The Mindset of Christ: Love That Lowers

Sep 07, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Towel as a Crown: Secure Love Frees Us to Serve

Jesus knew his identity as the Son of God—the one who held all authority—yet chose to kneel and wash feet. His security in the Father’s love freed him to serve without self-protection. When we root our worth in God’s unchanging love, we stop scrambling to prove ourselves. We become unshakable enough to lower ourselves, not because we’re weak, but because we’re grounded in divine belonging. The paradox of Christ’s glory is that it shines brightest in humble service. [11:00]

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”
(John 13:3–5, NIV)

Reflection: Where do you feel pressure to prove your worth or protect your status? How might resting in God’s love free you to serve someone “beneath” you this week?

Day 2: Dirty Feet and Daily Grace: Letting Jesus Wash What Shames You

Peter resisted having his feet washed, mistaking humility for humiliation. Jesus insisted: cleansing is not a one-time event but a daily surrender. We accumulate grime—resentments, pride, compromises—as we walk through life. Christ’s basin remains open, inviting us to bring our mess without pretense. Receiving grace requires admitting we’re still dirty, still in need. The deeper our honesty, the deeper his mercy flows. [20:18]

“Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”
(John 13:10, NIV)

Reflection: What “dirt” do you hesitate to let Jesus touch today—a recurring sin, a hidden shame? How might bringing it to him shift your capacity to love others?

Day 3: Love’s Costly Calculus: When Serving Feels Like Death

Judas sat at the table, betrayal in his heart, yet Jesus washed his feet. Love doesn’t wait for guarantees of reciprocity. It gives freely, even when met with rejection. Serving others often costs comfort, dignity, or control. But the towel and the cross are inseparable: Christ’s love measures sacrifice not by results, but by obedience. True greatness pours itself out, trusting the Father to multiply what’s given. [23:45]

“Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”
(John 13:1, NIV)

Reflection: Where are you withholding love because someone “doesn’t deserve it” or might not repay you? How does Jesus’ posture toward Judas challenge your boundaries?

Day 4: From Receiving to Repeating: The Rhythm of Christlike Love

Peter wanted to jump from being served to becoming the hero. Jesus reordered his priorities: we can’t give what we haven’t received. Grace is a circle—we kneel only after being lifted from the floor. Every act of service flows from the memory of Christ’s towel on our feet. When love feels exhausting, it’s often because we’ve stopped drinking from the basin of his mercy. [19:21]

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
(John 13:14–15, NIV)

Reflection: When have you tried to serve others in your own strength? How might revisiting Jesus’ cleansing of your failures renew your compassion today?

Day 5: The Blessing of Embodied Love: Doing Over Knowing

Jesus didn’t say, “Admire my example.” He said, “Do this.” Love becomes real in specific, inconvenient acts—the conversation we delay, the apology we withhold, the preference we release. Theoretical humility is safe; actual foot-washing is risky. Yet blessing waits in the doing. The Spirit doesn’t empower grand gestures, but daily choices to carry the towel into ordinary moments. [31:42]

“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
(John 13:17, NIV)

Reflection: What “towel” has the Spirit been placing in your hands—a practical act of service you’ve avoided? What makes taking the first step feel vulnerable, and how could obedience bring freedom?

Sermon Summary

Philippians 2 calls the church to have the same mindset as Christ Jesus, and that call is both beautiful and really difficult. The flesh does not naturally look to the interests of others. The flesh keeps score, remembers the hurt, wants grace for itself and justice for everybody else, and says, “I will not put myself beneath you.” Community becomes hard when people want life together on their own terms.

Jesus gives more than a command to try harder. Jesus gives himself. Philippians 2 shows the descent of the Son of God, who went low into flesh, servanthood, obedience, and finally death on a cross. John 13 lets that descent become visible as Jesus rises from the table, takes the towel, pours the water, and washes the disciples’ feet.

John says that Jesus “loved them to the end,” even though Jesus knew exactly what was coming. Jesus knew Peter would deny him, Judas would betray him, and the others would abandon him. Jesus was not fed up with them or finished with them. Jesus knows people completely and loves them completely, including the places of weakness, inconsistency, shame, and sin.

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, that he had come from God, and that he was returning to God. Jesus’ security made him free to give himself away. The one into whose hands the Father had placed all things put his hands around the disciples’ feet. Love lowers itself. Greatness in the world gets measured by how many people are beneath a person, but Jesus shows that real greatness is measured by how low love is willing to descend.

Peter reveals another deep obstacle to love: refusing to receive it. Jesus tells Peter, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Grace comes first. The hands that wash feet are the hands that will be pierced, and the one who pours water is about to pour out his blood. The cross means that people need more than an example. They need to be washed.

