What Jesus Said About Serving & Helping Others (15 Teachings)

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.

Read the Scripture Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45

King James Version

Matthew 20:28

²⁸Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45

⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

The greatest should become the servant.

Read the Scripture Matthew 20:26–27; 23:11; Mark 10:43–44; Luke 22:26

King James Version

Matthew 20:26–27

²⁶But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
²⁷And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

Matthew 23:11

¹¹But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Mark 10:43–44

⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

Luke 22:26

²⁶But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

Go and do as the merciful Samaritan did.

Read the Scripture Luke 10:37

King James Version

Luke 10:37

³⁷And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Compassion for the hungry should become practical provision.

Read the Scripture Matthew 14:16; Mark 6:37; Luke 9:13

King James Version

Matthew 14:16

¹⁶But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

Mark 6:37

³⁷He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

Luke 9:13

¹³But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.

Feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned.

Read the Scripture Matthew 25:35–40

King James Version

Matthew 25:35–40

³⁵For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
³⁶Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
³⁷Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
³⁸When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
³⁹Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
⁴⁰And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Greatness is measured by service rather than rank.

Read the Scripture Matthew 20:25–28; Mark 10:42–45; Luke 22:25–27

King James Version

Matthew 20:25–28

²⁵But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
²⁶But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
²⁷And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
²⁸Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:42–45

⁴²But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Luke 22:25–27

²⁵And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
²⁶But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
²⁷For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Wash one another's feet in the pattern of Jesus' humble service.

Read the Scripture John 13:12–17

King James Version

John 13:12–17

¹²So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
¹³Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
¹⁴If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
¹⁵For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
¹⁶Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
¹⁷If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Feed and tend Jesus' sheep.

Read the Scripture John 21:15–17

King James Version

John 21:15–17

¹⁵So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
¹⁶He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
¹⁷He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

The Good Samaritan teaches that neighbor love crosses social boundaries and acts mercifully.

Read the Scripture Luke 10:25–37

King James Version

Luke 10:25–37

²⁵And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
²⁶He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
²⁷And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
²⁸And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
²⁹But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
³⁰And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
³¹And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
³²And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
³³But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
³⁴And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
³⁵And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
³⁶Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
³⁷And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Jesus' compassion for crowds includes teaching and feeding them.

Read the Scripture Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:34–44; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–13

King James Version

Matthew 14:13–21

¹³When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
¹⁴And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
¹⁵And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
¹⁶But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
¹⁷And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
¹⁸He said, Bring them hither to me.
¹⁹And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
²⁰And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
²¹And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Mark 6:34–44

³⁴And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
³⁵And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
³⁶Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
³⁷He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?
³⁸He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
³⁹And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
⁴⁰And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
⁴¹And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
⁴²And they did all eat, and were filled.
⁴³And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.
⁴⁴And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.

Luke 9:10–17

¹⁰And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
¹¹And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.
¹²And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.
¹³But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.
¹⁴For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.
¹⁵And they did so, and made them all sit down.
¹⁶Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
¹⁷And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

John 6:1–13

¹After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
²And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
³And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
⁴And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
⁵When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
⁶And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
⁷Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
⁸One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,
⁹There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
¹⁰And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
¹¹And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
¹²When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
¹³Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

After his resurrection, Jesus cooked breakfast for his disciples and invited them to come and eat.

Read the Scripture John 21:12

King James Version

John 21:12

¹²Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

Whoever serves Jesus must follow him, and the Father will honor that servant.

Read the Scripture John 12:26

King James Version

John 12:26

²⁶If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Love for Jesus is tested by care for his flock.

Read the Scripture John 21:15–17

King James Version

John 21:15–17

¹⁵So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
¹⁶He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
¹⁷He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Jesus serves disciples in the posture of a household servant.

Read the Scripture John 13:3–17

King James Version

John 13:3–17

³Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
⁴He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
⁵After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
⁶Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
⁷Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
⁸Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
⁹Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
¹⁰Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
¹¹For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
¹²So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
¹³Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
¹⁴If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
¹⁵For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
¹⁶Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
¹⁷If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Jesus' leadership is self-giving service rather than domination.

Read the Scripture Matthew 20:25–28; Mark 10:42–45

King James Version

Matthew 20:25–28

²⁵But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
²⁶But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
²⁷And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
²⁸Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:42–45

⁴²But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

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What Jesus said about Serving & Helping Others

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How can Jesus help?

What Jesus said about Serving & Helping Others

A Guide for Real Life