Most of you will be familiar with the term and concept of servant-leadership. It is not a new concept of course. Corporate North America didn’t come up with it and the bright minds of the world didn’t phrase it as a new discovery. One of the Army’s earliest references to servant-leadership is that of Commissioner Samuel Logan Brengle, holiness teacher, Salvation Army officer, preacher and author. The Forward of the book was issued by the second General of The Salvation Army in 1923 in London, England, Bramwell Booth, son of the founder, William Booth. In that book Brengle draws attention to Scripture and the language of the apostles’ introduction of themselves – James calls himself “a servant of God”; Jude uses “the servant of Jesus Christ”; Peter labels himself “a servant and an apostle” and there are others. Brengle notes that the apostles used this word “servant” at a time when it spoke of shameful labor and presented one as being inferior to the mainstream of society. The meaning of their use of it was slave. This is where Brengle coined the title of his book, the title of this sermon, Love Slaves. To be a servant leader is to be a love slave. It is the same picture of that presented by our Canadian troops who have chosen to voluntarily serve in the war against terrorism and in the restructuring initiatives abroad. They do so because of love of Country and countrymen and women and even love for people they don’t know in the countries they find themselves. Theirs is an act of being love slaves or servant leaders.
Rick Warren simply defines a servant as one “always on the lookout for ways to help others.” He continues with the definition. “Real servants maintain a low profile. Servants don’t promote or call attention to themselves. Instead of acting to impress and dressing for success, they “put on the apron of humility, to serve another” [1 Peter 5:5, TEV). If recognized for their service, they humbly accept it but don’t allow notoriety to distract them from their work.” (Purpose Driven, page 259, 262).
In seeking to understand this concept of servant leadership we will look to the Master who does all things well and gives us the examples we need. The very first lesson about loves slaves or servant leaders is
I. The extent to which love will go
Verses 1-5…
This experience may have taken place in the home of Simon the leper, in Bethany. The Passover meal (celebration of deliverance from Egyptian slavery) was only two days off. When they gathered in this specially provided place, there would have been everything they needed, including the basin, water and towel for the courtesy foot-washing as they walked in the door. This was not ritual but a practical response to the fact that everyone’s feet was dusty or muddy, depending on the weather conditions, so they needed their feet washed before they could sit and relax. Being that possibly no one but Jesus and the twelve would have been in the house, it was their responsibility to assume this role. Anyone could have done it. But none of the disciples offered. Why? They felt themselves to be of stature, seeking prominence in the Lord’s Kingdom. These were the same ones who butted each other for “greatest in the Kingdom” status. Jesus’ time of crucifixion was drawing near and here he sat, with his leadership team for the future who still didn’t get it – talk about a desperate and seemingly fruitless reality.
Since none moved, Jesus did it. The towel that Jesus wrapped around himself was the suggestive posture and actions of a slave. He did this fully conscious of his Godhead and authority. As a result it was a more humbling and humiliating stance than it would have been for any of his followers. Theologian William Barclay suggests that Jesus was nearer to God at this point of his earthly life than he had ever been. It was that very nearness that brought him nearer to humanity than he had ever been.
This act comes at an interesting time, a pre-crucifixion lesson of the humiliation and love-slave heart Jesus would assume not too long from now.
We are never nearer God then when we stoop to perform the lowest of tasks. There is a legend of St. Francis of Assisi (Assisi – a town in Italy. St. Francis – founded the Franciscan religious order in 1208). He was, in his early years, a wealthy and prestigious man. With all his wealth and prestige he was also very unhappy and void of purpose. While riding his horse one day, he came upon a leper, full of sores and grotesque like no leper he had ever seen. On previous experiences he simply rode around them but this time he was moved to dismount and hug the leper. He wrapped his arms tightly around the leper and as he did so, the leper turned into Jesus.
The legend needs no application. “The nearer we are to suffering humanity, the nearer we are to God.” (Barclay) Do we know this extent of love? Is there a willingness to stoop to the most menial, debasing and prostrate position imaginable? Our love has a breaking point if it is not Christ’s love – there is only so far we’re willing to go. How far will you go? What is the extent of your love? The answer to that question is the measuring rod that shows to what extent you have the love of Christ. The love of Christ is the place where servant-leadership begins.
