Our family Thanksgiving!

The School of Humility 

John 13:1-20 

Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded...Truly, truly, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 

The Bible highlights the disciples’ struggle with pride. Consider the following three references to the Disciples’ pursuit of greatness.

An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. Luke 9:46 

They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, ‘what were you discussing on the way?’ But they kept silent for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. Mark 9:33,34 

And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be the greatest. Luke 22:24 

But my favorite story of the bumbling disciples, Jesus’ beloved Keystone Cops, took place a very short time before the washing of the disciples’ feet. They just didn’t get the concept of humility. 

James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, ‘Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.’ My children used to attempt this strategy. They wouldn’t tell me the request until I promised to do it. Please daddy, please daddy, please daddy, will you do it, will you do it. Do what? I asked. Please daddy, please daddy, please daddy. Just do what we are going to ask? Fortunately, they have grown out of this strategy.

And He said to them, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.’ Do you approach Jesus without any preamble and say, I want You (the King and God of the universe) to do something for me (a nobody) that will exalt me above all others in this world? What audacity? No, we don’t do that. My daughters used to at least butter me up a little before childish requests. These disciples had a lot of nerve.  

But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? They said to Him, ‘We are able’. His cup and His baptism refer to the suffering and death He was about to endure. James and John had no idea what they were asking, as Jesus clearly told them. However, they pushed aside Jesus’ warnings and said, “We are able.” How foolish. How proud. How arrogant. When are they going to learn the principle of humility? What is it going to take? 

And Jesus said to them, ‘the cup that I drink you shall drink (suffering; yikes), and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized, (baptism means they will be buried. They will die for Jesus). But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mind to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared. So, Jesus tells them he can’t promise their request but He can promise they will suffer and die. Hmmmm, maybe they should’ve kept their mouths shut. 

So, this was the discussion between Jesus and James and John. What about the other ten disciples? What was their take on all this?  Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. The other ten were furious; not so much at James and John for their pride but for their audacity and the way they got the jump on them.  They had many times argued over who was the greatest among them but James and John were the first to take it to the level of making the request directly to Jesus. Peter probably mumbled, ‘I wish I had thought of that.’ 

Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, ‘You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to be become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 

There is a way to become great in this world and that is to exert authority, lord it over others and position yourself at the top. Jesus makes it clear; in His Kingdom, in our churches today, in our daily lives, we are servants to others and slaves of Jesus. Servant and slave are different words with different meanings. Servants provide voluntary service to others. Slaves live in total submission to their master and do not exercise their own will. It is different for us than for those in the world. We achieve greatness in the kingdom of God by serving others voluntarily and surrendering to Jesus as a slave. 

It’s a hard lesson for the disciples. It’s a hard lesson for us.  

Jesus summarizes his lesson on humility this way: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (to voluntarily serve others), and to give His life a ransom for many, (to be a slave of God, submitting His will to Him). 

Lord, your class on servanthood in the school of humility is a difficult course to pass. The lessons are hard to hear and the homework is excruciating. Plus, they don’t make sense. How is that being a servant and slave makes one great? What if people take advantage of me? What if people look down on me? People won’t respect me! I won’t get want I want. (Now I sound like the disciples). 

OK, I’ll do it. Because the righteous will live by their faith. I’ll trust you and serve…that’s my calling…and I’ll leave the attainment of greatness up to you in Your time and in Your way. Help me, Lord. I’m going to need it. I can’t do it without You! Amen