Sermon Central
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Entitled Series
Contributed by Andy Stanley on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: Recovery begins when we leverage our entitlements for the sake of those less entitled.
John 13:4 (TNIV)
4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing,
He was a Rabbi; he wore a robe that is a symbol of that kind of authority. When he came into a city, people knew that he was a Rabbi by what he wore. Jesus stands up from the meal, all eyes go to him, and he takes off his outer robe. Then what he did next I’m sure there was not a word spoken.
John 13:4 (TNIV)
4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
And at that moment there were many different emotions in the room, because they realized what he was about to do. He had gone from Rabbi to servant simply by taking off that robe and tying a towel around his waist. Some of the men in the room thought, Oh, I should have done this. Some of the people in the room thought, Oh, I should have planned this. Some of the people in the room thought, Oh, we should have hired someone to do this. At least one man in the room thought, There is no way I’m going to let him do what it looks like he’s about to do. Do you know what your Savior did the moment he was most aware that he had been entitled by God to all power and all authority? He took the form of a servant. Check this out.
John 13:5-6 (TNIV)
5 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. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
In other words, Seriously, seriously, you’re going to wash my feet, Jesus? Pause for just a minute. Those hands that you’re about to use to touch my dirty feet—I saw you take those hands, pick up mud, spit in those hands, make mud pie and put them on someone’s eyes and he could see. And I’m going to let you take those hands and wash my feet? I’ve seen you take those hands and lay them on sick people and they became well immediately. I saw you take those hands and lay them on a friend of ours and we thought she was dead and she got up and she cooked a meal for us. Are you kidding? I’m going to let you take those hands and wash my feet? I don’t think so.
John 13:7 (TNIV)
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
In other words, Men, you think I’m simply doing what you didn’t hire someone else to do. You think I’m simply doing what I think you should do. You think I’m simply doing something that’s customary. What I’m doing is way, way bigger than that.
John 13:12 (TNIV)
12 When he had finished washing their feet, [and this is so powerful] he put on his clothes and returned to his place.
So in this moment there’s this visual of Jesus the Rabbi, Jesus the teacher, taking off his authority as a Rabbi, taking on the garb of a servant, then taking off the garb of a servant, putting back on the mantle and the robe of authority as a Rabbi. And there, I’m telling you, it is silent in the room. Nobody is eating. Nobody is saying a word. And then he asked this question.
John 13:12 (TNIV)
12 “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.