As Jesus demonstrated servant-leadership we come face to face with
II. The enemy of love
Verse 2…
We are told from one source that “Judas was named one of the Twelve by Jesus and, along with the others, was commissioned to "heal the sick and raise the dead" (Matthew 10:7); and it must therefore be inferred that at the time of his call Judas was not evil. However, by the time of the great defection recorded in John 6, Judas had fallen.
“Many of his countrymen expected a temporal Messiah; and the knowledge that Jesus would never be that kind of Messiah turned his heart away from the Lord.”
How dangerous is the temptation to desert the faith, to run from God, when he fails to deliver on our expectation, or he does not measure up to be all we hoped he would be. There is nothing harder than to be faced with a crisis and we can’t answer for God’s part and presence in it. Yet, our highest expectation is in the pit of human ignorance as we come to realize that we cannot hope to understand the Person of God and the mystery of his ways. The highest call of faith is to acknowledge we don’t know something, that some things don’t make sense, but we trust God knows what is going on and will bring everything to light according to his perfect purposes.
The easiest, most natural response to betrayal is revenge; to remove grace and pass judgement. This was true for Jesus as it is for us. Yet, the more they hurt him, the more he loved them. His response to betrayal’s stinging bite on the cross was the soothing ointment of forgiveness – “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
The more we try to love as Christ loved, the more betrayal will try to poison that determination to follow Christ. We are faced with options – to betray and desert or to remain faithful. Sandra Aldrich and Bobbie Valentine tell a moving story in “Heartprints” that illustrates one way of handling betrayal. “Violet was thirteen in the 1940’s when her dad decided to remarry, some time after the death of her mother. His new bride was not much older than 13 year old Violet at the time. He insisted that there was no point grieving over his dead wife, Violet’s mother and that Thetis was to be Violet’s new mother and if Violet couldn’t get along with her she had better move out.
Violet did just that, seeing her stepmother’s sly grin as she walked out the door. She often saw her dad and stepmother with their new babies and she was heartbroken because she could not be with them. Violet soon had her circle of friends and before too long, became pregnant and had twins, with little support for them or her. Violet also began attending her uncle’s garage church and soon gave her heart to Jesus.
Some time later, Violet’s dad died of cancer. Touching her stepmother’s arm she promised to stand by her which was met with a sharp retort that since Violet moved out so long ago, she needn’t think she would be getting any of the stuff which would go to her own children.
Ten years later, Thetis too had cancer. Violet felt God prompting her to help her stepmother in her illness and wondered how she could ever forgive and love her. She asked God for help and went to visit Thetis. Knocking on the door, Thetis opened it and snapped, wondering what she wanted. Violet told how she wanted Thetis to come live with her to provide the care she needed. Thetis retorted, “Why would you do that?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do. God forgave me and part of my forgiving you is to take care of you now.”
Thetis snapped there was nothing to forgive. Because Thetis would not consent to leave and wanted to stay with her own stuff, Violet moved in with Thetis. The care started light – with medications, laundry and meals. But as the cancer took its toll, the care became changing linens and even feeding Thetis. Violet told her of God’s love and forgiveness all through the ordeal.
One day Violet asked Thetis if she had ever given her heart to Jesus. Thetis said she had the other day. And that was that. One day a visitor came by and Thetis introduced Violet as “this is my daughter”, omitting the “snide label of ‘step’”. When Thetis died a few days later, Violet was standing by her bed, holding her hand.”
Servant-leadership will draw enemies and opposition. It will be challenged to give up, to quit the fight, seeking to convince the slave that there’s no use in going any further. We have to make choices about how we’ll respond.
III. The protester of love
Verse 8…
PRIDE will always protest to love’s presence. In this incident, not only was the act of washing the disciples’ feet a humiliating and humbling experience for Jesus to perform, it was humiliating for Peter to receive. If Peter did not submit, his pride would completely bar him from any fellowship with Christ. His underlying problem was likely as one of the several who were vying for position in the new Kingdom of Christ. He was one of those who was more concerned about the status of his position that the state of his heart.
