Illustration: There was a boy who was very popular among others his age. He was an excellent leader in his school groups. One of his friends visited him and saw a homemade plaque in his room with the words "I Am Third" on it. His friend asked him what it meant and he replied, "It is the motto I try to use in my life. It means "God is first, others are second, and I am Third.’" The driving force in our lives should be trying to please God. Secondly, we should take into consideration the needs and pleasures of others. With our own pleasures subordinated, we will truly be the humble servants of God.
Today we look into the passion symbols of humility and betrayal and what these symbols mean to us in today’s context. Which of these would we accept and which of them would we discard. Or would we just go with what the world expects us to embrace. They had symbolic meaning in the past but do they have the same meaning today? And how we as Christians in humility and submission to God and man embrace His discipleship and refrain from those things which may make us vulnerable to temptation and wallow in sin. Just like that boy in the story always considered himself to be third, placing God and others above him, will we do the same. Well Christ illustrated it in action. Can we do the same?
Let us look at today’s passages, which are found in John 13: 3 – 9 and Matthew 27: 3 – 10.
Introduction & Background:
(a) Basin + Strips of linen / towel - That is, his gown, or upper coat, éìáôéá, with the girdle by which it was girdled close to his tunic, or inner coat; and instead of his girdle, he tied a towel about him, that he might have it in readiness to dry their feet, and that he might appear as a servant. Indeed the whole action was a servile one; and never performed by a superior to an inferior. This was the manner of a servant or slave.
(b) Money - The 1000 pieces of silver, paid by Abimelech to Abraham, Genesis 20: 16, and the 20 pieces of silver, for which Joseph was sold to the Ishmaelites, Genesis 37: 28, were probably rings such as we see on the Egyptian monuments, in the act of being weighed. Money can neither open new avenues to pleasure, nor block up the passages of anguish. But in 1 Timothy 6:10 we find that it says, “For the love of money is a root of all evils, by means of which some having lusted after it were seduced from the faith, and they themselves pierced through by many pains.”
Lets us look closely at these passion symbols of disparity:-
1. Basin + Strips of linen / towel: (also called the images of discipleship)
John 13: 3 – 9
That is, his gown or upper coat, with the girdle wherewith it was girded close to his tunic or under coat; and, instead of this girdle, he tied a towel about him:
a. that he might appear in the character of a servant; and
b. that he might have it in readiness to dry their feet after he had washed them.
With the towel, or linen cloth, which served both for a girdle, and after he had washed his disciples’ feet, to wipe them with. This was a servile habit; so servants used to stand at the feet of their masters, girt about with a linen cloth (s); and shows, that the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.
But what a surprising instance of humility and condescension is this, that Christ, the Lord and master, should wash the feet of his disciples, when it was their proper work and business to have washed his? Though Dr. Lightfoot says, he does not remember that this was expected from the disciple toward his master, unless included in that rule, "that the disciple is to honour his master, more than his father"; whereas it was a fixed point (w) with the Jews,
Matthew 27: 24 Pilate had a basin and towel
“When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it."
1 John 1: 9
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
• Here foot washing and crucifixion are connected
• Basin & Towel are symbols of His humility, service & sacrifice
Philippians 2: 3 - 5
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Characteristics of Humility-
• The humble person just doesn’t need titles and positions to maintain a sense of their dignity.
• The humble person notices other people.
• The humble person leads, and does so by serving.
Illustration: Christian Herter was the governor of Massachusetts in the 1950’s the story is told of a time when he was campaigning, when he came across someone whom he was about to ignore, but found himself having to notice. Apparently, he was having a really hard day campaigning, missed his lunch and came in the late afternoon to a church barbeque, really hungry. As he moved down the serving line, the story goes, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line.
"Excuse me," the governor said. "Do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?"
"Sorry," the woman told him. "I’m supposed to give one piece of chicken to each person."
"But I’m starved," the governor said.
"Sorry," the woman said again. "Only one to a customer."
Governor Herter was apparently a modest and unassuming man but he decided this time he would throw a little weight around.
"Do you know who I am?" he said to this woman. "I’m the governor of the state."
"Do you know who I am?" the woman replied. "I’m the lady in charge of the chicken. Move along mister," she said.
Well, it’s clear that the Governor must have told the story on himself so he apparently learned the lesson! But sometimes we don’t notice "the lady in charge of the chicken" – or the waiter at the table, or the person in the kitchen, or the clerk at the counter, or as Jesus points out, the poor or the crippled or the lame or the blind or the homebound or the illiterate, those who are out of sight, who hide as much as they can their problem, who fade away from our recognition. According to Jesus and his stories, the humble person has no inner need of that title or to pull rank, (though at times, I suppose, there is a time for that!) – but it’s not wrapped up in our sense of dignity. And the humble person notices other people, even if they seem to be way down at the bottom of the list.
