SERMON OUTLINE:
(A). What Jesus knew (vs 1-3)
• Jesus knew about Gods timing (vs 1)
• Jesus knew the truth about Judas (vs 2)
• Jesus knew he had been given Him all things (vs 3)
(B). What Jesus did (vs 4-5).
• Humility acts unannounced (vs 4-5).
• Humility acts without embarrassment (vs 6-8).
• Humility does not play favourites (vs 5&12).
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• A man was wondering what to buy his wife for her birthday;
• When he over heard her say to a friend: "I'd like to be eight again",
• That was all the inspiration he needed:
• On the morning of her Birthday,
• He arose early, made her a nice big bowl of Coco-pops,
• He then took her to Alton Towers theme park. What a day!
• He put her on every ride in the park; the Nemesis and the Oblivion;
• As well as anything else that was fast, high and scary!
• Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park.
• Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down.
• He then took her to a McDonald's where he ordered her a Happy Meal;
• With extra fries and a chocolate shake.
• Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a coke, and her favourite sweets,
• What a fabulous adventure!
• Finally they wobbled home and both of them collapsed into bed exhausted.
• The husband leaned over his wife with a big smile and lovingly asked;
• 'Well Dear, what was it like being six again?'
• Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed.
• "I meant my dress size, you idiot!"
• TRANSITION:
• Our intentions might be good, but we can sure get things incredibly wrong!
Ill:
• There were two men in the Bible, two followers, disciples of Jesus;
• Who had good intentions, but they sure got things incredibly wrong!
• Their names were James & John; and their nicknames were ‘Sons of Thunder’.
• (Mark chapter 3 verse 17).
• Straight away you have to ask yourself the question;
• How in the world do you end up with a nickname like that!
• James and John were rough-cut guys—amazing, colourful characters.
• They would not back away from a confrontation.
• In fact, they might even have looked forward to one.
• They could be very aggressive. And they also could be very insensitive
• When Jesus spoke of His own impending death,
• When he spoke about how he would be betrayed;
• Mocked, spit upon, scourged, and ultimately killed,
• All they can think about is themselves and James and John blurted out:
• (Mark chapter 10 verse 35-37).
• “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
• Jesus replied: “What do you want me to do for you?”
• And they replied, “Let one of us sit at your right & the other at your left in your glory.”
Ill:
• It is like me telling you I am going to die in the next few days;
• And you respond by saying: “In that case can I have your car!”
• But these two guys just said what they thought.
• And they were just like us: hopelessly human and remarkably unremarkable!
• So for James and John – they wanted to be top dogs,
• They wanted to be number 2 & number 3 to Jesus!
• And they got a shock because Jesus told them that it does not work like that!
• (Mark chapter 10 verse 45):
• “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
• And whoever wants to be first must be slave of all”
James & John and the other disciples had to learn that:
• The way to go up the ladder of success and greatness as a Christian;
• Is always contrary to the world!
• In the Christian life ‘you go up by going down’,
• That is we only become great in God’s estimation when we are found serving others!
• Greatness for the Christian is not measured by what you have;
• Or what you can do.
• It is not measured by who you are; or by where you are in life.
• Greatness for the Christian is more about;
• Why you do and who you do it for.
• In fact Jesus taught greatness flows out of giving not getting.
• And Jesus himself is the greatest example of that:
• He went on to say (Mark chapter 10 verse 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.”
• And Jesus practised what he preached!
• An example of that is our passage this morning;
• When Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.
THE BACKGROUND TO THIS STORY:
• The place: Jerusalem:
• This city is where the Sanhedrin (Jewish Council) and the Temple are situated.
• It was the heart & soul of all Jewish religious life.
• The occasion: the night before Passover.
• For Jesus this was to be his last night on planet earth before his death.
• This was to be the last meal he would eat before the cross;
• And this was to be his final few hours with the disciples;
• Those who had given up everything to follow him for the past three years!
• Yet notice Jesus was not depressed and burdened by his circumstances;
• There is no hint of defeat or haplessness or failure.
• In fact the very opposite - he is in total control!
• He is going to use this time to prepare his disciples for his ‘going away’.
(A). What Jesus Knew (vs 1-3):
Ill:
• A traveler, as he passed through a forest saw a part of a huge oak tree;
• Which appeared misshapen, and almost seemed to spoil the scenery.
