CYCLE 2 Module 7
MODULAR
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SERVANTHOOD: A WAY OF LIFE
Hi there! Welcome back to our Modular Formation. We are now on Module 7. At the end of this module,
you are expected to:
1. Define Christ-like and authentic servanthood
2. Cite examples that manifests a servant’s attitude.
3. Envision oneself as Christ-like servants
REVIEW
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LET’s GO!
ACTIVITY 1
Examine the editorial and answer the
questions that follow:
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What are the symbols used in the cartoon?
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What does each symbol represent?
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What does the cartoon imply?
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What kind of leadership was Jesus showing with His washing of the disciples’ feet?
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Who is your role model as a leader?
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Why was Christ the Perfect Model base on the
bible scriptures?
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What are His characteristics as a leader?
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If you love Jesus, what will you do in order to follow Him?
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What is SEVANTHOOD for you?
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Read and Learn
When deciding which path to follow in life,
when exposed to ideas that are contrary to
your faith, when faced with challenges that will
test your values, your decision-making ability,
your faith and maturity, there is no greater
wisdom than that which comes from a growing
relationship with Jesus. There is no friendship
you will have in life that will give you more
confidence, more self-assurance, or mean
more to you than your friendship with him.
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What is the significance of this scripture to you as
a Servant Leader?
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Servanthood depends on your choices that lead to becoming more and more like Christ. When you start
the process and then stick to it, you will soon discover that the most difficult transition any believer will
make is to become more and more like Jesus Christ . . . which actually means to become a servant (bond-
slave). The reason that servanthood is so difficult for a believer is that it begins with dying to self. Scripture
emphasizes that “dying to self” is a believer’s responsibility. Luke 9:23-24, And he said to all, “If anyone
would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would
save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (See also Romans 12:2;
Colossians 3:5, 8- 10; 1 Peter 2:11—full text listed in box on second page.) “Dying to self,” however,
cannot be accomplished by one’s own power or insight. If “dying to self” depended solely on our abilities,
we couldn’t and wouldn’t become more like Christ, since our wisdom and strength are woefully
inadequate to accomplish that transformation. Thank God, through His mercy and abundant grace, He
has provided divinely powerful and completely sufficient resources (Jesus Himself, Holy Spirit, Scripture)
to enable a believer to mature spiritually. The issue is not God’s supply, which is more than ample for a
believer to mature spiritually. The issue is a believer’s willingness to rely on God’s plan and power to
become a fruitful servant of Christ by leaving old patterns of life in order to be conformed to the image of
Christ. Bible verses are often not difficult to understand, but applying them to our lives is, often, an all-
out war. Yet, surprisingly, many believers clamor for “more of God” in just about every way possible
except dying to self. For example, we hear a lot about “renewal” and “revival” and the pressing need for
these supernatural moves of God in Servanthood identifies believers in any century the Body of Christ.
Neither of these will ever be authentic moves of God unless individual believers and entire church families
come to grips with the practical implications of being Christ-like servants. Becoming Christ-like must, of
necessity, include dying to self. Dying to self, though, is not the focus of everyday life. Jesus has been and
always will be the focus of a maturing disciple’s life. Believers are to focus on Christ, the perfect servant.
As we maintain this focus, we will realize that Christ- centered servanthood comes from the inside out,
accomplished by our cooperation with God in developing the character of Jesus within us. As that inward
development progresses, we will respond more and more in a Christ-like manner to life’s situations and,
especially, in our interactions with others.
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THE MODEL OF SERVANTHOOD (JOHN 13:1-17)
At the most critical time of His life, Jesus exemplified the heart and action of a true servant in John 13, a
few hours before His arrest and subsequent crucifixion. The timing of this servant example should help us
realize that there is not any time in which servanthood gets a holiday, since being a servant is a way of
life.
Scripture References
Romans 12:2, Do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that by testing you may discern what is the will of
God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
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Colossians 3:5-10, 5 Put to death therefore what
is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity,
passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is
idolatry. ... 8 But now you must put them all
away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene
talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one
another, seeing that you have put off the old self
with its practices 10 and have put on the new self,
which is being renewed in knowledge after the
image of its creator.
What happens if we entertain these self-destructive and self-centered tendencies?
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1 Peter 2:11, Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which
wage war against your soul.
Philippians 2:5-7, Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very
nature of a servant.
Hebrews 12:1-2, Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside
every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured
the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
John 13:1-4, Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart
out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray
him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God
and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it
around his waist. In those days, dirty roads and open sandals made for quite dirty feet, even dirty legs. As
a result, servants washed the feet of guests when they arrived at a home. If there were no servants, usually
the first arriving guest took on that responsibility (maybe that’s where the concept of “fashionably late”
came from . . . who would want to wash feet?). At this evening gathering, known historically as the Last
Supper, no disciple volunteered to wash feet – the room was filled with proud hearts and dirty soles. The
disciples were more than willing to fight for a throne (position and prestige) but not fight for a towel. It
was at that point that the Master and Lord of the group began to wash feet, which allowed disciples of all
ages to learn the lessons of authentic servanthood.
