Mark’s gospel shows Jesus as God’s suffering servant on a mission. Eleven times in chapter one alone, Mark uses the word “immediately” to describe the action surrounding the son of God. Everything Jesus did seemed to happen quickly. He is shown as God’s inexhaustible servant.
In Mark chapter nine, the Master showed how our thinking sometimes gets in the way of being the kind of servant God wants. While on the way to Capernaum, Jesus’ disciples had been arguing. When they arrived, the Lord asked them what they had been arguing about. They had been fighting for prominence in the coming kingdom.
Jesus began teaching them what it meant to be first in the kingdom. He said that if a person wants to be the greatest in his kingdom, he must be “last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35 NET). To demonstrate the lesson, he placed a child in the middle of the group. Children are unassuming and not concerned with seeking prominence.
Disciples must be servants just as Jesus gave himself as a sin sacrifice. Jesus dying on the cross was the very example of greatness. As God’s suffering servant, he showed the greatest quality of deity: LOVE. Because Jesus loved us and gave himself for our sins, he showed the greatest life is that of humble servant. No greater office exists.
One student of the word wrote, “Few lessons are more needed by all people than this one on humility. Jesus lived the example. All his servants need it.”
Why is this lesson needed? Because the world has never learned it. Worldly people always crave the seat of honor, the designation of first among others. Jesus taught differently. He taught that love is shown in humble service. He taught his kingdom’s trademark is love through humble service to others. He died teaching it.
 “Mark: The Servant of Jehovah” 1989 Spiritual Sword Lectureship, Getwell Church of Christ, Ben Flatt, author.