Jesus then gives his people a posture and a pattern. The love that has been received becomes love that moves toward need, shows up when it is inconvenient, serves without applause, and stops asking, “What do I get out of this?” The Holy Spirit forms that posture in people who let Jesus wash them clean and who become willing to take the towel.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus loves people to the end. Jesus does not love an imaginary, cleaned up version of his people. Jesus loves Peter before the denial, Judas before the betrayal, and the disciples before their abandonment. Christ’s love sees the whole truth and does not turn away from those who need mercy most. [08:17]
2. Security in God frees humble love. Jesus goes low precisely because he knows where he came from, where he is going, and whose hands hold all things. The need to protect turf and prove significance grows where identity feels shaky. The Father’s love becomes the rock that frees a person to serve without needing to establish superiority. [13:26]
3. Grace must be received before given. Peter wants to resist being washed, but Jesus makes receiving his cleansing essential to belonging with him. Forgiveness cannot be poured out from a heart that refuses to admit its own need. Daily life leaves dirty feet, and Christ continually invites his people to come for fresh mercy. [19:07]
4. The towel points toward the cross. Jesus’ foot washing is not merely a nice picture of humility. The towel points to the cross, where the servant Lord gives his body and pours out his blood for sinful people. The love that kneels at the feet is the same love that goes all the way to death. [24:17]
5. Love becomes visible through embodied action. Jesus says that knowing these things is not enough. His blessing meets people as his posture becomes their actual way of life in marriages, friendships, families, workplaces, and the church. The Holy Spirit makes self giving love possible, not as an attempt to earn love, but as the fruit of having received it.

## [31:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:22] - Grateful Hearts for God’s Goodness
[00:59] - The Mindset of Christ
[02:24] - The Flesh Keeps Score
[04:30] - The Bible Gives Us Jesus
[05:47] - Jesus Takes the Towel
[07:54] - Loved to the End
[11:00] - Secure Enough to Go Low
[15:38] - Peter Resists Being Washed
[18:29] - Grace Must Be Received
[23:25] - Jesus Loves Real People
[24:17] - The Towel and the Cross
[26:28] - A Posture for Life Together
[31:26] - Knowing Is Not Enough
[34:30] - Where Are You Invited to Go Low?

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 13:1–17

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. [06:58]

The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; [07:26]

so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. [07:35]

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” [15:47]

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” [26:28]

Philippians 2:1–11

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. [00:59]

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! [32:31]

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

John 13:1

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. [07:54]

John 13:3

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; [11:00]

John 13:8

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” [18:29]

Observation questions

What does John tell readers that Jesus knew before he took the towel, and how do those things shape the scene?
What actions show Jesus’ humility in John 13:4–5, and what makes those actions surprising because of who Jesus is? [11:58]
What are Peter’s two very different responses to Jesus washing him, and how does Jesus answer each response? [16:00]
In John 13:12–17, what titles does Jesus use for himself, and what does he tell his disciples to do because he is their Lord and Teacher? [26:28]

Interpretation questions

Jesus knew that Judas would betray him, Peter would deny him, and the other disciples would fail him, yet he loved them to the end. What does this reveal about the kind of people Jesus loves and the kind of love he gives? [23:23]
John connects Jesus’ knowledge that he came from the Father and was returning to the Father with his decision to wash feet. Why might security in the Father’s love free a person to serve rather than protect status or demand recognition? [13:26]
Jesus tells Peter, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Why is receiving Jesus’ cleansing necessary before someone can follow his example of serving others? [19:07]
How does the foot washing point beyond humility to the cross? What would be missing if Jesus were only an example to imitate and not a Savior who cleanses sinners? [24:34]

Application questions

Where is the instinct to “keep score” showing up in a relationship right now—through withdrawal, resentment, replaying hurtful words, or waiting for the other person to make the first move? What might it look like to bring that honestly to Jesus? [02:29]
Is there an area of life where the need to prove significance, protect a place, or be noticed is making it difficult to serve? How might resting in the Father’s love make room to go low? [13:09]
Jesus loves people fully, including their weakness, inconsistency, shame, and sin. Is there a place of failure or shame where it is hard to receive his mercy? What would it mean to come to him again for clean feet rather than hiding? [21:51]
Think of a person who has disappointed, hurt, or exhausted you. Without ignoring what is wrong, what could it look like to treat that person as a real person in need of mercy rather than as someone who must first earn your love? [23:52]
What need near you have you been tempted to avoid because it is inconvenient, uncomfortable, costly, or unlikely to bring any recognition? What is one small, concrete way love could move toward that need this week? [29:12]
Is there an apology, forgiveness, preference, or act of service that the Holy Spirit may be bringing to mind? What step would be faithful and wise—not to earn Jesus’ love, but because his love has already been received? [34:30]
Jesus says that blessing is connected not only to knowing these things but to doing them. What could “taking the towel” look like in one specific setting this week: at home, at work, in a friendship, or in the church? [31:26]

