Make Me A Servant

Introduction

We have ways of saying things without really saying them, don’t we? We usually call those euphemisms. In an attempt to be kind, we say something, but not really say it. Because we want to be nice. My life has been a life of euphemisms. When I was a baby, I was healthy. Then I became husky. And now I buy my clothes at a big and tall store. Which are just charitable ways of not really using the word that we’re all thinking. One of my favorites happened here. I made announcements one Wednesday night, and as is my custom was walking back to greet people as they left. But before I got all the way to the back, the person leading the closing prayer started, and so I just stopped in the middle of the aisle.

And after the prayer was over, I won’t call names, but one of you looked up and said, I knew that was you. He said, I could just sense your presence. Even though my eyes were closed, I could feel your shadow over me. I hope that if we worship together today, that we, in a serious sense, have felt the presence of God. That though our eyes are closed and we cannot see him, that as we worship together, we know that he is in our midst. And not just in our hours of worship, but in our daily lives, in our hours of service, that we know that He abides with us. As we seek to be, as we’ve just sung, to be servants, as He has served us.

We’re going to talk about that this morning in continuing the thought of our annual theme for this year, which is get connected through building relationships. We’ve already bombarded you with lessons this new year through this concept of what we want to focus on, this spiritual and biblical theme is the idea that being a Christian and at the core of Christianity is relationships. Remember, we talked about that. Ultimately and most importantly, relationship with God, but secondarily a relationship with one another. And how that affects every relationship that I have, even with those outside the body of Christ, is to be affected by the fact that I’m a Christian. And I live that out in my everyday lives. And so we want to talk about this idea, but we want to do more than talk about it.

We want to actually move and act upon this idea of getting connected. And so the shepherds and others have instituted some ways in which we can do this, in real concrete ways in which we can get connected. And one of those ways is through our small groups. Now we’re going to do things a little bit differently this morning. It’s not going to be, it’s not going to feel like your traditional sermon. I want to talk just to you briefly, very practically about our small groups. If you’re a member here, you know what we mean when we talk about the small groups. If nothing else, you know the announcement that’s made every Sunday that group one will be meeting in the library, or group two will be meeting in the library.

If you’re not a member here, if you’ll just indulge me as we talk about some inside stuff here, of how we want to use these small groups to get connected, to build or to at least enhance relationships. Starting today, you may have noticed in the bulletin or with the handouts that were available to you in the foyer. If you didn’t pick those up, do so on your way out. But starting today, we are institutes. And so forget which group you were in. You’re in a different group now. And also forget what you knew about the groups. We’re not just reshuffling the groups, we’re kind of rebranding and reorganizing the groups to make them more of what they ought to be to help us get connected. And so while I’m talking for the next couple seconds, I want to put the groups in front of you.

And your goal, if you’re a member here, is to find your name on this list. Now, I want to say a couple things as we’re going through these groups and about these names. Please know the number of humans that were involved in making these lists. A group of humans got together and typed up these lists, and one of those humans transmitted it to this human, and this human put it on a PowerPoint and printed it out. And so it is possible that one of those humans, probably not me, but one of those humans made a mistake. And so if your name is missing in one of these groups, please know that was unintentional. It was just a mistake. And if your name is misspelled, here’s group two.

If your name is misspelled on this group list, then again, that was unintentional. Just find me or one of the deacons or shepherds and let us know, hey, where am I on that list, or you misspelled my name on that list, or whatever correction you feel needs to be made on that list. As we look at group three, the other thing is if you’re a regular attendee here and we do not recognize you as one of our own yet, then you’re not in one of these groups, then let’s work to correct that. If you want to be a part of the group here at Bumby and a part of one of these groups, then again, after services, find me. I’m easy to find. I’ll reference you back to where we started.

Or find one of the shepherds and one of the deacons and say, I want to be a member here. I want to be a part of one of those groups as we look at group four here. And we’ll talk to you about that and we’ll work toward that end. And hopefully you’ll be able to find yourself in one of these four groups. If you didn’t on the overhead, again, there are printouts on the table in the foyer that lists these four groups. Please find what group you’re in and be an active part of those groups. The point of these groups, ironically, is that we’ve split the congregation into groups to further enhance unity. To take a smaller group of this larger group, and to do some works of service or some works of togetherness that would enhance our unity, our togetherness that would help us to get connected and build these relationships and to maybe to serve and interact in some ways that we can’t in a larger group such as this.

