Heritage Baptist Church - Manchester, New Hampshire

One of the most beautiful moments of Jesus’ life has been passed down to us by the apostle John.

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end…

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”

Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”

Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”

Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”

Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 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. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” [John 13:1-20, ESV]

There was no human reason for Jesus to serve his followers, but he did.  He loved them, and their feet were dirty.  He saw a need, felt the need, and met the need.

We are called to follow Jesus as our master.  This does not mean that we live as slaves, but rather that he is our model for our own lives.  We are given the things we have in order to help others.

Francis of Assisi, a 12th century follower of Jesus, once said: “Preach the gospel.  When necessary, use words.”

We believe that when you are believing in Jesus as your Savior and trusting him as your Master, then you will serve him by serving others.  Our lives should be dedicated to others.

To be perfectly honest, we are still trying to figure out just how this looks in our world.  We can do only so much; but we are determined to see our resources invested in the lives of others - not to get conversions or to grow massive ministries but simply because Jesus is our model for life.  He transformed lives through compassion and doing what was in his power to do.

Shouldn’t the same be true of his followers?