Servant

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. John 13:1-5

Introduction:

We live in a world where people will do just about anything to get ahead.

In the corporate world, there is jockeying and backstabbing in order to gain power and position.

In the family dynamic, there are those who take advantage of others and are, simply put, users.

We live in a world where striving and overachieving have become the norm.

This dog-eat-dog mentality has the potential to influence each of us in the church and seep into our daily habits. That is why I believe one of the reasons that Jesus instituted the church was to remind us that we need each other and that we are not any better than anyone else. God has powerful and sometimes unusual ways of keeping us humble.

Today, there are 4 things I want to present to you from the scene.

The Kingdom of God is upside down - not like the World system.

Let's look at an instance with James and John, the Sons of Zebedee:

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.” 36 “What is your request?” he asked. 37 They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” Mk 10:35–37.

Jesus told them that they didn't know what they were asking for.

He asked them, “Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

Jesus knew why He came and had been trying to explain heavenly things to these earthly-minded disciples.

He’s doing the same thing with us day in and day out.

John and James replied, “Oh yes. We are able!”

I don’t know about you when I read this, but it wreaks with arrogance. Maybe we are much like them, eager to jump out to serve Jesus before really counting the cost.

They had confidence in something I am not sure they understood just yet.

Jesus goes on to tell them that they will indeed suffer and then actually addresses their request. He tells them that He has no right to say who will sit where. “God had prepared those places of the ones he has chosen.” Verse 40

The other 10 disciples, hearing this, were indignant. Can you imagine the arguing that began to take place? It can get that way when people are trying to jockey for position. You have seen it in your workplace. I have little doubt.

I have found myself in situations where I have had to get loud, raise my voice, and break up the ruckus. But listen to what Jesus, in His patient way, does:

So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be a servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave to everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45

The word servant translates as the Greek diakonos. It is where we get the word Deacon. The KJV uses the word, minister. It says:

“But whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister.”

For each of the words, we see the context is that you will not be a lord but be one who serves.

If you want to be great, don’t seek to be the head honcho; seek to serve wherever you are.

That is what God wants to see.

I heard a wonderful statement that the former Prime Minister of Great Britain, Margaret Thatcher, once said,

“If you have to tell someone that you are a lady, then you are not.”

That has stuck with me as someone who has been in charge before, and I thought that I needed to remind people of that fact. The lesson was like a hard pill to swallow but definitely one that I needed, as do others.

Our Lord gave us a wonderful example of his humility when he went to the cross. Pilate questioned him, and he said very little. When Pilate asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (Mark 15:2) He simply said, “You have said it.”

The Kingdom of Heaven is unlike the secular world we live in.

2. Footwashing shows humility.

So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. John 13:4-5

What Jesus did here is to expose himself totally.

Now, I don’t mean that in a vulgar, pornographic way.

We have absolutely defiled our view on nudity and nakedness.

We must see here that Jesus was “Unhidden,” if you will. There was nothing to hide. He still isn’t hiding today.

Jesus is here and wants you to see who He is.

When Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He was teaching them. He was always teaching. He taught them that they had been given great favor and that it was to be used to serve, not rule.

Jesus turned the world upside down. The things he did and said were so revolutionary that they made people kill him. Paul reminds us of a great truth :

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6-11 NLT

You see, there is no other god in any other religion who would give up any rights or so-called divine privileges.

Only the true God would step down from His heavenly throne and assume a mortal and helpless body so we could be made whole through His sacrifice.

Buddha didn’t do that and can’t do that.

Krishna didn’t do that and can’t do that.

Brahma, Vishnu, or Shiva didn’t do that and can’t do that.

Only Jesus did that.

Jesus is not weak, as some suppose. He shows great restraint. I, for one, am grateful for that.

Jesus shows us that we are to be humble like Him.

There is something powerful that happens when you wash another’s feet. It reminds you that you are not all that. Sometimes we need that kind of reminder so we don’t become too proud.

When Jesus washed the feet, they would have been covered in dirt from the travels. Today, we get it a little easier. But still, it is a great reminder.

You cannot wash another person’s feet and be proud at the same time.

3. You can’t bet a part of Jesus unless you receive from Him.

John 13:6–9 “When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!””

You got to hand it to ole Peter. He ain’t afraid to speak his mind. The problem is, that sometimes his mind aint exactly right.

Peter was in touch with the old ways where one would enter a home and either wash their own feet or, if you had a servant, they would come and wash them.

Peter wasn’t about to look at Jesus as someone low enough to wash his feet.

But Jesus wasn’t looking to be worshipped in that way.

He wasn’t looking for false worship.

Look what God spoke through the prophet Samuel:

1 Samuel 15:22 “But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”

When we copy Jesus and let the Holy Spirit make us more like Him, we are giving a worship to God that pleases Him!

4. You need to be part of each other as well.

As you copy the pattern that Jesus has established in foot washing, you connect to Him and each other in a powerful and meaningful way.

You see, this really isn't about just washing someone’s feet. It’s about keeping the proper perspective and serving God and serving His creation.

If you are here or at home and you don’t have a relationship with Jesus, I want to invite you to do that today.

You may say, If I surrender to Jesus, I will have to give up this or that, or you may say I will have to wash people’s feet.

I’m here to tell you that if you get ahold of what Jesus wants to do in your life, you will want to serve!

As I close out today’s message, I want to give you the opportunity to prepare yourselves as Inez, and I want to wash your feet.

In doing so, we are letting you know that we are here to serve you.