MEASURED BY THE FOOT
John 13: 1-17 Oct. 30, 2022
INTRODUCTION:
I was trying to think of one of the most humbling things I've done…voluntarily. I had things happen that have humbled me, but it's distinctly different when you choose to do something humbling.
In 1985 I worked with teen-agers who were abusing drugs and alcohol in a program called Possibilities Unlimited. It was a 12 step program for 13-19 year olds. We had a few older, and sadly some younger...when the kids first came in and started withdrawals…some of them got violently sick…2 of those new kids threw up all over our bathroom. And the directors said I need someone to clean it up…would one of you on the executive staff clean up the restroom…I remember looking at Amy, and Troy and Bill and thinking come on someone volunteer…finally after an hour of silence I said, "I'll do it" And I did, yes it was as bad as you are now imagining. No, I didn't enjoy it…I had to go home and change afterwards…I felt like a janitor and smelled worse. It humbled me.
Here's what I've discovered when it comes to the Kingdom of God verses how the world operates. Arrogance, power, control and money go a long way when it comes to leadership in this world. Bosses in the world can exercise authority because they have more power. People with money and influence are surrounded by other people with money and influence…or others who want to please them so they can have access to the money and power. There are exceptions, but in this world if your use to having most of what you want in the way you want it…humility isn't high on your list.
But what about the church? What about the Kingdom of God? Do we operate differently? Jesus sure said, we should…and modeled the example of what's important. He told his closest followers …the future foundation stones of the church.
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and
their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you,
instead whoever wants to become great among you must be your
servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave---just as the
Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his
life as a ransom for many>" (Matt 20:25-28)
We are not saved just so we get a ticket to heaven. We are "Saved to Serve" …it is the essential key ingredient for expanding God's Kingdom--and the founder of this kingdom modeled it for us in every fiber of his body.
1.
Jesus' example started with
I LOVING PEOPLE URGENTLY
Life goes by in a flash…its like a breath on a cold winter day…you see it for just a brief moment and then it's gone.
100 to 80 years sounds like a long time when your 16 and indestructible, but it doesn't sound like a long time when your 50 and get tired walking to the mailbox.
Jesus knew his time was almost up in John Chapter 13... It's his hour…the fine sands are leaving the hourglass. He's in his early 30's but its time.
"Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the father"
None of us here today know our hour…or when out time is up. I don't think any of us would want the same information Jesus was privy to, but the truth is…we've only got one shot at this they called life…it’s the most precious gift we have so we'd better spend it wisely.
Jesus said there are two ways you can spend it…serving yourself or serving God, but you cannot serve both. Satan wants to do everything possible for us to spend it selfishly and foolishly…"to try and save it" Jesus wants to do everything possible and has for us to lose it…to surrender it. Both promise all kinds of stuff…ones a liar and one is the creator.
Love will determine which path you take what you love the most will determine whether you surrender your life or jealously hanging on to it.
"Jesus loved his own who were in the world so much he showed them the full extent of that love" And then invited the crowd and his disciples to follow his example.
Mark 8:34-38
You can be part of the crowd and not follow his example…you cannot be one of his disciples and not follow in his steps.
You can tell the difference…the crowd shows up for meals, miracles, and crucifixion. His disciples, filled with his spirit become servants…they begin to lose their lives for the gospel…there's nothing in this world that attracts them as much as the Kingdom and its King. They're not ashamed of who they are and they live in expectation of his return. You see Fern Creek, Louisville, the U.S. or the world will not be won because of our servers…but they can be won by our service.
Love is our faith in action… Love is showing this world how much we love them by picking up the basin the towel…telling people that Jesus loves them is important…they start believing it when we show them.
"God demonstrated his own love for us in this while we were still sinners Christ died for us." Jesus showed them the full extent of his love."
Judas is still there for his feet to be washed. Peter wants to avoid it because of pride. Jesus washes both…and unless he washes us "We have no part in his Kingdom"
I'll challenge you and me…try washing to feet of the Judas in your life…allow someone to love and serve you when the opportunity is present…Both are some of the hardest crucifixion's of self possible.
Most of us don’t need a physical bath…but almost all of us need to have the humility of Christ was over us.
