Message summary: As followers of Christ let us be people of the towel.

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"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). "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).

This morning we visited with two men, both named Joe, who are towel specialists at Kleen-Rite, a company that sells supplies to the car wash industry. Yesterday Kleen-Rite hosted a car wash show where car wash owners could see various products related to the car wash industry.

The senior member of the team is Dr. Joe who has been in the towel business for many years and is well-known in the car wash industry. He lives in Florida but is up here in Pennsylvania due to the show yesterday.

These towels are used for car washing, auto detailing, and more. Dr. Joe has a long tradition of providing the right "prescription" for towels and his specialty is towology! As you can imagine he is a very interesting and colorful man who is discipling the younger Joe in this business, although discipling is not a word used in the business world. More common titles for such a role would be mentor, trainer or coach!

Most significantly both of these men share our faith in Christ!

Our visit prompted a consideration of the "towel" in our daily text, when Jesus washed the disciples feet. This is the only reference to towel in the entire Bible.

This towel had two purposes:

For many years we attended a church that held an annual footwashing service on Maundy Thursday, which we found very moving.

Footwashing is primarily a reminder of Christ serving us and how we should serve one another. Following the original footwashing Jesus said, “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).

Years ago a pastor challenged us to have a servant’s heart and to be "People of the Towel", referring to humility in service. Let us also pass on the same thought to you today. As followers of Christ let us be people of the towel.

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13.

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we see the tremendous humility of Jesus who, being in very nature God, made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant to live in human flesh. His humility led Him all the way to Calvary, where He became obedient to death - even death on a cross! What an unsurpassed example Christ is to us as He looked not to His own interests or comforts, but to our desperate need for salvation. Help us, likewise, to look not only to our own interests but to the needs of others. Show us ways that we can be of humble service to those who need it most. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

I consider a footwashing service when we served a church in upstate Pennsylvania.

Joe had entered our church bringing a lot of personal and family conflict with him. He later told me he was a bitter man. Among other things he and his wife were in disagreement concerning church attendance, but somehow she persuaded him to attend that particular Palm Sunday. A big, burly man he didn't seem happy to be there at all and as I stretched out my hand to greet him I wondered if he was going to snap at me!

But he returned and three weeks later responded to an altar call. He gave his heart to the Lord and began the transformation process that continues to this day over 40 years later.  He joyfully testifies to the change in his life and for many years was active in ministry to boys through our Royal Rangers program where he sought to influence them to live for Christ.

One of the most poignant memories I have of Joe was his participation in a footwashing service several years after he came into faith. I was preaching from John 13 concerning Christ's example and asked him if I could publicly wash his feet as a visual sermon illustration. He agreed and it's become one of my greatest ministry memories. I am sure some people in our church from Northern Pennsylvania can still remember my washing Joe's feet as a demonstration of humility and service!