A towel is nothing new to us. It wipes sweet off our faces. It dries our hands. It cleans things up. A towel is used to serve. Left by itself, a towel is of no use. Pick it up, let it do what it was created to do.
We have just come through Easter, and we celebrated last week the fact that our Savior is alive. He conquered death and hell. He came back to life. Yet right before Jesus suffered the cruel and painful death of the cross, He displayed what it really means to serve others.
Jesus called His disciples together to celebrate the Passover and to institute the last supper. This was a time of crisis. He served others during crisis times. What can we learn? How can we follow Jesus' example? He taught those who followed Him to live different.
Mark 9:35 NLT
He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, "Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else."
Matthew 20:28 NLT
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."
A towel is a vital part of being a Christian. Jesus took off his outer garment and put on a towel so that he could wash the disciples feet. That included Judas that was about to betray Him and Peter that was going to deny Him. If you really want to serve, follow Jesus' example. Here are some things true about what Jesus did:
(1) to serve you have to set aside your position
(2) to serve you have to set aside your personal agenda
(3) to serve you have to set aside your pride
(4) to serve you have to take hold of real passion
In Jesus' conversation with Peter it was so evident that Jesus' thinking was miles away from Peter's thinking. Isn't that true of us. Peter's past with Jesus was thick. They were always together. He is only person that Jesus ever called Satan. Peter needed to allow Jesus to wash His feet no matter what happened in the past or what will happen in the future.
There is a picture of how God accepts us. Dirt, sin, junk and all … Jesus accepts us and served us so we could be right with God. Now it is our turn to serve. Don't pick up a high position or some cool title. Pick up a towel and serve the people around you.
Philippians 2:5 NLT
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
You don't have to do anything different than Jesus did. Serve others. Love others. Share with others. Live with confidence and serve.
Judas betrayed Jesus, but Jesus still washed Judas' feet. Peter denied that he knew Jesus, but Jesus still washed Peter's feet.
God wants to use you to change the lives of the people you serve. Remember that it is not about you. Life is all about Jesus
John 8:28 NLT
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I Am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me.
Everyone has value. Treat them that way. Jesus did. What an incredible truth that when applied will allow so many more people to see who God is and how He loves people. By serving others, we love like Jesus loved.
Romans 12:9 NLT
Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
By serving others we spread the light of Christ. By worrying more about the towels in our lives rather than the titles we hold people will see God and we will experience God like never before. Chose a towel rather than a title and serve the people around you today!
[+] E-DEVOTIONS: written by Michael Harrison, lead Pastor, The Community Fellowship; reason to encourage you to follow Jesus; archived at Michael's blog, http://e-devotion.blogspot.com ; subscribe, unsubscribe or contact mharrison@thecommunityfellowship.org.
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