Jesus is the Servant: John 13.1-17

Too often we get confused about what a servant is. We think of being a servant as a negative thing in life. This is not necessarily the case. It is generally true that a servant is one by choice. Throughout the years men and women have chosen to be maids, butlers, waiters, servers, chauffeurs, nannies, etc. as a career choice. People often choose a profession that others consider demeaning or insignificant.

However, most professions (maybe all) could be classified servitude by someone else. Almost all of us have an employer or supervisor that we serve. And if we don't, we concern ourselves with our customers or our constituents. We serve them with slogans like, "The customer's always right."

Jesus taught about a new kind of voluntary servanthood. His philosophy was to voluntarily think of the needs and desires of others before his own. He taught his disciples that the last, the most insignificant, should be considered the most important. He believed- and asked his followers to believe- that those who seem important, are less important than others. "The last shall be first..."

Today we train our children (and ourselves) to do the opposite. "Look out for number 1." "Take care of yourself." "Watch your back." "Grab all the gusto you can." "Solve your own problems." "Don't get involved." These all contradict the teaching of Jesus.

1. Jesus knew who he was. (v.3) He came from the Father and was going back to the Father. Of all the people who ever lived on earth, Jesus was the one who certainly could claim to be the greatest. But he did not. He emptied himself. He humbled himself. He came to serve.
   
2. He rose from the meal. (v. 4) Serving requires that we leave our comfortable environment. When we are serving others, we will be inconvenienced. We have to be willing to care for the needs of others, even when it is not easy for us.


3. He laid aside his outer garments. (v. 4) We must eliminate all those things that distract us or keep us from serving others. There are so many things that we have convinced ourselves are important that we must relinquish. The most important things to us do not matter to God (or to those we are called to serve).


4. He humbled himself. (v. 5) Those who serve willingly submit to God and to others. This may be the hardest part. We have to have an attitude that allows us to serve others before ourselves.


5. Jesus calls us to serve others. (v. 14) We cannot be content with our lives as we know them. God wants us to follow his example in serving others. You and I are required to do God's work. We must serve others. We need to follow the example of Jesus and become servants to others.