Servant Leader



Prayer:   They rise and needs will have My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they save, The Prince of Life they slay.
Yet cheerful He to suff’ring goes
That He His foes from thence might free

Read: John 13:1–17
http://esvbible.org/John 13:1-17

Think about It: For 3 years the 12 disciples walked with their Rabbi, Jesus. In that time they saw Him do some remarkable things. He proved His sovereign power over sickness and disease, over the demonic, over the natural elements, and even over death. They heard Him preach magnificent messages about what it means to live in the Kingdom of God. They watched as He blessed children and ate with sinners. They listened as Jesus took on the Pharisees and religious leaders, consistently putting them in their place and pointing out their lack of love and true commitment to God. But nothing could have prepared them when just a few hours before His arrest Jesus removes His outer garment, drops to His knees and washes their feet.

To have one’s feet washed upon arrival at a dinner party would not have been unusual. It was in fact considered to be the hospitable thing to do. But the task was always left to the least important servant in the house. This was the most menial of jobs. But now the Lord of Life has taken on the task Himself and will not be denied the right to wash the feet of His followers. This is a monumental moment. The disciples must have been shocked, dismayed, and wildly embarrassed. The Master is acting as humble Servant. Peter even protests and declares that he won’t allow it to happen. But Jesus insists. Imagine the impact this memory must have had on these men after they had seen the resurrected Christ! That was the same Man who only days earlier had washed the dust from their feet!

In this simple act, Jesus teaches us what it means to practice the  discipline of service. Out of incomprehensible love, the Lord of the Universe humbly washes feet in an act of simple service. We are just like the disciples – shocked! What an act of humble love. For many of us, it would be difficult to let someone else even wash our feet. And for others, it is equally difficult to imagine performing such a humble act. But for Jesus, it was just one more amazing example of what pure love looks like; for pure love serves above all else, putting the other person’s needs before your own. It is extremely difficult and extremely rare.

Prayer: Make Me A Servant
Make me a servant Humble and meek
Lord, let me lift up Those who are weak
And may the prayer Of my heart always be
Make me a servant Make me a servant
Make me a servant today
©1982 Maranatha! Music. Kelly Willard CCLI#551204

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