.
Giving. Jesus’ ministry required His disciples to travel with Him for three years, so they left everything behind (family, income) and followed Him. We don’t have a record of a thousand miraculous meals in the Bible to feed these men every day, but we do have a record of these women meeting the needs of the group. Each of them gave from their own resources and abilities to make God’s kingdom available to others. This set the example for what we see later in Acts 4, as believers shared their resources among themselves. When we give, as these women did, we serve the needs of others.
Among the women mentioned in Luke 8 was Joanna, whose name means “God is gracious.” Her husband, Chuza, held a position of authority in Herod’s household, and Joanna likely belonged to a prominent Jewish family that served Herod as well. Her willingness to participate in God’s kingdom service by supporting Jesus’ ministry is something to highlight. We don’t know how much she provided for Jesus and His disciples, but her consistency in doing something with what she had speaks highly of her.
Faithfulness. Aside from Mary Magdalene, you do not find women like Joanna, Susanna, or others in this group mentioned very many times in the Gospels. They followed Jesus without any fanfare, even when it was inconvenient and dangerous. They never left Him, not even after His death. These women knew that service was a response to their genuine love for their Lord and Savior. Even when the disciples deserted Jesus, they remained with Him until the end. Faithfulness, though not easy, is a fruit of the Spirit. These women were not eager to be seen or heard; they were eager to remain true to their Lord and serve.
Obeying the call
As soon as Jesus transformed the lives of these women, they were engaged with Him until the end. They knew that they were kingdom servants and were prepared to minister in any way their Master required, awaiting these words at His return: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:23).
We see now why the Lord used these women to announce His resurrection to His disciples (Luke 24:9-12). May we all be willing to serve the true Master, as these women did, to make His kingdom calling a reality in our lives and an extension of His kingdom on earth. When we serve the Lord with gratitude, giving, and faithfulness, He will do great things through us.