• He said to himself: "If, I was the owner of this forest, I would cut down that tree."
• But when he had ascended the hill, and taken a full view of the forest,
• This same tree appeared the most beautiful part of the landscape.
• This time he said to himself:
• "How erroneously, I judged when I saw only a part!"
• The full view, the harmony and proportion of things,
• Are all necessary to clear up our judgment!
• TRANSITION: The disciples only ever saw part of the picture;
• Jesus had the fill view in mind.
• We have 3 examples of that in the story!
Example #1. Jesus knew about Gods timing:
• Note the phrase in verse 1:
• “The time had come” or “His hour was come”:
• More than any of the Gospel writers,
• John emphasized the fact that Jesus lived on a heavenly timetable.
• This is a theme that develops through John’s gospel:
• Chapter 2 verse 4: “Mine time has not yet come.”
• Chapter 7 verse 30: “His time had not yet come.”
• Chapter 8 verse 20: “His time had not yet come.”
• Chapter 12 verse 23: “The hour has come that the Son of man to be glorified?”
• Chapter 13 verse 1: “Jesus knew that the time had come for him.”
• Chapter 17 verse 1: “Father, the time has come?”
Question: What was this divinely appointed “Time” or “Hour”?
Answer:
• It was the time when He would be glorified;
• Through His death, resurrection, and ascension.
• This “Time” or “hour” does not creep up on Christ and overtake him unaware
• Jesus knew he had less than fifteen hours to live;
• But he is not clock-watching.
• But his brow is not knit in anxiety,
• His eyes do not dart nervously back and forth to find a way of escape.
• He knew that this was his reason to come to planet earth in the first place;
• That he would ‘give his life as a ransom for many’.
Ill:
• In the book ‘Miracle On The River Kwai’.
• Ernest Gordon's Tells the true story of some Scottish soldiers,
• Who were forced by their Japanese captors to work on a jungle railroad.
• Under the strain of imprisonment they had degenerated to cruel behaviour,
• But one afternoon something happened.
• "A shovel was missing. The officer in charge became enraged.
• He demanded that the missing shovel be produced, or else.
• When nobody in the squadron budged,
• The officer got his gun and threatened to kill them all on the spot!
• It was obvious the officer meant what he had said.
• Then, finally, one man stepped forward.
• The officer put away his gun, picked up a shovel, and beat the man to death.
• When it was over, the survivors picked up the bloody corpse;
• And carried it with them to the second tool check.
• This time, no shovel was missing.
• Which meant that there had been a miscount at the first check point.
• The word spread like wildfire through the whole camp.
• An innocent man had been willing to die to save the others!
• The incident had a profound effect on all the prisoners;
• From that moment on they began to treat each other like brothers”
• TRANSITION: An innocent man sacrificed his life on behalf of others;
• Sadly in that case it was all in vain!
• The Bible teaches that Jesus would give his life as a sacrifice:
• “The just for the unjust, the righteous for the unrighteous”;
• Than he might bring us, reconcile us to God!
Example #2: Jesus knew all about Judas (vs 2):
“The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus”
• The betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver;
• Might come as a surprise to the other disciples but not to Jesus!
• The gospel writers make it very clear that Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him:
Ill:
• If Jesus knew from the beginning that Simon would become a rock,
• A key leader in the early Church.
• Then he certainly knew that Judas would become a traitor.
• One who when the time was right betray him.
• i.e. When Jesus chose his disciples – he knew all about Judas;
• Later in John chapter 6 verse 64 when talking about the crowd and his disciples we read:
• “For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe;
• And who would betray him.”
• Judas may have fooled the other 11 disciples;
• But he had not fooled or deceived Jesus!
• Judas is a very sobering warning:
• You can be very closer to Jesus and yet still lost!
• He heard the sermons, he saw the miracles, and yet he still did not believe!
Example #3: Jesus knew he had been given Him all things (vs 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;”
ill:
• Jesus existed as God the Son in heaven,
• And yet he put on flesh and lived among us (John chapter 1 verse 14).
• Imagine this sponge represents the deity of Christ;
• And this glass jar represents his humanity.
• Jesus existed as the eternal Son of God – the Word in eternity past (the sponge).
