JESUS’ LOVE FOR HIS OWN
John 13:1-18
Although I have been in Japan for a little over 2 years, I have only recently learned the story of Hachiko. A couple of weeks ago I went to Shibuya station to see the statue of Hachiko. I found the Hachiko exit and even asked the station attendant, “Hachiko San wa, doko desu ka?” Upon learning about Hachiko I thought that was a very moving example of one who was devoted to his master. As you know Hachiko went to the Shibuya station every day to meet his master. When his master died in 1925, Hachiko still went to the station every day to meet him, and he did so until he died, 11 years later. So I was very happy to see the statue of him. Although she is not as famous as Hachiko, Simone is another example of one who is devoted to her master. Just so you know, I have had her for over 14 ½ years now.
When I read the story of Hachiko, I say what an example of being a true servant. But did you ever stop and see the master take the role of a servant. What if Hachiko’s master hadn’t died, and he went to the station every day to meet the dog?
We are going to see someone else take the role of a servant in a much more humiliating way today. He did this voluntarily, not because He was forced to do it. We are going to look at Jesus’ example of being a servant as He washed the disciples feet.
Time does not permit us to look at everything in this passage we just read. But I would like us to look at Jesus example and see what we can learn from it.
In the gospel of John, chapters 13-16 are devoted to Jesus’ instructions to His disciples. John 17 is His prayer for His disciples just before He is arrested. You won’t find Jesus words to His disciples in the other gospels. These passages have words of Jesus Christ that can also encourage us.
Jesus has been officially rejected by His own people, the Jews. If you read the gospel of John from chapter 13 you will not see Him perform any more miracles. Neither will you see Him teaching in public. Now His teaching will be in private with the disciples.
I’ve entitled this message Jesus’ love for His own. Because He will now show His disciples how much He really loves them. Look at verse 1
John 13:1 ¶ It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
It was just before the Passover Feast and Jesus knew His time to leave the world was near. Over and over in the gospel of John, Jesus relates how He was sent by His Father to do His Father’s will.
Jesus doesn’t just say He loves the disciples. He demonstrates it, as we will see in this passage.
I won’t go into detail about his, but in verse 2 notice Judas Iscariot is about to betray Jesus. Come to the English service if you want to know more about it.
Verse 13 tells us that Jesus knew 3 things. These 3 things enabled Him to do the will of His Father.
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;
First, He knew that He had been given power of all things by His Father. Because later in this chapter, it won’t appear like He has control over all things. Jesus also knew He came from God and would return to God. Now He needed to give instructions to the disciples.
I have appreciated the kindness of Mrs. Okada taking care of Simone and KC when she was here for me when I am away. I can always be sure she will take good care of them. What I am so concerned about is when I return, the cats seem happy there and don’t want to come home with me. Before I leave I give Mrs. Okada instructions on feeding the cats and other things. So she is prepared to care for them.
Jesus also needed to give the disciples instructions. Soon He would be arrested, tried and crucified. After that He would be raised from the dead and He would return to His Father. The disciples also had a mission to carry out, and Jesus wanted to prepare them for it. And the first thing He needed to prepare them for is how to serve one another. He demonstrates this in a very dramatic way in verses 4 and 5.
John 13:4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
John 13:5 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.
How many of you like to go to the onsen? I came to Japan 4 years ago to visit a missionary and he asked me if I would like to go to an onsen. I had never been to one before but I heard about them. You have to wash yourself from head to toe before you get in the water. I was also informed it would not be a good idea to go in the water without washing myself or to take soap and shampoo into the water. We went to an onsen in Karuizawa and went into the outdoor baths. I liked it but it was very hot and I could only stay in for 10 minutes.
In Jesus days people’s homes didn’t have baths and they had to go to the public baths. They didn’t have paved streets like we do today. The people wore sandals but no socks. The roads were often dusty and as a result the people would get their feet dirty. So when they arrived home or wherever they were going, they were clean but their feet were dirty.
There would be a servant in the home to wash the guests feet, although family members usually washed each other’s feet.
But in this passage there was no servant because Jesus would take on the role of servant Himself and wash the disciples feet.
However there was a problem with Peter when Jesus came to wash his feet as we see in verse 6
John 13:6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
Why does Peter react this way? Jesus answers that he might not understand now but he will later, as verse 7 says
John 13:7 Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
Peter had some problems. Actually all the disciples had this problem but Peter is the most outspoken of the disciples. It is a problem that many of us have as we see in verse 8.
John 13:8 "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
That problem is one of pride. It can manifest itself in many ways, but it is always focused on ones self. Peter has yet to understand the reason Jesus was washing the disciples feet. He wants to teach them a lesson and all of them need to hear it. Jesus rebukes Peter sharply. Why does Jesus do this?
A couple of weeks ago one of my English students was asking the difference between Christianity and other religions. He was speaking with the chaplain and they were talking in Japanese. However I was able to answer his question. The difference between Christianity and other religions is that they all require us to do something to gain eternal life. In other words they are works based religions. Christianity is different in that it is not based on a system of works. It is based on believing and receiving. Jesus will soon go to the cross to die for the sins of the world. He paid the penalty of death for us, and by believing in Him we can have eternal life. Nothing is required except for us to believe. But the problem Peter demonstrated is the one I referred to earlier, pride or self will. When I was little I didn’t like being told I am dirty and needed a bath. Most people don’t like being told they are sinners and need salvation that only Jesus Christ can provide. Most of my family members have rejected Christ’s offer of eternal life, because they believe they are good persons. So they believe they will earn eternal life by their own good works. The Bible doesn’t teach this, and we see repeated in John’s gospel that eternal life can only be obtained as a gift by faith.
