May 23
2 Sam 2:12-3:39 | PS 119:1-16 | Prov 15:29-30 | John 13:1-30
Jesus came the first time as our Suffering Servant. He selflessly ministered to others, loved others to the point of death, left His position in heaven and lowered Himself to serve us, etc. This is servanthood. He honored His Father and thought only of the welfare of His disciples. The word "servant" is often now used, but it has lost it's meaning in the wake of those who profess to serve but fall so far from that calling. In fact, many of our so-called servants fleece the flock, all the while serving themselves. Our politicians call themselves our public servants. Voted into office to serve their constituents. But most have amassed tremendous wealth having accepted bribes from lobbyists and others to back specific ideas and platforms which have nothing to do with serving their communities. The media deem themselves servants to disseminate truth in an unbiased fashion. But they cover up certain things, lie about other things, all the while serving ideologies that they believe in even if in the process they are deceiving those they claim to serve. In the medical profession, at all levels, we are called to serve our patients, but often greed, fear, self-righteousness, self-elevation all blind them from properly and lovingly serving their patients. In the halls of faith, so many leaders have been raised to serve their respective congregations and denominations, only for one reason or another serve themselves, their egos, their ideologies. Yes, we humans are indeed flawed. Many become disillusioned by the poor representation of servanthood by those they have chosen or elected to serve them.
This is why we need to place our hope and trust on the true Servant, on the only One who will never falter, on the only One who can always be trusted, to the One who exemplified servanthood to the point of death, to Jesus the Christ. After exemplifying servanthood by washing the feet of the disciples, a job often given to the lowliest of servants, Jesus goes on to explain servanthood in John 13:12-17, "So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."
There is truly no higher calling than serving others. But, we must remember that those that we are serving can only see what we do externally. But we serve our God who also sees our motives, our intents, our thoughts. The reality of this should purify us all the more. Yes, we are all wrapped in this flesh which seeks the opposite of what servanthood is all about. But if we have accepted Jesus' offer, then we have also been indwelt with the Holy Spirit who will strengthen us and direct us towards servanthood. The battle is on and it rages within us. We read in Galatians 5:16-17, "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." What this world would look like if we truly served our spouses, our children, our parents, our families, our fellow workers, those placed in our spheres of servanthood.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: