SERVANT LEADERSHIP - Part 1 Humility
John 13: Servant Leadership • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 7 viewsFollowing Jesus means embodying His humility and love, where true leadership and greatness are found in serving others.
Notes
Transcript
Reflection: Phil 2:14-18
Sermon Text: John 13:1-11
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INTRO:
For the next couple of weeks, we’re going to take a stop over in John’s Gospel. Specifically, Chapter 13.
READING PLAN: As we’ve been reading through the Gospels in recent days, we have come to passion week. We passed this text a couple of weeks ago.
John 13 rounds the bend in Jesus’s ministry into what we call the UPPER ROOM DISCOURSE.
Jesus will continue for this teaching and conversation for the next 4 chapters in John (13-17).
He will unpack
Christ-honoring service,
selfless love,
the gift, the role, and the person of the Holy Spirit,
the reality of Heaven,
the believer’s union with Christ,
and He will have much to continue teaching them about prayer - talking with the Father and spending time with Him.
NOTE: It might benefit you and your walk with Jesus, to pull up a chair…take a seat at the table…join the disciples in the upper room and lean in as Jesus highlights KEY dimensions of the Christian’s life in / with / through Him!
I think it would be helpful for us to divide this chapter up in a couple sections because there’s so much here.
NOTICE THE TIME…
NOTICE THE TIME…
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
The first few words of our passage reveal to us that the shadow of the cross is looming large…growing longer and darker as we stand on the evening before the crucifixion of our Lord…at the very foot of the cross.
Jesus is fully aware of this.
The Disciples are not.
Notice the mind of Christ here in verse 1 & 3:
Notice the mind of Christ here in verse 1 & 3:
He knew that His time had come. (1 & 3)
to leave this world
to go to His Father in Heaven
(v3) He knows that the Father has given all things to Him - that is, that the Father is in complete control of all things and the Son has all authority
He had loved well
his disciples
who were staying on earth
He would love them till the end!
He would love them with an everlasting love! (He loves us that much, too!)
His love would not flinch when they would fail to heed His Word.
His love had not diminished at all - even when they acused him of not caring for them when the storm hit them in the boat.
His love hadn’t changed for them at all…even at their lowest points, on their worst days.
Child of God…Disciple of Jesus…He “so loves” you too!
DOCTRINE HIGHLIGHT: Jesus’s humanity / divinity
The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus was both God and Man at the same time.
as God - He has always existed
TRINITY: We believe in one God eternally existing as one being…one essence - yet three co-equal persons, the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
as man, Jesus Christ was begotten by God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born to the virgin Mary.
So why is this important?
It’s important for you to know that Jesus had perfect knowledge as God, and yet as a man he chose to learn and discover things. That’s remarkable!
So in the midst of this meal happening right in front of him and him participating in it… And him knowing the cross was just ahead. There is another story unfolding that touches both.
Look at verse 2
2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, (JESUS rose from the table).
So, what’s on Jesus’s plate right now as a leader?
He has much to teach His disciples
He has death on His mind
He is in tune with the Father (he only does what the Father tells Him)
He can see things they can’t see / He knows things they don’t know
There is a betrayer in His presence - that will affect the entire course of history
(make no mistake, none of this is happening outside the Sovereign hand of the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present God of the universe)
I know we’ve entitled this 3-part study “Servant Leadership”…but it’s important to see what THIS IS NOT!
This is not a “leadership principles from Jesus” series
While the Son of God is an incredible example of how to live for the glory of God and successfully engage others
in fact, HE IS OUR STANDARD
We will keep the cross on our minds as well as we read through this incredible narrative in the life of our Lord & His disciples
With all these things on His mind…Jesus…
4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Jesus gets up…takes off his outer garments, grabs a towel, and takes on the appearance of the lowest of servants.
Within hours, he will be betrayed, arrested, beaten, and nailed to the most hideous, the most tortuous instrument of death of that era - a Roman cross. He knows that this suffering is coming. He knows the worst of it…that He will have to bear the weight of our sin, our shame, our guilt…all of humanity’s - He will be crushed BY HIS FATHER while carrying our sin. He knows this…AND YET HE TAKES US A TOWEL!
1. JESUS HUMBLY GETS LOW (4-5)
1. JESUS HUMBLY GETS LOW (4-5)
He gets up from the table (the position of the served).
He lays aside his garments that would identify him among the guests.
He takes on the appearance of a servant.
He takes a towel and ties it around his waist. This identifies him with the lowest station in the room that night. The servants.
Not only will he identify with the lowest station; HE WILL PERFORM ONE OF THE LOWEST ACTIONS.
after travelers had come a long distance, the host would provide water for their feet as a sign of hospitality.
(Abraham demonstrates this in Genesis 18.)
YET, loosing their sandals and personally washing someone else’s feet was considered servile - most commonly the work of the lowest-ranking servant in the home
A TRUE SERVANT LEADER
serves the mission AND leads by serving those on mission with him!
JESUS IS A TRUE SERVANT LEADER.
JESUS CHRIST, THE KING OF GLORY
Paul gives us a glimpse in Phil 2:1-10
Allow me to start at the end and work my way around...
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
LOOK AT JESUS! HIGHLY EXALTED…NO-ONE ABOVE HIM. NO ONE LIKE HIM.
EVERY KNEE WILL BOW AT THIS KING
EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS THIS KING
EVERY THING ON, IN , UNDER, AND AROUND THE EARTH WILL CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD
ONE DAY EVERY THING ALIVE WILL EXALT JESUS AND GLORIFY GOD
…SO WHAT’S THE TRIGGER FOR THIS FROM HEAVEN’S PERSPECTIVE
Royal Robes? no
Legions of Armies at His disposal? no
Earthly conquest? no
Earthly Riches? no
Look at the verses preceeding...
