Jesus served many but He was also served. I'll give you a few examples and we will see how Jesus views these acts."And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." (Luke 7:36-50)
Jesus turns the table on the Pharisee and points out that He was given no water for His feet but the woman had washed His feet with her tears and washed them with her hair. Jesus says He was given no kiss by the Pharisee yet the woman never ceased kissing His feet.
Though a lowly sinner the woman's service and faith redeemed her while the holier-than-thou Pharisee is not forgiven because he does not forgive.
But Jesus also washed the feet of the Apostles. We will see why:
"He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (John 13:1-17)
If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. This is the crux of the story Jesus is saying "As I have done to you, you should do to one another."
Later in John Jesus says "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
We will be know as true disciples by our love AND by our service. Because true and meaningful service is born out of love. No one was ever more loving than Christ and no one served more than He did.
He served those He met by offering His wisdom over a meal or by healing them, by rekindling their faith as He did the Samaritan woman at the well. He served the outcasts, the sinners, the poor and all those deemed lesser by the ruling class and religious elite.
The Atonement stands as Christ's greatest act of service.
Take a look at the acts of service Jesus highlights for the disciples of John the Baptist; "Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." (Matthew 11:4-5)
Now Jesus served with miracles and maybe we will see our share but this in and of itself is not the only means of service. But the point remains; if you want to experience the Kingdom, take part in it and revel in it then extend forgiveness, love and serve those in your life.
Serve others as Jesus served us is what He is asking of us, it is what He told His Apostles to do.
"When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."
Mosiah 2:17
In the talk "You Are My Hands" by Uchtdorf we hear a story about a war torn statue of Jesus that was repaired except for its hands. The hands were missing. So someone hung up a sign on it that said "You Are My Hands."
We are told to serve others as Christ served us, we act in His stead, and the more we do the more we may see with His eyes, feel compassion with His heart and act with His hands.
The Kingdom of God is within you, and it awaits you.
We can build up the Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven with acts of service, with acts of love, with Christ-like acts. Once you've found the Kingdom within yourself the service, the acts of love flow naturally.