• Yet the Word becoming flesh can be illustrated by putting the sponge into the glass jar.
• He is both God (the sponge) and man (the jar).
• Jesus was all God, yet he was also all man.
• That is why Jesus was the complete master of each and every situation.
• Even in His arrest, his humiliation, and death;
• Jesus had authority and was in control.
• i.e. even on the cross;
• Jesus dismissed his spirit – it was not taken from him – he was always in control!
(B). The example of Jesus (vs 4-5).
“So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him”.
• To say the disciples were shocked when they saw Jesus get up from the table;
• Lay aside His outer cloak, wrap a towel around His waist,
• Take a basin of water and begin washing their feet.
• Would be one of the great under-statements of the Bible.
• We would paraphrase their reaction today as; “They were gob-smacked!”
Ill:
• At the time of Jesus a servant/slave might wash their masters’ feet,
• On very special occasions, as a mark of affection,
• A host or hostess might wash a guest’s feet,
• But it was not standard operating procedure in most homes.
• Washing a person’s feet was a menial, lowly task that everyone avoided at all costs;
• Yet Jesus did it!
There are at least two reasons why Jesus chooses this activity:
FIRST: Their hearts were proud.
• Jesus knew that there was a competitive spirit in the hearts of His disciples.
• In fact, within a few minutes of this incident,
• Luke chapter 22 verses 24-30 tells us:
• The men were disputing over which of them was the greatest!
Ill:
• A little boy came running to his mother, shouting,
• "Mum, I am nine feet high!"
• His mother said, "Don't talk such nonsense."
• But he answered, "I really am nine feet high."
• So the mother said, "What makes you think you are nine feet tall?"
• The boy replied; "Because I measured myself."
• Mum: "How did you measure yourself?"
• Boy: "I took off my shoe and measured myself with that.
• It is just the same size as my foot, and I really am nine feet."
• Then the mother explained:
• "Son, your standard of measurement was not the right one.
• You may be nine feet high measured by your shoe,
• But you are not that tall measured by a twelve-inch ruler."
• TRANSITION: The disciples were measuring themselves against one another;
• Sadly, this was the wrong measurement and only led to pride.
Ill:
• People make exactly the same mistake with God.
• They think if they live a good life – if they are better than most people around them;
• They will be ok.
• But it is completely the wrong measure!
• Because we are all ‘sinful’ people;
• We have all missed God’s perfect standard!
• Quote: Romans chapter 3 verse 23:
• “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
• ill: It doesn’t matter if you miss a train by 5 minutes or by 5 hours;
• You missed it!
• TRANSITION:
• These disciples were disputing over which of them was the greatest!
• Who was the best follower, the most committed, the most….
• So in verses 4-5 Jesus gave the disciples an unforgettable lesson in humility,
• And by His actions rebuked their selfishness and pride.
The more you think about this picture, the more profound Jesus’ actions were:
• The Father had put all things into the Son’s hands,
• Yet… Jesus picked up a towel and a basin!
• Quote: A Malay proverb says,
• “The fuller the ear is of rice-grain, the lower it bends.”
• This is a remarkable act:
• Jesus was the Sovereign, yet He took the place of a servant.
• He had all things in His hands, yet He picked up a towel
• He was the Lord and Master, yet He served His followers.
SECOND: Their feet were dirty.
• Jesus looks at the disciples,
• And he notices their tired and dirty feet.
Ill:
• The roads of the holy land were un-surfaced and un-cleaned:
• In the dry weather they were inches deep in dust,
• And in the wet they were liquid mud.
• The shoes which ordinary people wore,
• Were sandals - simply soles held on the foot by a few straps.
• These simple sandals;
• Gave little protection against the dust or the mud of the roads.
• At the door of most houses was a large water-pot,
• Alongside it was a pitcher and a towel for guests to use.
• For Jesus: this gave him the perfect opportunity to end an argument,
• And teach the disciples a lesson they would never forget.
Quote Craig S. Keener:
“After travellers had come a long distance, the host provided water for their feet as a sign of hospitality.
Yet loosing sandals and personally washing someone else’s feet was considered servile, most commonly the work of a servant or of very submissive wives of children”.
In the upper room:
• There was no servants, no submissive wives and no children;
• To meet the need of washing the disciples dirty feet.
