Humility One Anothers • 08.03.25

Frasier Dew - August 3, 2025

Humility One Anothers

Learning to love God and His people by imitating Jesus’ servant mindset

Embrace Jesus: The Humble Savior
Behold Jesus: The Servant Lord
Imitate Jesus: The Servant Mindset

Manuscript:

As you get your Bibles open, please turn with me to Philippians 2 for our starting point as we study God’s word. If you are using one of the black Bibles from the ushers, you can find that on page 1165.

And we’ll also spend some time in a little bit looking at John 13 if you would like to place a quick bookmark there for future reference. It would be the perfect time to use your One Another bookmark! Again, if you are using those provided Bibles, place that bookmark at John 13 on page 1069.

We find ourselves today in the 2nd week of our study of the “One Another” commands of the New Testament. Last week, we had the privilege of learning about the commands relating to unity, and this week, our study brings us to the topic of humility.

Now, humility is one of those things that, the moment you think you’ve mastered it, you’ve probably entirely missed the mark. This reminds me of a sarcastic saying that I think I first heard in our small group a few years back, and I still refer to it quite often:

“I’m the best at everything — including being humble!”

And while that may be a humorous way to expose the contradiction, it also reminds us just how slippery and self-deceiving pride can be — even when we think we’re being humble.

So, to help us put off the self-deception of pride and grow in true Christlike humility, here are the specific ‘one another’ commands we’ll be focusing on today:

Wash one another’s feet (Jn 13:14)
Outdo one another in showing honor (Rom 12:10)
Do not be haughty toward one another (Rom 12:16)
Serve one another (Gal 5:13)
Submit to one another (Eph 5:21)
Count others more significant than yourself (Phil 2:3)
Clothe yourself with humility to one another (1 Pet 5:5)

Humility – It’s such an important quality in the Christian life, isn’t it? For example:

Dictionary of the Bible Humility

When Augustine was asked, ‘What is the first article in the Christian religion?’ he answered, ‘Humility.’ And they said, ‘What is the second?’ and he said, ‘Humility.’ And they said, ‘What is the third?’ and he said the third time, ‘Humility.’

Or for a more modern theologian, Stuart Scott says in his booklet, From Pride to Humility:

“It is probably safe to say that humility is the one character quality that will enable us to be all Christ wants us to be.”

Humility has been at the center of the Christian faith as long as records go back, and as we’ll see today, that’s really because humility is rooted in Christ Himself.

And just to make sure that we are all on the same page about what quality we are actually talking about, let’s be sure to define our terms:

Humility:
Merriam-Webster: The quality or state of being humble
Humble: reflecting or expressing a spirit of submission
= The quality or state of reflecting or expressing a spirit of submission

It’s no wonder then that Stuart Scott defines it as:

The mindset of Christ (a servant’s mindset)

Humility begins with Jesus, then applies to us – His perfections, then our instructions. This follows the old adage that gospel indicatives always precede gospel imperatives. Or to put it simply: The gospel changes us from within, before we can hope to obey its commands.

And this is exactly the same pattern that we must follow this morning as well. So, as we turn to Philippians 2, please look with me at the humility of our dear Lord Himself first, so that we can then ‘learn to love God and His people by imitating Jesus’ servant mindset.’

Philippians 2:1–11 ESV

¹ So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ² complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Now, I thought it important that we read the entire section, including the “one another” command in verse 3, but we are actually going to focus on verses 5-11 first. And it is here that we find our first main takeaway for learning to love God and His people:

1. Embrace Jesus: The Humble Savior

We begin with the ultimate standard of humility—not in us, but in Christ. Paul says in verse 5, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” And then he launches into one of the most amazing passages about the nature of Christ in the entire New Testament.

Philippians 2:6–7 ESV

⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Now, while time does not allow us to meditate on and digest every reality revealed in this section, we do have the privilege of further studying our humble Savior. Christ, existing eternally in the form of God, being in His preincarnate state of glory, did not selfishly cling to the privileges of His divine position. But instead, He “emptied Himself,” not by losing His deity, but by adding, or taking on the limitations of human flesh, becoming fully man while remaining fully God.

