August 25, 2024 • 45 mins
In this message based on John 13:1-21, we reflect on the moment when Jesus, knowing His hour had come, chose to show His disciples the ultimate example of love and humility by washing their feet. This sermon highlights the significance of Jesus' actions, the meaning of true servant leadership, and our call to serve others with the same sacrificial love. As we go through this passage, we're reminded that God's timing is perfect, and His love for us is limitless. Join us as we consider what it means to love 'to the uttermost' and how we can follow Jesus' example in our own lives.
Watch this message on YouTube Listen also on my website JenniferGRichmond.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Oh Oh, boy.
(00:32):
Thank you.
Next sunday we're gonna do another section of this so look for us after church
(00:57):
and we'll provide the sharpies,
and you can just show up in multiple languages and you can learn,
believe in another language and write it out there for us.
So look for that next Sunday. We'll start getting a video of that and get our
new section of this series ready to go.
Good morning. Good morning, everyone. I'm Jennifer Richmond.
I'm the Life Boat Pastor.
(01:18):
Someone asked me once, what does that mean? Women and children.
That's me. Pastor Joe is on vacation i'll
show you a picture of that in just a minute but i have a question for you
remember when we were kids and about this time of year we'd
be at school actually we were kids you went after school after labor day not
in the middle of august but we were uh we would get back to school the teacher
(01:42):
would say what did you do this summer right so it's back to school time we're
getting back and i'll share a little bit about what my husband and i did this
summer the The Sunday before last,
we went on a wonderful vacation.
Our form of a vacation is kayaking and camping through the high Sierras with
our little dive that's on a kayak going across a six or seven miles,
(02:04):
I'm not certain, later, a lake up in the high Sierras.
And we saw this incredible view.
Look at that. I mean, we could just, this could be the entire summer report.
This is my summer report.
Incredible time. God's country, right? God's entry. three of us here and are
definitely in our happy place enjoying that time out together making memories
(02:26):
making new sermon illustrations stay tuned and some are interesting than others.
So Pastor Joe is also out. He's working on his What to Do During the Summer
assignment. There they are. And now getting in Hawaii.
And they're enjoying a really wonderful vacation, of course.
And they're in a happy place by the ocean, Maui, swimming and snorkeling.
If you look really closely in this picture, you'll see an archer snorkeling.
(02:51):
I won't show him anymore because I'm sure Joe is working on his memories and
sermon illustrations from his trips as well.
So he'll come back and let me share all those. everyone say hi
joe online we're sure he's spending his vacation listening
to this message thankful why i'm trying to drive you
back so all right so here we are in
john that's what was done joe talked about
(03:13):
last week and then john in january and we're moving
through and we are now turning a
corner a new chapter literally and if
you have your bible i hope you do pastors below hearing
the pages rustled i love that
oh very loud you didn't want to do that over there all
right so as we move
(03:35):
we wrapped up chapter 12 we're moving today into
chapter 13 there's a shift in this
narrative of jesus like in his ministry up at this point
it's been public ministry all the miracles
he's been doing public all the teaching and we've also
heard jesus repeatedly say essentially not
(03:55):
yet not not yet wait wait wait
not yet right kind of like when your kids are asking you
when are we going to leave for vacation not yet not yet wait for it wait for
it but seven times he spoke in the gospel of the hour seven conversations seven
moments but he was urged to act to move go or do something or be someone but jesus is not on.
(04:20):
My timeline, on our timelines.
My hour has not yet come, told his mother, when she wanted him to do something
to save a wedding celebration.
The hour is coming when worship will be changed and everything will change forever,
he tells the Samaritan woman.
His hour has not yet come when the Jewish leaders tried to arrest him and he kept on slipping away.
(04:41):
The letter to review, I have a question for you. I want to see if the men can
get the answer to this question today.
All right. What was the first thing that God gave his people when he delivered them from slavery?
Very good. All right. Everybody all together.
What's the first thing God gave his people when he delivered them from slavery and Egypt?
When he gave them the mountain. Exactly. All right. So why?
(05:04):
Why? So we believe by looking back and looking ahead, we'd always see that God
has been and always will be faithful.
There's literally signs and poems written about looking back and seeing God's
been there and that projects us forward. He will be there.
(05:26):
He has a plan and that plan has always pointed to Jesus.
And we're invited to be a part of that plan. We're going to see that in today's passage. it.
But it's on God's timing, not on our timing.
God's days, God's weeks, God's months, God's seasons, his hours,
not ours. That's a good way to remember it, right?
(05:46):
His hours on the clock, not our hours.
The time is now, though, and there's a sense of urgency.
And John moves in. He's like a film director. Big wide angle,
and he zooms in for a close-up scene.
And Jesus' public Public ministry
is over, and now is the time for him to feed his closest disciples.
Now, before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come
(06:10):
to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in
the world, he loved them to the end. John 13, verse 1.
You know, every now and then I read a passage that I wish I could just preach
on one verse. That's the verse.
Now, let's move in on this just a little bit. Now, before the feast of the Passover,
(06:31):
what was the first thing that God gave his people? The calendar. Good job.
And what was the first event on the calendar?
Passover. Right. So this meal, you could find that at Exodus 6.
Partners 10 over yellow plague and all that you see
in chrismas probably god delivering his
people out of these that they lamb they had
(06:53):
yummy yummy right they had bitter herbs they had
lots of flatbread with no yeast in it and that
meal would be a reminder of the sacrifice that
it was going to take for their freedom and it
pointed because it's not just about that meal remember
it's god's calendar not just so that we can page through it
but that we can always see what's happening when is
(07:13):
it even going to happen but it pointed to the
reality yet to come that god's people would
need to be free not from egypt but from
sin and from death and so
jesus is preparing to walk the road to die the final passover land that's what
he's going to be and he's preparing the disciples that he's going to die and
(07:37):
he's about to give the ultimate lesson and on what it really means to believe and follow.
And so this would be Jesus' last Passover as a man, the last time observing
with men, his final moment reenacting that holy day.
You recall the deliverance and the hour of lifting up the cup and reciting the
(07:59):
scriptures that all pointed to him.
How many of you have attended the Passover Seder meal, I recall?
You see the cups being lifted and the bread being broken and it all points to
him. This is the meal right now.
And all of time pointed to this moment when Jesus knew his hour had come.
He departed from this, out of this world to God.
(08:23):
What did Jesus say over and over and over again?
My hour has not yet, not yet, wait for it, hold on.
For years, it was not his hour to do or be what the people wanted.
They imagined how his hour had come to do and be what no one expected.
(08:46):
Hours from now, just hours from now, if you look at it on the calendar timeline,
it's just going to be in short hours.
While a thousand lambs will be slaughtered, sacrificed for the Passover.
Their blood applied again symbolically to the door codes all across Jerusalem.
Jerusalem would normally be about 150,000 people, a swollen and temporary population
(09:11):
to over 2 million people crowded in.
For this Passover time, Jesus knew it's our day that it would be his blood pouring
out for the disciples who were leaning around with him.
For every person in Jerusalem and beyond.
And it's just incredible to think about it.
(09:32):
He was there for everyone there and across time for us as well.
Isn't that amazing to think?
It's our high time to return to this world and return to the Father.
That is the urgency. There was a lot of drama around this special evening on
a normal night, but they were literally hiding away.
(09:54):
Jesus only told two people to go find this room, and he snuck away and found
this room to keep Judas probably in the dark also because he had to pump the brakes.
He had to have everything happen on his night.
So here they are gathered in this small room. What would have been known as
just another Passover supper, But Jesus knew his hour had come and having loved
(10:17):
his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end.
He loved them with a greater love, a more beautiful love than anyone could.
And that great and that beautiful love would soon be on display.
That terrible and shocking and ugly display.
(10:38):
And John makes the connection. He loves them to the end.
And yet, we have to say what the disciples did. You know, we know this isn't the end.
It wasn't the end. It wasn't the end. It's not the end, disciples.
We know that, right? But they don't know that right now.
John's making this beautiful point. And remember back then, these scriptures
would have been read aloud as these letters traveled around.
(11:02):
And you can feel John building it up because someone's going to be reading this
aloud. He gets the word out and his stuff.
