Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
Emphasize the importance of serving others with humility and love, following the example set by Jesus, and understanding that blessings come from such acts of service.
Good morning, my dear friends. We gather today under the loving gaze of our Savior, Jesus Christ, to delve into the depths of His Word as presented in John 13. Our focus today will be the example of Jesus, the call to serve, and the blessings that come from serving.
I am reminded of a quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer who once said, "The Church is the Church only when it exists for others...not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling what it means to live for Christ, to exist for others." This, my dear brothers and sisters, is the essence of service - existing for others, just as Christ did for us.
Today's Scripture passage is from John 13.
This passage is a vivid representation of the humility and servitude of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who, despite being the Master, stooped down to wash the feet of His disciples. This act was not merely a physical one, but a symbolic gesture that encapsulates the essence of His ministry and the life He calls us to lead.
Why foot washing?: In the culture of the time, foot washing was a task reserved for the lowest of servants. It was a menial, dirty job, often performed upon entering a house as a sign of hospitality. Yet, here was Jesus, the Son of God, performing this task for His disciples. This act was a powerful demonstration of the humility that characterized Jesus' life and ministry. He was not a leader who lorded over His followers, but one who served them, even to the point of performing the most humble of tasks.
Contrast to the world's understanding of leadership and power: In a world that often equates leadership with dominance and control, Jesus presents a different model - one of servitude, humility, and love. He did not seek to be served, but to serve, and He calls us to do the same. This is a radical call, one that goes against the grain of our human nature and societal norms. Yet, it is the call of the Gospel, the call of Christ, to live a life of service.
About love: It was a tangible demonstration of His love for His disciples, a love that would soon lead Him to the cross. This act of service was a precursor to the ultimate act of service - His sacrificial death on the cross for the salvation of humanity. Thus, Jesus' example calls us not only to serve with humility but also to serve with love, to love others through our acts of service.
How He did it: He served willingly, without coercion or reluctance. He served joyfully, without grumbling or complaining. He served selflessly, without expecting anything in return. This is the attitude of service that Jesus exemplifies, and this is the attitude of service that He calls us to emulate.
A living example for us to follow: It is a call to action, a call to live out our faith in practical ways, through acts of service. It is a call to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, to wash the feet of others, metaphorically speaking, through our acts of love, humility, and service.
The call to serve is a call that echoes from the heart of the Gospel, reverberating through the ages, and resonating in the heart of every believer ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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