This is what is often referred to as Jesus’ state of humiliation. I know that we easily become so familiar with these realities that we can just brush past them, but think with me for a moment about just how mind-boggling this reality is! The sovereign Son of God, the second person of the divine trinity, subjected Himself to the lowliness and frailty of a human body, the constraints of a fallen world, the mockery of sinners who He created, and even the requirements and curse of God’s Law. This state of humiliation culminated in what Paul describes as, “being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.” (v. 8)

And He did it all willingly! I’d say that certainly fits the definition of humility, wouldn’t you? Jesus voluntarily entered into a state of being where He flawlessly ‘reflected and expressed a spirit of submission’ toward God, His Father.

He submitted to the Father’s will in Gethsemane (Matt 26: 36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46). And in learning perfect obedience (Heb. 5:8), He submitted even to the unjust judgment of human courts. Then by going to the cross, He submitted Himself “to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Jesus Christ submitted Himself to the most humiliating curse of the law (Deut 21:22-23), even though He had never sinned! Why?

That’s the question that comes to my mind, at least. Why would Jesus willingly do all that?!

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

² …Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

“for the joy that was set before him endured the cross”

What joy did Jesus see in the cross?

First: The joy of obeying and glorifying His Father

As we see in the last words of Philippians 2:11

Philippians 2:11 ESV

¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

As one commentator put it:

Crucifixion… says the writer, Jesus did not allow to stand between him and loyalty to the will of God.

James Moffatt, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, International Critical Commentary (Edinburgh: T&T Clark International, 1924), 197.

Jesus did not allow the shame of crucifixion to stand between him and loyalty to the will of God! Just as we hear from Jesus in:

John 14:31 ESV

³¹ but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

See, it was Jesus’ joy to glorify His Father through humble obedience! That’s the first aspect of His Joy, but then…

Secondly: The joy of redeeming and purifying His people

As we see in Titus 2:14

Titus 2:14 ESV

¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

“Gave himself for us!” For our redemption! For our purification! He descended into this lowest point of His humiliation, not because He deserved it, but because you did. And so did I.

This is what makes the reality of the gospel so absolutely breathtaking: Jesus Christ, in order to bring glory to His Father, and for the love of His people, willingly took on humiliation, sin, and punishment. At the cross, Jesus bore the burden and punishment of all of my sin, every single drop of wrath that I deserved for my flood of filth – He endured it all!

And not only my sins, but the sins of every single believer in all of history, past and future, all the way until the end of this age. No wonder he is exalted in verses 9-11!

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV

⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

That’s what Jesus is worthy of! He is so deserving of our worship!

Now notice with me that “every knee” will bow, either in this life or at the end of the age. Which leads us to the most important and personal question I can ask you this morning: Have you bowed the knee?

Have you embraced Jesus? Not merely as a good teacher or a mere example of humility, but have you embraced and accepted Him as the Humble Savior who willingly died to glorify His Father and save sinners?

Have you humbled yourself by becoming obedient, even to the point of worship? Will you “confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead” ? If so, you will be saved! (Romans 10:9)

This is the first and most essential act of true humility you can ever experience in life.

If you are here today and you’ve never humbled yourself before the mighty hand of God, have never turned from your sin and embraced Christ as Lord, I plead with you—please do not leave here today without bowing your heart in humble submission and worship to the Lord. Confess and put off your pride, and instead trust the One who humbly laid down His life for sinners. Clothe yourself with humility, just as we heard earlier! Jesus is worthy of all your worship. Come to Him today, and embrace Him as your savior!

And for those of us who do belong to Him, who have embraced Jesus as our personal savior and redeemer, we must continually embrace Him—not only as our Savior, but also as our example. Praise God that we are not saved by His humility and then left to our own devices. Instead, we are transformed by His humiliation, so that we can walk as He walked.

This transformation is exactly what Paul is talking about in the first verses of our text: Phil 2:1-5

Philippians 2:1–5 ESV

¹ So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ² complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

We’ll come back to explore what it looks like to actually live this out and imitate Christ’s mindset in just a little bit. But we need to spend more time looking at Christ Himself before we get ahead of ourselves. Again, this is such an important lesson for us to realize that humility always ultimately goes back to Christ – we cannot truly be humble apart from God! We must be “in Christ!”

