“The first step to leadership is SERVANTHOOD.” —John Maxwell
“SERVANTHOOD does not nullify leadership; it DEFINES it. Jesus does not cease to be the Lion of Judah when He becomes the lamblike servant of the church.” —John Piper
Just hours before His betrayal, arrest, interrogations, torture, and crucifixion, Jesus took the position of a SERVANT and washed His disciple’s feet.
John describes the scene as follows:
“Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.” —John 13:3
Verse 3 is critical to everything that follows.
Jesus’ AWARENESS of His IDENTITY — He “…came from God and would return to God…” — allowed Him to serve in HUMILITY.
Jesus demonstrated once and forever that it’s not the WEAK who willingly, selflessly, and sacrificially SERVE. It’s the STRONG.
Verse 4 continues…
“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 13:4-5 NLT
One scholar writes: “At the very least…footwashing was a degrading and lowly task… …it was an act with social implications, in no way do we find those with a ‘higher’ status washing the feet of those beneath them. When Jesus ‘takes off His outer clothing’ and wraps a towel around Himself, He is adopting the posture of a SLAVE.” —Gary Burge, NIV Application Commentary
This was radical. It was a clear and straightforward illustrated message that…
…the Christian life isn’t about looking for ways to LIFT YOURSELF UP.
It’s about looking for opportunities to LAY YOURSELF DOWN.
Jesus wanted us to understand the importance of regularly taking OFF the garment of our own SELF-IMPORTANCE, turning away from our own SELF-CENTEREDNESS, kneeling before our family, friends, neighbors, and strangers in humility, and pouring the WATER of our RESOURCES on the FEET of someone else’s NEED.
“And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, YOU OUGHT to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an EXAMPLE to follow. DO as I HAVE DONE to YOU.” —John 13:14-15 NLT
The events described in John 13 took place on what is often referred to as Maundy Thursday. It gets its name from the Latin word, “mandatum” which means, “commandment.”
The commandment Jesus gave that forever marked this day begins in verses 14-15 but wraps up in verses 34-35.
“A new command I give you: LOVE ONE ANOTHER. As I have loved you, so you must LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you LOVE ONE ANOTHER.”
—John 13:34-35 NIV
Three times in two verses Jesus gave us this simple command: LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Through the events that had just occurred and the events that would immediately follow Jesus made it crystal clear that LOVE is a VERB!
LOVE is about our ACTIONS, not just our INTENTIONS.
“Do as I have done to you…”
Let the confidence of your IDENTITY become fuel for your HUMILITY.
LOVE.
SERVE.
SACRIFICE.
GIVE.
How can you wash someone’s feet today?
Go above and beyond on your job.
Listen attentively to your spouse or co-worker.
Get down on all fours this evening and play with your kids or grandkids.
Mow your parent’s lawn.
Wash your teenager’s car.
Pick up a few groceries for your neighbor.
Babysit the kids of the young couple at the end of your street.
Bring your boss a cup of coffee from SB or Dunkin.
Bring your entire team donuts.
Clean the house for your spouse.
Serve on the parking team at your church this weekend.
Follow the example of Jesus.
Stop looking for ways to LIFT YOURSELF UP.
Instead, look for opportunities to LAY YOURSELF DOWN.
Discover this truth:
“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.