When we think of the end, you might think of the end of a book.
You might think of the end of a movie. Kaya, Ben and I, to the end of the late.
Joe and Rachel drove to the end of the boat.
Navigation is coming to an end. We think of that how we think of it.
(11:24):
That's it. There's no more. It stops here.
But what does it mean that Jesus loved them to the end? The Greek word for end here is telos.
It doesn't just mean end of a time period or that he loved them to the end of their time.
The other is the same Greek root that we see in the word telescope.
Telescope. Think of a pirate's telescope. Click, click, click.
(11:47):
And they would pocket it back down right in their bag, right?
It would unfold one section of the telescope at a time, but during that full
capacity, does the telescope work right here?
No. Click right here. Nope, still glory. Click. Almost there.
Fully extended. Yes, that's when it works, right?
Completely effective and totally extended for its ultimate purpose.
(12:10):
Jesus' love for his disciples was not half-hearted.
I'm just here if he was here and full capacity.
Uttermost complete connecting to the same
word actually that Jesus is going to speak in a few hours when he
demonstrates the astonishing capacity of his love when he was for sinners hanging
(12:30):
on a cross his arms fully extended and he utters this vile word you probably
know what that is it is that word is the hell of thing saying the truth it is
finished and he bowed his head and he gave up his spirit in John 19, 30.
And it's the way the author of Hebrews goes on to describe how completely he
saved us when he says he's able to save to the uttermost, the panteles, those who draw near.
(12:57):
Able to save to the uttermost, those who draw near to God through him.
We know where this love will go.
We know what's ahead. John B.
Corr is an incredibly difficult and then this beautifully tender moment of true
sacrificial and humble love.
And he closes dark detail next.
Gives us perspective on this kind of love for his children.
(13:20):
During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot,
Simon's son, he's ready.
Now, how many of you have heard the name Judas Iscariot before?
Anyone motivated to ever name your child Judas?
When they look at Judas, Judas Jesus.
Simon's son makes sure we differentiate from any other Jesuses around.
(13:42):
There was actually several of the Jesuses. It was very popular in the early times.
The devil, the Jesus. But listen, the disciples don't know any of this.
Judas the Spirit isn't like an infamous name.
Just the guy at the table with them. He heard of their money.
John knows. He's writing.
So long before this meal, the devil had already put in where he was literally
(14:06):
cast into him to betray him, this idea into his heart.
Judas has been chosen with the evidence of his life. For years, he's been taught.
He's been sent out with them. He preached with them. He did miracles in Jesus'
name with them, the Bible tells us. He had the opportunity to hear.
He had the opportunity to see and to know Jesus, really know Jesus.
(14:26):
His heart, though, was deceitful and it was sick. And we could hardly wrap our
minds about how we could have been so close and still so far from Jesus.
But Judas is honestly no different than you or me.
I have the capacity to sit at Jesus' feet. I have the capacity to attend church,
Bible study, even teach, even preach and pray.
(14:47):
Judas' hypocrisy isn't unique.
Hypocrisy doesn't work that way. Any of us can be Judas if we sit and receive
the word of God and we still hold on to our own plans and our ideas of how things should be,
all while enjoying the beauty of being around the Jesus people. I'm in the right team.
(15:07):
That's what Judas was at this moment right now. And many will say, Lord, Lord.
And yet they will hear, apart from me, I never need.
Really do you need to ask God, though, to search our hearts?
So we will not be as Judas, who was, quote, numbered among the disciples and
a lot of his share in the ministry, and we still betray Jesus.
(15:28):
Judas loved money more than Jesus. He loved his own plans more than Jesus.
He became a guide, Peter will say later in Acts chapter 1, when they needed to replace him.
He was a guide to those who owe him.
Remember that Satan didn't need to tempt Judas or place in his heart to murder Jesus.
He didn't come after Jesus to murder him, literally, only to betray him,
(15:50):
which is exactly what any of us are capable of doing when we love ourselves above the Lord.
And seated with this betrayer makes what Jesus does next all the more powerful.
He did no mean that the Father had given all things into his hands and that
he had come from God and was going back to God, stood up and pointed out,
(16:12):
you are the man, Judas, right?
Aha, and flipped a little low tape. No.
I want you to remember a couple of things. Number one, Jesus is not an innocent victim of an evil plot.
This hour had come he knew
father had given all things into this
(16:32):
moment was in the perfect timing of
the father if that is sufficient for jesus
how much more should it be what does jesus
know john speaks of jesus supernatural knowledge at least 21 times more than
any other gospel writer and four of those times are right here in this chapter
(16:54):
chapter 13 In the very moment that he knows this hour has come, what does Jesus do?
Before we answer that, let's understand the scene again. The night he poured
the house over, when the lamp of the feast sacrifice, he's in the upper room
for this, and he's hiding away from the, remember that was the Jewish leader.
(17:14):
And, you know, Leo de Gennaro da Vinci's Last Supper painting is probably the
one we still think of when we picture this on the screen just later.
And if that's an artistic idea, the reason why we were so assaulted by it when
they mocked it at the Olympics was because we know what that was about. We know that scene.
And so you can't be gaslit into knowing that they were, that's exactly what
(17:37):
they were showing, mocking that.
We have that seared into our brains. There's an artistic rendition of the idea
in Leonardo da Vinci's art, but it's not what it would have looked like.
For starters, the man would have been first century Jews. They wouldn't have
been European men in light skin.
And the european renaissance floating it would have
been after sunset not daytime as well from blue skies
(17:58):
there wouldn't have been a water basin and cups for serving wine and there
wouldn't be any fluffy loaves of bread all the bread would have been that flat matzo
bread and the men wouldn't have been gathered all on one side of
the table as if they're getting ready for a selfie right everybody they're not
and they're for a group photo of course we can't know exactly exactly
what looks like we could study the customs of first century because
here's a little more accurate drawing of it they would
(18:18):
have liked to have been laying on cushions around like
a three-sided table it's called a triclinium with this
in mind it's the first day of the feast of passover and the
disciples of all come together judas has already been to
the sanhedrin to make his seal to turn jesus over and he's back from that and
they're all together in this upper room luke and john are the only gospels that
(18:40):
give us the details about what happens during this last supper in book 22 we
read that Jesus has broken the bread, he poured the wine,
he's taught them that this is a new covenant where the bread and the wine will
be the reminders of his body and his blood.
And Luke records that his disciples began arguing about who is going to be the
greatest in the kingdom. Good job.
(19:02):
So when the disciples are arguing about who's going to be the greatest,
Jesus, knowing all he knew, knows this, his disciples need to see love and action.
And this is the perfect moment. have the disciples seen
love and action all the time they've been with jesus have they seen
love and action they literally have jesus is love god is love but
they need to see it and remember it in
(19:24):
a visceral way if i gave
you the word christmas you would
bring back to your mind a christmas that
that you enjoy or hated it would be the sight of
the smells it would be what you were wearing it would be who
was there it would be if it was a hot normal california christmas
day or a tenor tennessee christmas
(19:45):
and an immigrant song you would remember would bring you
back just that one word jesus is going to create that moment for these guys
because all of their lives they celebrated and they come together for passover
and he needs it to be remembered differently going forward And so he's going
to give them a really clear example.
(20:07):
They'll never forget.
So, just as the first Passover marked the calendar when God delivered his people
from slavery, Jesus is now marking this final Passover hour before their ultimate
deliverance. You may know it.
John writes this scene in present tense. You remember, this is going to be read aloud.
So, he's anticipating and bringing his audience together, bringing us then right
(20:31):
into the moment. Every single verb in the Greek here is in present tense.
Jesus knows as hours come, knows the Father has given every tool to his hands,
knows that judas is about to betray him
so we're going to read it through you can
find it in john 13 4 to 5 no matter what translation you're
in unless you're reading it's called the literal translation of the almost all
of them list this out not in present tense so i put it up there in a very literal
(20:54):
way number one jesus rises from supper so stopping what would have been normal
expected flow of the evening and there was a normal expected flow of the evening
it has he He knows that something more pressing has to be done.
And while he could have delegated the task he's going to do to anyone or anyone
would have obeyed, instead, number two, he lays aside his outer garments.
