Jesus did not come to this world as a King. He is the Creator, and could have demanded service from His creation during the time of His sojourn upon the Earth, but He did not. The contrast between the Lord's position when He was in Heaven and the position He took while on this Earth was set forth very clearly when Paul said that Jesus "made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant" (Phil. 2:7). In what way was our Lord a Servant?

The most obvious service Jesus rendered to mankind was in giving Himself as a ransom for our sins. "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28). His physical body was prepared to be a sacrifice (Heb. 10:5, 10). He was the Lamb of God (the atoning sacrifice) which takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

However, Jesus served mankind in other ways. His life is an example for us to follow (1 Pet. 2:21). Paul said, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1). As we read about Jesus in the Gospels, we learn how we are to live to be pleasing to God.

Jesus was the image of the invisible God to mankind (Col. 1:15). No man has ever seen God (John 1:18). When Philip asked Jesus to show him the Father, He replied, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?" (John 14:9). The nature, character, and will of the Father is not a mystery. These things are set forth clearly in the life of Christ.

Jesus also defeated death. Death is the common enemy of all mankind (Job 21:23-26; Heb. 9:27). When Jesus rose from the dead, He gained a victory over death, a victory to be shared with all those who are made alive in Him (John 11:25-26; 1 Cor. 15:20-22).

Because Jesus came as a Servant, we have a clearer understanding of God, a perfect example to follow in this life, and a real hope in that life which is to come.