• Download Video
• Download Audio
• Print
• Email
• Save As PDF

Teaching by example

Text: John 13 : 1 - 20

TEACHING BY EXAMPLE

One of the most powerful ways in which Jesus taught His Disciples was by sheer example! He taught His Disciples many precepts, but ALL of them were backed up by His life’s example! He taught His Disciples about evangelism by example. He was the most complete and fervent evangelist ever. He was a Teacher supreme. He not only knew the Scriptures, He lived by every word that He taught!

The lesson of humility was a very difficult one. What was the best way of teaching His Disciples how to be humble? He decided that He would teach them all about humility by example! He would wash their feet as a humble household servant would! Then He would teach them how they must do likewise.

“For I have given you an example,
that you should do as I have done to you.
Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is
not greater than his master, nor is he who
is sent greater than he who sent him.
If you know these things, blessed are you
if you do them.”
John 13:15-17

The example-lesson that Jesus would provide would impact and change their lives forever! To have their feet washed by none other than the Lord Jesus Himself – that was so astounding a lesson that they would never be the same again! How could they ever forget what it meant to have their feet cleaned by their Teacher?

THE LESSON INTENDED

What was it that Jesus intended His Disciples to learn? Did He really want them to wash each other’s feet in the wooden literal sense of the word? Even if they were to literally wash each other’s feet, would that have the same significance as that of Jesus washing their feet? If that was not the intended lesson, then what did Jesus mean when He spoke about emulating His example? What did He mean when He said, “You should do as I have done to you”?

The context of this teaching is veiled. What impressed John was the example that Jesus set for the Disciples to see and experience. However, if we were to look at the Synoptic Gospels, we would realize that the Disciples had an unresolved problem among themselves. They disputed among themselves as to which of them were “the greatest” next to Jesus.

Let us consider a text taken from the Gospel of Luke. We read,

“Now there was also a dispute among them,
as to which of them should be considered the
greatest. And He said to them,
‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship
over them, and those who exercise authority
over them are called “benefactors”. But not so
among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest
among you, let him be as the younger, and he who
governs as he who serves. For who is greater,
he who sits at the table, or he who serves?
Is it not he who sits at the table?
Yet, I am among you as One who serves.'”
Luke 22:24-27

The intended lesson was not one of washing feet in the most literal sense of the word. The lesson Jesus wanted His Disciples to learn was that they must practise servant-leadership. They must never seek to “exercise lordship” over anyone. They must not seek “greatness” in the way the world sought it. They must instead seek to have a heart that serves! The Disciples could not have asked for a lesson to be taught in a better way!

KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE

Jesus had taught His Disciples many deep and important lessons concerning faith in God. He had also taught them vital lessons about how they could apply those lessons in their life. It was important to know these lessons, but the blessing would not come until the lessons were practised in life!

How had the Disciples seen Jesus? Had they seen Him as their Master? Surely they must know this basic truth. The servant is never greater than his master!

The Disciples received their calling from Jesus. They were later called “apostles”. They were empowered by Jesus. However, they must never forget that the word “apostle” literally meant, the “sent one”. The Person who was greater was obviously the Sender! Jesus was the One who was doing the sending! Thus the Person who was truly great was none other than the Lord Jesus Himself! Yet, He served the Disciples! In fact, if they observed things carefully, they would have realized that Jesus served the multitudes too! All along, He had come to serve! He was the Messiah-Servant mentioned by the prophets of old.

The challenge that Jesus set before His Disciples was one of practising what they had learned. Hence Jesus said,

“If you know these things, blessed are you
if you do them.”
John 13:17

It is not enough to know deep spiritual truths. The challenge is to practise these truths as Jesus always did. Only then would they know the blessing that God intended to come upon those who practised the word taught to them.

The Disciples would one day be given many great responsibilities. They would become famous apostles! They would attempt and achieve great things for the Lord! They must make sure that they did not allow success to influence them adversely. If they were not careful, worldly, secular attitudes could come in and cause them to behave improperly.

The best way to overcome the problem of pride, of self-importance and other similar problems was to learn what it means to be truly humble! Not only must there be knowledge, there must also be practice! Jesus wanted to impact the lives of the Disciples in the deepest way possible! He washed their feet!