(21:15):
Outer garments would have been like a robe and a belt and an inner tunic.
And now he's not wearing a robe. He's not wearing an inner tunic.
He looks like a servant with all of his outer garments laying aside.
Sign it was down to just a simple simple simplest
of garments least of these garments
(21:36):
number three jesus takes a towel number four jesus ties around his waist oh
your word we don't use very much just the word in greek here maybe we should
bring it back it's a gird he girded his waist with that let's talk like that
a little more at work and you go to work tomorrow let's figure it up ourselves
here right so he's it needs to tie something really tight with.
So the same towel will go from him, that same towel girded around his waist
(21:59):
from person to person, from each pair of dirty feet to each pair.
And he, number five, he pours water into a basin.
Number six, Jesus, whose feet had earlier that week been anointed by Mary,
Jesus begins to wash their feet.
Not only that, but the towel tied to him, the towel girded around him,
(22:22):
was the one that he used on one disciple.
That towel went down. He wiped them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Echoes of the argument still hanging in the air. Jesus demonstrates his love
while they were still sinning.
Judas still planning to betray. This is love action.
(22:47):
Jesus is acting out a parable of service and moved before their eyes.
Do you think that's how they defined it in that moment? In that moment when
Jesus stood up and girded, stripped off his robe, down to a towel,
girded his waist, and bent the knee to them?
Do you think they're going, oh, Jesus is demonstrating love.
This is going to be a great example. What's next?
(23:08):
Do you think that's what they were thinking? Don't you think it would have been
shock to see Jesus do what he does?
Jesus is enacting a new covenant. He's showing how this would be their pattern going forward.
Complete humility is the only way to complete love. Listen, listen.
(23:28):
Complete humility, emptying yourself of your needs, your rights,
what you think you deserve is the only way to complete love.
We might be enthusiastic in a moment, declare our love, and even promise we would die for someone.
But love to the uttermost begins like this.
(23:51):
Vervet, humble, silent. Isn't Jesus giving them and us a reminder of what he
in fact had actually already done?
Turn to Philippians chapter two and read that.
Philippians chapter two, beginning of verse six.
Though he was in the form of God, did not tell equality with God a thing to
be breathed, he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant.
(24:14):
Whoa, being more in the likeness of men, he humbled himself.
So he's already emptied himself. He's already lowered himself.
And he's on earth as that servant. And now he lowers himself even. Wow.
Down. Down.
If that doesn't move you, the tears, the faith of Jesus condescending down to
(24:42):
earth is beautiful enough.
Enough but that fact that he was his knees before
his disciples i read that passage
and read it again and i had to read it again and again because my eyes were
full of tears he took off his robes of glory where he had been with the father
took on the form of man the word became flesh who did not come to serve but
(25:02):
to be not come to be served but to serve he loved to the uttermost and we We
might think of the cross, and that's true,
but his love is here in the upper room, and Jesus, the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
Who was before all things, and in whom all things hold together, that Jesus disrobed,
(25:27):
leaving the seat of honor, unbended knee in gentle service,
holding the feet of his disciples and washing them in this way,
girded with a towel carrying a wash
basin he moved from disciple to
disciple and when Jesus comes to wash
Peter's feet Peter is shocked each of the disciples were probably as well maybe
(25:50):
even maybe convicted but it's Peter who seeks up oh Peter Peter Lord do you
wash my feet Peter did not fathom that Jesus his master would stoop so low in the Greek it reads.
Lord, do you my feet wash?
Puts it together, but really puts those words together. Lord, do you my feet wash?
(26:11):
How shocked Peter is. Maybe he even tucked up his feet a little bit and pulled away from Jesus.
The moment is deeply uncomfortable for Peter. And honestly, wouldn't it be for you?
Yeah. Peter doesn't understand. Jesus knows this, and he says,
what I'm doing, you do not understand.
You don't understand. He doesn't understand. Now.
(26:36):
He's putting a pin. He's putting a marker that Peter will forever be able to
go back to this calendar day.
And never forget, you do not understand now, but afterwards you will understand.
What Jesus is doing is obvious. It's obvious as the now wet and nerdy towel
wrapped around his waist.
It's obvious as the basin of water splashing around. It's obvious as he washes.
(26:58):
It's obvious as he wipes what he's doing. The one most deserving is the one
serving. And Peter doesn't understand.
That's not how things should be yeah and haven't you felt the same we see what's
happening in our lives we don't understand what is God doing now,
(27:19):
and it will come in time Peter is not still not grasping the significance and
he says in perfect Peter fashion you shall never wash my feet I think white people say never to God.
I'm so thankful this This moment was recorded for us.
Peter always seems to do what we would have done. And he gets corrected so we can learn from Peter.
(27:43):
Actually, Peter doesn't just say, you shall never wash my feet.
And his word is really, really, really strong.
It says more like, no way will you ever to the end of the age for all time and eternity.
Never will you wash my feet. Today, you might say, no way, not in this lifetime or the next, right?
Is Peter being respectful? Yes. Is he trying to show his love for Jesus?
(28:04):
Yes. But Peter's response is also a reflection of a misunderstanding of Jesus' mission. Careful.
We are in danger of misunderstanding Jesus' mission.
We put our personal values on what we think it should look like.
When we put the world's values on what we think it should look like,
(28:24):
Peter is in danger of misunderstanding Jesus' mission. We need to be careful.
And let us want to face this good news.
It really is because in our minds, we might be thinking, I better watch out for Jesus.
That's not how it works. Jesus watches us.
You cannot, I cannot be enough. We are not enough, contrary to what the T-shirts
(28:48):
might say. We are not enough.
The world says you are enough. It's the exact opposite of God's word.
Self-help, not enough. Aggressive social justice religion, not enough.
Jesus is the washer. Sure, there is no adjective that needs to be placed in
front of Jesus' justice. It's not social justice.
(29:10):
It's Jesus' justice. There's no adjective in front of the love of God. It's God is love.
Jesus is demonstrating that here. He's the only way that we will be clean.
And he says, if I do not wash you, you have the share with me.
No share with me.
Underline. Triple underline. Put a Bible sticker next to it.
(29:33):
No share. The Greek word for share is meros. And that means part or a portion.
We actually get the word merit from that root.
Think about this. What did the disciples just moments ago been arguing about?
Their part and portion of the kingdom. them jesus who had
earlier in that evening taken the bread broke it
cast portions around jesus is telling that this act
of washing is necessary for him be part
(29:56):
of what jesus is doing it's a reminder that he must accept jesus cleansing both
physically and in this symbolic act and spiritually in a washable way our own
sin is to be part of us our efforts no matter how the world might weigh in and
how good they are, are not a lie.
We must be washed by the feces. He's talking about holiness, not hygiene here.
(30:23):
Finally, Peter, realizing something more important that's about to happen,
goes into Peter, extreme, level 10, all in, step out of the boat,
and we come to know him. We come to love and laugh at and laugh with.
And again, he reminds us of ourselves.
Continue with verse 9. It's not when Peter said to him, Lord,
not my feet only, but my hands and my head.
Give me a full bath, let's jump in, right, give me all, give me all,
(30:46):
right, Jesus said to him, okay, the one who was bathed, and the Greek word is
where we get our word loo, like going to the loo, a bathroom,
that's the Greek word there, and it means a full body bath, does not need to
wash, that's nipto, a different word, you know, when Glenn and I were camping,
we just washed up our feet, we needed to every dusty day, going along the trails and hiking around,
(31:09):
that's a foot washing, It was similar, like it was in the first century.
Guests would be greeted by the youngest member of the family,
or if they could afford one, a servant, a Gentile servant, not a Jewish servant.
And that was the lowliest of all to Nipto.
Why? Because it got them. This is exactly what no one had done as they gathered
up in that upper room. There wouldn't have been a servant there at night.
(31:30):
It was a private room. Remember, it's a secret dinner. No one's there to greet
them. No one's there to watch them. This is why it was so shocking.
Maybe the disciples, maybe they just kind of figured that they would do without
a washing. tonight. But not Jesus.
There's none of that with Jesus. We have to be mindful of that.
We don't just get to walk in and set our own way, saying it's what you want
it to be. I probably don't need to do that tonight.
