John 13:1- 17. The essential guide for all wanna be disciples.
• We live in a world of wanna be’s you only have to switch your TV sets on to see that wanna – be pop starts with the X- Factor and pop idol – wanna be super chefs with chef of the year award– wanna be actors with fame acadamey – even wanna be opera singers. But can i ask is there any wanna be disciples in the house tonight?
Because tonight we are going to look at the essential guide for all wanna be disciples – laid down for us by the model servant King Jesus – and we are going to be asking ourselves, three questions from this foot washing incident. How could Jesus do what he did that night? Why did Jesus do what he did that night? And what does it mean for us today?
Set the scene.
John takes us right into the heart of Jesus at this point - into the very core of his being of what makes him tick - ( Like a watch opened from the backside) Where we see the inner mechanisms that cause the watch to function - here in this upper room we will see what motivated Jesus to tick. We all know don’t we, this side of the cross - that the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life a ransom for many - and that Jesus is our model to true servant hood but for these first century disciples - on the other side of the cross they as yet did not understand.
Of course it was cultural applicable to wash ones feet – after a long day – travelling on dusty dirt tracks – arid ground one needed ones feet to be bathed. ( I always remeber after a hard soccer match, my feet would be throbbing, I would have my feet washed and bathed in salt water by my Gran.)
This menial task of washing another’s feet in the 1st century was never done by the Master nor by one’s peers but by a household servant, neither a Jewish servant but a Gentile women or child - it appears here that there is no servant, the room has been hired or borrowed and all the preparations had already been made by Peter and John Luke 22:12.
Why didn’t they continue serving? Maybe they thought they had done enough and it was the turn of others – but no one was stepping forward – And then v4 Jesus got up from the meal and began to wash the feet of his disciples. You can understand Peter looking at Jesus confused, perplexed, as he saw his master taking the role of a servant – washing his friends feet and then preparing to wash his own feet v6. No wonder Peter sounds surprised as he cries out no way!
We see here in this incident the security of Jesus, it is in sharp contrast to the insecure disciples Luke 22:23 men who were perplexed even having doubts about the purpose of Jesus ministry - men who were self seeking prominence - after all they had argued who would be the greatest Mrk.9:34 and argue again this very night Luke 22:24.
I believe this is what led the disciples not to take the initiative.So the unthinkable happens, He who was their Lord and Saviour would humble himself and become their servant - the greatest who would become the smallest for the sake of others. Jesus himself undertakes this menial act, in so doing show’s them the essential guide for all wanna be disciples.
So How could He do it?
1. The security of belonging v1-3.
We see Jesus is in sharp contrast to his disciples who are full of self centeredness and insecurities at this point they want greatness but don’t really know what is next on the agenda for their lives. Yet in Jesus we see a person with the security of belonging this enables him to do great things.
Self centeredness and insecurities are what often prevent us from doing the smallest and menial things which often turn out to be the real great things (serving others). The reason is because we lack real security (In God)
Often we form our own securities in the things that we have around us our position, our possessions, our families but our real security comes from God alone. When we know who we? (In God ) We know why we’re here? (To glorify God) We know where were going? (Heaven bound) our lives will become secure and purposeful , because everything else in this world is transient.
He knew his purpose v1, v3 Jesus knew that the hour had come (to go to the cross) Jesus lived a life of knowing his purpose - He was not living one day after the next with no purpose - Jesus didn’t just stumble His way to the cross through unseen circumstances – he knows that he has come to die for sinners and that is hour is approaching. But here is his security in all of that v1(b) , that when it is accomplished he will return to the Father. 12:23 (To the glory he shared with Him before the foundation of the world)His purpose is lived out in the light of this security of knowing He belongs to God and is fulfilling God’s purposes .
Our purpose: So many people confess to so little purpose today and are searching for it – but the security of knowing ones purpose can only be born out from knowing God and not what the philosopher of the world says, “ to look inside of ourselves” but to find our really purpose, in all honesty we must look outside of ourselves to God.
Rick Warren in the purpose driven life wrote, “It’s not about you. The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God.”
He knew his position v3 Everybody in our culture today is always vying for position promotion but its not often we see people seeking demotion now is it? But look to Jesus the one who has divine origin Phil2:6-8 Read. And we see the one who spoke and it was would become flesh – The one whose hands flung stars into space - would become the hands that humbly wash the disciples feet became the hands that were nailed and crucified.
If were honest even when we are doing our menial tasks we so often want reconisation for what we do by those around us?
I was at home the other day and I as very tired and it was a new day, before I left for work, I cleaned to toilet and then as I wasa in the kitchen, a dirty oven, so I stepped up to clean it, but inside I was furious that my wife had left the place so dirty - so as I was wipping the oven down I muttered these words, "I’m cleaning the oven," two things I wanted reconisation, but I was also saying you should be doing this. Of course an argument arose out of it which I regreted. But my point is would Jesus do that? Would he be seking reconigtion? Would he have a dig at others by his humbly service?
Our position: How can we ever exalt ourselves? Our attitude should be the same! - How can we ever place ourselves above him? Yet it is true, we do with each other all the time. He has so self abased himself, from the heights of glory - He in turn has so highly exalted those whom believe and has brought us security in belonging to Him as adopted Sons and daughters of God.
Why did He do it? Firstly
2. A sign of His love?
What is love? John Stott said about His love in his book “The Cross of Christ” that “only one act of pure love, unsullied by any taint of ulterior motive, has ever been performed in the history of the world, namely the self-giving of God in Christ on the cross for undeserving sinners. That is why, if we are looking for a definition of love, we should look not in a dictionary, but at Calvary.”
a) He knew his priority v1 The extent of his love for his own people - Jesus was not geared around self satisfaction, his priority was always motivated out of love - not self love - but sacrificial love ( a verb a doing love) love poured out upon others - like you and me - totally undeserving - yet such people were always his priority - he served and died to buy our pardon and demonstrate the depth of his love to his own in the world.
b) His love is immensely personal: The act of feet washing was immensely personal experience of washing the feet – so is our experience of Jesus washing our sins away upon the cross 13:1 having loved his own, who were in the world.