So let’s go see what is perhaps the best-known example of Jesus’ humble mindset, please turn with me now to John 13:

John 13:1–17 ESV

¹ Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ² During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, ³ Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, ⁴ rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. ⁵ Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. ⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” ⁷ Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” ⁸ Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” ⁹ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” ¹² When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. ¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. ¹⁶ Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

What extraordinary humility we continue to see in our Lord! Consider some of the amazing realities we see revealed by Jesus in this passage.

Let’s start by talking about Jesus actually getting down and washing the disciples’ feet.

As you may have heard in other sermons on this text, the act of feet washing was a very normal custom of Jesus’ day, due to dusty roads and the fact that the standard footwear was sandals. In fact, we actually see examples of people offering water for feet washing long before Jesus’ day: in the lives of David, Joseph, and even all the way back to Abraham.

What was more rare – I think unheard of, actually – was for the master of a house to have the humility to be the one washing others’ feet! Even when Abraham showed exceptional hospitality to the Lord and the two angels in Genesis 18, he provided the water, but he invited them each to wash their own feet. And this isn’t to say that Abraham necessarily did anything wrong by not getting down and washing their feet himself, but this kind of thing just didn’t happen! In fact, every single recorded instance of feet washing in the Bible is done either by the person themselves, or by a person who is in the lowest of positions: a servant or slave.

So, it is within this cultural context that we come to Jesus and the disciples on the night of the Last Supper. The task of a servant, willingly taken up by our Lord. We find here our second main takeaway for today:

2. Behold Jesus: The Servant Lord

To take a better look at the humility of our Servant Lord, consider with me the events immediately leading up to the moment when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet:

When you compare the gospel accounts, one relevant detail is that the disciples were still so consumed by the pursuit of their pride and status that they were actually arguing at this very supper about which of them was the greatest and which was the lowest. We see this over in Luke 22:24-27

Luke 22:24–27 ESV

²⁴ A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. ²⁵ And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. ²⁶ But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. ²⁷ For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

Just imagine this scene, they’re actively eating the Passover meal, Jesus has just instituted the Lord’s Supper, symbolizing his very fast-approaching crucifixion, and then we read “A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.”

Man, do we so easily make things about ourselves when we should be focused on serving God!

It reminds me of a couple of children arguing about who has to take out the trash after Thanksgiving dinner! You know, little Sally says, “I barely made any of the mess, so you should have to take it out!” Then her brother Billy tries to play the Bible trump card and says something like, “You know, Proverbs 22:4 says, ‘The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.’ So why don’t you show some humility right now and serve me, Sally?” Sally doesn’t really know what to say, so she just says, “No, you serve me!” “No, you serve me!” And they just go on and on, back and forth, while dad grows increasingly disappointed in how unloving and prideful they are being – and as for the trash, dad could have probably just taken it out himself 10 times by now.

I know it’s a bit of a ridiculous example, but it’s one that has probably played out to some degree in our own hearts more often than we’d like to admit, isn’t it? Kids, maybe you’ve had an argument with your brothers and sisters over this very thing? “I don’t want to take out the trash, you do it!” Or perhaps, for you and your siblings, it’s cleaning up toys, or vacuuming, or where you have to sit in the car, or who you get to sit by at dinner, whatever it is for you.

Adults, we’re not off the hook either, are we? I’ll be the first to tell you that I’ve had “Thanksgiving trash” moments in my life – even just this week! Moments where I’ve caught myself thinking, “I don’t really want to do this right now, why isn’t someone else doing this?” instead of asking, “How can I help? How can I glorify God? How can I serve?”

I just said it about the disciples, but I should really be saying, “Man, do I so easily make things about myself when I should be focused on serving God!” It’s not as though the 12 disciples failed where any of us would have succeeded. We need Jesus to teach us just as badly!

Praise God that He doesn’t just allow us to live like that, but He shows us a better way – the way of a servant.

This ongoing debate and prideful selfishness between the disciples may have been precisely what Jesus wanted to address when he rose from supper and started serving. Again, notice what striking humility we see in our Lord! Rather than blowing up in anger on the disciples, or perhaps abdicating His responsibility and leaving the problem unsolved, Jesus does the humiliating chore Himself! He models for them the spirit of submission that they should have had.