(31:52):
Jesus needs to watch you. You must be watched by Jesus. Do not change the plan.
Jesus is making this big, beautiful, amazing point.
And Jesus says, you don't need
to wash everything. One who is big doesn't need to wash. Don't jump in.
Separate his feet so he's completely clean. And you, that's the plural.
(32:14):
It's like from the southern part of today, y'all.
You, y'all are clean, but not every one of you.
Not every one of you. We all know that. It's our kingdom too.
That's why he said not every one of you is clean. And they're going around with him.
They'd all been washed in the word of Jesus in person. and they'd all,
by Jesus' definition of what it means to be clean, been cleaned by the word.
(32:38):
You know, we think about, you know, when I give my life to Jesus,
come forward, pray a prayer.
They just walked around with Jesus. They listened to his word,
accepted his word. They what? They believed.
They believed. Apparently Judas had never done that in all his time.
You, not all of you, are clean. And none of them had walked forward,
filled out a card, joined a membership, be in the Jesus club.
(33:00):
They just walked around. They believed. Believe. Believe.
Jesus is simply saying what they would have understood, that when they bathed,
they were clean, but they walked around in life on dirty, dusty roads,
their feet were dirty, they didn't even get a bath. They just needed a foot wash.
So Jesus explains, again, in a spiritual way, not hygiene, holiness is what he's talking about.
You are clean. He's talking about what happens to anyone who believes in Jesus,
(33:24):
that being born again, or renewed in the Spirit, or becoming a new creature.
We symbolize that in baptism. Baptism.
And that only has to happen once. You don't go to camp every year and give your
life back to Jesus again.
Re-re-re-re-regeneration. It's just regeneration one time.
Titus 3, 5, and you want to look at that in your Bible. Titus 3,
verse 5, it explains this idea.
(33:45):
He saved us not because of work done by us in righteousness,
but according to his mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the
Holy Spirit. One time act. Isn't that beautiful?
So much security in that. Faith in that. And this is how life begins when we first believe.
And all but Judas among the disciples had already experienced.
(34:06):
Jesus is saying, you're clean, regenerated, but you don't need to wash up on
occasion, but you're going to need to wash up on occasion because you're going
to be walking around in this earth.
Naturally, you'll be a feet dirty, spiritually speaking, sin.
We don't need to be regenerated again.
We don't need a spiritual bath, a luwo, a nipto, a wash, a confession of our sins.
(34:26):
And 1 John explains this in 1 John 1, verse 9.
Maybe you memorized this verse when you were a kid. I was full like I did.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just.
He forgave us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Will we get re-saved when we
cleanse our sins from unrighteousness in the act of confession of Jesus?
(34:52):
This is the daily walk. It's faithful to forgive us. Foot washing.
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garment, let them see his
face, he said to them, Do you understand what I've done for you? Chapter 13, verse 12.
If foot washing was the point, I think, then this question is kind of silly.
(35:12):
Obviously the disciples knew what jesus just did and
they're probably still in shock their rabbi their lord got down on
his knees handled their dirty feet washed them
this is obvious but jesus is asking them to grow up as disciples this right
can be spiritually and he's preparing them for the next season of their lives
will you understand what i have done to you you call me teacher and And Lord,
(35:37):
you're right, for so I am.
If then your Lord and teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one of them.
For I am given to this as an example that you ought to do what I have done.
For you, for example, you ought to do what I have done.
The Greek word for example, I'm thinking that there's two people in the congregation
(36:02):
that are going to like this Greek word here.
It's the Greek word that we get our word die, not dice, not dying,
but a die, a powder, a stamp, or making something out of a certain shape, right?
It's hupo daima.
Hupo daima. I have given you the hupo daima. I've given you the same example.
(36:26):
This is the cookie cutter, right?
Ask Jesus, imparting the desired shape to his disciples. That shape came in the form of a servant.
If he can't copy his majesty, that's not what we're emulating.
We're emulating as a servant.
This reinforces this next. Truly, truly. Or maybe your Bible says, Verily, verily.
(36:53):
Our word for that, our truth for that.
Literally, amen, amen. It means, what did the Baptist say? Solemn or important thing? True.
What is solemn? What's so incredibly important? What's the significant truth?
Servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
You know these things, blessed are you if you do them. And once again,
obvious truth. why open was such a strong amen, amen statement.
(37:17):
Everyone knows the order of things. Masters are here. Servants are here.
Senators are here. Servants or messengers are there.
Verily, verily is if you know it and do it, you will be blessed. You will be happy.
Jesus is the servant king, the one the father sent, and he did the will of his father.
(37:38):
He's our hope for the dying one. He's our pattern of the father.
That's now the service
and the messengers and the true happiness actually being
blessed come from doing the pattern of jesus we
like to pray for blessing but maybe we need
to obey obey follow jesus
(37:59):
and get down low and serve like he did that's where he just raised blessing
jesus clarifies again in verse 18 i'm not speaking of all of you i know who
might have chosen but the scripture will be fulfilled he who ate my bread and
lifted his seal against me he is speaking back in Psalm.
Jesus is fully aware of the betrayal that's about to take place he's been talking
(38:20):
about it this whole time despite knowing that one of his closest followers would
turn against him what did Jesus do?
Did he ever kill Judas when he washed feet?
He was still why Judas the betrayer why?
This is an important lesson for his disciples when he tells them I'll tell you
this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place,
(38:44):
you may believe that I am he.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for what is to come, so that when the betrayal
happens, and it will, their faith in him will be strengthened and not shattered.
When they think, what did Judas just do? What?
Maybe we bet on the wrong horse. Like, what happened? Like, what did Judas know that we don't know?
(39:06):
They're going to go, oh, oh. Thank you.
Break them down, not the battered. Truly, truly, verily, verily, amen, amen.
I say to you, whoever receives the one I send, receives me. And whoever receives
me, receives the one sent me.
Jesus is preparing them, he sent. And giving them the authority to be God's
(39:28):
people. Receiving them what they're receiving Jesus.
And one final, solemn, double amen.
After saying these things, Jesus broke his spirit. And testified. That amps it up.
Testified. truly truly amen amen barely
barely i say to you one of
you will betray me that's closing
(39:50):
focus jesus has finished washing his feet of his disciples all 12 of them without
exception this is not an easy thing for jesus hey this is the exact same strong
emotion he had when lazarus died troubled in his spirit visibly moved and yet
he kept going even in the face of betrayal at We are called to remain faithful,
trusting, trusting in God's faithful plan.
(40:12):
Jesus' example of washing Judah's feet challenges me, challenges us to love
and to serve even those who may hurt us.
It's a reminder that our faithfulness is not dependent on the actions of others.
I love you if I've served you in it.
(40:34):
It's only dependent on obedience
to christ no ifs he did
it all to the end for the other
no i'd love for us i'd love
for us is that perfect i want to close that with the being jesus having loved
his own who were in the world he loved them to the end oh how he loved he loved
(41:01):
them as he He called each one to lead their fishing or their tax collecting, the lives they knew.
Peter, James, John, Matthew, Thaddeus, Judas, all of the disciples.
He loved them as they pressed them to do their will, not the father's.
He loved them when he wept with them when Lazarus died.
And he loved them when he rejoiced when he brought Lazarus to life again.
He loved even those who tried to arrest him and kill him ahead of the father's timing.
(41:26):
He loved them as he fed them, as he healed them, as he ate with them.
And he taught them to the fullest extent of love he loved and he modeled for
us how we are to live and to love him.
And while Jesus went to the cross and he stretched out his arms and he died
in my place for my sins and in your place for your sins,
(41:49):
he asked that we respond by obeying him and humbly serving one another to do as he had done.
Maybe this is the day that you release your grip of resentment against someone,
your sense of entitlement, of what you deserve, and instead serve. earth.
Maybe you will look to the cross today and take communion.
(42:13):
You will see him who knew no sin, showed us the way.
Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for the example of Jesus.
Showed us what it means to be to service love, with humility and we're convicted
and we're reminded that your word is true, holy and wants us over.
Yes, great consent. It points us back to you and as much as we've believe the
(42:38):
word that is passed to us.
Lord, we want to come before you today and believe the words in our own heart
that the Holy Spirit is nudging us to serve.