Christianity starts with the cross. It also includes an empty tomb. Nobody can say that about Confucious, Buddha or Mohammed. Only Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Believe in Him and you can know you have eternal life.
Peter’s response and Jesus answer in the next two verses show He still doesn’t understand what Jesus is saying.
John 13:9 "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"
John 13:10 Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."
Peter is saying, “Let’s go to the onsen!” He is telling Jesus to wash his hands and head as well as his feet.
But Jesus is using this example to teach Peter something else; about being spiritually clean. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ He forgave you of all your sins. But if you’re like me, I sin every day. Or I get dirty every day. So what do I do? I go to the onsen and get really clean.
When we put our faith in Christ we are forgiven of all our sins. But what happens when we do sin? There is a verse that answers that question, it is 1 John 1:9.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Jesus is faithful to forgive and cleanse us. But we need to come to Him in confession and faith. I can assure you by His word, He will forgive us and cleanse us.
Jesus is referring to one of the disciples who is not clean, Judas. This is a whole sermon in itself but if you read the rest of John 13 you will see how Jesus reached out to Judas in love and grace but Judas rejected it.
When you study the relationship Jesus had with His disciples, do you notice He uses it to teach them? That is what He is doing here. Go to verse 12.
John 13:12 ¶ 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.
He will first ask His disciples if they understand the meaning of His washing their feet.
John 13:13 "You call me ’Teacher’ and ’Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.
In verse 13 we see how the disciples acknowledge Him as Teacher and Lord. These are both high titles. In Jesus’ days a teacher was also called a Rabbi. They also acknowledge Jesus as Lord. They are probably not speaking of Him as deity or God, but as Master. Jesus acknowledges this, not to promote Himself but for reasons we shall soon see in verse 14.
John 13:14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
Jesus, Lord and Teacher just took on the role of Servant. Foot washing is considered the most menial or lowly tasks for a servant. It would be like if I go into the office of the President of the United States, and President Bush washed my feet. Normally a servant would do this.
Remember Jesus did not have a servant present to wash the disciples feet. He did this Himself. And what He is telling the disciples, that if He, Lord and Teacher takes on the role of a servant, than they should do the same thing. For most of us this would be beneath our dignity. I don’t know if you know this, but some churches actually practice foot washing as an ordinance. At our church we have 2 ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These are only for those who have placed their faith in Christ Jesus. There are some churches that do foot washing as an ordinance. I don’t think this passage is talking about that. I think that Jesus is using this as an example of serving one another.
Look at verse 15.
John 13:15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
Jesus was setting an example for His disciples to follow. If you read the other gospels, you will see that the disciples were not concerned about serving one another. No, they were quarreling over who would be greatest in the kingdom. Can you imagine what Soka Church would be like if everybody was more concerned about being the greatest?
I think we need to follow Jesus example in serving one another, just as He did. This may not mean we need to wash each other’s feet. But it does mean we need to think of others as more important than ourselves.
In verse 16 Jesus is going to emphasize something that we see in other places in the Bible.
John 13:16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
And that is the relationship of a servant and his master. Hachiko didn’t consider himself greater than his master. He loved his master so he went to Shibuya Station every day to greet him. Simone probably does consider herself greater than me but that’s OK.
There are some other verses I would like us to look at which emphasize what Jesus is saying here. Just listen to them as we read them.
Matthew 10:24 ¶ "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
Luke 6:40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Luke 22:26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.
John 15:20 Remember the words I spoke to you: ’No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
Being a pastor I hear a lot about leadership and read many articles and books about it. I often see an emphasis on servant-leadership; one who leads others by serving. The seminary I graduated from emphasizes servant leadership. But isn’t that really what it is all about, serving others? What a beautiful example for the Teacher and Lord to take the role of Servant and stoop beneath His dignity. A teacher who goes in the same direction his students do, often builds followers among them.
The disciples need to understand this. Because Jesus will soon do another act of serving, and that is to go to the cross to die for the sins of the world. I recently watched the movie, The Passion of the Christ. Did any of you see that movie? It is very difficult to watch, but I recommend seeing it, because this shows in detail what Jesus did to enable us to have eternal life. He took on the role of a servant and I’m glad He did, because if He didn’t we would still be in our sins.
Remember that even though Jesus was Teacher and Lord, He didn’t come to lord His authority over others. No He came to serve. A verse I often remember, is Mark 10:45
Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Jesus came to serve others, even dying on a cross for us. I often think how that would look if we served others. Let’s be those who lead by example and lead by serving others. It may not be washing other’s feet. But it does mean looking for practical ways to serve each other. I always like to end a message like this by reading a passage of Scripture that tells us what Jesus did. It is found in Philippians 2:5-8.
Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Philippians 2:6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
Philippians 2:7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
Let’s have the same attitude Jesus did in serving other.