Don Carson wrote, If God loves the world 3:16 it is in order to draw people out of it, to make them His own 15:18.
His disciples then were called out, and Christians are called out of the world this is an act of his love.(His particular love to His people)
It’s as if, Jesus was a priority parcel of love being delivered to your home for next day delivery and your name was upon that parcel for salvation and nothing in the world could stop the arrival of His parcel of love - not the world - not Satan - not death - not hell because it was signed sealed and delivered at Calvary.
“We need to understand, God doesn’t love You because Jesus died for You, but God loves you so Jesus dies for You!”
c) His love is immensely practical v4-5 The love of Jesus was not some nebulous intangible love which is un – definable , locked up in some theological tower - but his love is clearly visibly evident and tangible for all to see – as seen here in serving his disciples in washing their feet.
In practical ways: Jesus often demonstrates His love in a real practical ways of servant hood throughout his ministry. Today many people are searching for significance and in need of help, if we are Christians we ought to be demonstrating love in practical ways (listening ear, errand , care, prayer, visitation, words of encouragement , practical help, share the good news ) shouldn’t we be the feet, the hands , the ears , the eyes, the mouths and he hearts of Jesus?
Notice He even washes the feet of his enemy V2 don’t forget also Jesus was to wash the feet of Judas His betrayer.
d) His love is immensely powerful the full extent of his love is that he would go all the way for us to laid down his life 15:13. Greater love has no one than this that He lay down his life for his friends. The Bible says: This is what He was prepared to do for us. He didn’t just talk about his love for us but he demonstrated it and went to the cross. This immense love has power, because when Christ s atoning death applied to a person’s life it transforms life - Gods love begins is shed abroad in our hearts – we experience new birth and His love for us.
Why did He do it?
3. The symbolic act. V6-11.
Notice here Peter cannot comprehend what’s going on V8 No, you shall never wash my feet!” Peter is merely thinking here at no higher level than what’s socially fitting but look at the profound words of Jesus V8 Unless I wash you, you have no part of me.
It has to be more than just an insistence in washing his feet or he gets the boot as a disciple. Jesus is teaching us, that unless we are washed by Jesus we can have no part in Him – this incident with Peter is best understood in a symbolic way - pointing forward to his death upon the cross as a cleansing – as Jesus humbled himself here in the upper room and washed his disciples feet - There is a greater humiliation that Jesus will face - upon that cross . As Jesus humbled himself and poured the water over the disciples feet and cleansed their feet in the upper room - so to would Jesus humble himself and shed his blood out of his riven side to wash away the sins of his people.
If we are ever wanna be genuine disciples - then firstly we must understand like Peter that we need to be washed by Jesus through the work of cross and this act of foot washing was symbolic to the eventual cross work.
After the resurrection and Pentecost Peter would see and write 1Peter:2:24. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness, by his wounds you have been healed.
The 2nd lesson we see that Peter is exuberant in his reply v9 Jesus reply v10 is also further symbolic -points out there is no need for constant washing all over after this particular cleansing of Jesus it is a once and for all act - work. When Christ died and washed our sins away it was our past present and future sins He paid the price in full. Heb 7:27 He sacrificed for their sins once and for all when he offered himself.
What does it mean for us ?
4. The standard to follow in foot washing . V12- 17.
finally we see through this menial task we will see the essential guide to wanna be disciples - if we we are to become feet washers, we need to follow the example of Jesus, He sets us the standard to follow.
V14 Jesus is saying if I can do it as your Lord and teacher - you have got to follow suite v15 we are called to follow the standard set before us – He is our benchmark our plumbline to work from. Remember the kids game Simon says, we are to do what Jesus says.”
No matter who we are especially Church leaders / members of the congregation we need to become servants to all, prepared to do the most menial of tasks - there shouldn’t be any menial task in this Church that any one of us is not prepared to do.
Think about that for a moment – Is there something un acceptable to you? Which is beneath you? In your heart of hearts examine yourself, are you above – cleaning the toilet – making a cuppa – sweeping up - we should all be prepared to serve – nothing should be beneath us. This is what Jesus is saying and demonstrated in this foot washing.
• Is it not true we today live a world of self serve - the self service - service station - self serve petrol stations - self service fast food, we can even self serve yourself out of Tesco shopping –the idea of service in our society today is erroding away. The anathema is we are beginning to see it creep into self serve churches. Where it leaves people disconnected from one another.
Yet Jesus reminds us of the value of service as he humbly washed his disciple’s feet. And when he is done with this task he tells his disciples "Now that I, your teacher and Lord, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet." Real genuine servanthood brings Community - belonging - partnership - love – new life.
John Wesley provides the most convicting analysis on what it means to be a true servant: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you can.”
What does it all mean tonight as we take communion together? Phil 2:5-7 read.
A servant attitude is the call of tonight - Jesus is not just calling us to be nice to each other (important) - he is calling us to follow his example to apply His example to our lives, to extend his work upon this earth as we minister as servants to one another and to others around us – Jesus calls all wanna b disicples to be those who are washed by Him, to draw our security in Him and to follow his example. Why? Because he has shown us the true extent of his love towards us. Finally how can we do it? In the knowledge and personal experience of his love and our security in belonging to Him .
O YEAH DONT FORGET THE BENIFITS! V17
please feel free to leave any coments, further info @
www.cbchurch.org.uk