Sermon Clips

68s

#LovedWithoutPerformance

“It's really Jesus different. People, people, people will love you as long as you perform. As long as you meet their expectations. Yeah. People will love you as long as you don't disappoint them. But Jesus, Jesus knows you. He knows you completely, and he loves you completely. He knows your inconsistency. He knows he knows your weakness. He knows your sin. And he knows the places. Even this morning, even yesterday, even in the history of he knows the places where you have failed him. He knows them. And still, he loves you. He loves you. He forgives you. He pursues you. Still, he stays even though he knows all of this because those whom he loved first, he loves last.”

46s

#FootWashingAsCross

“And the foot washing, listen, this is more than just some example of of humility. No. It's bigger than that. This is a picture of the cross. Think about who's kneeling. Jesus, the son of God. The the same Jesus who takes the towel and is ready to serve, that that same Jesus is about to take the cross. And and the hands that are washing those feet, our hands are gonna be pierced. And the one who pours out the water over the feet is the one who's gonna pour out his blood on the cross. And he's and he's showing them, he's showing them what love is about to cost him.”

57s

#FreeToGoLow

“So Jesus here, he shows us something like radical. This is radical. Okay? And what Jesus is showing is this. The more secure you are, the more secure you are in the love of the father. Listen. The more that that is your rock, the more that's your foundation, the more secure you are in the love of God the father, the less you will need to establish yourself above anything or anyone else. That's radical. In other words, when you know who you are, you don't have to spend your life proving who you are. Do you know who you are? When you have nothing left to prove, you you actually become free to stoop. As Brad was saying over us, to go low.”

74s

#MercyForTheBroken

“And and think about this. Who are the people? This is amazing. Who are the people that Jesus wants to to give this cleansing power to? Who are the people that Jesus wants to clean up? Look around the table, Peter. Peter is about to deny Jesus. This moment's happening not long after he's gonna deny Jesus. Not just once, not just twice, three times. Think about Judas is around this table. Judas will will perform the ultimate betrayal. And the rest, they'll abandon him. And still and still, what does Jesus do? He kneels. He goes low. And and it it kinda tells us this, If you're thinking about it, Jesus doesn't love some imaginary, idealized community of people. He loves actual people, real people, people who misunderstand him, people who fail him, people who hurt him, people who need mercy. Again and again and again. People just like People just like us. Jesus loves and he he gives us mercy.”

51s

#GreatnessInDescendingLove

“Jesus isn't washing feet because he's forgotten who he is. That's like he actually washes feet because he knows he is the Lord. Do you see this? It's a radical nature of Jesus. His humility in this instance is not a denial of his glory, of his godhead, of his deity. It's actually an expression. It's a way of expressing his glory. And and the world says greatness is demonstrated, you know, by how many people are are beneath you. How many people in the org chart do you have under you? No. Jesus is showing us a greatness that is demonstrated by by how low love is willing to descend.”

60s

#StopKeepingScore

“The kind of people that Jesus is forming us to be at Christchurch at Grove Farm. It is a people who stop keeping score. It is a people who stop asking, well, what do I get out of it? What do I get out of this relationship? What do I get out of this investment of my time? We stop asking that. It's people who actually start asking, how how might the love of Christ through me toward another person? That that's what this love looks like. We're not there yet. We're not there yet. We got a ways to go, but but this is who Jesus is calling us to be. A people whose love goes deep, a church where his posture becomes our posture. Right? That is life together. Because once you know you're loved by the one who took the towel, you're finally free to take the towel yourself.”

65s

#LoveInSmallSacrifices

“This kind of love does this. It shows up when when when it's inconvenient. My wife was telling me about this this week, a moment she had. When when she was inconvenienced and struggling with what to do, you know, when someone interrupts your plans, when someone needs more time than than you have, when when someone's wants to have a conversation that you don't wanna have. But love says what? Love says, have that conversation. Or, you know, it shows up when no one sees it. When there's no applause, when there's no recognition, when when no one knows that you did it. That that's how love shows up. It shows up when it costs you something, when it costs you your time, when it costs you your comfort, when it costs you your money, when it costs you reputation, your your sense of control. That's what it looks like when love gets into your hands, our hands.”

50s

#PostureOfJesus

“The the question isn't, you know, do do Christians literally wash feet? Here's the question. Is the posture, the pattern of Jesus' self giving love, is that posture, is that pattern becoming characteristic of your life, of our life together, our community? Is that posture more and more who we are? Because foot washing is in a way that's that's how we're to be with one another. It's what happens when greatness, when real greatness actually looks like self giving. When when love, instead of, like, running away from a need, moves towards a need.”

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