I want to say that I think that if we count ourselves followers of Christ, we must have elements of humble service in our lives! We must be people of the towel! What does it mean to be people of the towel? The Disciples asked this same question one night as they were having supper with our Lord. Jesus sat down with His Disciples one last night before His crucifixion. During the course of the meal, in one simple act, Jesus taught them, and us, what it is really love and serve.
"So He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him." John 13:4-6.
Teaching His people to love was one of Jesus' overall purposes in the Upper Room Discourse. He had one question for them: "Do you know what I have done to you?" Jesus was the one that everyone thought was going to restore Israel as a powerful nation. At this time, they were under Roman rule. Jesus, they thought, came to Jerusalem to overthrow the rule of Rome and set Himself up as King. Little did they know that He was not there to restore a government, but a people that had been separated from God: the world. But how was He going to bring the world back to God? Through His unselfish, desire to love and serve mankind! Jesus never used His Lordship to gain power or esteem over anyone. He always looked for the opportunity to show God's love for us through service.
Many times as believers, we can start to believe that because we belong to God's kingdom, we are better than those around us. We might start to develop a condescending attitude. This can be especially true for those in ministry positions, regardless of what they are. What Jesus was demonstrating to His disciples was that we are to do service for the people of God through love! Our love of Him cascades down through us to the love of others. And as we love others, we begin to serve as Jesus served.
Friends, in my opinion, for the church to attain holiness in the sight of God, it is necessary that many of us be engaged in lowly service one to another. Service as lowly and as essential as Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet. And, this work is going to require us to get dirty! This goes against the grain in most of us. Many of us would rather do service that costs us little to nothing, not getting dirty or hurt in the process. But Jesus was willing that He get dirty and hurt to show that overflowing love that He has for all mankind. Our question then is: How do we become people of the towel? I believe that there are three factors here that Jesus taught His disciples in this one act. First: We need the heart of the servant, as Jesus had! He was overflowing with love for them. Second: We are to follow the example of Jesus the servant! And thirdly: We need to know who we are, as people of the towel!
The power, the impetus, and the grace to wash one another's feet is proportionate to how we see ourselves! Our Lord saw Himself as King of kings, and yet He washed their feet. Recovery of a consciousness that we serve Christ the King should compel us to service. Jesus' final word to the disciples about lowly service was this: "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them." (13:17) People, we do not need to learn more about humble service--we need to do it! Have you joined the Order of the Towel?
May God Richly Bless You Today!! H Trent!
"So He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him." John 13:4-6.
Teaching His people to love was one of Jesus' overall purposes in the Upper Room Discourse. He had one question for them: "Do you know what I have done to you?" Jesus was the one that everyone thought was going to restore Israel as a powerful nation. At this time, they were under Roman rule. Jesus, they thought, came to Jerusalem to overthrow the rule of Rome and set Himself up as King. Little did they know that He was not there to restore a government, but a people that had been separated from God: the world. But how was He going to bring the world back to God? Through His unselfish, desire to love and serve mankind! Jesus never used His Lordship to gain power or esteem over anyone. He always looked for the opportunity to show God's love for us through service.
Many times as believers, we can start to believe that because we belong to God's kingdom, we are better than those around us. We might start to develop a condescending attitude. This can be especially true for those in ministry positions, regardless of what they are. What Jesus was demonstrating to His disciples was that we are to do service for the people of God through love! Our love of Him cascades down through us to the love of others. And as we love others, we begin to serve as Jesus served.
Friends, in my opinion, for the church to attain holiness in the sight of God, it is necessary that many of us be engaged in lowly service one to another. Service as lowly and as essential as Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet. And, this work is going to require us to get dirty! This goes against the grain in most of us. Many of us would rather do service that costs us little to nothing, not getting dirty or hurt in the process. But Jesus was willing that He get dirty and hurt to show that overflowing love that He has for all mankind. Our question then is: How do we become people of the towel? I believe that there are three factors here that Jesus taught His disciples in this one act. First: We need the heart of the servant, as Jesus had! He was overflowing with love for them. Second: We are to follow the example of Jesus the servant! And thirdly: We need to know who we are, as people of the towel!
The power, the impetus, and the grace to wash one another's feet is proportionate to how we see ourselves! Our Lord saw Himself as King of kings, and yet He washed their feet. Recovery of a consciousness that we serve Christ the King should compel us to service. Jesus' final word to the disciples about lowly service was this: "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them." (13:17) People, we do not need to learn more about humble service--we need to do it! Have you joined the Order of the Towel?
May God Richly Bless You Today!! H Trent!
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