Summer at Society, pt. 3—Towel Service

John 13:1 NLT
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he showed them the full extent of his love.

John 13:3 NLT
Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” —John Acton

John 13:4-5 NLT
he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

Jesus teaches us… 

1. That is beyond

Romans 15:1-3 NIV
We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.3 For even Christ did not please himself

Romans 15:2-3 MSG

Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?” That’s exactly what Jesus did. 

Everything that God has put us should eventually flow us.

Matthew 25:34-36 NIV
Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” 37 Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?” 40 The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Jesus takes how we others very .

We never mature servanthood, our maturity is by our servanthood.

John 13:6-9 NLT
When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” 8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” 9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”

2. To Choose the instead of the .

Humility is

Philippians 2:5-8 NIV
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Romans 15:2 MSG
Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?” 

John 13:12-15 NLT
After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

3. To give our life for the of others.

Matthew 10:25 NLT
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

Answer Key: no one, servanthood; on, through; treat, personally; past, proven; towel, title; unannounced ;away, flourishing