(REFLECTIONS ON John 13:1-20)

Jesus knew His power, the power given to Him by the Father. He also knew that His time on earth was limited, as He would be returning to the Father. Knowing His power and His time left on earth, Jesus taught the disciples an important lesson about leadership, and being a servant leader.

A servant leader is not one that leads by showing might and power, because that usually stems from a sense of insecurity or fear. A servant leader also does not lead with just the voice, because that would signify superiority, or being above, with others beneath.

As a servant leader, we read from today’s Scripture in John 13:4-5, that Jesus, “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.”

What is a servant leader? A leader that doesn’t lead with power, control, fear, standing on a pedestal looking down, but a leader that is willing, as Jesus did, to serve, to be a servant, to wash His disciples’ feet. Do we notice that Jesus doesn’t first tell His disciples what they should do? But rather, He first shows them, and does it as an example for them. Then and only then does Jesus say,

14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

Jesus is teaching His disciples, but first being the type of disciple and servant leader that they should be. He acts first, and then tells them to do as He has already done. If their master, teacher, and Lord is willing to humble Himself to serve in the lowest position, then those that are His disciples should also learn as their Lord has done.

That is why Jesus says,

16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Now that we know these things, we will be blessed if we do them as well. Let this be a lesson for us today as we meditate on God’s word, and Jesus’ actions. Our Lord, the Son of God, with all authority on heaven and earth, was willing to take the lowest position, not only in washing His disciples’ feet, but in coming to the world, in flesh and blood, and paying the ultimate sacrifice to pay for the sins of the world.

We too, need to learn from our Lord, and wash one another’s feet, meaning that we should serve, rather seeking to be served, give, rather than seeking to be given, lead by example, not by demanding, and by His grace grow into the servant leader that our servant King desires for us to be.

Perhaps if we learn to serve first, before we instruct, to do, before we teach, we will find, not only ourselves growing in faith, but our community growing together in faith as well.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: John 13