AIMING HIGHER BY STOOPING LOWER
John 13:1-17
INTRODUCTION:
ILL> When I was a kid growing up in Zanesville, our preacher liked to go coon hunting. The one that he hunted with the most was Jim , who was the father of my best friend.
Our preacher, Tony, used to tell a story about their coon hunting. It seems that Jim prided himself on getting a treed coon down with a single shot from a 22. Tony decided to play a trick and adjusted the sights so it would shoot a little low.
One night they were out hunting and pretty soon the dogs took off. They ran and ran until they gave the signal that a coon had been treed. Jim took the gun and set the sights on that old coon. When he shot, nothing happened. Jim couldn’t believe that he had missed. He shot again, and hit the branch the coon was sitting on. He shot a couple more times and missed each time. Jim simply couldn’t believe it.
About that time, as Tony told the story, that coon got real nervous and started running down the tree. All the time the dogs are barking. It ran across the ground toward Tony and ran right up his legs and perched himself on Tony’s head. Jim said, "Don’t move. I’ll get him!"
Tony saw the 22 aiming right at his head. He began to scream, "Aim higher! Aim higher!"
A. Now I’m not so sure that all of that story is true, but I do think that we miss out on a lot of God’s blessings because we aim too low.
ILL> Like one fellow said, "Aim at nothing and you’ll hit it every time."
ILL> "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll still be among the stars."
We may shoot too low in our relationships
We take each other for granted
You may shoot too low in your school grades–I know some kids could get A’s with a little effort but are satisfied to get C’s.
Sometimes we may shoot too low in what we can accomplish as God’s Church. We think to little of ourselves, and we think too little of God. It was a lack of faith that kept the Israelites out of the Pormise Land and caused them to wander in the desert for 40 years. It was a lack of faith that caused a stalemate between the Israelite army and the Philistine army–at least until David got on the scene. He realized something–AIM HIGH, but first you must STOOP LOW
B. In the passage we are looking at today, Jesus tells that we need to AIM HIGHER by STOOPING LOWER
READ: John 13:1-11
I> BE WILLING TO BE SERVED - Verses 4-5
Two things we need to understand
#1 - Foot washing was a common practice
In those days they only wore sandals–feet would get dirty from walking around all day on the dusty roads. Common practice in every Jewish home to have a basin of water and towel ready at the door to clean the dust off their feet. This was a sign of respect from the host to the guests.
#2 - Foot washing was considered to be a menial task.
The host would have never been caught washing someone’s feet, this was considered to be a very menial task. It was a job that was so looked down upon that the Jewish slaves were not even required to do it–it was a task that was reserved for the Gentile slaves.
This explains why none of the disciples got up to wash the feet of the others. Here they were sitting around the room. (Side note–it was not customary to sit around a table like you see in paintings of the Lord’s Supper). They were sitting around the room discussing who was the greatest. To get down on the floor and begin washing feet would have admitted defeat.
In a sense we may do the same thing by the clothes we wear, the jewelry we put on, the cars we drive, the positions we occupy" "Look at me! I am worth something. I’m somebody!"
ILL> It seems that there was a synagogue in which a thoughtful rabbi, thinking he was alone, offered the prayer "Oh Lord God, I am nothing." Overhearing this, the cantor was impressed and offered the same prayer. Both of these prayers were overheard by the janitor who was deeply moved. Yet, when he offered this prayer, the cantor leaned over to the rabbi and whispered "Look who thinks he’s nobody."
Jesus got down to wash the disciple’s feet because they wouldn’t do it for each other. Jesus is telling us that our importance is not in some position we hold, or in some title or degree–it’s in service.
Peter, however, wasn’t willing to be served. VS 8 - Peter emphatically says that Jesus would never do this for Him. "You will by no means ever wash my feet!"
Jesus replied, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me," meaning that Peter would have to leave their company, breaking fellowship and companionship with Jesus. So Peter wants to show how much he loves His Lord and says, "If it means staying with you, then give me a whole bath!"
At the beginning of Jesus’s ministry He said that a man need to be born of the water and Spirit–you must be born again. Later, the Apostle Paul talks about this washing of regeneration.When you’ve made Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of your life and had your sins washed away at baptism, then you don’t to do it again.
On the other hand, you need to have your feet washed everyday. 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.”
As you go about your daily life you’re going to see people who need to have their feet washed as well. John 13:34-35 - "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
A lot of people try to get to the top by using people, back-stabbing, compromising their values and morals. Jesus said, "If you want to get higher, you’ve got to stoop lower."
We live in a society where "I" takes precedence. In other words, we want what we want, and we’re willing to walk over anyone in our path.
ILL> Take what is often times referred to as "road rage." Now I know that many of us have had at least a touch a few times.
What’s at the core of this behavior. "It’s my road, and anyone who slows me down, honks at me, cuts in front of me, or in any way interferes with self-determined rights, better watch out!"
ILL> I was standing in line at the pharmacy the other day. As I was standing there an elderly lady moseyed on over when the gentlemen in front of me was finished she just walked right in front so she could be next.
There was a part of me that wanted to tap the lady on the shoulder and tell her that I was next in line and that she could get in line behind me.
But there was another part of me–the part that wanted to knock her down on the floor and say, "YOU TOOK MY PLACE!" Fortunately, I resisted the urge–but I still didn’t like it.
ILL> A lot of times Kay will send me to the store to pick up one or two items. When I get up to the checkout, it never fails–I get behind someone that has a cart full of groceries. Many times though they say, "Oh, is that all you have. You can get in front of me." I feel bad wen they do that–you know why? Because I wouldn’t let them do it.
