Leading Like Jesus: Serving Others First.
Leadership that Follows the Way of Christ.
Jesus changed the definition of greatness—not by commanding crowds, but by kneeling to serve. True leadership in God’s Kingdom means humbling ourselves and lifting others up, putting their needs before our own. When we serve with love and humility, we reflect the very heart of Yeshua, who “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
This kind of servant leadership isn’t about recognition or power; it’s about quietly, faithfully meeting needs, washing feet, and walking alongside others in their journeys. When we choose humility—listening, encouraging, and sharing life together—we become channels of God’s grace and healing in our communities.
As you learn to lead through service, let the Holy Spirit shape your heart. Lean into those small, unseen acts of kindness. Remember, every gentle word, every prayer, every act of service builds the Kingdom in ways that echo into eternity.
Journal Prompt: Where can you serve someone quietly this week, expecting nothing in return? Write down your reflections, and ask Ruach HaKodesh to fill you with Christ’s servant heart.
May your leadership be marked by the humility, love, and courage of Yeshua, as you follow His example in both word and deed.
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Learning Objectives
- Lead through service, ensuring that humility is at the core of pastoral ministry.
- Embody Christ’s servant heart, leading others by serving them in love and humility.
Intro
The Servant’s Towel: Jesus Redefines Leadership.
Beloved, when Yeshua knelt with a towel and a basin to wash His disciples’ feet, He redefined greatness for all who would follow Him. In a world that prizes position, power, and prestige, our Messiah points us to a radically different model—leadership through service. John 13 describes that night before the cross, as Yeshua quietly took the role of a servant, kneeling to clean the dust from feet that would soon run, stumble, and even betray Him. He asked, “Do you understand what I have done to you? ... I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:12-15)
Here’s the wonder of Christ’s leadership: He is the King of Kings, yet He stoops to serve. He is our Lord, yet He loves us with hands willing to work in the mess of daily life. This is not just a call for the select few, but for every believer who desires to lead with His heart. “The greatest among you will be your servant” (Matthew 23:11). And He reminds us, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Can you imagine the impact on your church, your family, your workplace, if everyone began to lead by serving? Think about the single mum at church who quietly prepares meals for others, or the pastor who prays with a troubled teen after everyone has gone home. Real leadership in the Kingdom is most often seen in unseen acts of love. When we lead with a servant’s heart, we echo the humility and compassion of our Lord.
Philippians 2 calls us to “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus ... who made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant.” The call is to think less about ourselves and more about how we can be a blessing to others. As we humble ourselves, we create space for Ruach HaKodesh to work through us, and we become safe places for others to find hope, healing, and the love of Yahweh.
🌿 Journal prompt: Where is God inviting you to pick up the servant’s towel this week? Is there someone you can serve with a simple act of love or encouragement? Write down one step you can take, and ask Yeshua to give you His heart of humility.
Prayer: Father, give us the servant’s heart of Yeshua. Teach us to lead by serving, to love without limits, and to find true greatness in humility. May our lives be marked by acts of kindness, compassion, and sacrificial love, for Your glory and the good of others. Amen.
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Point 1
True Humility: The Heartbeat of Kingdom Leadership.
Family, if we are honest, humility isn’t always easy to practice. Our world celebrates the loud, the self-promoting, the ones who always have the answer. Yet Yeshua shows us something utterly countercultural—a leadership rooted in humility, not in seeking the spotlight, but in quietly esteeming others above ourselves. Philippians 2:3-8 says, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. … Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Yahweh’s vision for His Church is a community where humility is not weakness, but true strength.
Think about how Yeshua washed the disciples’ feet, including Judas who would betray Him and Peter who would deny Him. Humility in the Kingdom isn’t selective; it reaches everyone, regardless of their response. The humble shepherd loves the lost sheep, welcomes the doubter, and restores the broken, not with judgment, but with mercy. Mark 10:43-44 rings out: “Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be servant of all.” This upside-down call leads to breakthrough and healing, both in our own hearts and in those we lead.
Let’s bring this closer to home. Maybe you’ve led a team at work, served on a church roster, or tried to care for your family in a busy season. Humility looks like listening when it’s easier to talk, forgiving when you’d rather hold a grudge, or taking the blame when things go wrong. Humility isn’t about putting ourselves down—it’s about lifting others up. Colossians 3 reminds us to “put on… compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” This is what creates safe communities where grace flows and the Spirit moves freely.
Our communities desperately need leaders—mums, dads, teens, teachers, pastors—who lead not for their own gain but for the joy of seeing others thrive. Humility draws people together, breaks down walls, and turns ordinary acts into holy moments. If you ever doubt whether your hidden service matters, remember Yeshua’s words: “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” (John 13:17)
🌿 Journal prompt: Where has pride crept into your heart or actions lately? Is there a relationship or situation where humility could bring restoration or healing? Write your honest thoughts and ask Ruach HaKodesh to reveal any blind spots.
Prayer: Yahweh, search our hearts and uproot pride. Fill us with Christlike humility. Help us love, listen, and serve as You do, so Your Kingdom is revealed through every act of obedience and grace. Amen.
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Point 2
Serving Like Christ: The Power of Foot-Washing Leadership.
Beloved, when we talk about leadership in the Kingdom, Yeshua gives us a breathtakingly humble model: He takes up the towel, kneels before His disciples, and washes their feet. In John 13:12-15, Yeshua says, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” Here is the heart of true leadership—service that flows from love, not obligation or recognition. In the world’s eyes, the leader is served. In the eyes of Yeshua, the leader serves.
