Randall Caselman
Bella Vista Church of Christ
November 18, 2001 A.M.
Becoming More Like Jesus Through Serving Others
Reading - John 13.1-17
With the ordaining of an additional Elder... We've come to a very important time in the life of this church. A time when, if we are going to continue to grow spiritually and numerically, that we must have more servants among us.
Our Eldership has spoken this morning of SERVANT LEADERSHIP... Now it is our time to meet the challenge of following them in becoming more... More and more like Jesus.
We talk about Jesus being God incarnate... God in the flesh. Well... To the extent that we become like Jesus... Then we become the second incarnation... RIGHT?
I think this was what Paul meant when he wrote:
- I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
- Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
You see... Jesus was a servant... From His own lips we hear Him say... I came to serve...
not to be served. So... If we are going to become the second incarnation, we must become servants... RIGHT?
I believe John 13 has a lot to say to us about serving one another. Access a worship bulletin and let's see what we can learn.
First... Serving others is how we respond to what Jesus has done for us.
Church, when we genuinely understand... When we really come to a realization of what Jesus has done for us... We will serve Him... by serving others.
When a church comes to that point in their existence... No one... NO ONE including Satan can hold them back from serving the Jesus in others.
- Do you know why some of our members are not here this morning?
- Do you know why some of us will not be found serving the Jesus in others this week?
It's simple... Because we have yet to fully comprehend John 3.16... God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.… Listen to these scriptures...
- 1 John 3.16... This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
- And 1 John 4.11... Since God so loved us... We also ought to love one another.
These verses are pretty plain aren't they? Another question... Can we really respond to the cross without serving the Jesus in others? Jesus tells us that... We must take up our own cross and follow Him.
That includes the basin of water and the towel.
That includes washing feet.
That includes serving one another.
There comes a time when we must get off the pew... And on our knees in SERVICE to Him and others.
Let me suggest that there are two basins of water... Two towels in the gospel narratives.
One is found in Pilate's hall. He used them to wash his hands of this Jesus.
The second is found in the upper room. Jesus uses it to serve His disciples... To wash feet.
You see... Each of us here this morning has his or her own basin of water and a towel. What will we do with them?... Will we wash our hands of Jesus?... Or will we wash His feet in genuine service to others?
Sobering question... RIGHT?
Secondly... Our love for one another is expressed by serving.
Note verse one of our reading... (And, by the way, this reading only appears like this in the NIV. ... I don't want to argue the point, but just use this reading for our lesson this morning).
Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
How do we tell somebody that we love them? It's not so much with the tongue... As it is with a towel. John says... Jesus shows the full extent of His love by washing their feet... by serving.
Later Jesus will say.. If you love Me... you will keep My commandments... You will serve Me.
Here it is church... We show...
- The full extent of our love to Jesus,
- The full extent of our love for one another,
- The full extent of our love for the sick,
- The shut-ins,
- The lost,
- Our spouse,
- Our children,
By the way we serve them.
Jesus said... As I have washed your feet, you are to wash one another's feet... I have set an example for you that you should do as I have done. You see... We are the extension... and representation of Jesus to the world... We are the second incarnation?
The world will see Jesus in His church... this church... to the extent that we serve. The world will know you are My disciple when you love one another. Yes it is true... We can serve without loving... But we can't love without serving. Serving explains and exemplifies the extent of our love. May God help us become MORE AND MORE AND MORE LIKE JESUS.
Thirdly... Our serving should be indiscriminate.
I want you to consider who's feet Jesus was washing:
-John... This is the same harsh, hard-hearted John who earlier had begged Jesus to send fire down from heaven to destroy people for rejecting Jesus.
-James... He and John had just asked Jesus for special and discriminating positions of power and authority in the Kingdom.
-Thomas.... He's going to call Jesus a liar, saying... I won't believe you and your resurrection until you show me your death wounds.
-Peter... In less than 24 hours, Peter is going to deny Jesus, not once, but three times to save his own pride and ego.
-Judas... He was there and Jesus washed his feet.
How about the rest of the disciples?... They are all going to forsake Him... abandon Him to face death alone in the garden before this night is over.
Question!... Ever had friends like these?... They said one thing and did another?
The world says, do it to others before they do it to you.
-Jesus says, treat others as you would have them treat you.
The world says make them pay.
-Jesus says, wash their feet.
The world says me first.
-Jesus says place the interest of others before our own.
The world says, hate your enemies.
-Jesus says love your enemies and do good to them that mistreat you.
The world says, but they don't deserve it.
-Jesus says neither do you.
When it comes to love and service... Jesus and His followers do not play favorites... Neither should we!!... Neither should we!!
Then fourthly... We are never more like Jesus than when we're serving others.
Read verse 14 with me... Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. This is exactly what Paul has in mind as he writes Philippians two.... Your heart... Your attitude... Your disposition... Should be the same as that of Christ Jesus... Who... Being in very nature God... did not consider equality with God something to be held on to... but made Himself nothing... Taking the very nature of a servant.
Church... The nature of a servant is to serve. This was the heart and nature of Jesus. And if we are going to become genuine disciples... Paul tells us... We are to have His heart... His nature... His disposition.
Indeed... Indeed... We are to be the second incarnation.
Milton Jones tells of being in Seattle, Washington, with Randy Johnson, who at the time was a star pitcher for the Seattle Mariners.... We know Randy best by his nickname, The wild thing. He was instrumental in the Diamond Backs winning this year's World Series. They were passing out sandwiches to the poor and homeless... The down and out in the inner city of Seattle. As they handed a sandwich to a homeless man, he looked up and said... Milton Jones... Randy Johnson... you're the last persons I would expect to see doing this.
Let me ask you... If Jesus were on this earth today, where would He be and what would He be doing?... Where would we find Him... Think about it.
- He would be in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Rogers handing out sandwiches to the poor.
- Feeding them loaves and fishes.
- He would be visiting the sick.
- Preaching to the lost.
- Lifting up the fallen.
- Comforting the mourning.
- He would be found about the Father's Business.
- He would be found serving in the Kingdom... washing feet.
Why is it... That the very thing Jesus would be doing... Is sometimes the last thing we want to do?... And perhaps the last thing the world expects us to do?... Sobering questions... Sobering indeed!!
Church... We will never be more like Jesus... Than when we're serving others.
In fact... While serving others... We can even be mistaken... mistook for Him.
Yes, we have come to the point in the life of this church that we CAN indeed... Become more and more and more like Jesus in serving others.
What do you need to do this morning to become more like Jesus.
Do you need, like Him, to become a child of God by faith, repentance and New Testament baptism, immersion in water for the forgiveness of sins?
Maybe we need to find our place of service within the Kingdom.
Perhaps you've been worshiping with us and as a baptized believer you want to be a part of a church where people are often mistook for Jesus.
However this lesson has spoken to you, respond to the message, as we stand and sing this invitation song together.
Will you come?
