The Branch: The Servant

In the previous blog we saw that Isaiah and Jeremiah prophesied about one who would be called “the Branch” who would be king. This is the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus, the descendant of King David. One day Christ will rule from Jerusalem over the entire world. He will rule in righteousness and there will be everlasting peace (Isaiah 9:6, 7).

Jesus has won the right to rule the world because He is the only person who has been completely devoted to God. Jesus Christ is the servant of the Lord God Almighty. This is the prophetic message given through Zechariah. “For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH (Zechariah 3:8).”

Isaiah tells us that this “Branch” will have the “Spirit of the LORD” upon him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.  His delight is in the fear of the LORD (Isaiah 11:1-3a).” Through the Spirit of God, Jesus Christ was able to overcome every temptation to sin. He was able to be humbly obedient to God in all things even to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:8).

The gospel of Matthew shows Jesus as the Branch: the King. Mark’s gospel proclaims Jesus as the Branch: the Servant. Matthew’s gospel has a genealogy for Jesus showing him to be the descendant of King David. But Mark’s gospel has no genealogy for Christ because a genealogy is not needed for a servant as it is for a king.

You want to see a servant working and being faithful to his Master. Mark’s gospel is action packed and Jesus is the action hero. Jesus is seen teaching, healing and preaching. When you read Mark’s account of the life of Christ you see words like “immediately,” “arose” and “went.” Mark constantly uses the present tense in his writing. There are also several sections on suffering and discipleship, though Mark’s gospel presents the working Jesus more than the teacheingJesus.

Then in the tenth chapter of Mark we have Jesus speaking these famous words: “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:42-45).” [my emphasis]

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Branch: the Servant of the Lord God Almighty. And he calls to us to follow him in loving service to God and to others. This Christmas season rejoice in the truth that the Servant of the Lord has set you free—free from sin, free from guilt, free from the condemnation of God’s holy law. But do not use your freedom to do as you please. Rather “through love serve one another (Galatians 5:13)” just as your Lord did. For you too are empowered with the Spirit of God (Acts 1:8; Romans 5:5).