And so, if you’ve never been a part of these groups, today’s the day to start. There’ll be further announcements at the close of service, but group three will be meeting in the library after services. And if your name was there in group three, meet in the library. If you were part of the groups in the past, but got disillusioned with them, remember these are new groups and new ideas and new concepts that we’re going to talk about. If you’ve always been an active part of these groups, we thank you and beg of you to continue. And so let’s talk just a little bit about some of the goals that we have in these groups. Some of the goals and activities. We’ll go through this rather quickly, and then I promise you we do have a sermon this morning.

One goal of the group is to simply take care of one another. None of these things in these groups is intended to be even a substitute or to take the place of what we can just do individually or as an entire collective. It’s just to kind of help us enhance that. And so one of the goals is just kind of to see out for one another. That’ll be easier to do in a smaller group, isn’t it? To see who’s missing and to see who has some kind of need. And so we want to use these groups as just kind of a way to look out for one another and to take care of one another. It might be very difficult to have this entire congregation into your home for a Bible study or a devotional, but maybe you can have your group.

Or maybe your group can meet somewhere that’s more convenient and comfortable to have a devotional and a Bible study together. And we would encourage all of these groups to do that from time to time. To use our Sunday afternoons or Sunday evenings together, as groups studying the Word of God in some kind of devotional or way. We’ve often used the groups as this and want to continue as a means of kind of sending out cards or calls. Do not discount the value of a phone call or a written card. I’m going to sound like an old man here, so get ready. But in this day of technology and means of speedy instant communication, there’s still something so meaningful and touching about getting a card in the mail that somebody wrote and addressed and stamped and sent to you.

And so we want to use that to send out cards and to reach out to people in the group and outside of the group that might need our attention. It’ll be an attempt for us to get together as a group or even just a subset of each group to go and visit others, to see to the homebound or those who are in hospitals or not able to get all out as often. And we can use the groups as a way to kind of organize and to do that. We can use the groups as a vehicle to carry meals to those who are sick or in need in whatever way to be able to share those meals. It’d be easier maybe to organize group one and two to work together, maybe at times to provide those meals.

And just generally prepare provide for the needs, the needs of the entire congregation, but maybe the specific needs of your group. It may be that someone in your group or someone even outside of your group needs some groceries or toiletry items, and they need to be taken care of in that benevolent way. And the groups can again be a vehicle to do that. We talked about devotionals and Bible studies, but it’ll be a good opportunity to get together to sing. And we want the groups to know, the group leaders already know this, the groups to know that we have song books, extra song books, and already in a box, ready for you to pick up and take to your home or to some park or somewhere else where you can engage in a group singing.

It might be good for your groups to get together in prayer. To just occasionally do that, but also if there’s some special need, something important or urgent that’s happening in our lives or around us to get your group together and pray about that thing or pray for that person. It’s an attempt for us to kind of engage others, to get to know one another. Even in the times we’re good at visiting before and after services, but that can be difficult to meet everybody in a congregation of this size, but in that smaller way that you can engage with people on a more personal level and pull others in. You see somebody, if you’re in one of these groups, find somebody else that’s in that group and pull them into this work of service that we can do together.

It’ll be an attempt to reach out to the weak, those who may be struggling spiritually among us. We don’t want to just take care of the benevolent and physical needs. We also want to help out those spiritual needs that we might have from time to time. And we can do that. And we make no apology in saying we can use these groups as kind of a social connection to just get together with one another. And as we read in the book of Acts, chapter 2, to break bread from house to house and to do those kind of things together. And these groups, again, can be a good way to do that. And we do this as a congregation, but the groups might be a good way to just do acts of service or of labor of someone that needs some work done to their house or some cleaning done to their house or something that they’re in a situation where they can’t take care of those things.

Hopefully the groups can swoop in and clean up somebody’s yard or take care of some needs that somebody might have in this service category. We want to use this to kind of reach out to the young. Old and young alike are in these groups, and we want to make sure that we get the young people involved in these groups and in these singings and Bible studies, the acts of service that we’re doing. We want to connect to those evangelists that we support. And so we’ll be instituting, we’ll be asking the groups to reach out to these men that we support throughout this country and throughout the world for you to maybe adopt one of those preachers and make it your group’s goal that this year you’re going to communicate with them and let them know that this is more than just a support letter sent one direction and a check sent the other direction, but that we understand that we have fellowship, the preaching of the gospel with these men and the good work that they’re doing.

