There can be no humility or true greatness without the death of Christ. His death was the ransom paid to rescue us from our sinful pride. Jesus spoke this truth to His self promoting disciples on His way to Jerusalem to die: “For the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Not only was the example of Christ’s humility necessary, but His death. His death as a ransom was imperative to deliver us as slaves from the slave market of selfishness and pride. We cannot set ourselves free from sin. We are like my brother, a police officer at the time, who while swimming at the beach was caught by a strong undercurrent that pulled him under. All he could do was cry out “Help.” Four marines who were swimming nearby heard him and rescued him. We are helplessly drowning in our self service. All we can do is cry out in desperation for Christ to deliver us.
C. J. Mahaney sees James and John as examples of the transformation that we cannot bring about. James, who with his brother, requested to sit on the right or left hand of King Jesus, was transformed by Christ sacrificial death and became the Church’s first martyr (Acts 12:1-2), giving his life for others.
John was equally selfish. “John was apparently the last of all the apostles to die, but he suffered persecution and was banished to the island of Patmos.” John later wrote after the death of Christ had rescued him from self centered greatness: “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).
“What had happened between Mark 10 and the writing of John’s epistles? The Savior had died as a ransom.” The only way we can lay down our lives in humble service to others exclusively for God’s glory is by accepting the sacrifice of Christ for others on the cross.
“So make it your aim and lifelong habit, when you see someone who’s serving, to be reminded of the sacrifice of the Savior, for apart from His sacrifice there is no serving. True greatness is attained only by emulating the Savior’s example—and made possible only by the Savior’s sacrifice.”
