Serving One Another in Community : Do you wash feet? (PT2)

"Servant-hood is self-denial; disposability, devotion and cooperation with God."  Elisabeth Elliot

In part one of this post on Serving One Another in Community, we left off with a vision statement that should inform our interaction with each other in community. It speaks of a heart that  displays an abandonment to self agendas and self importance; instead it promotes a life of commitment to the example of Christ. He , the King of glory came to this earth without an agenda or a glorious pursuit of being served, rather, he came to serve. To that end, we are brought microscopically near to the events of the Last Supper for our good. Not only are the disciples getting a last and living testament to the type of service they must live out, but we the present day body of Christ who have received the baton and must drop it. We do like our Savior must bring to the altar of sacrifice our highest desires to be first, our grand pursuits to be in front, to lead, to be seen, to be served; instead, ours is a life of self-denial, disposability, devotion and cooperation with God so that the Kingdom at large, and the communities of people we live, play and serve with experience Godly love and humility through us. How?


Being a Visionary

The LAST SUPPER OPTICS also calls Jesus followers to be visionaries. Verse 15-16 states:
"For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. "
Understand, these disciples are about to be sent out into the world as representative of Christ- doing what he had said and all he had exemplified.
Jesus wants the disciples to have vision for service- the ones who are sent /or will serve in his work, must have HIS vision of service. He’s saying if I am of high rank (The Son of God) and can go low, that is, do the most lowliest of work of a slave; then those who are truly mine, and who I have loved- have no excuse or exemption.
Beloved, this take a very radical mind shift, that is, having the mind of Christ. Our culture prescribes a different model and vision for service, it says, "me this and mine that... me now!" Culture promotes a vision of personal agendas which is very opposed Jesus’ vision here.


Question: Do you have Christ’s vision of SERVICE or a Judas’ attitude of selfishness and self-serving pride, which resulted in his own demise- death? (vs. 18-19).
 Beloved, to be great in God’s kingdom, is to be LOWLY!



BEING A PARTNER
Let's close with this thought. To wash the feet of others, that is, in modern language, perhaps less offensive and offsetting terms, to serve others with love and humility is an radical act of parting with Jesus in the ministry of showing forth his gospel truths. Partnership in the work of Christ is a loud and glaring call throughout scripture. God sent his son, so that those who were on the outside (fallen, doomed in sin) could be reconciled to him (brought back into fellowship) through the son not, just for their redemption , but for partnership in the new kingdom development.  The text has a call to partner in this upside down thinking of Jesus.  When we embrace this example of Christ, in other words when we partner with Him there is a blessedness, not just for ourselves but for those served. Verse 16 and 17 reminds us of Jesus' cautionary guidelines to servant-hood, and the fruitfulness of knowing and obeying his charge. "Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."