It’s no wonder then that this act of Jesus shocked Peter in verse 6! Jesus, who is their Teacher and Lord (as we see in verses 13-14), just completely reversed every social expectation and real-life experience that Peter had ever known. You can almost feel Peter’s confusion, as though he’s saying, “Servants and slaves do this kind of thing! …or, well, maybe perhaps the least important of us disciples, but you, Lord, do you wash my feet?”

And of course Jesus follows through with it – because Jesus cares more about serving those whom He loves than He cares about His own ego and status. Even toward prideful disciples like Peter, Jesus voluntarily reflected and expressed a spirit of submission.

Are you amazed by what you’ve just heard and witnessed from Jesus?! Are you in awe of His humble service?!

What a privilege it is for us to read and study this scripture, to behold Jesus, our Servant Lord.

Behold Jesus’ humility, laying aside the rights of His position to take up a posture of service.
Behold Jesus’ patience, serving those who still didn’t seem to get the lesson.
Behold Jesus’ love, serving even those who will fall away that very night – even serving the one who will betray Him

Behold Jesus. See how amazing He is: Lord and Servant at the same time. Now we get the privilege of applying the lesson. After embracing Jesus, the humble Savior, and beholding Jesus, the Servant Lord, now we follow His example and:

3. Imitate Jesus: The Servant Mindset

Take a look with me again at verses 14-15:

John 13:14–15 ESV

¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

Now, in order for us to imitate the example that Jesus gives us, we need to understand what it means to have one’s feet washed. The lesson seems to have both a physical application, as well as a spiritual application.

Physically:

Jesus displayed the kind of mindset that He commands His followers to have. This is where so many of these humility ‘One Anothers’ overlap and connect with each other. Rather than expecting others to serve our interests, we are called to put on the servant mindset. Have the mindset of Christ and ‘reflect or express a spirit of submission’ to those around you. This means that because you have embraced Jesus as your savior you are no longer enslaved to your sin and pride. And, going further than that, because you have beheld His life as an example, you are now committed to putting off pride and putting on humility. So…

Do not be haughty toward one another (Rom 12:16)

But instead:

Clothe yourself with humility toward one another (1 Pet 5:5)
Count others more significant than yourself (Phil 2:3)
Outdo one another in showing honor (Rom 12:10)
Submit to one another (Eph 5:21)
Serve one another (Gal 5:13)
Wash one another’s feet (Jn 13:14)

Commentator Warren Wiersbe summarizes this part of the lesson well:

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Eleven: Heaven in Your Home (Ephesians 5:18–33)

When Jesus washed their feet, He taught them that the greatest is the person who uses his authority to build up people and not, like the Pharisees, to build up his own authority and make himself important. We are to esteem others “more important than ourselves” (Rom 12:10; Phil. 2:1–4). By nature, we want to promote ourselves, but the Holy Spirit enables us to submit ourselves.

So that’s the physical aspect of the lesson, but we need to also consider the spiritual lessons that Jesus revealed when He washed the disciples’ feet.

Spiritually:

Notice some of the key details within Jesus and Peter’s interaction, particularly in verses 8-10:

Jesus expresses that if one’s feet are NOT washed, then they have no share with Him
Peter honestly kind of overreacts and goes to the point of thinking that he needs to be completely washed from head to toe
Jesus lovingly assures Him, “You are clean,” you just need your feet washed, Peter. You don’t need to fully wash again

Jesus teaches us at least two spiritual realities here: 1) what water we need to be washed with, and 2) to what extent we need continued cleansing.

1) What water we need to be washed with

The answer is the Holy Spirit – demonstrated by the fact that Peter was already clean only because He had already been regenerated by the application of the Holy Spirit upon his heart. Just as we hear in Titus 3:5

Titus 3:5 ESV

⁵ he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

The water that Jesus uses to cleanse His people is none other than the living water who brings new life to weary souls – The Holy Spirit. This living water was the water used for our regeneration, and now Jesus tells us that our feet must continue to be washed – surely by the same water. Jesus knows no other water that can truly cleanse anyone.

2) To what extent we need continued cleansing

When Jesus assures Peter that he is already clean, He teaches us that those who have already been washed in regeneration by the Holy Spirit are, in fact, already completely clean – except for the grime on their feet. Okay, well, what does that mean?