The visiting preachers that we have for gospel meetings and teen weekends and other events, it might be a good opportunity. And some of the groups had already been doing this to host a meal or other events for those visiting preachers to make sure that their needs are met while they are here and that they feel welcome. To support some college students. If we have young people here that are away in college, wouldn’t it be encouraging and spiritually uplifting for the groups to communicate with them or send them a care package or otherwise just let them know that they’re loved and not forgotten. And to reach out to the elderly, those that maybe because of their circumstances may be a little lonely or struggling in one way or another, to reach out and to again to make them know that they’re loved and still an active part of our group, even though they may not feel as active as they once did.

And then to reach out to those who are caretakers. If you’re caring for someone in whatever capacity, we understand the burden that that can be and the difficulty there. And we as groups want to reach out to you and to support you. If nothing else, just to give you a pat on the back and a hug, but maybe to step in and to help in some way that we can. So these are just some of the goals and activities of these groups. And if you’re a part of one of these groups, I hope you’ll help to implement these things. And I hope you’ll help to add to this list. Come up with a dozen other things that we these groups can do. I believe I speak for the shepherds when I say this, that as long as we can find scriptural authority for it, and it’s something we ought to be doing as Christians for one another, we want to use these groups to do that.

To help and to support one another, to be what we ought to be as Christians, and to get connected and to build these relationships as we just try, the best of our feeble ability to try to get to heaven and help one another to get there as well. And so I’m excited about the kick off of these new groups that we have. And again, group three will meet after services. Find that list. And if you’re in group three, please meet in the library after services. Find the group you’re in, find your group leader, and be ready to be engaged in these activities as we work together. I want to invite you now, if you will, to get your Bible and go with us to John chapter 13.

John chapter 13, we have one of the most loved and memorable stories of an event that our Savior did. When we think about the things of Jesus, of his life here, we normally think of two categories. His teaching, obviously. We think of the Sermon on the Mount and the parables with which he taught. And we also think about the activities of Jesus, and specifically there, we marvel at the miracles, don’t we? From the turning water into wine to walking on water till the resurrection, we think of the miracles that Jesus performed. John 13 is kind of a different category. John 13, as you may remember, is where Jesus washed the disciples’ feet.

And it wasn’t traditionally what we think of as teaching. He didn’t deliver a sermon per se. But the way I like to think of the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, that it was a teaching. In fact, I think we could categorize it as a parable. Not a spoken parable so much, as it was a demonstration and a lesson on service. And so, as we’re thinking about these new groups and the way that we can use these groups and how that all connects to our overarching theme of getting connected and building connections, building relationships to one another, let’s talk about this story of where Jesus showed us, and in their doing taught us to be a servant. You’ll remember the story here in John chapter 13.

It says, now before, John 13, verse 1. Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come, that he should depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. And supper being ended, the devil, having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from the Father and was going to God, rose from supper and lay aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself. And after that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.

And he came to Simon Peter, and Peter said to him, Lord, are you washing my feet? Jesus answered and said, What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will know after this. Peter said to him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered, If I do not wash you, you have no part with me. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not only my feet, but my hands and my head.

And you were clean, but not all of you. For he knew he who would betray him, therefore he said, You’re not all clean. So when he, verse 12 says, when he had washed their feet, taken his garments, and set again, he said to them, Do you know what I’ve done to you? You call me teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.

For I’ve given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. What a powerful lesson. What a powerful parable. Lived out before their very eyes.

Literally hours before his death, with so much on his mind, so many burdens laid upon his shoulders, knowing that one of those would soon betray him, another one would soon deny him, and the rest would flee. Grabbed a towel and a pan of water, and one by one went and washed their dirty, smelly feet. The concept of us being a servant and asking the Lord to make us a servant as his son, let’s just ask the question. Why did Jesus wash the disciples’ feet? He kind of asked that question himself, and he says, Do you know what I’ve just done? Now the obvious answer is, yes, I know what you just did. You washed our feet. But that’s not really what he was asking. He was asking the why.

1. He Washed Their Feet Because They Were Dirty

Why did I do this? What was the point of this? I’ve come up with three, you might come up with more. But three answers to why did Jesus wash the disciples’ feet? The first one may seem rather obvious and maybe almost comical. He washed their feet because they were dirty. And somebody needed to wash them. It was a common practice in ancient times, that they would come in and wearing the type of footwear that they wore and living in the type of surroundings and climate that they lived, that their feet would often be dirty. And so it was kind of a practice, and when you came in, and when you’re going to stay for any period of time at least in a dwelling, either you are usually a servant, a lowly servant, would wash your feet.

