There are so many different voices that vie for our attention: news and media, the opinions of others, even our own self. Who should we listen to? Which voice should we obey?

At first we might think we have hundreds of voices telling us what to do, but Jesus boils down our dilemma to just two options. He says, “No one can serve two masters” (Luke 16:13). We can't obey five voices, or even two, we can only have one master. We can either serve (1) the world and our sinful-self (i.e. the devil), or (2) we can serve God. The devil wants us to listen to all the noise. He wants to chain us down, making us a slave to sin. Sin is always self-directed. As the Reformers say, ‘The sinful-self is curved in on itself.’ Our natural tendency is to obey the voices that are self-serving. “You must have it all.” “Do anything to bring yourself pleasure.” “Be sure to become successful, popular, and powerful.” “Get more, more, more at any cost.” Sin and self are often our master, the one we obey.

In contrast to our self-seeking, self-serving ways, Jesus is selfless. Jesus takes the place of a servant. We hear this in our gospel reading, ‘Jesus got up from the meal and took off his outer clothes. He wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a large bowl. Then he began to wash his disciples’ feet. He dried them with the towel that was wrapped around him.’ (John 13:4–5). But Peter wants nothing to do with this. “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” (John 13:6). Peter is really saying, “Lord, what on earth are you doing? You’re a great teacher. You have hundreds of followers. Washing feet is a dirty job for a lowly servant. I won't let you throw away your position, success, power, and authority, by stooping down to wash my feet. Lord, are you really going to wash my feet?”

Peter was listening to the voice of his sinful-self first. In contrast, Jesus loves those in the world first. ‘Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.’ (John 13:1). And this love isn’t just words, but action. Jesus takes the place of a servant to wash you clean — this happens in your baptism. He loves you to the end, all the way to the cross, dying in your place, taking the blame and punishment that you deserve. Jesus was obedient to the voice of his heavenly Father, pouring himself out for you.

And in doing so, Jesus frees you from having sin as your master. You can now sing with the psalmist, “Truly I am your servant, LORD; you have freed me from my chains.” (Psalm 116:16). You are free! Now, as free people, we might think it’s party time. “Let’s do whatever we please! Let’s live life however we want!” St Paul encountered this kind of thinking. He says, ‘What should we say then? Should we keep on sinning so that God’s grace can increase? Not at all! As far as sin is concerned, we are dead. So how can we keep on sinning?’ (Romans 6:1–2). Because of what Jesus has done, sin is no longer our master, we are no longer a servant of sin, death, and the devil. But that doesn't mean we have no master.

By washing sin away, Jesus becomes our new master. Remember: we can only serve one master. The most basic Christian confession is “Jesus is Lord.” “Jesus you, not sin, are my master. Jesus, you are the one I now serve.” He is the one you strive to obey and follow. As he says, “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You are right. That is what I am. I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also should wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example. You should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:13–15).

But it goes deeper than merely following Jesus’ example. When you are washed clean in baptism, you are united with Jesus. St Paul says, ‘By being baptized, we have been joined with [Christ] in his death. We will certainly also be joined with him in his resurrection.’ (Romans 6:5).

Do you know those three legged races, where two people are tied together? It's like that! You are tied, united, joined with Jesus Christ. You're in a three legged race with him. What he does, you do. What you do, he does. When he moves his leg, you move yours. When you move your hand, he moves his. Everything you do is for and on behalf of your Lord, Jesus. A nun in the 1500’s put it like this:

Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours. — Teresa of Avila

But something amazing happens as we serve with our hands — God continues to teach and transform us. Recall that being a disciple means to be lifelong learner. God teaches his disciples in three ways. (1) God teaches through your head as we are informed, growing in knowledge and understanding. (2) God teaches and forms our heart, as we dwell in God’s presence. And (3), God teaches and transforms you through your hands as you perform acts of service. God’s kingdom comes through your hands. God’s will is done through our hands as you serve your master.

As we serve together, we grow in faith together. This happens because serving together is a powerful way to build connections. Soldiers often build lifelong bonds with their unit as they serve together. Likewise, as you serve, this band of brothers and sisters in Christ is being built up. This happens in family units or households. As families work and serve together, they grow closer to each other and God. It also happens at a congregation level. Research confirms that both young people and adults are more likely to have a strong, growing faith when they are serving others together.

One of the reasons is that the effects of serving goes beyond just the event itself. Author Dave Anderson explains, “The cross-generational bond takes place not only in the service event, but also in the retelling of the event through the years.” As we remember and retell the story of the times we've served together, when we’ve been in the trenches together, God makes us grow in faith together.

Challenge: Sit down as a household with a big sheet of paper. List the ways you have served others together in the past — remember and share these events. Brainstorm some new ways you might serve together in the future. Choose one idea to serve together before the end of the year.

Here are some ideas to get the creative juices flowing:

• do some yard work together for your elderly neighbour,
• bake in the kitchen with your grandchildren to give to someone in need,
• if you’re on the church cleaning or greeting roster serve as a family or with your grandchildren,
• have all family members contribute toward a sponsor child (e.g. through Compassion),
• fundraise or donate to the Carevan Foundation (an Albury based charity that provides meals to the homeless and needy),
• use ALWS ‘Gifts of Grace’ instead of Christmas presents this year,
• participate in ALWS ‘Walk My Way’ (Albury, October 2020), or
• serve at a the next ‘Making Time’ at Zion, Walla.

To help God grow our hearts, let us meditate using the following song ‘Day by day’ by The Porter’s Gate:

Jesus frees you from serving your sinful-self. Jesus became a servant, he washes you clean, dying in your place, so that sin is no longer your master. Instead, Jesus is Lord and master. You are united with him. You are his hands and feet. As you serve together, may you grow in faith together. Amen.