A Servant's Heart

A Servant’s Heart—John 13:1-20

Reaching the end of a job interview, the human resources person asked a young engineer fresh out of MIT what kind of a salary he was looking for.

"In the neighborhood of $140,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."

"Well, what would you say to a package of 5-weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical & dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, & a company car leased every 2 years...say, a red Corvette?"

"Wow! Are you kidding?"

"Yeah, but you started it."

A servant’s heart is sorely lacking in our society.

God’s people should have a servant’s heart.

Jesus expressed/demonstrated a servant’s heart before/for His disciples.

A servant’s heart is expected of Christians/Jesus’ disciples.

How are Jesus’ disciples to express a servant’s heart?

7 expressions/demonstrations of a servant’s heart.

This is NOT a commandment that the Church become ‘footwashers’ in the strict sense of the word, but it is a commandment of Jesus to apply the principles of footwashers to the whole of their relationships/life.

1—A servant’s heart is seen in...

A SURRENDER OF TIME to God(:1)

Explanation:(:1)Time awareness

:1—“Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”

We live as if immortal...as if time is irrelevant...as if no closure to our lives...infinite

...Then Concept of Time has become out of sync with God.

Servility suffers

*Jesus was aware of His time & the times.

*God’s Time gives deference to God’s will.

Argumentation:

Eph. 5:15-16—“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”

Our time compared to Flowers—Grass—Smoke—Vapor

...Brevity

Illustration:

My brother, Mike/Unsaved/Owns PMS firearms/Even Lives below business/All his time dedicated to his business/Surrendered his Time to his god—the world/We must surrender ours to God

Application:

?Your TIME surrendered to God?...

...in Jesus or your own ability?

?Your TIME speak truth or selfishness to others?

?You demonstrate a SERVANT’S HEART?

2—A servant’s heart is seen in...

A SURRENDER OF AUTHORITY to God(:3)

Explanation:(:3)

:3—“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, & that He had come forth from God, & was going back to God,”

Our concept of Authority has everything to do with how we lead our ministries

Argumentation:

Jn. 5:21-24—“For just as the Father raises the dead & gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, & believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, & does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

Illustration:

Brown Supply Co./Family owned business with Howard, Jr.—David Shoe—Kevin Shoe/Howard Brown owner—died/Howard, Jr. authority/David & Kevin Shoe Surrendered Authority to Howard Jr./

Our Authority is Surrendered to God because He still lives!

Application:

?Your AUTHORITY surrendered to God?...

...in Jesus or your own ability?

?Your AUTHORITY speak truth or selfishness to others?

?You demonstrate a SERVANT’S HEART?

3—A servant’s heart is seen in...

A SURRENDER OF EXAMPLE to God(:4-5)

Explanation:(:4-5)Submission

:4—“*rose from supper, & *laid aside His garments; & taking a towel, He girded Himself about.

:5—“Then He *poured water into the basin, & began to wash the disciples’ feet, & to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”

Example—Shown bodily

Shock therapy for Peter

Argumentation:

2Chr. 17:3-4—“And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father David’s earlier days & did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father, followed His commandments, & did not act as Israel did.”

Illustration:

Rick Jones/Chewing tobacco since 3 yrs. old/Grandaddy’s poor Example

?How far will you go to be an example?

Application:

?Your EXAMPLE surrendered to God?...

...in Jesus or your own ability?

?Your EXAMPLE speak truth or selfishness to others?

?You demonstrate a SERVANT’S HEART?

4—A servant’s heart is seen in...

A SURRENDER OF REVERENCE to God(:6-10)

Explanation:(:6-10)

:6—“And so He *came to Simon Peter. He *said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?”

Humility

:7—Jesus answered & said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you shall understand hereafter.”

“Hereafter”

—After footwashing

—After the Holy Spirit

:8—“Peter *said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

Peter’s Reverence made God Unreachable/Uncompassionate