Humble. To come back to you, our powder and our example.
To live in the way that you really want us to live. Because that's where true blessedness is.
(42:59):
That's where true happiness is. May we be a church refined by that kind of sacrificial,
humble life. wonder time now for.
Oh Oh, boy.
(00:32):
Thank you.
Next sunday we're gonna do another section of this so look for us after church
(00:57):
and we'll provide the sharpies,
and you can just show up in multiple languages and you can learn,
believe in another language and write it out there for us.
So look for that next Sunday. We'll start getting a video of that and get our
new section of this series ready to go.
Good morning. Good morning, everyone. I'm Jennifer Richmond.
I'm the Life Boat Pastor.
(01:18):
Someone asked me once, what does that mean? Women and children.
That's me. Pastor Joe is on vacation i'll
show you a picture of that in just a minute but i have a question for you
remember when we were kids and about this time of year we'd
be at school actually we were kids you went after school after labor day not
in the middle of august but we were uh we would get back to school the teacher
(01:42):
would say what did you do this summer right so it's back to school time we're
getting back and i'll share a little bit about what my husband and i did this
summer the The Sunday before last,
we went on a wonderful vacation.
Our form of a vacation is kayaking and camping through the high Sierras with
our little dive that's on a kayak going across a six or seven miles,
(02:04):
I'm not certain, later, a lake up in the high Sierras.
And we saw this incredible view.
Look at that. I mean, we could just, this could be the entire summer report.
This is my summer report.
Incredible time. God's country, right? God's entry. three of us here and are
definitely in our happy place enjoying that time out together making memories
(02:26):
making new sermon illustrations stay tuned and some are interesting than others.
So Pastor Joe is also out. He's working on his What to Do During the Summer
assignment. There they are. And now getting in Hawaii.
And they're enjoying a really wonderful vacation, of course.
And they're in a happy place by the ocean, Maui, swimming and snorkeling.
If you look really closely in this picture, you'll see an archer snorkeling.
(02:51):
I won't show him anymore because I'm sure Joe is working on his memories and
sermon illustrations from his trips as well.
So he'll come back and let me share all those. everyone say hi
joe online we're sure he's spending his vacation listening
to this message thankful why i'm trying to drive you
back so all right so here we are in
john that's what was done joe talked about
(03:13):
last week and then john in january and we're moving
through and we are now turning a
corner a new chapter literally and if
you have your bible i hope you do pastors below hearing
the pages rustled i love that
oh very loud you didn't want to do that over there all
right so as we move
(03:35):
we wrapped up chapter 12 we're moving today into
chapter 13 there's a shift in this
narrative of jesus like in his ministry up at this point
it's been public ministry all the miracles
he's been doing public all the teaching and we've also
heard jesus repeatedly say essentially not
(03:55):
yet not not yet wait wait wait
not yet right kind of like when your kids are asking you
when are we going to leave for vacation not yet not yet wait for it wait for
it but seven times he spoke in the gospel of the hour seven conversations seven
moments but he was urged to act to move go or do something or be someone but jesus is not on.
(04:20):
My timeline, on our timelines.
My hour has not yet come, told his mother, when she wanted him to do something
to save a wedding celebration.
The hour is coming when worship will be changed and everything will change forever,
he tells the Samaritan woman.
His hour has not yet come when the Jewish leaders tried to arrest him and he kept on slipping away.
(04:41):
The letter to review, I have a question for you. I want to see if the men can
get the answer to this question today.
All right. What was the first thing that God gave his people when he delivered them from slavery?
Very good. All right. Everybody all together.
What's the first thing God gave his people when he delivered them from slavery and Egypt?
When he gave them the mountain. Exactly. All right. So why?
(05:04):
Why? So we believe by looking back and looking ahead, we'd always see that God
has been and always will be faithful.
There's literally signs and poems written about looking back and seeing God's
been there and that projects us forward. He will be there.
(05:26):
He has a plan and that plan has always pointed to Jesus.
And we're invited to be a part of that plan. We're going to see that in today's passage. it.
But it's on God's timing, not on our timing.
God's days, God's weeks, God's months, God's seasons, his hours,
not ours. That's a good way to remember it, right?
(05:46):
His hours on the clock, not our hours.
The time is now, though, and there's a sense of urgency.
And John moves in. He's like a film director. Big wide angle,
and he zooms in for a close-up scene.
And Jesus' public Public ministry
is over, and now is the time for him to feed his closest disciples.
Now, before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come
(06:10):
to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in
the world, he loved them to the end. John 13, verse 1.
You know, every now and then I read a passage that I wish I could just preach
on one verse. That's the verse.
Now, let's move in on this just a little bit. Now, before the feast of the Passover,
(06:31):
what was the first thing that God gave his people? The calendar. Good job.
And what was the first event on the calendar?
Passover. Right. So this meal, you could find that at Exodus 6.
Partners 10 over yellow plague and all that you see
in chrismas probably god delivering his
people out of these that they lamb they had
(06:53):
yummy yummy right they had bitter herbs they had
lots of flatbread with no yeast in it and that
meal would be a reminder of the sacrifice that
it was going to take for their freedom and it
pointed because it's not just about that meal remember
it's god's calendar not just so that we can page through it
but that we can always see what's happening when is
(07:13):
it even going to happen but it pointed to the
reality yet to come that god's people would
need to be free not from egypt but from
sin and from death and so
jesus is preparing to walk the road to die the final passover land that's what
he's going to be and he's preparing the disciples that he's going to die and
(07:37):
he's about to give the ultimate lesson and on what it really means to believe and follow.
And so this would be Jesus' last Passover as a man, the last time observing
with men, his final moment reenacting that holy day.
You recall the deliverance and the hour of lifting up the cup and reciting the
(07:59):
scriptures that all pointed to him.
How many of you have attended the Passover Seder meal, I recall?
You see the cups being lifted and the bread being broken and it all points to
him. This is the meal right now.
And all of time pointed to this moment when Jesus knew his hour had come.
He departed from this, out of this world to God.
(08:23):
What did Jesus say over and over and over again?
My hour has not yet, not yet, wait for it, hold on.
For years, it was not his hour to do or be what the people wanted.
They imagined how his hour had come to do and be what no one expected.
(08:46):
Hours from now, just hours from now, if you look at it on the calendar timeline,
it's just going to be in short hours.
While a thousand lambs will be slaughtered, sacrificed for the Passover.
Their blood applied again symbolically to the door codes all across Jerusalem.
Jerusalem would normally be about 150,000 people, a swollen and temporary population
(09:11):
to over 2 million people crowded in.
For this Passover time, Jesus knew it's our day that it would be his blood pouring
out for the disciples who were leaning around with him.
For every person in Jerusalem and beyond.
And it's just incredible to think about it.
(09:32):
He was there for everyone there and across time for us as well.
Isn't that amazing to think?
It's our high time to return to this world and return to the Father.
That is the urgency. There was a lot of drama around this special evening on
a normal night, but they were literally hiding away.
(09:54):
Jesus only told two people to go find this room, and he snuck away and found
this room to keep Judas probably in the dark also because he had to pump the brakes.
He had to have everything happen on his night.
So here they are gathered in this small room. What would have been known as
just another Passover supper, But Jesus knew his hour had come and having loved
(10:17):
his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end.
He loved them with a greater love, a more beautiful love than anyone could.
And that great and that beautiful love would soon be on display.
That terrible and shocking and ugly display.
(10:38):
And John makes the connection. He loves them to the end.
And yet, we have to say what the disciples did. You know, we know this isn't the end.
It wasn't the end. It wasn't the end. It's not the end, disciples.
We know that, right? But they don't know that right now.
John's making this beautiful point. And remember back then, these scriptures
would have been read aloud as these letters traveled around.
(11:02):
And you can feel John building it up because someone's going to be reading this
aloud. He gets the word out and his stuff.
When we think of the end, you might think of the end of a book.
You might think of the end of a movie. Kaya, Ben and I, to the end of the late.
Joe and Rachel drove to the end of the boat.
Navigation is coming to an end. We think of that how we think of it.
(11:24):
That's it. There's no more. It stops here.
But what does it mean that Jesus loved them to the end? The Greek word for end here is telos.
