Jesus’s act of servant leadership is astonishing and astounding. It’s completely countercultural in a time that says life is about you and is to be lived exactly how you see fit. Instead, Jesus shows us that life is to be lived in service to others as an act of worship to God.

I can’t imagine taking on a servants towel and washing twelve grown men’s feet in the dusty dry region of Jerusalem in the first century. They were confused as well. This was normally a task reserved for someone with lowly status. Yet, Jesus reminds us this is not how things are in the Kingdom of God. In His plans, we don’t clamor for status, recognition or to be first. Instead, we are called to humble ourselves and see our lives as lives of a servant. After all, Jesus served us in the most important and greatest way possible.

On the cross, Jesus took on the role of suffering servant (Isaiah 53). It was on the cross Jesus laid down his life completely for you and for me. It was there He washed more than our feet as His blood ran down.

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:19-25

 

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” John 13:14

So, how can we serve one another? The Bible is full of “one another’s”. This phrase occurs 100 times in the New Testament. Approximately 59 of those occurrences are specific commands teaching us how (and how not) to relate to one another. Living out these commands is the basis for all true Christian community, and has a direct impact on how the world sees Jesus (John 13:35). This list is not exhaustive but gives us an idea how we are to practically and beautifully live out Jesus command to serve one another.

POSITIVE COMMANDS

• Love one another (John 13:34 – This command occurs at least 16 times)
• Be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10)
• Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10)
• Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16)
• Build up one another (Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11)
• Be likeminded towards one another (Romans 15:5)
• Accept one another (Romans 15:7)
• Admonish one another (Romans 15:14; Colossians 3:16)
• Greet one another (Romans 16:16)
• Care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25)
• Serve one another (Galatians 5:13)
• Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
• Forgive one another (Ephesians 4:2, 32; Colossians 3:13)
• Be patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13)
• Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, 25)
• Be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32)
• Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19)
• Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5)
• Consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3)
• Look to the interests of one another (Philippians 2:4)
• Bear with one another (Colossians 3:13)
• Teach one another (Colossians 3:16)
• Comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18)
• Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
• Exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13)
• Stir up [provoke, stimulate] one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24)
• Show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9)
• Employ the gifts that God has given us for the benefit of one another (1 Peter 4:10)
• Clothe yourselves with humility towards one another (1 Peter 5:5)
• Pray for one another (James 5:16)
• Confess your faults to one another (James 5:16)

NEGATIVE COMMANDS

(how not to treat one another)

• Do not lie to one another (Colossians 3:9)
• Stop passing judgment on one another (Romans 14:13)
• If you keep on biting and devouring each other…you’ll be destroyed by each other (Galatians 5:15)
• Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other (Galatians 5:26)
• Do not slander one another (James 4:11)
• Don’t grumble against each other (James 5:9)
  We do all this because we are in a real sense “members of one another” (Romans 12:5; Ephesians 4:25)

How can we love and serve one another today?

This article is a supplemental followup to our message on 7/31/22. You can view the entire service here: