Synopsis:
The Lord – Our Role Model and Servant
Text: John 13:2–7
Speaker: Chow Tat Foong
From the account of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet, this message presents the Lord Himself as the supreme model of servanthood. The sermon highlights Christ’s love, humility, and willingness to serve, calling believers to follow His example by loving and serving one another in practical ways. True servanthood flows from a willing heart and is demonstrated through humble obedience, continual spiritual cleansing, and love expressed in deed and truth.
Please note: This transcript is provided as close to verbatim record of the sermon.
The Lord – Our Role Model and Servant
Text: John 13:2–7
Speaker: Chow Tat Foong
Introduction
Good morning, dear brothers and sisters. Thank you very much for praying for me, and for all the messages of encouragement I’ve received.
Today’s message is titled “The Lord – Our Role Model and Servant”, taken from John 13:2–7. This is the well-known account of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet—something we symbolically did during our recent assembly retreat.
Before we begin, let us pray.
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You that we can be gathered here this morning to worship You. We remember Your great love for us and ask that You speak to our hearts about how our lives can reflect this love. May we hear and obey Your Word. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
From the title, two truths stand out:
If the Lord is our model, we are to imitate Him in our purpose, mission, demeanor, and entire way of life.
To introduce today’s passage, I want us to notice verses before and after it.
John 13:1 says:
“Before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
Why did Jesus serve?
We see this same truth after His resurrection, in John 20:25–29, with Thomas the disciple. Thomas said he would not believe unless he saw “the imprint of the nails” and touched them. That word “imprint” comes from the Greek tupos—meaning a model, a pattern, something to be imitated. The very wounds of Jesus were a visible model of God’s love.
From the beginning, God created man in His image to know His goodness and love (Genesis 3:8–9). Sin broke that perfect relationship, but God’s love sought us out and provided salvation through Christ. Jesus is the model of God’s love.
After washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus said in John 13:14–15:
“If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.”
The Greek word here for “example” (hupodeigma) means a demonstrable, actionable pattern to follow. Not just something to admire, but something to put into practice.
So, in this church age—after Jesus’ first advent—we conclude:
Washing feet here is symbolic:
John 13–17 records Jesus’ final ministry to His disciples before the cross. He had been rejected by the Jewish leaders, and now He prepared His own for His departure.
Verses 2–3:
“During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God…”
Jesus knew that evil was present in the world He was leaving His disciples in. In His high priestly prayer (John 17:15–16), He asked the Father not to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.
The consequences of sin constantly seek to undermine our example as His followers.
Verse 4:
“[He] got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.”
Jesus was willing to serve. He set aside His position and took the role of a servant—just as Philippians 2:7 says, “He emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” This is the supreme example of humility.
Verse 5:
“Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet…”
We need continuous cleansing from the pollution of sin. Washing feet represents the daily ministry we give and receive—confessing our sins to God and being restored.
As 1 John 1:9 says: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us…and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Without this cleansing, we are unfit for service.
Verses 6–7:
“So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, ‘Lord, do You wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.’”
This teaches humility both in serving (using our hands) and in being served (offering our feet). Both require a willing heart.
I once asked the congregation: “How many of us are willing to serve?” Then, “How many are unwilling to serve?”
The real question is: Are we not unwilling to serve? If your heart is willing, your hands and feet will follow.
Sometimes serving means using your hands to meet a need. Other times, it means offering your feet—letting others minister to you, being open about your struggles. Fellowship is vital; there are no “secret” Christians. Serving also includes praise, worship, and sharing testimony in times of trial.
Later in this chapter, Jesus says in John 13:34–35:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you…By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The love of God abides in the true disciple who walks in the light—constantly cleansed, bearing fruit, loving one another in deed and truth.
We can summarize today’s truth this way:
Our Lord is the model of God’s love, and we become demonstrable examples of Him when we love and serve one another.
Let us close by reading 1 John 3:16–24 with a servant’s heart:
We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren…Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth…This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we confess the times we have not daily come to You for cleansing, and have not been the examples You call us to be. Thank You for the renewal You bring to our hearts. Keep us focused on You, keep our feet clean, and make us willing servants who reflect our Lord and model, Jesus Christ. In His precious name we pray, Amen.