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Read: 2 Chronicles 10:7
Listen: 2 Chronicles 10

They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and please them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.” 2 Chronicles 10:7

Rehoboam seeks the perspective of the wise elders, and they reply that if Rehoboam serves the people, the people will be faithful to him forever. These elders knew something about the heart of leadership—leadership is not for selfish gain but is meant for service and blessing. Jesus would later teach that, though it may be common for those in leadership to lord their power and authority over others, his followers are to use positions and opportunities of leadership to serve others (Matthew 20:25-28).

Jesus did not just teach the importance of serving others; he provided the ultimate example of doing so. Jesus came not to be served, “but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Jesus’s example culminated when he gave his life as a ransom—substitutionary payment—for our sins on the cross. Jesus died a criminal’s death to pay for our sins and give us new life. No one has ever shown greater love than this: laying down one’s life for another (John 15:13). And Jesus died so that we might live.

TODAY: Have you received Jesus’s gift of life? If you never have, today could be that day. Accepting Jesus’s sacrifice implies acknowledging your sin to God and asking for forgiveness. If you have received this gift, then give God the praise. Join Ada Bible Worship as they sing “Cornerstone,” thanking God that Jesus’s blood and righteousness have paid for your sin.

Explore Rehoboam’s story further on the Beyond the Weekend Podcast—find it wherever you listen to podcasts or on YouTube.