It doesn't just mean end of a time period or that he loved them to the end of their time.
The other is the same Greek root that we see in the word telescope.
Telescope. Think of a pirate's telescope. Click, click, click.
(11:47):
And they would pocket it back down right in their bag, right?
It would unfold one section of the telescope at a time, but during that full
capacity, does the telescope work right here?
No. Click right here. Nope, still glory. Click. Almost there.
Fully extended. Yes, that's when it works, right?
Completely effective and totally extended for its ultimate purpose.
(12:10):
Jesus' love for his disciples was not half-hearted.
I'm just here if he was here and full capacity.
Uttermost complete connecting to the same
word actually that Jesus is going to speak in a few hours when he
demonstrates the astonishing capacity of his love when he was for sinners hanging
(12:30):
on a cross his arms fully extended and he utters this vile word you probably
know what that is it is that word is the hell of thing saying the truth it is
finished and he bowed his head and he gave up his spirit in John 19, 30.
And it's the way the author of Hebrews goes on to describe how completely he
saved us when he says he's able to save to the uttermost, the panteles, those who draw near.
(12:57):
Able to save to the uttermost, those who draw near to God through him.
We know where this love will go.
We know what's ahead. John B.
Corr is an incredibly difficult and then this beautifully tender moment of true
sacrificial and humble love.
And he closes dark detail next.
Gives us perspective on this kind of love for his children.
(13:20):
During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot,
Simon's son, he's ready.
Now, how many of you have heard the name Judas Iscariot before?
Anyone motivated to ever name your child Judas?
When they look at Judas, Judas Jesus.
Simon's son makes sure we differentiate from any other Jesuses around.
(13:42):
There was actually several of the Jesuses. It was very popular in the early times.
The devil, the Jesus. But listen, the disciples don't know any of this.
Judas the Spirit isn't like an infamous name.
Just the guy at the table with them. He heard of their money.
John knows. He's writing.
So long before this meal, the devil had already put in where he was literally
(14:06):
cast into him to betray him, this idea into his heart.
Judas has been chosen with the evidence of his life. For years, he's been taught.
He's been sent out with them. He preached with them. He did miracles in Jesus'
name with them, the Bible tells us. He had the opportunity to hear.
He had the opportunity to see and to know Jesus, really know Jesus.
(14:26):
His heart, though, was deceitful and it was sick. And we could hardly wrap our
minds about how we could have been so close and still so far from Jesus.
But Judas is honestly no different than you or me.
I have the capacity to sit at Jesus' feet. I have the capacity to attend church,
Bible study, even teach, even preach and pray.
(14:47):
Judas' hypocrisy isn't unique.
Hypocrisy doesn't work that way. Any of us can be Judas if we sit and receive
the word of God and we still hold on to our own plans and our ideas of how things should be,
all while enjoying the beauty of being around the Jesus people. I'm in the right team.
(15:07):
That's what Judas was at this moment right now. And many will say, Lord, Lord.
And yet they will hear, apart from me, I never need.
Really do you need to ask God, though, to search our hearts?
So we will not be as Judas, who was, quote, numbered among the disciples and
a lot of his share in the ministry, and we still betray Jesus.
(15:28):
Judas loved money more than Jesus. He loved his own plans more than Jesus.
He became a guide, Peter will say later in Acts chapter 1, when they needed to replace him.
He was a guide to those who owe him.
Remember that Satan didn't need to tempt Judas or place in his heart to murder Jesus.
He didn't come after Jesus to murder him, literally, only to betray him,
(15:50):
which is exactly what any of us are capable of doing when we love ourselves above the Lord.
And seated with this betrayer makes what Jesus does next all the more powerful.
He did no mean that the Father had given all things into his hands and that
he had come from God and was going back to God, stood up and pointed out,
(16:12):
you are the man, Judas, right?
Aha, and flipped a little low tape. No.
I want you to remember a couple of things. Number one, Jesus is not an innocent victim of an evil plot.
This hour had come he knew
father had given all things into this
(16:32):
moment was in the perfect timing of
the father if that is sufficient for jesus
how much more should it be what does jesus
know john speaks of jesus supernatural knowledge at least 21 times more than
any other gospel writer and four of those times are right here in this chapter
(16:54):
chapter 13 In the very moment that he knows this hour has come, what does Jesus do?
Before we answer that, let's understand the scene again. The night he poured
the house over, when the lamp of the feast sacrifice, he's in the upper room
for this, and he's hiding away from the, remember that was the Jewish leader.
(17:14):
And, you know, Leo de Gennaro da Vinci's Last Supper painting is probably the
one we still think of when we picture this on the screen just later.
And if that's an artistic idea, the reason why we were so assaulted by it when
they mocked it at the Olympics was because we know what that was about. We know that scene.
And so you can't be gaslit into knowing that they were, that's exactly what
(17:37):
they were showing, mocking that.
We have that seared into our brains. There's an artistic rendition of the idea
in Leonardo da Vinci's art, but it's not what it would have looked like.
For starters, the man would have been first century Jews. They wouldn't have
been European men in light skin.
And the european renaissance floating it would have
been after sunset not daytime as well from blue skies
(17:58):
there wouldn't have been a water basin and cups for serving wine and there
wouldn't be any fluffy loaves of bread all the bread would have been that flat matzo
bread and the men wouldn't have been gathered all on one side of
the table as if they're getting ready for a selfie right everybody they're not
and they're for a group photo of course we can't know exactly exactly
what looks like we could study the customs of first century because
here's a little more accurate drawing of it they would
(18:18):
have liked to have been laying on cushions around like
a three-sided table it's called a triclinium with this
in mind it's the first day of the feast of passover and the
disciples of all come together judas has already been to
the sanhedrin to make his seal to turn jesus over and he's back from that and
they're all together in this upper room luke and john are the only gospels that
(18:40):
give us the details about what happens during this last supper in book 22 we
read that Jesus has broken the bread, he poured the wine,
he's taught them that this is a new covenant where the bread and the wine will
be the reminders of his body and his blood.
And Luke records that his disciples began arguing about who is going to be the
greatest in the kingdom. Good job.
(19:02):
So when the disciples are arguing about who's going to be the greatest,
Jesus, knowing all he knew, knows this, his disciples need to see love and action.
And this is the perfect moment. have the disciples seen
love and action all the time they've been with jesus have they seen
love and action they literally have jesus is love god is love but
they need to see it and remember it in
(19:24):
a visceral way if i gave
you the word christmas you would
bring back to your mind a christmas that
that you enjoy or hated it would be the sight of
the smells it would be what you were wearing it would be who
was there it would be if it was a hot normal california christmas
day or a tenor tennessee christmas
(19:45):
and an immigrant song you would remember would bring you
back just that one word jesus is going to create that moment for these guys
because all of their lives they celebrated and they come together for passover
and he needs it to be remembered differently going forward And so he's going
to give them a really clear example.
(20:07):
They'll never forget.
So, just as the first Passover marked the calendar when God delivered his people
from slavery, Jesus is now marking this final Passover hour before their ultimate
deliverance. You may know it.
John writes this scene in present tense. You remember, this is going to be read aloud.
So, he's anticipating and bringing his audience together, bringing us then right
(20:31):
into the moment. Every single verb in the Greek here is in present tense.
Jesus knows as hours come, knows the Father has given every tool to his hands,
knows that judas is about to betray him
so we're going to read it through you can
find it in john 13 4 to 5 no matter what translation you're
in unless you're reading it's called the literal translation of the almost all
of them list this out not in present tense so i put it up there in a very literal
(20:54):
way number one jesus rises from supper so stopping what would have been normal
expected flow of the evening and there was a normal expected flow of the evening
it has he He knows that something more pressing has to be done.
And while he could have delegated the task he's going to do to anyone or anyone
would have obeyed, instead, number two, he lays aside his outer garments.
(21:15):
Outer garments would have been like a robe and a belt and an inner tunic.
And now he's not wearing a robe. He's not wearing an inner tunic.
He looks like a servant with all of his outer garments laying aside.
