Follow The Leader Series

✞ “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it–and you will live a blessed life.”

Put simply Jesus is telling us, “live like I live; I’m giving you one simple rule to obey: follow my example. When you do that, you will be rewarded.”

What is the example that Jesus has set for us? What is His expectation of each of us as His followers? Christ’s example is more than just washing feet. If we believe that’s what Jesus expects then we should rename the church to be “Foot Washers Assembly of God” and place basins of water with towels at some significant location so that the world can see how well we are following Christ’s example. (Now don’t get me wrong, I believe that there is a place for a foot washing service within the local church; we’ve had such events here in the past. God can work powerfully in such services.)

If we are going to properly understand the pattern or example that Jesus has given to us we must look beyond His actions and see His heart. What is the heartbeat of Jesus that He wants each of us to emulate? Jesus expects us to have a SERVANT’S HEART. With a servant’s heart we can then like Jesus consider others as more important than ourselves and in turn meet their needs.

What does it mean to be a servant? In his book, The Jesus Style, Gayle D. Erwin described servanthood this way:

"A servant’’s job is to do all he can to make life better for others–to free them to be everything they can be. A servant’’s first interest is not in himself but others. . . Servanthood is a loving choice we make to minister to others." (Gayle D. Erwin, The Jesus Style, page 48)

Being a servant puts others at the front of the line putting others ahead of self. A willing servant’s heart does not consider the cost too great to meet as need. Nothing is too small or trivial for a servant to do. A servant knows that his life is not his own; everything a servant does is for the Master.

Servanthood is a LOVING CHOICE. Many of you should remember from the series “A Love Affair Between Christ and His Church” that when we share in a passionate relationship with Christ He will make us into a loving church. Love is not an emotional response to an individual; love is a reality of who we are because of our intimate connection to Christ. Jesus will make you into an “agape” lover, but love is still a choice.

God places His “agape” love within you by His Spirit. Within our hearts are the characteristics of a 1 Corinthians 13 love; “agape” love is a part of who you are. However, you must choose to love as Christ loves.

Remember when we come to Christ, He first makes us submissive. Our pride must be broken within us to make the right choice. When we choose not to be loving, when our hearts are hardened and unwilling to serve others our intimacy with Christ is broken. In other words: WE HAVE SINNED.