April 23, 2012
Central Truth
Jesus' example of servanthood is completely and perfectly selfless, not based on circumstances or attitudes or selfish motives. As part of His kingdom, we are called to love and serve each other in the same way that Christ did.
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside his garments; and taking a towel, He girded himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. (John 13:3-5)
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. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 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. 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, 1 13:10 Some manuscripts omit except for his feet but is completely clean. And you 2 13:10 The Greek words for you in this verse are plural 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.”
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant 3 13:16 Or bondservant, or slave (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface) is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, 4 13:18 Greek But in order that the Scripture may be fulfilled ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side, 5 13:23 Greek in the bosom of Jesus 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus 6 13:24 Greek lacks Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.
About a year ago, I decided to move to Dallas, so my family threw a going away party for me. I drank in the love, the kind words and letters, the hugs, the attention, all the while thinking how sad and scared I was to be moving away from the most important people in my life. My focus was on me and how I was going to be affected. It wasn't until I had been in Dallas a few weeks and things had settled down that I began to realize how selfish I had been in the weeks before I left. I had made the focus of activities and conversations about me and my decision to move. Never once had I thought about how this would affect the people in my life, or how I could have served them in those last few weeks I spent in Alabama. Through prayer and Scripture, God opened my eyes to His idea of service and selfless love.
John opens this chapter by telling us that "Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world" (John 13:1, NIV 1984). On the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus sat down to feast and hang out with His disciples. Instead of dwelling on the coming betrayal from His friends at the table, His needs, or His imminent death, Jesus chose to serve His disciples by washing their feet, an act of humility and love. John presents this act of service to emphasize Jesus' character as the One who came not to be served but to serve (Matthew 20:28). This also shows the connection between servanthood and Jesus dying on the cross to pay the ransom for our sins, the most selfless act of all.
Although my circumstances and my own selfishness tend to cloud my view sometimes, Jesus never lost sight of his duty to serve others. When I find myself acting selfishly, John 13 brings me back to center. A center that is filled with Jesus and is led by a Spirit with an overwhelming desire to glorify God through loving and serving others.
1. What circumstances or attitudes have prevented you from being a true servant?
2. Jesus' life was marked by servanthood. Are there other examples you can think of that show His attitude about loving and serving others?
3. In what ways can you bring glory to God by serving others today?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
John 13-17 (April 23-27)
Read John 15:1-17.
• What did Jesus say He is?
• What did He say we are?
• What does it mean to prune something?
• Why do you think it helps to prune back a vine? (Check out Wikipedia's answer to this question.)
• What kind of pruning happens in our lives? And what it is the pruning for?
• Take time for each person to talk about a time when they experienced pruning (e.g., experienced the removal of something from your life that caused you to grow in your walk with Christ).
• Talk about how God used this in your life to draw you closer to Him and to bring Him glory (e.g., someone saw your response and wondered why you could respond well, or He took you to another team to share about Him).
Activity: Go outside and cut a branch off a tree or bush (it would be great if it was a flowering tree or bush that had the flower and leaves on it.) Put it in your house where everyone can see what happens to it. Do not put it in water.
Then, watch the branch over the next week and see what happens to it. Why is it dying? Where did it get what it needed to live from? Remember what Jesus said about Himself and us in John 15? What happens when we don't stay connected to Jesus? What are ways that you stay connected to Him?