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John 13:5, Then he poured water into a basin and
began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them
with the towel that was wrapped around him. While
the disciples perhaps winced at their lack of basic
social etiquette, Jesus taught them a basic principle of
servanthood, which was unannounced service with
no thought of recognition or return. Sometimes we
serve, but we want it to be announced so others can
“observe our humility.” Who hasn’t done a good deed
for someone else and then announced the results,
often looking for some form of thanks? However,
authentic servanthood makes no such
announcement. Jesus, in his interaction with Peter,
presented another facet of servanthood – authentic servants not only give . . . they know how to receive
as well. John 13:6-11, He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus
answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter
said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share
with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to
him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And
you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not
all of you are clean.” Believers who are not humble and meek do not give sacrificially for the welfare of
others. They have an enormous reluctance to receive from others as well. At the root of both of these
extremes is the same problem – PRIDE. It is important to point out that Christ-like servanthood is strength,
not weakness. From that position of the “strength of sacrifice,” servant disciples are not concerned with,
“If I do this for them, they might take advantage of me and expect me to do it always.” Or, “If I receive
from them, I owe them and will have to repay in some way.”
ACTIVITY 2
How would you DEFINE each characteristic of servanthood?
HUMILITY →__________________________________________________________________________
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COMPASSION →_______________________________________________________________________
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NO SELF-SEEKING AMBITION →___________________________________________________________
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SACRIFICE →__________________________________________________________________________
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How would you APPLY each characteristic of servanthood in your role as a servant leader?
HUMILITY →__________________________________________________________________________
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COMPASSION →_______________________________________________________________________
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FAITHFULNESS →_______________________________________________________________________
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NO SELF-SEEKING AMBITION →___________________________________________________________
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SACRIFICE →__________________________________________________________________________
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Authentic servanthood does not play the game of “who served whom last.” Jesus broke through that
façade by teaching His disciples that true servanthood was designed to impact a much wider audience.
John 13:12-14, When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he
said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are
right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another’s feet.” After Jesus washed their feet, the disciples could have easily thought that Jesus expected
them to wash His feet in response. However, instead of saying, “Now wash my feet,” Jesus broke through
their veneer of pride by telling them to “wash one another’s feet” whenever that opportunity arose, not
waiting to serve, in return, those who served them first. With an all-encompassing perspective of being a
servant, Jesus destroyed the shallow servanthood mentality of “If I wash your feet, you wash mine” or “If
I scratch your back, you scratch mine” or “You do something for me and I’ll do something for you.” Isn’t
that our problem with entering into authentic Christ-like servanthood? A wife cooks her husband his
favorite meal and then thinks, “He didn’t even say thank you or even notice.” A husband makes a repair
and thinks, “I worked hard at this and no one said a thing.” Or, a teenager cleans up his/her mess, picks
up after others and then thinks, “Never again – nobody said thank you or congratulated me on my efforts.”
In the church, believers sometimes think, “Doesn’t anyone ever notice my ministry in the church? I have
such a thankless job!” Notice this key point that Jesus emphasized about authentic servanthood – A true
servant meets others’ needs, not as a return gesture or to expect accolades. Instead, a true servant serves
so the recipients of his service will respond in service to others.
Reasons of Servanthood:
1) To be like Jesus
2) To demonstrate service to others so they will understand the practicality of servanthood and will pass
it on.
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SERVANT ACTIONS
How do we get to that level of Christ-honoring
service? Jesus, in teaching His disciples, brings
servanthood out of the theoretical realm and into an
everyday expression of following Him. John 13:15-16,
“For I have given you an example, that you also
should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say
to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is
a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”
Christ-like servanthood is something a disciple of
Christ does, not something that a disciple merely
studies or discusses. Jesus washed feet, so they were
to do likewise. Jesus was looking for action, not
theory. Sometimes we treat not only servanthood but
our entire manner of Christian living much like the employees of a company whose boss left for an
extended trip. When the boss returned to his company, he noticed the unkempt lawn and building
exterior. Trash was all over the parking lot. Windows were dirty. Hinges on the front door were coming
off. He walked into lobby and there was the receptionist with her hair unkempt, feet on the desk, filing
her nails, and listening to the local rock station – and the phones were ringing off the hook. The TV volume
in the employees lounge was deafening, and the room was filled with employees eating snacks and telling
jokes. The large table in the conference room was covered with board games. The boss asked his
employees, “Didn’t you get my letters that told you what to do?” They replied, “Certainly, we have ‘letter
study’ every Friday night where we divide into small groups and discuss what you wrote. We even
memorize some portions of your letter, and we think they’re great. We meet on Sunday morning and one
of us expounds your letters so that we can learn more from them.” The Boss said, “Fine, you received my
instructions, you studied them, you meditated on them, you learned from them, even memorized them –
but what did you do about them? The bottom line to authentic, Christ-like servanthood is this – becoming
a Christ-like servant involves specific action and is not merely a topic of conversation or class study.