Application:
• Basin & Towel - recall the humility of our Lord & Savior and the way of life we are called to practice in the world.
• They symbolize the discipline of surrender.
• Through this acted parable He taught them the importance of humility.
He was not asking for an outward act but an inner attitude.
2. Money:
Matthew 27: 3 – 10
A remarkable illustration of the power of an awakened conscience. A short time before, the promise of this sordid pelf was temptation enough to his covetous heart to outweigh the most overwhelming obligations of duty and love; now, the possession of it so lashes him that he cannot use it, cannot even keep it!
Thirty pieces of silver was the sum he; had covenanted for, and they had agreed to give him, on condition of delivering Jesus into their hands, which he had done: and it appears from hence, that the money had been accordingly paid him, and he had received it. But he being filled with remorse of conscience for what he had done feels no quietness in his mind; nor could he save of what he had desired, but is obliged to return it; not from an honest principle, as in the case of true repentance, but on account of a racking and torturing conscience.
Money is not the root of all evil. The Bible says, "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (I Timothy 6:10). The use of money can be very worthwhile. It can be used to build orphanages and hospitals, to feed the poor, to preach the gospel, to build universities, to educate people in righteousness, to establish churches, and to broadcast the gospel. It takes money to print Bibles, to publish religious books, and to advertise evangelistic meetings. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with money.
The wage earner must earn money to stay alive. We call it "earning a living." In earlier societies, if a man had no wages he faced literal starvation and death. A supply of food insulated him from the fear of death by starvation. Later, money became the substitute for supplies of food and clothing. Soon, those who had more forgot the reason they had accumulated so much wealth. The pursuit of money became an end in itself -- a status symbol -- a measure of achievement. The question, "How much is he worth?" almost always refers to money -- not musical ability, athletic ability, or spirituality.
The rich man begins to feel superior to those who have to earn a living. He can enjoy a life of luxury that is not available to the average person. He is also given tremendous power and can use his money to control and dominate other people. Money has become so important that men will lie, cheat, bribe, defame, and kill to get it. The love of money becomes the ultimate idolatry. This is why Paul said, "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil."
Consequences for the ‘Love of Money’ (as observed in Judas Iscariot’s story)-
• Root of all Evil
• Betrayal
• Sorrow
Illustration: Years ago a Chicago restaurant had specially printed place mats at all its tables. The mats were designed exclusively for the restaurant. And if you asked the waitress, she’d give you one to take home, frame, and hang on your wall…The wording that appeared on those mats…went something like this: “In 1923 an important meeting took place at Chicago’s Edgewater Beach Hotel. Attending the meeting were the following men: “the president of the largest steel company, the president of the largest utility company, the president of the largest gas company, the president of the New York Stock Exchange, the president of the Bank of International Settlements, the greatest wheat speculator, the greatest bear on Wall Street, the head of the world’s greatest monopoly, a member of President Harding’s cabinet.”…Yet, 25 years later, where were those nine industrial giants? According to the story on the place mat, the president of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, died a bankrupt; the president of the largest utility company, Samuel Insull, died penniless; the president of the largest gas company, Howard Hobson, had gone insane; the president of the New York Stock Exchange, Richard Whitney, was just released from prison; the bank president, Leon Fraser, died a suicide; the wheat speculator, Arthur Cutten, died penniless; The Wall Street bear, Jesse Livermore, died a suicide; the head of the world’s greatest monopoly, Ivar Kruegar, died a suicide; the member of President Harding’s cabinet, Albert Fall, was just given a pardon from prison so that he could die at home.
Application: An example of the horrible judgment of God upon those who sell Christ as opposed to those who buy Christ. The question is what is money being used for? Is it being used for God’s glory, or is it being used only for pleasure? Is it being used for pride, to support dictators, and for the purchase of arms with which to kill people, or is it being used for a higher purpose? The love of money is a root of evil, because some people love money more than they love God. Jesus said man cannot serve God and Mammon (the false god of riches and avarice) see Matthew 6:24.
Conclusion: Jesus was trying to teach the disciples something about humility and service when He used the basin and towel. The wash basin is a symbol of an attitude of humility and service that God wants all of us to have. Whereas Judas Iscariot Iscariot betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver – money was his downfall. And to this very day, people betray Jesus for money. Money is a symbol of betrayal and sin during holy week. The question is what will we choose between the passion symbols of disparity? Humility - even though it may be painstaking and would require patience and endurance OR love money above it – which may even bring your downfall as it had done for many in the past. At the end of the day you have to make the choice – Christ or Mammon, just as Pilate had asked Christ or Barabbas? You know what the majority chose. Would we go with the majority or with what is right in God’s eyes?
