In John 13, we see a picture of Christ’s service to His disciples.  This group of men were not deserving of His serving them.  One of them, Judas, has already had the betrayal of Jesus demonically on his mind.  Yet Jesus served them anyway “as an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”

Tim Lane and Paul David Tripp point out that we learn from this episode of Jesus’ life four characteristics of a servant:

1. Circumstances don’t determine whether you serve.  Jesus is about to head to the cross.  John comments that “Jesus knew his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father.”  He had a host of concerns on His mind, not the least of which is His Father’s wrath about to be poured out on Him for our sins.  Yet in the midst of these circumstances, Christ chose to serve, and give us the command to serve in the same way.
   Our amount of work/homework, the stresses in our lives, the turmoil in our heads are not to be a hindrance to our service.
2. Someone’s worthiness does not determine whether you serve.  No one deserved to be served by Christ.  Simon Peter recognized this about himself.  Why would the Lord of Glory wash his feet?  How could the perfect God wash the feet of the man about to betray Him into the hands of those who will crucify Him?  This can happen because Christ was not serving because these men were worthy.  He served because it was what He came to do.  To show love, and to give us an example.
   We then, too, should not total accounts with those whom we may serve, and see who is worthy in our estimation that day.  We are to lovingly serve, even when the person is our enemy. 
3. Your position doesn’t determine whether you serve.  Christ owed no one anything.  He is the King of all creation.  He owned all that is.  He is sufficient, needing nothing or no one.  His position is higher, infinitely higher than ours.  Yet, he chose to wash the disciples dirty feet.
   If Christ did this for us, then we are to also serve those whom may be “below” us in our schools, businesses, families, or society.  
4. Your willingness to be serve DOES determine whether you serve.  If Peter would not allow Jesus to serve him by cleaning his dirty feet, then Jesus says he has no share with him.  This forshadows our need for Christ to “serve” us at the cross – to have our dirty hearts washed by His blood.  If we are not willing to depend on His grace brought by His blood on the cross, then we don’t have anything to do with Him, therefore we don’t have the Holy Spirit teaching us how to serve one another.  
   You cannot truly serve others unless you are served by Christ.