Sign it was down to just a simple simple simplest
of garments least of these garments
(21:36):
number three jesus takes a towel number four jesus ties around his waist oh
your word we don't use very much just the word in greek here maybe we should
bring it back it's a gird he girded his waist with that let's talk like that
a little more at work and you go to work tomorrow let's figure it up ourselves
here right so he's it needs to tie something really tight with.
So the same towel will go from him, that same towel girded around his waist
(21:59):
from person to person, from each pair of dirty feet to each pair.
And he, number five, he pours water into a basin.
Number six, Jesus, whose feet had earlier that week been anointed by Mary,
Jesus begins to wash their feet.
Not only that, but the towel tied to him, the towel girded around him,
(22:22):
was the one that he used on one disciple.
That towel went down. He wiped them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Echoes of the argument still hanging in the air. Jesus demonstrates his love
while they were still sinning.
Judas still planning to betray. This is love action.
(22:47):
Jesus is acting out a parable of service and moved before their eyes.
Do you think that's how they defined it in that moment? In that moment when
Jesus stood up and girded, stripped off his robe, down to a towel,
girded his waist, and bent the knee to them?
Do you think they're going, oh, Jesus is demonstrating love.
This is going to be a great example. What's next?
(23:08):
Do you think that's what they were thinking? Don't you think it would have been
shock to see Jesus do what he does?
Jesus is enacting a new covenant. He's showing how this would be their pattern going forward.
Complete humility is the only way to complete love. Listen, listen.
(23:28):
Complete humility, emptying yourself of your needs, your rights,
what you think you deserve is the only way to complete love.
We might be enthusiastic in a moment, declare our love, and even promise we would die for someone.
But love to the uttermost begins like this.
(23:51):
Vervet, humble, silent. Isn't Jesus giving them and us a reminder of what he
in fact had actually already done?
Turn to Philippians chapter two and read that.
Philippians chapter two, beginning of verse six.
Though he was in the form of God, did not tell equality with God a thing to
be breathed, he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant.
(24:14):
Whoa, being more in the likeness of men, he humbled himself.
So he's already emptied himself. He's already lowered himself.
And he's on earth as that servant. And now he lowers himself even. Wow.
Down. Down.
If that doesn't move you, the tears, the faith of Jesus condescending down to
(24:42):
earth is beautiful enough.
Enough but that fact that he was his knees before
his disciples i read that passage
and read it again and i had to read it again and again because my eyes were
full of tears he took off his robes of glory where he had been with the father
took on the form of man the word became flesh who did not come to serve but
(25:02):
to be not come to be served but to serve he loved to the uttermost and we We
might think of the cross, and that's true,
but his love is here in the upper room, and Jesus, the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
Who was before all things, and in whom all things hold together, that Jesus disrobed,
(25:27):
leaving the seat of honor, unbended knee in gentle service,
holding the feet of his disciples and washing them in this way,
girded with a towel carrying a wash
basin he moved from disciple to
disciple and when Jesus comes to wash
Peter's feet Peter is shocked each of the disciples were probably as well maybe
(25:50):
even maybe convicted but it's Peter who seeks up oh Peter Peter Lord do you
wash my feet Peter did not fathom that Jesus his master would stoop so low in the Greek it reads.
Lord, do you my feet wash?
Puts it together, but really puts those words together. Lord, do you my feet wash?
(26:11):
How shocked Peter is. Maybe he even tucked up his feet a little bit and pulled away from Jesus.
The moment is deeply uncomfortable for Peter. And honestly, wouldn't it be for you?
Yeah. Peter doesn't understand. Jesus knows this, and he says,
what I'm doing, you do not understand.
You don't understand. He doesn't understand. Now.
(26:36):
He's putting a pin. He's putting a marker that Peter will forever be able to
go back to this calendar day.
And never forget, you do not understand now, but afterwards you will understand.
What Jesus is doing is obvious. It's obvious as the now wet and nerdy towel
wrapped around his waist.
It's obvious as the basin of water splashing around. It's obvious as he washes.
(26:58):
It's obvious as he wipes what he's doing. The one most deserving is the one
serving. And Peter doesn't understand.
That's not how things should be yeah and haven't you felt the same we see what's
happening in our lives we don't understand what is God doing now,
(27:19):
and it will come in time Peter is not still not grasping the significance and
he says in perfect Peter fashion you shall never wash my feet I think white people say never to God.
I'm so thankful this This moment was recorded for us.
Peter always seems to do what we would have done. And he gets corrected so we can learn from Peter.
(27:43):
Actually, Peter doesn't just say, you shall never wash my feet.
And his word is really, really, really strong.
It says more like, no way will you ever to the end of the age for all time and eternity.
Never will you wash my feet. Today, you might say, no way, not in this lifetime or the next, right?
Is Peter being respectful? Yes. Is he trying to show his love for Jesus?
(28:04):
Yes. But Peter's response is also a reflection of a misunderstanding of Jesus' mission. Careful.
We are in danger of misunderstanding Jesus' mission.
We put our personal values on what we think it should look like.
When we put the world's values on what we think it should look like,
(28:24):
Peter is in danger of misunderstanding Jesus' mission. We need to be careful.
And let us want to face this good news.
It really is because in our minds, we might be thinking, I better watch out for Jesus.
That's not how it works. Jesus watches us.
You cannot, I cannot be enough. We are not enough, contrary to what the T-shirts
(28:48):
might say. We are not enough.
The world says you are enough. It's the exact opposite of God's word.
Self-help, not enough. Aggressive social justice religion, not enough.
Jesus is the washer. Sure, there is no adjective that needs to be placed in
front of Jesus' justice. It's not social justice.
(29:10):
It's Jesus' justice. There's no adjective in front of the love of God. It's God is love.
Jesus is demonstrating that here. He's the only way that we will be clean.
And he says, if I do not wash you, you have the share with me.
No share with me.
Underline. Triple underline. Put a Bible sticker next to it.
(29:33):
No share. The Greek word for share is meros. And that means part or a portion.
We actually get the word merit from that root.
Think about this. What did the disciples just moments ago been arguing about?
Their part and portion of the kingdom. them jesus who had
earlier in that evening taken the bread broke it
cast portions around jesus is telling that this act
of washing is necessary for him be part
(29:56):
of what jesus is doing it's a reminder that he must accept jesus cleansing both
physically and in this symbolic act and spiritually in a washable way our own
sin is to be part of us our efforts no matter how the world might weigh in and
how good they are, are not a lie.
We must be washed by the feces. He's talking about holiness, not hygiene here.
(30:23):
Finally, Peter, realizing something more important that's about to happen,
goes into Peter, extreme, level 10, all in, step out of the boat,
and we come to know him. We come to love and laugh at and laugh with.
And again, he reminds us of ourselves.
Continue with verse 9. It's not when Peter said to him, Lord,
not my feet only, but my hands and my head.
Give me a full bath, let's jump in, right, give me all, give me all,
(30:46):
right, Jesus said to him, okay, the one who was bathed, and the Greek word is
where we get our word loo, like going to the loo, a bathroom,
that's the Greek word there, and it means a full body bath, does not need to
wash, that's nipto, a different word, you know, when Glenn and I were camping,
we just washed up our feet, we needed to every dusty day, going along the trails and hiking around,
(31:09):
that's a foot washing, It was similar, like it was in the first century.
Guests would be greeted by the youngest member of the family,
or if they could afford one, a servant, a Gentile servant, not a Jewish servant.
And that was the lowliest of all to Nipto.
Why? Because it got them. This is exactly what no one had done as they gathered
up in that upper room. There wouldn't have been a servant there at night.
(31:30):
It was a private room. Remember, it's a secret dinner. No one's there to greet
them. No one's there to watch them. This is why it was so shocking.
Maybe the disciples, maybe they just kind of figured that they would do without
a washing. tonight. But not Jesus.
There's none of that with Jesus. We have to be mindful of that.
We don't just get to walk in and set our own way, saying it's what you want
it to be. I probably don't need to do that tonight.
(31:52):
Jesus needs to watch you. You must be watched by Jesus. Do not change the plan.
Jesus is making this big, beautiful, amazing point.
And Jesus says, you don't need
to wash everything. One who is big doesn't need to wash. Don't jump in.
Separate his feet so he's completely clean. And you, that's the plural.
(32:14):
It's like from the southern part of today, y'all.