The rest of you, as Jesus had implied with the discussion with Peter, you’d already bathed, but your feet had got extra dirty walking the journey there, and so your feet needed washed. And so the most obvious answers why Jesus washed their feet is because they needed washed. And somebody, although it was usually the owner of those feet that washed them, or some lowly humble servant that did the washing, it still did not deny the fact that somebody had to do it. And although that’s not, admittedly, the main principle that we learn from this story, I think it is a principle that we can learn that that’s the way life is.

Servants in the local church, servants in our community, servants in our family, servants to one another, for this very reason, is because it needs to be done, and somebody needs to do it. And guess what? The last time I checked, you’re a somebody.

John would say later in 1 John chapter 3 and in verse 18 Little children, let us not love in word or in talk, but in deed and in truth. I don’t know that John had this scene in mind when he pinned those words by inspiration. But they’re certainly the exemplification of that principle. Let us love not only in word or talk, but in deed and truth. That’s deed and truth, getting down and getting dirty by washing somebody’s smelly feet. James, who we believe to be a brother of this servant Lord, said, whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, to him it is sin. And so the most practical lesson I can learn from this story of why Jesus watched the disciples’ feet is there are things that need to be done.

Somebody needs to do them. Why not me? There’s a Bible class that needs to be taught. Why don’t I be that somebody?

There’s service that needs to be done to someone in need. Why can’t I be that somebody?

2. To Correct Their Attitudes of Selfishness and Pride

I can be that somebody. And only on the list goes. Why can’t I gird a towel? My Lord could do it. Why can’t I gird a towel and fill a basin with water and be that somebody to somebody else? But we get maybe more to the crux of the matter. We ask the question, why did Jesus wash the disciples’ feet? And it maybe it’s largely to correct their attitudes of selfishness and pride. Remember the context. This is in the observance of the Passover, the last time Jesus will observe the Passover with his disciples, in which he instituted the Lord’s Supper. And at this seating, Jesus declares that one of them would betray me. And they began to argue and wonder who it might be. And that speculation about who it might be led into an argument and a disagreement about who was the greatest among them.

And in the midst of that, almost in the midst of the very argument when they’re arguing, who’s the greatest among us? It’s me. I’m better than you are, and you say, no, I’m better than you are. I’ll be at his right hand. In the midst of that argument as to who is the greatest among us. Jesus just quietly gets up, wraps himself in a towel, pours a basin of water, and washes the feet of every one of those arrogant, selfish disciples. And no wonder he says to Peter and to the rest, you don’t know what I’m doing now. But you will. We understand selfishness and pride to be an anathema to Christianity and what it means to be a child of God. The best way to deal with that is to wash somebody’s feet.

3. To Demonstrate the Core of Being a Christian: Humble Service

Another reason why Jesus washed their feet was to demonstrate the essence and the core of what it means to be a Christian. And that’s humble service. Whether that service rendered directly to God or whether that service rendered to our fellow man. Jesus is saying, This is what it’s like to be like God. This is what it looks like to be my disciple. Look there again in John 13 and verse 14. He says, If I then, John 13 verse 14, if I then, your Lord and your teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. Now immediately I imagine those men, this is what I would have thought, okay, he’s given us a new job. We got to start washing each other’s feet.

But again, he says, you don’t know what I’m doing now, but later you will. Later they understood that it wasn’t exactly about the task of washing feet so much as it was about being an humble servant. Look what he says later. John chapter 13, verse 34 and 35. He says, A new commandment I give you, that you love one another. As I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you’re my disciples if you have love for one another. In what sense was that a new commandment? The Old Testament for years had been saying love one another. And so how could Jesus say, I’m giving you a new commandment that you love one another? I believe the very most real and concrete sense in which it can be said that that was a new commandment is that he adds, as I have loved you.

Conclusion

And hours from now, through the act of hanging upon that cross. That’s what love is. That’s what Christianity is. And that’s who God is. So let us all say, make me a servant. Empty of me selfishness and pride, and help me to learn this lesson to be a servant of God. If you’re not a Christian this morning, why not serve God in the most complete and full sense that you can by submitting your will to his? Obey the gospel this morning. Render your obedience, empty yourself of selfishness and pride, and fall down before that cross. Before that throne. And worship God by being obedient to Him this morning. You’ve heard the word, believe it, and repent of your sins. Confess your faith and be baptized this very morning.

And find a towel and a basin of water. And be a Christian. If we can help you this morning in any spiritual way, let it be known right now, as together we stand and as we sing.