God’s Love Never Ends
John 13, Part 1: Servant
Leadership Defined by Christ’s Example
I worked in or
in support of machine shops for 43 years until retirement. In manufacturing
environments we encounter the extremes of many different management personalities
and styles. I observed, first hand, how those in authority motivated their
direct reports and vendors to excellence, hard work and putting their heart
into what they did. Sadly, I saw much more of the opposite. As I progressed up
the engineering ladder, I learned the difference between the leaders and the managers.
Eventually I decided to find another job rather than painfully endure “old
school” management. There are many books and courses about Servant Leadership. Simply
stated – Jesus is the role model; He is the example of how to lead people who
will accomplish great things and love doing it.
This first
section of chapter 13 of John’s Gospel should be included in any instruction on
Servant Leadership.
John 13:1 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.
Matthew
Henry wrote, concerning this verse: (bullets added)
v
These
he loved, He called them into fellowship with Himself, conversed familiarly
with them, was always tender of them, and of their comfort and reputation.
v
He
allowed them to be very free with him, and bore with their infirmities.
v
He
loved them to the end, continued his love to them as long as He lived, and
after His resurrection; He never took away His loving kindness.
v
Though
there were some persons of quality that espoused his cause, He did not lay
aside his old friends, to make room for new ones, but still stuck to His poor
fishermen.
v They were weak and defective in
knowledge and grace, dull and forgetful; and yet, though He reproved them
often, He never ceased to love them and
take care of them.
Here Jesus shares
His last meal together with the people he has poured so much of Himself into.
He’s lovingly mentored them, painstakingly prepared them for their mission, and
all those things listed above. This is perhaps His last opportunity to
demonstrate the bottom line of the life they are to about to enter into.
John prefaces
the account of what Jesus is about to do with two important verses,
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,
One of gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12 is the discerning of Spirits. Using this important gift from the Father, Spirit baptized believers can know what is going on in the spiritual realm. They may see the force of motivation for the good or the evil actions of people. In verse two we see that Jesus knew what Judas was about to do. The timing for what Jesus needed to do became very clear. His love for His disciples was so great; His desire for them to be fully equipped for the life He called them to was like a compelling force to impart a most important life lesson. He was not going to allow the enemy to so negatively influence the rest of the disciples as the devil had done to Judas. Hear the
Our response must always be to exercise our free will to receive, and walk out, everything the Master imparts to us.
In verse three
we see the source of the power that the Son of Man utilizes. Jesus was able to
do what most men would think impossible because He knows who He is and where He
is going. Jesus had no identity crises. Like the old song says, “He’s got the
whole wide world in His hands.” He knew He was about to accomplish all He was
sent to do and was soon to be going back to be with His Father. This speaks to
us of the confidence we should reflect knowing that He has our lives in His
hands.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together
for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His
purpose.
Because
He lives in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, we have all the power we need to do
anything He calls us to do. As we walk in the Spirit, and are motivated by
His love, our lives can exude confidence, not in ourselves but in Jesus, the
lover of our souls.
Matt. 28:18 And
Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven
and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the
end of the world. Amen.
Now the Gospel
story brings us to the most awesome demonstration of Servant Leadership. And
what is God the Son about to do? Stoop down and wash the yucky crud and dirt off
their feet, demonstrating that they are all on a level playing field and we
should never be above doing the dirty work of loving the sometimes unlovely
people.
took a towel and girded Himself.
5 After that, He poured water into a basin and
began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which
He was girded.
There are so
many applications from this, demonstrating such humbleness, such a heart to
serve.
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to
everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ
also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26
that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the
word
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit
yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and
be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to
the humble.”
These last
verses of this section of John 13 say it all concerning our attitudes and
actions towards each other. It leaves no room for haughtiness or selfish pride.
John 13:12 When
he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his
place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.
13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and
rightly so, for that is what I am.
14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have
washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
15
I have set you an example that
you should do as I have done for you.
16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater
than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
17 Now that you know these things, you will be
blessed if you do them.
Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
Galatians 3:5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you
and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the
hearing of faith?
Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me to hear Your heartbeat. Cause me to love and demonstrate the humility like You did when you washed the disciples’ feet. May Your love keep me from ever thinking of myself more highly than I ought, but to see all people as equal. May Your Church be an example to the entire world as we demonstrate Your love equally to show honor and respect to everyone.
As
the old song says,
His Love hath no limit; His grace has
no measure;
His power has no boundaries known
unto man.
But out of His infinite riches in
Jesus, He giveth, and He giveth, and giveth again.
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