Our reading today gives us a detailed account of what Jesus was teaching His Apostles in the days leading up to Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion and resurrection. It  is a treasure trove of instruction that has great implications on what the Christian life is all about. There is a lot of Jesus’ teaching here that is unique to John’s Gospel.

 Radical Servanthood

In John 13, we have the unique account of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet before an evening meal. It is like God’s Son is giving us a vivid portrayal of His radical humility demonstrated in His incarnation. Let’s look at Phil 2:6,7 where it says: “(Jesus) Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant”.  And compare this with what it says in John 13:3,4: “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist.” He then proceeded to wash the disciples feet, which was usually a task done by the lowest-ranking servant in a household.

In taking off His outer clothing, we see an enactment of Jesus voluntarily laying aside the visible glory He possessed as God’s Son, before He came as a human baby, born to humble parents in a very humble way (i.e. in a stable with animals). This teaching provides, not only excellent theological teaching on the nature of Jesus’ Person and Incarnation, but it gives powerful practical instruction regarding the nature of the Christian life.

In John 13:14, Jesus says to the disciples: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” And in John 13:17: “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” Of course, Jesus is demonstrating and exhorting a servant lifestyle for His followers.

In our culture today, we don’t walk in deserts and sandals, so the need to wash one another’s feet is not a cultural practice when we come into our houses. But the need to be radical servants in order to demonstrate Christ-like love to one another is commanded by Christ to all of His followers (Jo. 13:34,35). By this, we practically demonstrate the reality of out profession of Christ as Lord.

Without a servanthood attitude, we demonstrate a lack of union and fellowship with Jesus. Note Jesus’ words to Peter’s initial refusal of Jesus’ desire to wash his feet: “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me” (John 13:8). I think if we were more radical in our servanthood, more Christ-like, our cultural influence for Jesus would be greater.

Radical Dependence On The Holy Spirit

In John 14-17, Jesus emphasized the role that the Holy Spirit would have in their lives once He left the earth. The Holy Spirit would make Jesus and the Father intimately present to faithful disciples (John 14:15-21). The Holy Spirit will bring glory to Jesus by taking what is of Jesus and making it known to His faithful followers (John 16:14,15).

The Holy Spirit will also have a crucial role in relation to the world. He will convict the world of sin, righteousness and the judgment to come (John 16:7-11). He will bear witness to the righteous Savior and people’s need of the salvation He provides. The Holy Spirit will carry out this ministry through the witness of faithful disciples of Jesus (John 15:26,27).

Not only was the ministry of the Holy Spirit featured in Jesus’ last extended teaching before His arrest and crucifixion, but He also emphasized the ministry of the Holy Spirit after He rose from the dead and just before His ascension. In Acts 1:8, Jesus declares to His disciples: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The role of God’s Spirit is absolutely crucial in the life of the Christian and the Church. We cannot live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives.

Even though Jesus was the Son of God, fully God and fully man, He is seen in His earthly ministry to be totally dependent on the Holy Spirit. For example, His earthly ministry did not begin until He was baptized and the Holy Spirit came upon Him (see Mathew 3:16,17 & Luke 3:21-23 and what immediately follows in these 2 Gospels). Also, take note of these words of Luke in Acts 1:1,2 – “In my former book (i.e. the Gospel of Luke), Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach, until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen” (Acts 1:1,2). Jesus’s teaching was Spirit-inspired.

If Jesus’ teaching and His own example placed such great emphasis on the role of the Holy Spirit, how much more do we need to consciously and intentionally cultivate an on-going and intimate relationship with the indwelling Spirit of God. He is a part of the triune Godhead who makes the Son and the Father real to us. He is the one who manifests the character of Christ in us through His fruitful working (Gal. 5:22,23), and who empowers our witness in this world (Acts 1:8). Let us not treat the Holy Spirit as a stranger. But let us yield to Him in conscious dependence every minute of our lives. This too is part of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

QOTD: Do we demonstrate a radical servanthood, in the power of God’s Spirit, to people that God brings into our lives?