SERVANT ATTITUDE
What characteristic of Christ were shown when He
washed the disciples’ feet?
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Not only is servanthood seen in actions, but it can never be divorced from the right attitude. That attitude
is seen in two characteristics of Christ – meek (gentle) and lowly (humble). Figuratively speaking, when
you wash feet, be careful with the temperature of the water. When your attitude is wrong, it is easy to
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wash another’s feet in boiling, or freezing, water. Some people, with a self-oriented perspective, do not
even use water to wash another’s feet. They simply try to scrub the dirt away with a rough instrument, to
the point of removing the skin as well. When a servant’s attitude reflects the character of Christ, there
are remarkable results. Not only are the needs of others met, but also the servant providing the help
receives a tremendous blessing from the Lord. That blessing is easy to recognize.
SERVANT BENEFIT
True servants of Christ are identifiable. Being blessed by the Lord, they typically abound with His joy. John
13:17, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” “Blessed” means “happy,” and a
servant’s happiness hinges on the right attitude (meek and lowly) that accompanies service to others. Do
you want to be truly happy and full of the joy that only Jesus can give? If so, then be a blessing to others
with no announcement of your service and no thought of any reward or acknowledgment from those
whom you are serving. Minister as unto Christ, since the bottom line for a servant is the realization that
“…it is the Lord Christ whom you serve” (Colossians 3:24).
SERVANTHOOD APPLICATION
• SERVANTHOOD DEPENDS ON A RESPONSE TO
CHRIST’S LOVE
Immature believers will not be Christ-like servants,
because they do not fully understand and, thus, do
not respond to the love of Christ in everyday life. 2
Corinthians 5:14-15, For the love of Christ controls us
[hems us in, directs us, compels us], because we have
concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all
have died; and he died for all, that those who live
might no longer live for themselves but for him who
for their sake died and was raised. Christ-like
servanthood is strength not weakness
• SERVANTHOOD IS LINKED TO FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE TO SCRIPTURE
Continually immature believers have a habit of not learning from Scripture and, thus, are not oriented to
obeying God’s truth. John 14:15, If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Hebrews 5:12-14, For
though by this time you ought to be teachers, you
need someone to teach you again the basic
principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not
solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled
in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But
solid food is for the mature, for those who have their
powers of discernment trained by constant practice
to distinguish good from evil. If we, as believers in
Christ, are serious about allowing Christ to be the
Lord of our lives, our commitment to Him will be
readily demonstrated by an eagerness to obey His
word. For many believers, Christ- like servanthood
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will never be a reality because they do not have a habit of obeying God’s Word in their personal lives.
• SERVANTHOOD DEPENDS ON PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT WITH PEOPLE
Just as we don’t get in physical shape by reading a book, so servanthood will not be part of our lives if we
only read about it. Servanthood has to be demonstrated “up close and personal” with others who need
help. Sometimes the help given will focus on physical aspects of life, but the help may also be in response
to an emotional or spiritual need in another’s life.
• SERVANTHOOD INVOLVES SERVING WHERE OTHERS WILL NOT
A true servant doesn’t hide from the most thankless
jobs that no one else will touch. Often this is as basic
as showing kindness to the most arrogant, spiteful,
proud, and rude people you can imagine –
sometimes those with whom we must work, sit
beside in class, or even have as family members.
Christ-like servanthood continues no matter what
the response, especially when it looks as if “I have
been burned enough already.” If we don’t serve in
the situations that are difficult, how will we learn
what it means to die to self and how will anyone else
learn what it means to have “new life in Christ”?
Serving only when and where we “feel like it” is what
we did prior to knowing Christ.
• SERVANTHOOD ALLOWS US TO GIVE UP OUR PERSPECTIVES TO EMBRACE CHRIST’S PERSPECTIVE
To gain the perspective of Christ is a difficult mental and attitudinal switch, but it must be done. We must
stop basing our decisions to serve others on what we think or how we “feel,” and, instead start basing our
decisions for serving on obedience to Scripture and following the example of Christ. One of the convenient
excuses some use to avoid true servanthood is to say or think, “I can’t do it.” As members of God’s family,
all of us could encourage an advancement of servanthood in the Body of Christ by reminding one another
to discard the “I can’t” phrase when it is used in conjunction with serving others. If one avoids being a
servant, a believer would be more accurate to say, “I won’t.” Those who have the promise of “I can do all
things through him (Christ) who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) are denying the power of God in their
lives by using “I can’t” as an excuse not to serve.
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Name: Date:
Diocese/ Parish: Cycle and Module #:
MODULAR REFLECTION:
1. Define Christ-like servanthood.
2. Describe the characteristics that must develop among servant leaders
3. Think of people or personalities who manifests authentic servanthood.
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Draw an editorial cartoon of how you envision yourself as a servant leader. Write a brief explanation.
Thank you. Keep safe ☺
“For whatever you do to the least, you do unto me.”
Matthew 25
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