The Greatest Act Of Servanthood And Humility

Servanthood is not popular to preach on these days because we live in a society where most people are:

• Looking for what others can do for them.

• Not what they can do for others.

We live in an egocentric age where the "what's in it for me" mentality has permeated every aspect of our society and sadly has infiltrated the lives of today's professed Christians.

I think most of us would agree that we live in a society where we want someone to do things for us.

lllus: Politicians recognize our society operates this way as they tell voters over and over what they will give them if they will vote for them.

They recognize we live in a very selfish society that only thinks of self.

Illus: This reminds me of two friends that met on the street. One looked sad and almost on the verge of tears.

• The other man said, "Hey my friend, how come you look like the whole world has caved in on you?"

• The sad fellow said, "Let me tell you why I am so sad. Three weeks ago, an uncle died and left me 50 thousand dollars."

• "That‘s great!"

• "Two weeks ago, a cousin l never knew died and left me 95 thousand, tax-free to boot."

• "Wow! That's really great!"

• "Also several weeks ago my grandfather passed away. I inherited almost a million dollar."

• "So why are you so sad?"

• "This week - nothing!!!"

Again, there are people who live their life and they live it thinking about what others can give them, not what they can give to others.

THEY WANT TO BE SERVED, NOT SERVE!

When it comes to SERVANTHOOD, in John chapter 13, we see Jesus giving a perfect example of what it means to be a servant by washing the feet of His disciples.

There are some denominations that believe that Jesus, in John 13, is instructing churches to literally wash each other’s feet as a church ordinance, ceremony, or ritual.

They practice their belief by having a foot washing service along with the Lord's Supper

Let me share with you two reasons why l do not believe the Lord is teaching FOOT WASHING AS AN ORDINANCE FOR THE CHURCH TODAY!

(1) IT SERVES NO PURPOSE

For people who had to walk in sandals on dusty roads FOOT WASHING SERVED A PURPOSE.

Today, l assume all who attend church have washed their feet before they came, so there is no need to practice foot washing in the church.

But let me give you a caution here, sometimes people ignorantly make fun of people who sincerely practice foot washing.

We should never make fun of anyone who ignorantly is worshipping the Lord…NEVER!

Why?

Illus: Remember the biblical account of David when he was carrying the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem?

He got so excited he took his royal robe off and put some ordinary clothes on and the Bible tells us he danced with, “all his might".

He did what we call in the South he “cut a rug”. That is he pulled off a Michael Jackson!!!

Look at 2 Samuel 6:16, his dignified wife looked out the window and saw him dancing and the Bible tells us she, “despised him in her heart.”

Now that word, “Despised" here need explaining.

David and Michal (Pronounced as “mee-khal) were a young couple when this took place.

The Bible tells us that Michal loved David. ln fact, she is the only woman in the Bible that tells us she loved her husband.

But when she saw David taking his royal robe off and putting on ordinary clothes and dancing with all his might, she thought this was UNBECOMING FOR A KING!!!

In that sense Michal despised what he was doing, not despising him!!!

David rebuked Michal (Mee-Khal), and the final verse of the chapter notes that Michal was a young woman, and because of her despising what David had done before the Lord, a curse was placed upon her and she never had any children.

A lot of folks have gotten in trouble making fun of someone who was sincere in their worshipping of the Lord.

What they were doing we do not believe it is scriptural, but the Lord sees their sincerity.

And some make fun of people who believe the Bible teaches foot washing. l caution you not to do this!

But let me give you another reason why l do not believe the Lord is instituting foot washing in the church as one of the ordinances of the church.

(2) THE SETTING FOR FOOT WASHING IN THE SCRIPTURES TAKES PLACE AT A HOME SETTING NOT A CHURCH SETTING.

At the time when this incident took place, people wore sandals at best, and roads were either dusty or muddy and likely had animal dung on them as well.