Washing feet was reserved for the lowest servant…the lowest, and least was assigned the task no one else wanted…Jesus volunteered for the job for just that reason…it was the best way to show the full extent of his love…
When Wycliffe's translator Doug Meland and his wife moved into a
village of Brazil's Fulnio Indians, he was referred to simply as "the white man."
The tern was by no means complimentary, since other white men had exploited
them, burned their homes and robbed them of their lands.
After Doug and his wife learned the Fulnio language and began to help the
people with medicine and in other ways, they began calling Doug, "the
respectable white man."
When the Melands began adapting to some of the customs of the people, the
Fulino gave Doug greater acceptance and spoke of him as "the white Indian."
One day, as Doug was washing the dirty, bloodcaked foot of a very badly
injured Fulnio boy, Doug overheard a bystander say to another: "Whoever
heard of a white man washing an Indian's foot before?" Washing feet to the Fulnio Indians was a very caring
and humble gesture Then the Fulino Indians
started saying, "Certainly, this man is from God!" Not long after that, whenever
Doug would go into an Indian home, it would be announced, "Here comes the
the man God sent us." (Knights Treasury of 2,000 Illustrations)
How do we stand before God with confident hearts? We love people like Jesus did in the
this world!
He set the example and said "you should do what I've done for you" No servant is greater than his master…if you know these things you'll be blessed if you do them"
As we begin this journey of 40 days of Service Jesus cannot just be our teacher, he's got to be Lord as well.
II LEARNING TO WASH FEET DOESN'T MEAN MUCH UNTIL YOU DO IT.
"Do you understand what Ive done for you?"
And the disciples probably think, "Yep, You've washed out feet"
But Jesus wasn’t teaching them the step by step process required for quality foot washing…he wasn't drawing up a foot washing schematic diagram.
Jesus was teaching a much deeper spiritual truth…"Call me teacher and Lord, and both those are true…Now do what I've done for you."
"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
the upper room had been the Sunday School classroom. Jesus has taught his small group some intensely humbling and deep spiritual truths during this Passover meal. Now he says "Learning to Wash feet doesn't mean mush until you do it.?\"
The blessing doesn't come from just knowing what I've taught you…the blessing comes from doing what I've taught you… in fact, what I your Lord + teacher just did for you… (The truth is he'd been teaching them this same lesson for the last 3 years)
In Matt 20 James and John's mother shows up to make a request of Jesus…she asks for her sons to be seated at his right hand and left hand in his kingdom.
Jesus says "You don't know what your asking for" "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink"
[Momma envisions a place of prominence and important at the Kings table…a place where her boys can make decisions and have Jesus ear. Their cups will be ones of influence and power.
Jesus says "You don’t understand my table or the cup that sets on it"
They'll drink from my cup -- (A cup of suffering and service) but only my Father will determine greatness.
When the other 10 hear about Mom's request they get indignant…they get mad, pouting and jealous. Probably because they'd had their eyes on those seats…and then Jesus says the World's Kingdoms and My Kingdom are radically different. The worlds rulers boss people around flaunt their power. Make people obey. Not so with you. In my Kingdom if you want to be great you’ve got to serve…HOW?
"Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life
as a ransom for many" (Matt 20:28)
4.
Isn’t it time we who live in His Kingdom…or more appropriately…those of us who have His Kingdom living in us…follow his example?
Hers how I'll end…
1) Pray for the Lord to give you servant eyes and a servant's heart.
2) Realize that picking up this cup of service requires a change of priority and commitments.
3) Use your heart (Your past, your testimony to lead you to people's feet)
4) Share this experience with others---there's power and unity when you wash
feet together with someone you love.
As I end today I've got a gift for you and a challenge. It’s a little piece of cloth…a towel in miniature, if you will.
What we'd like for you to do through this sermon series is to look for specific opportunities to serve…pray for "divine appointments---and you'll be given some very specific opportunities to find yourself at the feet of someone who needs washing.
Are you ready for greatness? I bet, you never thought you'd find it with a basin, a towel and while you were on your knees washing feet.
BUT YOU DO!
Let's pray.