I found Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening devotional to be extremely helpful in this regard:

Morning and Evening Evening, February 18

We have been cleansed once for all, but our feet still need to be washed from the defilement of our daily walk as children of God.

That’s sanctification, to be washed of our remaining sins, by the refining work of the Holy Spirit in our lives each day.

We learn from this that we do not need to overreact like Peter when we discover remaining sin or defilement in our lives. Yes, we absolutely must handle sin biblically and confess and repent of it, but we do not lose our salvation, or lose even our assurance of salvation. Beloved, if you are truly in Christ and have embraced Him as your Savior, you will never lose this initial washing – you will never lose your salvation.

By way of warning though, what Jesus means by saying “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me” is that false Christians may appear clean for a while, but Jesus will not be washing or sanctifying them with the Holy Spirit – proving that they were never His in the first place. Just as we see John explain later in life, in his 1st epistle he says:

1 John 2:19 ESV

¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

The takeaway of this and relevance to our study is just the inverse. True Christians WILL persevere in righteousness as demonstrated through progressive sanctification. Not that we won’t stumble and get our feet dirty, but ongoing sanctification and growth in holiness MUST and WILL define those who have a share with Him.

Therefore, what Jesus means by saying that true Christians do “not need to wash, except for his feet” is that you must continuously be washed each day FOR SANCTIFICATION, but not for salvation and justification all over again.

So, those are the spiritual aspects of foot washing, we are washed with the Holy Spirit, and we are being washed in sanctification.

Given both the physical and spiritual components of this foot washing, the humble servant mindset, and the application of ongoing Spiritual sanctification, how then do we obey the command of John 13:14?

John 13:14 ESV

¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

Here’s the best answer I can give:

Use the living water that flows from your heart (John 7:38) – The Holy Spirit – as He equips you through Spiritual gifts, and humbly serve your brother or sister in Christ so that they may be sanctified. [Repeat]

If you are gifted in preaching or teaching, humbly wash others with the word so that they grow closer to the image of Christ.
If you are gifted in wisdom, bring that wisdom to bear upon a tough situation in another’s life to build them up into the image of Christ.
If you are gifted in giving, give to the needs of the needy so that they may not lack the necessities of life, and being fully provided for, they may spend more time and energy growing into the image of Christ.
If you are gifted in discernment, warn your brother or sister when they go astray with a dangerous teaching, lovingly and humbly point them back to the truth so that they may persevere in sanctification and grow fully into the image of Christ.
If you are gifted in knowledge, mercy, exhortation, administration/leadership, helps, service, evangelism, love, whatever combination of gifts you have been given… use the gifts that the Holy Spirit has entrusted to you, and go wash your brother’s feet!

Anything we do for each other, in the power of the Holy Spirit, that washes away the grime of the world and the dust of defeat and discouragement is foot washing.

David Guzik

I have been so blessed to see the ways that you all live this out each and every day! Whether its the continual prayer and accountability provided within our small groups, the Bible studies, discipleship breakfasts, giving financially to meet compassion needs, giving of your time to help with physical needs, exhorting a wandering brother to come back to the truth, or the host of volunteers who came together to train up the next generation at High Five Camp and Students Summer Camp, I praise God for the sanctifying work He has done – and prayerfully will continue to do right here at Harvest! Praise God for faithful men and women using their spiritual gifts to wash one another’s feet and sanctify one another!

Some of you may be thinking, “I want to be like that! …but I don’t know where to start! Where should I serve? How do I know what ways I am gifted?”

Now, discerning giftedness isn’t our main topic for today, but let me share just a couple of quick thoughts with you:

Remember that spiritual gifts are unique to Christians. If you have not embraced Jesus as your savior, you will find yourself unable to imitate Jesus’ servant mindset and unable to serve in feet washing – because you yourself still need heart washing. Again, my plea is that you would embrace Him today!
But if you are in Christ, but just haven’t figured out how you are gifted and how you can serve, I would encourage you to:
Begin by praying and asking these types of questions:
God, where can I reflect or express a spirit of submission? Where can I take up a posture of service? In what ways can I glorify you?
Secondly, if you are struggling to discern what your gifts are and how you can use them to serve, ask mature Christian men or women in your life for their input. This itself might take some humility, but we can always gain much when we seek wise counsel.
Thirdly, jump in! The surest way to confirm how God has equipped you is to get in the game and find out! Serve where you see needs or where you have been asked to serve, and then God will make it clear over time which ways you are gifted in and which ways you may not be:
That’s why I am here preaching this morning rather than leading us all in singing! I love to worship through singing, and I’ll praise God loudly! But God will make it clear where you are and aren’t gifted, trust me!

