Self Service Or In His Service

SELF SERVICE OR IN HIS SERVICE

Text: John 13: 1-17

John 13:1-17  Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.  (2)  The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper  (3)  Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God,  (4)  got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.  (5)  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.  (6)  He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"  (7)  Jesus answered, "You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand."  (8)  Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me."  (9)  Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!"  (10)  Jesus said to him, "One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you."  (11)  For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, "Not all of you are clean."  (12)  After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?  (13)  You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am.  (14)  So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  (15)  For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.  (16)  Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them.  (17)  If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them (NRSV).

Years ago I used to work at a textile mill----the Milliken Plant in Saluda, SC. When I was there I noticed the chain of command. It always seemed that the foremen got to fill out reports in an air-conditioned office while the rest of the employees sweated their brains out. The foremen did their jobs and did them well. But, their duties did not require them to labor and sweat like those of us who worked on the floor.

To give you a clue as to how hot the place was, and how hot my particular job was I lost twenty pounds in a month working there. I had worked out, lifting weights and taking some weight gain powder to beef up and gain weight. In four months, I had gained twenty pounds. In less than a month at the textile mill, I lost those twenty pounds.

If you think about how this applies to the Bible, then you cannot help but to think about the example of Jesus Christ. Jesus did not tell us to do anything that He did not do Himself when He told us to love one another in His service. Jesus led His disciples by example. He did not just talk about things He wanted to be accomplished. No, Jesus got out there with His disciples and served the way He wanted them to serve and loved people the way that He wanted His disciples to love people.

In Matthew 20:28  Jesus tells us that " just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many" (NRSV). In that sentence, Jesus is telling about serving, humility and relationship.

Think about how this applies to the Bible, Jesus led His disciples by example.

SERVICE MODELS

How many models of service do you see where the company is the master?

1) Face value: It is possible for companies to have their employees practice good customer service while short-changing or even exploiting its employees. Maybe they want to cut corners because they want to save money. There are several other reasons that we could explore as to why some employees of some companies might get the short end of the stick.

2) Sincerity: The point is that Jesus taught us how to humbly and sincerely serve others. In Matthew 20:28 Jesus said that “… the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many” (ESV). “I assure you, servants are greater than their master, nor are those who are sent greater than the one who sent them” (John 13:16 CEB). According to Jesus the ground for bosses and employees, sinners and the lost sinners is on level ground at the cross!