Jesus Came To Serve
Christ did not come to be served but to
serve us and to give his life as a ransom for all of us." Matthew 20:28
The
promise of salvation is not for those who serve Jesus, but it is for those who are served by Jesus. As
John Piper (theologian) puts it, "the gospel is not a 'Help Wanted' sign,
it is a 'Help Available' sign"
Jesus said, "Whoever wants to be
great among you must first be your servant."
Jesus loves us so much that He wants to be our
servant. He served us by suffering
and dying for us, by mediating for us, by forgiving us, by protecting us, by
supporting us, by healing us, ... We are honored and humbled to realize that Jesus is our servant and that He wants
us to be servants to others. The reason most of us do not serve others is that
we are usually thinking about ourselves instead of others. We have not learned
that we are to look not only to our own needs but also to the needs of others.
(Phillipians 2:4)
By
washing the feet of His disciples, Jesus taught us that true greatness in the Kingdom of God consists not in position of
authority but in serving one another. Usually a servant serves someone who
is at a higher position or status than they are but in God's Kingdom, you serve
others who are above or below you in status. It is a demonstration of our love
for each other. Jesus does not say to do "what" he did but
"as" he did. The foot washing is used by Jesus to reveal God’s loving
nature and Jesus commands us to demonstrate this same loving nature to others. We
are to pass on Jesus’ example in word and actions, to show the unconditional
and selfless love of God, with no consideration of pride or status. If Jesus
takes the role of servant (better translated "slave"), then we should
expect to do the same. Jesus is the one sent by the Father and we have been sent
by Jesus. Jesus has been obedient to the Father and we are to be obedient to
Jesus. The life of a servant contradicts the pride and selfishness of this
world. Jesus closes by saying, "Now
that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them"
Jesus says, “You do not realize now what I am doing,
but later you will understand.” In
response to Peter's rejection, Jesus says, “Unless you let me wash you, you are
not my true follower.” Peter responds, “Then, Lord, . . . not just my feet but
my hands and my head as well!” When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He told
them, “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you”.
Wanting to be first or in charge, is not want the Lord wants. He says, “True greatness
in God’s Kingdom is attained by those with a servant’s heart. When we have that
servant’s heart, the Lord promised, we will be greatly blessed (John 13:17).
So when Jesus had finished and reclined at the table again, He said to
them, "Do you know what I have just
done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.
If I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another's feet.
“My command is this: Love each
other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down
one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:12-13) These are the words of a true
servant.