But in all seriousness, it’s so worth it to wrestle with these things – find out how you can glorify God by serving. Some needs that I just recently heard about would be for people to serve on our cleaning/maintenance team, or for people to serve in Harvest Kids. Would you consider serving in either of these ways? Even if it’s not these two specific examples, how can you use your living water of the Holy Spirit to wash someone else’s feet? Pray about it, seek wise counsel, and then get busy serving God and one another.

This is how we imitate Jesus. This is how we put on the servant mindset. It is only in Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, that we will be able to glorify God in this way. Only by embracing, beholding, and imitating Jesus can we live out these commands:

Wash one another’s feet (Jn 13:14)
Outdo one another in showing honor (Rom 12:10)
Do not be haughty toward one another (Rom 12:16)
Serve one another (Gal 5:13)
Submit to one another (Eph 5:21)
Count others more significant than yourself (Phil 2:3)
Clothe yourself with humility toward one another (1 Pet 5:5)

This is how we live in a Christlike way. He calls us to imitate His servant mindset, by the power of the Holy Spirit, for the good of one another and the glory of His name.

So, just as Pastor Nick did last week, let us wrap up our time today by considering some closing application questions and by looking at each of these commands in light of that helpful format from my seminary professor Fred Malone:

You only have to ______ as much as Christ has _________ you.

(I’m benefitting both from Dr. Malone and from the book 31 Ways to be a “One Another” Christian by Dr. Stuart Scott)

Remember that we come to these commands not as a checklist of ethical ‘dos and don’ts’, but as an opportunity to worship and reflect Christ to one another and the world around us.

Application questions and exhortations:

Wash one another’s feet (Jn 13:14)
How has God gifted you? How can you use those gifts to sanctify a brother or sister in Christ this week?
You only have to wash one another’s feet as much as Christ has washed you.
Outdo one another in showing honor (Rom 12:10)
Are you intentionally seeking to prefer others over yourself? How can you show greater honor to others rather than yourself this week?
You only have to show honor to one another as much as Christ has shown honor to you.
Do not be haughty toward one another (Rom 12:16)
How and when do you find yourself thinking more highly of yourself than you ought? Toward whom have you had a haughty attitude, and will you go confess that to them and seek forgiveness?
You only have to not be haughty as much as Christ has not been haughty towards you.
Serve one another (Gal 5:13)
Again, where can you reflect or express a spirit of submission? Where can you take up a posture of service?
You only have to serve one another as much as Christ has served you.
Submit to one another (Eph 5:21)
Kids, are you submitting to and obeying your parents? Adults, are you submitting to and obeying the various authorities in your life?
You only have to submit to one another as much as Christ has submitted the rights and privileges of His position for you.
Count others more significant than yourself (Phil 2:3)
This is not necessarily an exhortation to think less of yourself, though that may be needed for some people, but more importantly, it’s an exhortation to think of yourself less. Do you live a life of J.O.Y. (Jesus, Others, Yourself)?
You only have to consider others more important than yourself as much as Christ has considered the joy of the cross more important than Himself for you.
Clothe yourself with humility to one another (1 Pet 5:5)
What mindset do you operate from when you interact with those around you? Are there any ways you know you’ve been acting pridefully that you need to confess and repent of?
You only have to clothe yourself with humility toward one another as much as Christ has put on humility for you.

What a convicting way to think and live indeed! Christ has perfectly humbled Himself for sinners just like you and me. If Jesus has done so much for me, how could I not humble myself and love God and His people by imitating Jesus’ servant mindset?

So let’s go and live it out. Not in our own strength, but in the Spirit. Let us embrace Christ, behold Christ, and imitate Christ—until that day when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Let’s pray.