Called to Serve in the Way of Jesus
One of the gentle but searching ideas in Chapter 9 of "Revitalizing Christianity" is that the way of Jesus becomes the way of his people. Shane St Reynolds, as editor of "Revitalizing Christianity", brings us Dr Peter Lewis’s thoughtful reflection that the Suffering Servant is not only about Jesus’ mission, but also about the shape of Christian life.
That can sound like a heavy thought at first. Many of us have already carried enough. Some readers will know what it is to be bruised by religion, pushed to the edges, or made to feel that faith is one more burden to drag around. So it helps to begin where Dr Peter Lewis begins: with Jesus’ love.
The passage speaks personally and simply of Christ: he loved us and gave himself for us. That is where everything starts. Not with pressure. Not with proving ourselves. Not with getting our theology neat and tidy. It starts with being loved.
From there, Dr Peter Lewis says that Jesus’ words matter deeply because his life was a gift. Jesus taught love and forgiveness, and he showed that this meant a self-giving concern for others and for oneself. In plain words, this is not about becoming a doormat. It is about becoming a person whose life is shaped by mercy, humility and care.
That is why the passage turns to Jesus’ own example. He did not stand above others demanding service. He moved toward people in service and love. He washed feet. He gave himself. He taught that greatness is found in serving, not in status.
“In other words, they should be like Jesus, and ultimately, this means that they must also take on the role of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 in order to make atonement for the world. So, the answer to the title question is: the Suffering Servant is every Christian, you and me.”
— Dr Peter Lewis, "Revitalizing Christianity", Chapter 9: Who is the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53?
Those are big words, so they are worth putting into ordinary language. Dr Peter Lewis is saying that Christian faith is not only admiration for Jesus from a safe distance. It is participation in his pattern of life. As we receive his love, we are invited to reflect that same love in the world.
For an ordinary person, that may look very small and very real. It may mean choosing forgiveness instead of keeping score. It may mean listening before speaking. It may mean refusing the need to be the most important person in the room. It may mean offering kindness without needing applause. It may mean making space for someone who has been left out. It may mean serving in quiet ways that nobody else notices.
That is the heart of this chapter’s invitation. The Suffering Servant is not first an idea to argue over. It is a way of being formed by Jesus.
For people who are sceptical, or unsure what they believe, there is something deeply human here. A life turned outward in love is recognisable even before it is fully explained. Service, tenderness and forgiveness are not flashy things, but they are healing things. They make room for others to breathe. They soften what is hard in us. They remind us that faith, at its best, does not close people out. It opens the door wider.
And for LGBTIQ+ readers, for those who have felt talked about rather than welcomed, this word can be heard as grace: the way of Jesus is not a performance of religious respectability. It is the path of love. If Jesus gives himself in love, then those who follow him are called to lives that look like love too: patient, honest, gentle, brave, and open-hearted.
There is also comfort here for tired believers. You do not need to change the whole world by Tuesday. You are not asked to become impressive. The chapter points us to the simple faithfulness of Jesus’ example. One act of mercy matters. One refusal to return harm for harm matters. One moment of compassion matters. This is how the life of Christ takes root in us.
And when we fail, as we all do, the answer is not shame. The passage has already told us where hope begins: Jesus loved us and gave himself for us. The Christian life does not run on our perfection. It runs on grace. We learn to serve because we are already loved.
So perhaps this Sunday is a good time to ask, very gently: where is love calling me to serve? Not out of fear. Not to earn God’s approval. But because the life of Jesus is beautiful, and because his way is still making people whole.
May you know the quiet strength of Christ’s love today. May you be met with kindness where you are weary, and may the grace of Jesus shape your heart into a place of welcome, mercy and peace.
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