The idea that “unless I wash you, you have no part with me” (v.8) is an interesting statement of Jesus. This washing was not merely that of the disciples’ feet. It was a cleansing of self; a purging of pride, selfish desire and motivation. I can imagine that when Jesus began washing feet Peter felt a tinge of embarrassment. He knew he should have jumped up and taken this duty on. Now Jesus is doing it and the disciples don’t know where to look, being deeply ashamed that they let it come to this. Peter charged, “No way, you can’t wash my feet Lord!” and Jesus answers, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Lord, I’m embarrassed enough that I didn’t do it. I’m ashamed enough that I was so focused on me that I never responded to the need. And Jesus says, “Let me make it right.””
There are far too many of us who will not admit, “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have said what I said. I shouldn’t be doing what I’m doing. I’m being self-centered and it’s not right. No Lord, you will not wash my feet.” And Jesus says “If I can’t fix your attitude and change your heart and make it right, you can have no part of me or share my Kingdom with me.”
IV. The greatest example of love
Verse 14…
This verse is not a call to the ceremony of foot-washing. It is a call to the routine, practical help people need. It is the invitation to give menial service – e.g. Bermuda Seniors’ Home and the old lady with an infected toe!
The extent of my love was challenged; my example of Christ-like love was put to the test.
Jesus was drawing attention to their earlier neglect where they were so busy in competitive prominence due to pride that they refused to take on the task at hand, expecting someone else to stoop to it. Author Philip Greenslade wrote, “To lead is to serve. This is our basic premise, first lesson and chief ambition. We first learn to be leaders by learning to be servants.” And then citing Proverbs 15:33 he writes, “Before honour comes humility.” Sadly, that often is not the experience of Christ’s followers. Barclay offers a stinging rebuke to the church. “So often, even in churches, trouble arises because someone does not get his place. So often even ecclesiastical dignitaries are offended because they did not receive the precedence to which their office entitled them. Here is the lesson that there is only one kind of greatness, the greatness of service. The world is full of people who are standing on their dignity when they ought to be kneeling at the feet of their brethren. In every sphere of life desire for prominence and unwillingness to take a subordinate place, wreck the scheme of things.” In other words, most people want to be the leader. Most people want to be on the stage. Most people want to be recognized and applauded for what they do. Most people want the best seat in the house. The Greatest Example (Jesus) says, “Be happy to stay in the shadows. There’s nothing wrong with drawing the rope that opens the curtains for others to take a bow. It doesn’t matter if anyone notices or even says ‘thank you’ when you do it for me because I know it; I appreciate it; I will reward it. These are the attitudes and motivation of the love slave. And even when you sit in the place of prominence and are on stage, keep your heart in check as a love slave, because with that privilege comes tremendous responsibility.”
V. The highest call of love
Verse 17…
“A fine black fellow was placed on a slave block in an Egyptian slave market. His master was selling him. Men were bidding for him. A passing Englishman stopped, looked, listened and began to bid. The slave saw him and knew that the Englishman was a world-traveller. He thought that if the Englishman bought him, he would be taken from Egypt, from friends and loved ones, and that he would never see them any more. So he cursed the Englishman, raving and swearing and tugging at his chain that he might reach and crush him. But the Englishman, unmoved, at last out-bid all others, and the slave was sold to him. He paid the price, received the papers that made the slave his property, and then handed them to the black man. ‘Take these papers; you are free,’ he said. ‘I bought you that I might give you your freedom.’ The slave looked at his deliverer and his ravings ceased. Tears flooded his eyes as, falling at the Englishman’s feet and embracing his knees, he cried, ‘O sir, let me be your slave for ever. Take me to the ends of the earth. Let me serve you till I die!’ Love won his heart.”
Just as the Englishman would stop at no price until slave’s freedom was secured, so should the disciples have performed well. It is quite possible that one of them washed Jesus’ feet, but stopped there. The extent of their love was only directed at Jesus. As a result, it was no love at all because the service was given with impure motivation – the act was as before – a means to an end. It was another way to ensure position and favor – or so they thought. The highest call of love is to respond out of obedience and that alone. The way to position and favor is to choose the role of a servant leader.
Wrap
Will you be a love slave?
• To what extent will your love go?
• The enemy of love calls you to desert the faith for selfish motivation.
• Pride will protest against the love you are called to give
• The greatest example of love shows you the way
• The highest call of love is to obey
