A Serving Leadership Insight from the Life of Jesus Christ (Mark 14:1-2)

“Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. ‘But not during the festival,’ they said, ‘or the people may riot.’” (Mark 14:1-2)

In Mark 14:1–2, the chief priests and teachers of the law looked for a sly way to arrest Jesus, fearing the people might riot. Jerusalem was crowded with up to five times its normal population with the annual Passover feast just two days away. Jesus had opposed their authority, exposed their religious shams, and discredited their leadership. They sought vengeance, and Jesus would have to die. Ironically, their murderous plans led to the very fulfillment of the festival they were preparing to observe. Well over a thousand years prior to this, Israel had established the Passover to commemorate their deliverance from Egypt. A Passover lamb was slain by each family to ward off the death angel. Now Jesus would become the sacrificial lamb whose blood would save the world, including those who murdered him. Jesus gave up his life for the redemption of everyone. Likewise, a serving leader denies self for the good of others.

KEY QUESTIONS: Does my leadership in any way expose wrong doing or oppose the status quo? Do I seek to make everyone happy or do I lead with the pursuit of truth as my guide? What must I do to deny self for the good of others?