A Serving Church
Sermon Summary
Good morning and welcome again to City Baptist. I just want to take a brief moment to thank and honor the women who’ve shaped my life in powerful, personal ways—my mother, grandmothers, and mother-in-law. They may not be here in person, but they are very present in my gratitude and memory. And of course, to every City Baptist mom—we love you and we honor you today.
This morning, as we continue in our “Made for More” series, I want us to consider something countercultural, something completely upside down from the world’s expectations—what it means to live out servant leadership in the local church.
We live in a consumer world, don’t we? We want free upgrades, priority boarding, and banana bread on the flight (shoutout to Porter Airlines). But if we’re not careful, that mindset creeps into our faith too. We come to church asking, “What’s in it for me?” rather than, “How can I give my life away for others?”
Jesus flips that mentality on its head in John 13, where He models a new way—a life not defined by power or preference, but by self-sacrifice and service.
The Pattern of Servant Leadership
In John 13, we see Jesus in the Upper Room, just days from the cross, doing something unexpected. He removes His outer garments, wraps a towel around His waist, pours water into a basin, and begins washing His disciples’ feet.
Let that sink in. The Son of God—the One through whom all things were made—on His knees, doing the job reserved for the lowest servant. Foot washing in that day was filthy, humble work. But Jesus, fully aware of His divine identity and authority, chooses to serve.
John tells us that Jesus loved His disciples "to the end." His love is complete and unconditional. Even as Judas plots betrayal, Jesus bends down and scrubs the dirt off his feet. That’s not just service—it’s scandalous grace.
Jesus’ message is clear: "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet" (John 13:14). He’s not calling us to a literal foot-washing ceremony but to adopt the heart of a servant in every interaction. The church is to be a place where nobody says, “That’s beneath me,” because our Savior knelt.
Servant leadership isn’t just for those with titles—it’s for every believer. It’s the pattern Jesus left us.
The Power for Servant Leadership
Now, if you’re anything like me, this kind of service doesn’t come naturally. We’re wired for self—pride, control, comfort. So how do we actually live this out?
The answer is found not just in the towel but in the cross. As Jesus tells Peter, “What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter” (John 13:7). The foot-washing points to the greater cleansing that only the cross can offer. Without the cross, His act is only symbolic. But because of the cross, it becomes transformational.
Jesus didn’t come to be served, but to serve—and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Through His death and resurrection, He makes us new. He gives us not just a new standard, but a new heart. That’s why Paul says in Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus… [who] made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant.”
If you’re in Christ, you have the Spirit of Christ. And that means you have the supernatural power to humble yourself, pick up the towel, and serve. Not only is it possible—it becomes joyful. Jesus said, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:17).
The Principles of Servant Leadership
So how do we live this out as a church family? Let me give you three guiding principles.
Servant Leaders Seek the Glory of God
In a world obsessed with personal fame, the servant leader says: “He must increase, I must decrease” (John 3:30). Our motivation isn’t applause—it’s worship. Whether anyone notices or not, whether we’re visible or hidden, we serve for the smile of God.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:20, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” Servant leadership starts when we surrender our platform and live to magnify Jesus.
Servant Leaders Seek the Growth of Others
Paul’s example in 1 Thessalonians 2 is powerful. He says, “We were gentle among you, like a nursing mother… we imparted not only the gospel, but our own souls.” Servant leaders give their lives so others can flourish in Christ. They invest time, energy, and sacrifice so others can grow in faith.
It’s easy to say, “I hope someone helps them grow.” Servant leaders say, “Let me help them grow.” It may cost us our time, our preferences, even our comfort. But when others are built up in Christ, our joy is full.
Servant Leaders Reject Personal Fame
They don’t serve for visibility. They don’t compete or compare. They simply serve where God has placed them. As Paul writes, “God has set the members… in the body, as it hath pleased him” (1 Cor. 12:18).
Whether you lead a small group or stack chairs, whether you preach or pray in secret, your role matters. You are part of something eternal. And when we serve humbly, joyfully, and together—we show the world what Jesus is like.
Reflection
Let’s bring it full circle. Back to that airplane seat, that banana bread, that question: “What’s in it for me?” Jesus answers it—not with perks, but with purpose.
He picked up the towel. He washed feet. He carried a cross.
Now He calls us—not to sit and be served, but to rise and serve.
Every saint a servant. Every member a minister. That’s the kind of church City Baptist is striving to be. One marked not by consumption, but contribution. Not status, but sacrifice. Not platform, but people.
So where is God calling you to pick up the towel today?
Is it stepping into a new area of service? Is it forgiving someone and moving toward them in grace? Is it investing in someone else’s walk with Christ? Is it laying down your preference for the sake of unity?
Let’s not just be a church that talks about servant leadership. Let’s be a people who live it. Who embody it. Who show the world the love of a Savior who stooped low to lift us high.
Because, as Jesus said, “Happy are you if you do these things.”