II> WE MUST BE WILLING TO SERVE OTHERS
ILL> Back in the late 40’s Richard McDonald and his brother Maurice started a drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California, that featured 15-cent hamburgers, 19-cent cheeseburgers, 20-cent milkshakes, and 10-cent fries.
A few years later Ray Kroc bought the rights to the restaurant and the McDonald’s fast food industry was born. In addition to keeping Richard’s concept of twin golden arches, Kroc also picked upon his idea to post the cumulative number of hamburgers sold outside each drive-in restaurant.
When Richard McDonald died in the summer of 1998 at the age of 89, it was revealed that the namesake of the most famous fast-food chain in history frequently ate at the McDonald’s near his home. He always ordered a cheeseburger, a shake, and an order of fries. But, much to the chagrin of his grandchildren, McDonald never identified himself to the employees, never cut in line, and always paid full price.
Even though Richard McDonald had sold the rights, he probably could have let everyone know who he was and eaten free, but he chose the road of humility. 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."
In verse 12 Jesus introduces a question designed to make the apostles think–"Do you understand what I have done to you?" Jesus then drives home the point. You call me teacher and Lord and rightly so. You’ve put me up on a pedestal. But if I am willing to step off that pedestal and wash your feet, shouldn’t you be willing to get down off your thrones and wash one another’s feet?
Why aren’t we willing to serve others like this?
ILL> F.B. Meyer suggest two reasons.
"This failure arises partly because we do not love with a love like Christ’s–a love which will brace resentment, annoyance, rebuke, in its quest–and partly because we are not willing to stoop low enough."
Jesus stooped low enough for them. He asked that they follow His example as their Master and stoop low enough for one another."
A spirit of servanthood is not present:
When a player who isn’t chosen to start quits the team
When we are passed over for a promotion and refuse to work as hard for the company
When we are passed over for a position of leadership in the church
When we give our idea and it’s decided to go a different direction.
We need to keep the picture of Jesus kneeling with His towel in our minds. And there is something that we need to remember–NO ONE WASHED JESUS’ FEET!
No one washed Jesus’ feet–but you can. Matthew 25:40 - "The King will reply, ’I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
ILL> A few weeks ago we had an elderly lady in our congregation pass away. A few weeks before her death, someone suggested that we have a worship service in her home. So we went the following Sunday. We sang songs as she listened. We sang, "I’ll Fly Away" and she waved her arms through the air.
I wish I would have thought of that!
ILL> Mother Teresa visited Phoenix in 1989 to open a home for the destitute. During that brief visit, she was interviewed by KTAR, the largest radio station in town. In a private moment, the announcer asked Mother Teresa if there was anything he could do for her.
He was expecting her to request a contribution or media help to raise money for the new home for the impoverished in Phoenix. Instead, she replied, "Yes, there is. Find somebody nobody else loves, and love them."
What can you do?
Offer to care for a pet of your vacationing neighbors. Help a neighbor with lawn care or yard cleanup. Shovel off your neighbor’s driveway.
ILL> When I was in Jr. High I was volunteered to shovel the walk of an elderly lady in our church. I didn’t want to do it. We shoveled and had some extra time to spend with her. She was thrilled and we had a great time as well.
Give clothing or toys to a needy family. Mow someone’s grass that is not able to do it themselves. Give away some of your garden produce. Babysit.
ILL> I was talking with a friend of ours one day. She mentioned that a lady she works with had had a baby. She told the lady, since we had to pick up you work load while you were off, the least you could do is let me watch that baby for you some evening. So last night that couple got their first chance to spend some time alone since the baby was born.
Here is what thrills me. I see a lot of this happening in this church. My family and I have been the recipients on several occasions. I’m sure we miss some opportunities, but we hit a lot as well.
III> CONCLUSION:
As Christians we need to Aim Higher by Stooping Lower. As a church you need to aim a little higher. 1 Peter 5:6 - “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” John 13:17 - “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
Humility is your greatest act. Jesus said, (MAT 23:12) “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Do you understand what that says? Everyone will be humbled–even the proudest egomaniac on earth will be humbled. So the question is not, "Will I become humble?" The question is, "Will I humble myself, or will life or the Lord have to humble me?" If He does it, it will mean punishment and failure. If you do it, it is reward and success.
ILL> There is an old story about an elderly missionary returning to the United States to retire. He and his wife had spent over 40 years serving in Africa. But now he was alone. His wife and 2 children had long since found their final resting place in the soil of Africa.
As he got off the plane he saw a great crowd of people waiting at the gate. Some were holding signs, others were waving banners, and he could even hear sounds of music above the shouting voices. For a few seconds he thought, "Can it be! After more than 40 years of service, all of these people have actually come out to welcome me home?"
But no, that was not the case. On his plane was a politician returning from a visit to Africa. During his visit he ha been catered to and waited upon and all his needs had been met. And now he was being welcomed back wit all the ceremony his nation could provide.
As he waited and waited at the airport, the contrast was almost more than the old missionary could bear. For a moment he began feeling sorry for himself, and he started to pray. "Father in Heaven, Why? I’ve serve You faithful and for so long, and yet, look. I don’t expect much. But is it wrong to desire that there be some kind of a welcome home?"
Then, almost as if God had spoken out loud, the old missionary heard Him say, "But my son, you’re not home yet."
ILL> I’ve already told you about Margaret. I had the opportunity to visit with her the day before she died. Weak and not able to carry on a conversation. As I was getting ready to leave she tried to tell me something. I leaned close and she whispered in my ear, "Going home!" I said, "Going home?" Again she whispered, "Going home."
If you are willing to humble and submit yourself before God, then I encourage you to come forward this morning and be baptized so your sins may be washed away.
ILL> I recently heard this story.
Little Girl was perplexed as she looked at the picture of Jesus standing outside the door, knocking. Finally she asked, "Did He get in?"