• The disciples were ready to fight for a throne, but not for a towel.
• So Jesus demonstrates to them that “He did not come to be served but to serve”
(2). What Jesus did:
• Jesus demonstrated humility;
• In fact we see three Principles of humility in this story.
FIRST: Humility acts unannounced (vs 4-5).
Ill:
• Some Churches every so often advertise and have a foot washing service.
• Question: Do you know what everyone does before they go to that service?
• Answer: They wash their feet!
• No-one wants to be the only one there with dirty, filthy feet;
• So we would go prepared.
• And yet that (if you forgive the pun) ‘defeats’ the very purpose of the act!
• The reason Jesus washed the disciples feet was they were dirty:
• He saw the need – no one-else was going to do it;
• So he ‘their Lord and Master’ took action and washed their feet.
True humility is always unannounced:
• Jesus never turned to the disciples and say;
• “Okay men, I’m now going to demonstrate humility!”
• That would lead to the opposite of humility – self-exaltation,
• Which is what he criticised the Jewish religious leaders for.
• ill: Their prayers were all show and no substance,
• Simply done to impress men, not God!
• Greatness does not consist of self-exhalation but sacrifice,
• ill: Nature teaches us, the branch with the most fruit bends the lowest.
• Jesus now demonstrates his greatness to us.
SECOND: Humility is not embarrassed (vs 6-8).
6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
• Peter seeing what Jesus is doing to the other disciples,
• Decided to tuck his feet under himself he strongly protests.
• “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
• In fact there is a strong double negative in verse 8:
• “You shall by no means wash my feet, no, never”
Peter not Jesus was embarrassed by these actions!
• Peter saw these actions of Jesus as a sign of weakness;
• It was in fact a sign of meekness!
• Weakness is a lack of power;
• Meekness is power under control.
• ill: Stallion – incredible power but under the control of the rider.
• Peter’s resistance leads to a strong rebuke from Jesus (verse 8b):
• Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
• So in verse 9 Peter swings to the other side of the pendulum:
• “Then, Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
• Once again peter misses the point!
• Engage brain Peter - why do you need a bath when only your feet are dirty!
• The point is clear:
• Peter you have a need. Jesus can meet that need. Will you let him!
• Application for each one of us:
• We all have a need for forgiveness – our sin (attitude & actions) have contaminated us;
• Will YOU let Jesus wash your dirt away!
THIRD: Humility does not play favourites (vs 5&12).
• Humility is neither selective, nor exclusive!
• Jesus washed all the disciples feet, including Judas.
• But notice that John was careful with his wording;
• To point out that Peter and Judas were in different relationships with Jesus.
Verse 10:
“For he knew who was going to betray him,
and that was why he said not everyone was clean”.
• Yes, Jesus still washed Judas’ feet!
• But it did Judas no good because he had not been washed on the inside (Converted).
• He made it very clear that Judas had never been cleansed from his sins,
• And according to John chapter 6 verses 64-71 Judas was an unbeliever.
Quote:
• “You and I would probably been tempted to use boiling water to wash Peter’s feet,
• And ice-cold water to wash Judas!
• But Jesus didn’t come to scold or to shun,
• He came to serve and he did that gently and humbly!”
Punch line:
• When Jesus had finished washing their feet, he reclines at the table:
• The disciples all had clean feet,
• But they also had a lesson to learn – a question was asked:
Verse 12:
12When 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.
• Jesus asked the disciples if they had understood what he had done:
• We are not given a response from the disciples,
• The embarrassed silence probably means that they had not.
So in Verse 13-16: He explains it to them:
13“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth,
no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
• Jesus was their master and Lord,
• He had every right to demand their service, but instead he served them!
• When the master becomes a servant,
• That puts the servant and master on the same level.
• By becoming a servant Jesus did not push us down,
• Instead he lifted us up!
THE APPLICATION (VS 17):
• Jesus said: “Now that you know these things……”
• Have regular Bible studies on this incident.
• Talk among yourselves about what this means.
• Agree with the principle of keeping your feet clean.
• Jesus said: “Now that you know these things……”
• Here’s the punch-line: “You will be blessed IF you do them”.
• Quote: “Whoever acquires knowledge but does not practice it,
• Is like one who ploughs a field but does not sow it”.
