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Text: John 13:1-17 * Growing up, we (mother, father, brother and I) would often feel compelled to participate in these larger gatherings which would bring together a rather bizarre blend of people. These gatherings would require that we rearrange our schedules in order to travel to distant lands to intentionally unite ourselves with a group of people with which it seemed, at times, we shared relatively little in common, and often times, just felt that we didn’t really like! * These gatherings would include people of various ages, shapes, sizes, tastes, interests, socio-economic status and philosophies of life. At times, our interaction was rather awkward and seemed forced. We weren’t sure if “honesty was always the best policy”. The gathering site which had been chosen seemed to be characterized by peculiar smells and décor; the food that was offered didn’t seem to satisfy everyone’s particular tastes. * Some of the people gathered were boisterous and opinionated, and rather dogmatic; some appeared tranquil and rather flexible. * Yet, beyond all of the challenges and the seeming obstacles which, for all intents and purposes, should have prevented us from continuing to put forth such effort to gather, most of us were unrelenting in our commitment to come together. * The centralizing factor?.. we were a family; there was a commonality which held us together…we shared the same story. Our life paths, though diverse and seemingly inconsistent, all met at this one intersection: family. But, just being family did not guarantee functionality; it was the willingness of the individuals to surrender their rights and particular preferences for the good of the other family members…to serve. * We as a church face similar obstacles: we vary in age, we represent a variety of different seasons in life, socio-economic status, preferences, tastes, gender, cultures, ethnicity, yet we continue to pursue being a “family”. The place where we choose to meet (to some) looks funny and smells funny; the sounds and setting are unique; our time together is often awkward and unfamiliar; we are seated next to people with whom we feel we have relatively little in common (and are not sure at times that we even like!). We are confronted with opinions we do not share and preferences which do not particularly satisfy our tastes. Yet, most often, we refuse to allow these variables to interrupt our fellowship and inhibit our gathering; we continue to rearrange our schedules in order to interact with one another; and most often we are not sure if we are “UNITED, OR JUST ALL TANGLED UP”… because we are a “family”. * The passage offered from 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 reminds us that the centralizing factor; the hope for our collectivity is that we share the same story. Paul reminds us that God has this dream, this hope for humanity; this passion to bring together this diverse group of people and unify them around His preferred-future for us. It would require us to forego our own agendas and adopt a perspective which was others-centered. * Jesus most often used ordinary moments to teach profound truths; and, those moments usually represented a rather “upside-down” approach to life. * This story in John is the disciple’s “practicum” (workshop), if you will. This is where they are about to experience in reality all of the theory they have developed about God as a result of observing Jesus. Notice, Jesus is about to leave, but he doesn’t say, “OK, fellas, let’s go over those commandments one more time”. He sits and observes: he executes yet another object lesson which is sure to leave them scratching their heads, but also confront them with one of the most profound demonstrations of humility in action that they will encounter. * When questioned concerning the greatest commandment in the law, Jesus used 2 Old Testament passages (Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 6:5) to summarize what life with God is all about… “love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment and the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All of the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments”(Matt.22:37-40). * The Bible seems to refuse to treat love for God and love for people as separate issues; it always equates one with the other. Love for others finds as its source a deepening love for God. If worship is… Our reasonable response to unreasonable love, Service is… The extension of unreasonable love to others. Reflections… Service to others lends credibility to our confession; it is love made practical and recognizable. It’s “active” love. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:16 & 18) “Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35). * Jesus said that the one continuing and irrefutable evidence of God’s love available and in operation in the world is loving-service. Serving others requires a new way of thinking: it notices. It pays attention to those tasks and people who have been overlooked or ignored (you might have to look around). * Servanthood doesn’t wait to be waited on; although it’s not presumptuous, it never assumes that someone else will take responsibility to perform what’s necessary (“It’s just not right for Jesus to be up washin’ feet. One of you guys gotta get on that!) Jesus “went around doing good” (Acts 10:38). There’s always something about service initiated by love that is always more focused on “doing what’s right”, than merely “being right”. Service is the means by which extraordinary love is demonstrated in ordinary ways. Service always helps us recognize the simplicity of love. * Jesus, in his attempts to teach others about God’s love, always reduced it to the lowest common denominator…he washed their feet. Sometimes (most often) it’s as simple as performing the most overlooked common courtesy which requires no extraordinary giftedness, resources, or training (the need was there: feet were dirty, the towel was there, the water was there…). * Jesus is about to die, but he focuses the best of his energies on a simple object lesson (you would think that this would be the time for a good lecture or “pop quiz”) that would profoundly solidify his life and his message. Service is birthed in strength. John 13:3 “Jesus knew he had authority…” (the permission to do as one pleases; voluntary). Jesus knew who he was (strong sense of identity), but he didn’t use his authority to exempt him from service; rather, he did it because it’s what really brings him pleasure! “Be very careful, then, how you live- not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is” (what pleases him) (Ephesians 5:15-17). Service avoids the, “I don’t do feet”, mentality. Have you already formulated a mental list of things you won’t do, or a list of people that you won’t serve? * Touching someone’s feet seems to be the ideal expression of humility: smelly, sweaty, calloused, athlete’s feet; you never know what they might have stepped in! Service that’s birthed in strength of love is not too easily offended by another’s “dirtiness” (i.e. changing our kid’s messy diapers). Service is completely disarming and can penetrate the most hardened heart when a good argument won’t! It’s disarming because it doesn’t demand a response from the one being served (not even, “thanks”). Service is the key to the blessed life. Jesus’ message was so totally subversive and upside down (vs.17 “now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them”.) Imagine, in a self-centered world, Jesus would say that the key to the advantaged life is servanthood. Jesus never reprimanded people for their aspirations toward greatness; only their method of achieving it. He didn’t say, “If you want to be great, then get out there and start serving” (wrong motive). He said that service is simply the manner in which great people live. * Service is not the concessions we make to achieve future status or success; it’s not what we do while we are awaiting a more “prominent” assignment (one more consistent with our obvious talents)… it IS the assignment. It IS the path.
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