Wearing Dust: Humble Service
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Wearing Dust: Humble Service
John 13:1-17, Philippians 2:1-18
March 10th, 2024
4 Dust Producing Ways of Jesus
Love & Faithfulness
Unexpected Grace
Humble Service
Relentless Witness
Question #1 Isn’t all service, humble service? Answer. No. Plenty of people serve with a self-serving motive. Service is self-serving when…
We serve to get.
We serve to be seen.
We serve to feel better about ourselves.
It is possible to serve with a “self-first” posture and it not be detected but it is impossible to serve someone like Jesus and they not be impacted by it.
Question #2 Isn’t Humble Service just a matter of being nice? Answer. No.
Humble service reflects the nature of God. When we follow Jesus’ example of humble service we give someone more than a service, we give them a fleshly image of Jesus.
Source and Motivation distinguish humble service from service.
Philanthropy is self-sourced and motivated by a strong sense of social responsibility.
Altruism is self-sourced and motivated by a strong sense of moral responsibility.
Humble service is sourced by our spiritual transformation and driven by a strong understanding of our spiritual calling.
Jesus’ humble service was sourced by His nature and motivated by our condition.
The Gospel writer John makes 3 things very clear in his introductory chapter:
Jesus is God. Not just a good person.
Jesus is the Word of God. Jesus is our Teacher.
Jesus is God in the Flesh. Jesus is our Way.
John 13:1-5 (NIV) It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Pre-Action
Timing: Jesus’ time had come.
Love: Jesus’ love held true to the finish line.
Position: The Father had put all things under his power.
Action
John 13:5-11 (NIV) 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.
“You do not realize now what I am doing.” Jesus’ ways are deeper than our perception.
“Unless I wash you, you have no part in me.” We are a needy people. Until you believe that, you will not receive anything from the Lord.
“For he knew who was going to betray Him.” Jesus washed Judas’ feet with full knowledge that Judas had rejected Him.
Post-Action
John 13:12-17 (NIV) 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
“Do you understand what I have done for you?” It is very difficult to comprehend God humbly serving His creation. It takes a lifetime to fully sink in.
“I have set you an example that you should do.” Shortly, they would see Jesus die and understand the connection between this humble service and is death.
“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” Abundant blessings accompany humble service.
Hebrews 12:2b (NIV) …For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
John 15:13 (NIV) Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
2 Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV) Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Be like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.
To Humbly Serve is to use my advantage for the advantage of someone else. Humble Service leverages status, position, knowledge, talent, time and resources for another’s gain.
What stands in your way of humble service?
Culture stands in our way yelling “me first” as the way to a full life.
Hurt stands in our way yelling “I won’t put myself in ‘that’ position again!”
Ego stands in our way, “that is beneath me.”
Justice stands in our way, “they don’t deserve my service.”