Imagine the vulnerability of the foot-washing moment: dirty feet, tired travelers, the Son of God kneeling to cleanse the dust from their journey. This wasn’t just a symbol; it was a call to action. Every time you offer a listening ear, encourage a weary soul, pray for a neighbor, or serve behind the scenes, you are taking up the towel and modeling Christ’s servant heart. Mark 10:45 declares, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” There is power when leaders choose the path of humility.
I’ve witnessed powerful moments of breakthrough in ministry and family life when someone set aside their own agenda and simply served. Maybe it was a pastor quietly stacking chairs after everyone left, a parent comforting a child late into the night, or a friend sacrificing their time to walk with someone through grief. These simple acts often carry the greatest anointing, because they echo the love of Yeshua. True greatness is found not in our title, but in our willingness to love and serve like our Lord.
If you’re weary or unnoticed in your service, be encouraged—Yahweh sees. In Matthew 23:11, Yeshua reminds us, “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” The small acts of service, the quiet prayers, and the gentle encouragements matter deeply in the Kingdom. Each time you wash someone’s feet, in word or deed, you declare, “I am with you. You are loved. You are worth it.”
🌿 Journal prompt: Who is the Holy Spirit calling you to serve in this season? Is there an act of humility—perhaps a literal or symbolic “foot washing”—you can offer to someone in need of encouragement? Write their name, and ask Ruach HaKodesh for a simple step you can take this week.
Prayer: Yeshua, teach us to serve as You served. Help us lay down pride and pick up the towel of humility. Let every act of service reflect Your heart and bring comfort to the weary. Use us, Lord, to reveal Your Kingdom one humble act at a time. Amen.
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Point 3
The Mindset of a Servant: Cultivating Humility in Leadership.
As we look further into the servant heart of pastoral leadership, Scripture invites us to see humility not as weakness, but as the foundation of Christlike strength. Paul’s words in Philippians 2:3-8 beautifully capture this: “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves… Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Our Saviour, though equal with God, made Himself nothing—He emptied Himself, took on the very nature of a servant, and embraced humility all the way to the cross.
This kind of humility is not self-hatred, nor does it deny our worth as children of Yahweh. Rather, it frees us to put the needs of others first, to see each person as beloved by the Father, and to lead from a posture of gentle confidence in who we are in Him. When you lead from humility, you open doors for healing, reconciliation, and unity. People feel safe to bring their struggles and celebrate their victories without fear of comparison or judgment.
Consider how humility transforms community life. In a church team, it looks like celebrating the gifts and successes of others, being quick to listen, slow to speak, and ready to forgive. At home, it means admitting when we’re wrong and making space for every voice at the table. Humility helps us become trustworthy shepherds who guard, rather than lord over, those entrusted to our care. First Peter 5:2-3 reminds us: “Feed the flock of God… not as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.”
When we lead with this mindset, our service bears lasting fruit. Families become havens of grace, ministry teams move in unity, and those on the fringes find their place at the table. Humility attracts the blessing of Yahweh. James 4:6 promises, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” In a world hungry for genuine connection, humble leaders become a prophetic sign of the upside-down Kingdom of Yeshua.
🌿 Journal prompt: Where is the Holy Spirit nudging you to embrace humility—at work, at home, or in church life? Are there relationships or situations where choosing humility might bring healing or greater unity? Take a moment to write about a practical step you can take to “esteem others better than yourself.”
Prayer: Father, plant the mind of Yeshua deep within us. Let humility guide our words, our service, and our leadership. May we always point others to Your grace by the way we serve and love. Amen.
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Prayer
Leading by Example: Washing Feet in Today’s World.
Beloved, as we draw closer to the heartbeat of servant leadership, we return to one of the most powerful moments in the life of Yeshua—the washing of His disciples’ feet. In John 13:12-17, after a long day of ministry and just before the cross, our Lord knelt down, basin and towel in hand, and did the work of a servant. He said, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” This act was not just a lesson in humility, but a model for every leader who longs to build a Christlike community.
What does it mean to “wash feet” today? It might look like quietly cleaning up after a church event when no one is watching, listening patiently to a friend’s pain instead of rushing to give advice, or offering forgiveness when it would be easier to hold a grudge. In ministry, it means celebrating the unseen, honoring the least, and serving without expectation of recognition. True greatness in the Kingdom is measured not by titles or applause, but by a willingness to serve.
Yeshua’s humility wasn’t just a momentary act; it was a lifestyle. He “made Himself of no reputation,” choosing proximity with outcasts, children, and the brokenhearted. He met people where they were, and loved them toward wholeness. As followers of the Good Shepherd, we’re called to do the same. This is the heart of Philippians 2: “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”
Friends, washing feet requires vulnerability. Sometimes, it means allowing others to serve us when we are weary. Other times, it means stepping out of our comfort zones to meet the needs around us. As we do, the fragrance of Christ fills our lives and communities with healing, peace, and hope.
🌿 Journal prompt: What does “washing feet” look like in your world right now? Are there practical ways you can serve quietly this week—at home, at church, in your workplace? Ask Ruach HaKodesh to show you one act of humble service He is inviting you into.
Prayer: Yahweh, give us eyes to see the needs around us and hearts willing to serve without seeking reward. Help us to follow Yeshua’s example, laying down our pride so others may see Your love. May our lives be a testimony to Your humility. In Yeshua’s name, amen.
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Let’s Reflect: Take the Quiz
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