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
He willingly laid down his life
He emptied himself of anything that He was entitled to
He - being able to take any form He could have - took the form of a servant
Christ became a man
while we know man is the pinnacle of God’s creative order...
lest we think more highly of ourselves than we ought…God reveals that we are created from the dust of the earth...
he was found in human form…on purpose…for GOD’S GRAND PURPOSE
He was obedient
He humbled Himself to DEATH for the purpose of the Father, for the glory of God, and for the BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO COULD DO NOTHING FOR THEMSELVES.
So, here is Jesus - Son of God and Son of Man - putting a towel around his waste - getting as low to the ground as he can - and washing the feet of those around him!
The hands that flung the stars into space…
are now scrubbing the dirt and dung from the disciples’ feet
The One who formed man from the dust of the earth…
…now washes dust from beneath their feet
The King before whom Heaven bows and one day all nations will honor…
…is on HIS knees, doing the dirty work of ministry.
If our King can get low…so can we.
If our King can humbly serve others, we should to.
If Jesus can do it with joy to SHOW HIS LOVE…so can we!
When we make excuses NOT to serve, is it a legit?
or is it a way of trying to calm our conscience because we think this ACT is BENEATH us? OR WORSE…WE THINK THIS PERSON DOESN’T DESERVE MY TIME?
Nothing kills Christ-honoring service like pride.
Nothing kills a Gospel Witness quicker than pride.
>>(SLIDE) TRUE LEADERS LEAD WITH STAINED TOWELS AND DIRTY KNEES.
Jesus humbly got low to demonstrate His love and kindness…even with Judas in the crowd.
He washed the feet that would run to get Caiaphas’s guards.
He washed the feet that would amble through Gethsemane to stand near enough to put a kiss on his cheek.
No matter what others have done (or will do) to us, we commit to love them like Jesus - as fellow image-bearers.
WHAT A TEACHER!
WHAT A SERVANT!
WHAT A LEADER!
WHAT A SAVIOR!
NOT ONLY DOES JESUS HUMBLY SERVE before this incredible passover meal...HE ENABLES THEM TO SERVE WITH HUMILITY TOO. They have to be made NEW…this washing will point to His total cleansing by His precious blood that He will shed…very soon.
2. JESUS CLEANSES HIS TRUE FOLLOWERS (6-11)
2. JESUS CLEANSES HIS TRUE FOLLOWERS (6-11)
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
He’s ministering to PETER.
The disciple who is most known for putting his FOOT IN HIS MOUTH.
As Jesus washes his feet, Peter can’t help but run his mouth.
Let me make a couple of observations here that I hope are helpful to you.
This foot washing is clearly pointing to the WASHING AWAY OF SINS - the greatest cleansing.
HUMANITY’S GREATEST PROBLEM IS LOSTNESS
CHRIST IS THE ONLY HOPE FOR CLEANSING AND RESCUE
Peter wants his whole head washed…but Jesus teaches him something incredible…
they’re already clean in that way - but the only need their feet washed
ALREADY CLEAN points to SALVATION. Once Christ has cleansed you and forgiven you, you are complete in Him; forgiven, a new creation!
DIRTY FEET points to SANCTIFICATION = our ongoing confession of sin for cleansing.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The type of cleansing that Jesus is describing to Peter, “the one who has bathed has no need to wash” does not come from a “bent down King with a bowl and towel”
but by the shed blood of the perfect lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ
He is pointing ahead to the cross, the tomb, and the new and living way
the death, burial, and resuurection of Jesus Christ paid the price for your salvation, for your forgiveness, for your all of your sins
God has seen you on your worst day - He knows the very worst version of yourself…and Jesus died for you.
When Jesus saves you, you’ll repent and believe the Gospel
When Jesus saves you, YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN
YOUR GUILT HAS BEEN WASHED AWAY
YOUR NAME IS WRITTEN ON A CLEAR AND FREE TITLE IN HEAVEN!
THE CHRISTIAN REJOICES IN THIS.
FRIEND, DO YOU KNOW THIS KIND OF CLEANSING?
“THERE IS NO SIN IN A CHRISTIAN, BUT THAT THE BLOOD OF JESUS IS SUFFICIENT TO CLEANSE IT!” - Martin Lloyd Jones
As this scene unfolds, Jesus is pointing his disciples, and us, to a greater, more powerful act of service.
Jesus is now demonstrating what he had taught them - he had come not to be served but to serve.
In just a few hours he will humble himself to death as he willingly lays down his life on the cross to pay the sin debt for the whole world.
When he says to Peter that they will understand “afterward” (vv. 6–7) - he doesn’t mean after the footwashing - He means after the resurrection.
He had to become a servant for them to have life.
JESUS HUMBLY SERVES - HE GETS LOW
JESUS CLEANSES HIS FOLLOWERS - HE MAKES CLEAN
JESUS CALLS US TO SERVE…LIKE HIM - HE SENDS US TO GET LOW
There are 2 areas of service here:
TO one another (within the body of Christ)
that’s the clear context of this passage
13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
WITH ONE ANOTHER
as we reach our neighbors, neighborhoods, and the nations for Jesus
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
QUESTION: WHERE IS THE LORD CALLING YOU TO GET LOW AND SERVE WITH HUMILITY?
Church Planting Realities:
not fancy
not a lot of programs
not a lot of people in this phase…
requires humility in service…we’ll need to keep that as we grow! and go togheter to make disciples!Jesus