You, y'all are clean, but not every one of you.
Not every one of you. We all know that. It's our kingdom too.
That's why he said not every one of you is clean. And they're going around with him.
They'd all been washed in the word of Jesus in person. and they'd all,
by Jesus' definition of what it means to be clean, been cleaned by the word.
(32:38):
You know, we think about, you know, when I give my life to Jesus,
come forward, pray a prayer.
They just walked around with Jesus. They listened to his word,
accepted his word. They what? They believed.
They believed. Apparently Judas had never done that in all his time.
You, not all of you, are clean. And none of them had walked forward,
filled out a card, joined a membership, be in the Jesus club.
(33:00):
They just walked around. They believed. Believe. Believe.
Jesus is simply saying what they would have understood, that when they bathed,
they were clean, but they walked around in life on dirty, dusty roads,
their feet were dirty, they didn't even get a bath. They just needed a foot wash.
So Jesus explains, again, in a spiritual way, not hygiene, holiness is what he's talking about.
You are clean. He's talking about what happens to anyone who believes in Jesus,
(33:24):
that being born again, or renewed in the Spirit, or becoming a new creature.
We symbolize that in baptism. Baptism.
And that only has to happen once. You don't go to camp every year and give your
life back to Jesus again.
Re-re-re-re-regeneration. It's just regeneration one time.
Titus 3, 5, and you want to look at that in your Bible. Titus 3,
verse 5, it explains this idea.
(33:45):
He saved us not because of work done by us in righteousness,
but according to his mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the
Holy Spirit. One time act. Isn't that beautiful?
So much security in that. Faith in that. And this is how life begins when we first believe.
And all but Judas among the disciples had already experienced.
(34:06):
Jesus is saying, you're clean, regenerated, but you don't need to wash up on
occasion, but you're going to need to wash up on occasion because you're going
to be walking around in this earth.
Naturally, you'll be a feet dirty, spiritually speaking, sin.
We don't need to be regenerated again.
We don't need a spiritual bath, a luwo, a nipto, a wash, a confession of our sins.
(34:26):
And 1 John explains this in 1 John 1, verse 9.
Maybe you memorized this verse when you were a kid. I was full like I did.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just.
He forgave us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Will we get re-saved when we
cleanse our sins from unrighteousness in the act of confession of Jesus?
(34:52):
This is the daily walk. It's faithful to forgive us. Foot washing.
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garment, let them see his
face, he said to them, Do you understand what I've done for you? Chapter 13, verse 12.
If foot washing was the point, I think, then this question is kind of silly.
(35:12):
Obviously the disciples knew what jesus just did and
they're probably still in shock their rabbi their lord got down on
his knees handled their dirty feet washed them
this is obvious but jesus is asking them to grow up as disciples this right
can be spiritually and he's preparing them for the next season of their lives
will you understand what i have done to you you call me teacher and And Lord,
(35:37):
you're right, for so I am.
If then your Lord and teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one of them.
For I am given to this as an example that you ought to do what I have done.
For you, for example, you ought to do what I have done.
The Greek word for example, I'm thinking that there's two people in the congregation
(36:02):
that are going to like this Greek word here.
It's the Greek word that we get our word die, not dice, not dying,
but a die, a powder, a stamp, or making something out of a certain shape, right?
It's hupo daima.
Hupo daima. I have given you the hupo daima. I've given you the same example.
(36:26):
This is the cookie cutter, right?
Ask Jesus, imparting the desired shape to his disciples. That shape came in the form of a servant.
If he can't copy his majesty, that's not what we're emulating.
We're emulating as a servant.
This reinforces this next. Truly, truly. Or maybe your Bible says, Verily, verily.
(36:53):
Our word for that, our truth for that.
Literally, amen, amen. It means, what did the Baptist say? Solemn or important thing? True.
What is solemn? What's so incredibly important? What's the significant truth?
Servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
You know these things, blessed are you if you do them. And once again,
obvious truth. why open was such a strong amen, amen statement.
(37:17):
Everyone knows the order of things. Masters are here. Servants are here.
Senators are here. Servants or messengers are there.
Verily, verily is if you know it and do it, you will be blessed. You will be happy.
Jesus is the servant king, the one the father sent, and he did the will of his father.
(37:38):
He's our hope for the dying one. He's our pattern of the father.
That's now the service
and the messengers and the true happiness actually being
blessed come from doing the pattern of jesus we
like to pray for blessing but maybe we need
to obey obey follow jesus
(37:59):
and get down low and serve like he did that's where he just raised blessing
jesus clarifies again in verse 18 i'm not speaking of all of you i know who
might have chosen but the scripture will be fulfilled he who ate my bread and
lifted his seal against me he is speaking back in Psalm.
Jesus is fully aware of the betrayal that's about to take place he's been talking
(38:20):
about it this whole time despite knowing that one of his closest followers would
turn against him what did Jesus do?
Did he ever kill Judas when he washed feet?
He was still why Judas the betrayer why?
This is an important lesson for his disciples when he tells them I'll tell you
this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place,
(38:44):
you may believe that I am he.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for what is to come, so that when the betrayal
happens, and it will, their faith in him will be strengthened and not shattered.
When they think, what did Judas just do? What?
Maybe we bet on the wrong horse. Like, what happened? Like, what did Judas know that we don't know?
(39:06):
They're going to go, oh, oh. Thank you.
Break them down, not the battered. Truly, truly, verily, verily, amen, amen.
I say to you, whoever receives the one I send, receives me. And whoever receives
me, receives the one sent me.
Jesus is preparing them, he sent. And giving them the authority to be God's
(39:28):
people. Receiving them what they're receiving Jesus.
And one final, solemn, double amen.
After saying these things, Jesus broke his spirit. And testified. That amps it up.
Testified. truly truly amen amen barely
barely i say to you one of
you will betray me that's closing
(39:50):
focus jesus has finished washing his feet of his disciples all 12 of them without
exception this is not an easy thing for jesus hey this is the exact same strong
emotion he had when lazarus died troubled in his spirit visibly moved and yet
he kept going even in the face of betrayal at We are called to remain faithful,
trusting, trusting in God's faithful plan.
(40:12):
Jesus' example of washing Judah's feet challenges me, challenges us to love
and to serve even those who may hurt us.
It's a reminder that our faithfulness is not dependent on the actions of others.
I love you if I've served you in it.
(40:34):
It's only dependent on obedience
to christ no ifs he did
it all to the end for the other
no i'd love for us i'd love
for us is that perfect i want to close that with the being jesus having loved
his own who were in the world he loved them to the end oh how he loved he loved
(41:01):
them as he He called each one to lead their fishing or their tax collecting, the lives they knew.
Peter, James, John, Matthew, Thaddeus, Judas, all of the disciples.
He loved them as they pressed them to do their will, not the father's.
He loved them when he wept with them when Lazarus died.
And he loved them when he rejoiced when he brought Lazarus to life again.
He loved even those who tried to arrest him and kill him ahead of the father's timing.
(41:26):
He loved them as he fed them, as he healed them, as he ate with them.
And he taught them to the fullest extent of love he loved and he modeled for
us how we are to live and to love him.
And while Jesus went to the cross and he stretched out his arms and he died
in my place for my sins and in your place for your sins,
(41:49):
he asked that we respond by obeying him and humbly serving one another to do as he had done.
Maybe this is the day that you release your grip of resentment against someone,
your sense of entitlement, of what you deserve, and instead serve. earth.
Maybe you will look to the cross today and take communion.
(42:13):
You will see him who knew no sin, showed us the way.
Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for the example of Jesus.
Showed us what it means to be to service love, with humility and we're convicted
and we're reminded that your word is true, holy and wants us over.
Yes, great consent. It points us back to you and as much as we've believe the
(42:38):
word that is passed to us.
Lord, we want to come before you today and believe the words in our own heart
that the Holy Spirit is nudging us to serve.
Humble. To come back to you, our powder and our example.
To live in the way that you really want us to live. Because that's where true blessedness is.
(42:59):
That's where true happiness is. May we be a church refined by that kind of sacrificial,
humble life. wonder time now for.
Popular Podcasts
1. Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
2. Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
3. Crime Junkie
If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people.