The Night Jesus Served Series

Introduction

I want to do a short series by looking at three of Jesus’ final days from the perspective of an eye witness, the apostle John. We will look at the night Jesus served, the day Jesus died, and the day Jesus arose. The material for this series comes from a book I recently read by Carl Laferton titled, Easter Uncut.

Each message will essentially contain two sections. First, what really happened. We will look at what John saw. And second, why it really matters. We will look at why John believed that what he wrote was so important for us.

What Really Happened

Let’s begin by examining what really happened the night Jesus served. Let’s read John 13:1-17:

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” (John 13:1-17)

Why It Really Matters

People in power often use power to serve themselves. This is true in politics, entertainment, business, academics, and even religion. Once a person gets to the top of the pyramid, those who are underneath must serve the person at the top.

After Jesus began his public ministry, he eventually claimed not only to be powerful, but to be all-powerful, not only to be a man, but to be God and man in one person.

So, it is fascinating to see how Jesus used power.

On the night of his betrayal, Jesus gathered with his friends to eat the Feast of the Passover, the most important Jewish feast on the calendar. It was a very festive occasion, something like our Thanksgiving. Family and friends would gather for this most special meal.

But there was a problem.

There was no slave to wash the feet of the guests. Remember that people in those days walked wherever they went, and there was dust, dirt, droppings, and dung everywhere. People wore sandals or no shoes at all. And so when they arrived at their destination, there was usually a slave to wash the feet of the arriving guests. Washing feet was the lowest job imaginable. It was so low on the scale of jobs that slaves who had Jewish blood were not required to do it. Only foreign slaves washed guests’ feet. Washing people’s feet indicated that you were the lowest person in the room.

So, Jesus’ followers sat down to eat. No slave had washed their feet. Suddenly, Jesus rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Astonished, Jesus’ followers watched as he poured water into a basin and began to wash their feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.