The Heart of Serving
• John 13:1-17 We normally only look at this passage on Good Friday.
Verse 3 This verse is so important because it shows Jesus knew His identity.
• What He was about to do was a very menial task, something the lowest of the slaves or servants would do.
o But Jesus had no trouble doing this because He knew His identity.
• So the first step into really serving in getting our identity with Jesus right.
Verses 4-5 In taking off His outer garment He is truly taking on the position of a servant.
• This task was usually reserved for the lowest person in the household.
Verse 12 Jesus says no one is above this.
• If He can do this as Lord of Lord, then anyone who would follow in His name can do this.
• Then He says that we will be blessed if we do this.
• In Mozambique, they still do something similar.
o What they practice is hand washing.
They have no running water and there are no bathrooms.
• Diseases related to hygiene are real issues there.
So washing hands is their need.
• But here is the thing It’s not just the lowest servant or slave who do this, they all serve each other.
Now I am left to ask the question why? Why do they get servanthood so well?
• Luke 16:13“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
• Here in the US we serve a standard of living.
• They can’t serve a standard of living because there is no standard of living.
o This frees them in a lot of ways to serve the kingdom with undivided hearts.
• But there is still a disconnect here.
o Our standard of living should not prevent us from being servants.
• So, we do have to figure out how to not let the blessings of our standard of living, prevent us from receiving the blessings of the Lord that come through heart level serving.
1. I think it’s our desire to be comfortable and have an easy life.
2. I think we love our rights, I have a right to this or that.
3. We love talking about it more than doing it.
4. We would rather be entertained than serve
• Now I also want to talk about Noticing Part of being a servant is noticing what needs to be done.
o Jesus was good at noticing
• But in order to notice, our eyes, and hearts have to be off of our standard of living.
