The Towel
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Theme: The Life of Christ
Hope: To draw closer to God through a better understanding of his life on earth and the teachings he gave.
A few weeks back we found ourselves, in our study, on the week of Jesus’ crucifixion.
There is no greater book than that of the apostle’s John’s account when it comes to “what Jesus taught” that week.
With that in mind, you and I know that God only uses servants, others need not apply.
In fact, a servants heart is as close to God as a man can get..
Jesus, of course, is “the Servant” and we are a servant of the Servant.
The reality is too many great bible words have been ruined.
The word “cross” was once an ugly, bloody, painful, humiliating, and barbaric.
Now it’s is artistic, golden, and harmless because people today what Christ without the cross.
The word “love” has been reduced to sentimental nonsense.
You have to add the word tough, “tough love” to correct it.
The word servant has fallen into the same absurdity.
A bond-servant is the lowest form of slavery and means to be without rights, power, or politics.
We have romanticized the idea of “servant” to the point it has become meaningless.
In our text today on “The Towel” we find Jesus gave the instrument by which his church is to be built.
By way of the towel.
This had never been done in history.
The way up was down; the last are first; you die to live; you give to get (Matthew 20:16; Mark 9:35).
Everything “in Christ” is upside down from the world’s perspective.
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
Everyone wants to be recognized as servants but few want to be treated like servants.
People are not lining up to become actual biblical servants.
We see this very reality played out in our text of John 13:1-20.
In Matthew, Mark, and Luke when we find Jesus in the upper room with his apostles partaking of the Passover meal and it is quickly followed by the institution of the Lord’s Supper.
However, in John’s gospel account he does not focus on the Lord’s Supper but what the disciples were discussing before they partook of said supper.
The apostles were promoting themselves and like every other time Jesus corrects them.
It’s with this in mind I want us to read our text this morning.
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. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
Let’s no get into our lesson by looking at the apostles…
Proud Minds Yet Dirty Feet
Proud Minds Yet Dirty Feet
Man Would Not Have Written This.
Man Would Not Have Written This.
John 13 is an amazing chapter that man simply would not have written.
As I mentioned the setting is the upper room at the time of the institution of the Lord’s Supper.
As I mentioned, this account is not in Matthew, Mark, or Luke so John was privileged to share with us the human side of this event, plus a rare view of God’s presence.
Under the very shadow of the cross, the disciples are arguing “Who is the greatest?”
Who is going to be the MVA, Most Valuable Apostle.
The great prophet Jeremiah, long ago, warned against such thoughts.
Jeremiah 45:5 (ESV)
5 And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not…
The bible often teaches against “seeking great things for ourselves.”
Psalm 131:1 (ESV)
1 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
Romans 12:16 (ESV)
16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
This is a hard lesson to learn but John 13:1 says it all…
John 13:1 (ESV)
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.
When Jesus need his disciples at the very point of the cross, they were filled with pride and arguing with each other.
Jesus, God, could have scolded them, pointed his finger at them in anger, or even prayed to the Father for “a whole new bunch.”
He did not pray to the Father, “The Day of Pentecost is at hand, how are we going to start the church with this group?”
No, Jesus filled a pan with water and wrapped a towel around his waist to wash their feet.
We find God almighty Jesus, the Messiah, on his knees, washing the disciples’ feet.
Etiquette demanded that hospitality of foot-washing be done but the apostles were fighting for position and could not then serve each other.
God wants servants, men want stars..
God has no place for “stars” and when his servants stop serving they always start complaining, because critics do not serve.
Summary
Summary
Servants wash fee, period.
They do not get to pick and choose whose feet they wash.
Jesus was going to wash Judas’ feet like Peter and Johns.
Servants have nothing to prove; they have nothing then to lose..
The crucified Savior can only use crucified servants.
The church that cannot bleed cannot bless.
The church that cannot serve cannot save.
The church that cannot suffer cannot redeem.
The church that cannot die cannot live.
Understanding this, let’s now turn our attention to…
The Peter Principle
The Peter Principle
Pride Vs Humility.
Pride Vs Humility.
The humility of the disciples was expressed in pride the divinity of God was expressed in humility.
And this is best seen in Peter’s interaction with Jesus.
Peter asked one of the most dumbfounding questions ever in John 13:6.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
Why did Peter ask this question, because Peter had a problem with “false spirituality.”
He wanted to make himself look good at someone else’s expense, in this case Jesus’.
We find, at this moment, Peter’s heart.
Peter did not think he “needed” his feet washed that they were clean yet Jesus only washes dirty feet.
Peter was a leader and he didn’t want his “dirt” made known, he wanted to simply “shine.”
Showing off religiously is always dangerous.
Pride always, in the end, makes a fool of the proud.
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
Peter’s feet were just as dirty as those Jesus washed before him.
Sometimes, we can have the same attitude as Peter and believe was are of not need of someone else’s “charity.”
However, we all are in need of having our feet washed by Jesus and made clean.
We see another “heart issue” with Peter when he tells Jesus..
John 13:8 (ESV)
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.”
Peter was basically telling Jesus, “I can wash my own feet.”
One of the most dangerous mentalities in the church is “I don’t need anybody.”
Yes, we do, everyone needs Jesus and his brethren.
Christianity is not just another “how-to” religion.
Christianity is not a “do-it-yourself job.”
As Paul would put it…
2 Corinthians 12:10 (ESV)
10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Now, before we move on I want to point out that Peter wasn’t doing this all for “purely selfish reasons.”
He was trying to “protect Jesus’ image.”
Rabbis did not go certain places, do certain things, be seen with certain people because they didn’t want their image tarnished.
In Peter’s eyes Jesus’ reputation might be ruined if this act got out to the public and especially the Jewish leadership.
But what Peter didn’t realize is, that by trying to protect Jesus he was “in essence” trying to be “more religious” than Jesus.
Summary
Summary
Pride can lead to so many dangerous outcomes in our lives.
Most importantly it can lead us to rejecting Jesus’ word for our own word.
We must guard ourselves against pride in our lives.
Peter and the other disciples that night had to learn about and receive the “gift of inadequacy.”
Little children cannot paint or color bad pictures even though they may not color in the lines, because little children are little children.
We hug them, thank them for the picture, and keep them.
The same is true with God and us.
We cannot be perfect; we cannot do everything right; we cannot avoid failure.
Jesus’ washed our feet knowing we would fail.
Yet so many never serve him successfully because they are afraid of not doing it “well.”
Thankfully, Peter figured this out and responded to Jesus with “wash me all over.”
This is a great attribute of Peter that when he realized his mistake he strove to quickly fix it.
Brethren, we do not have to be successful in everything only faithful.
Conclusion
Conclusion
In our text this morning, Jesus told through his actions, that they, you, and I are to “be like him.”
This was Jesus’ plea with us, “FOLLOW ME!”
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
The apostle Paul would say it this way...
1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
Being a child of God isn’t about being popular with the masses but popular with Christ.
It isn’t about getting the most likes on social media but by God.
And this only happens if we submit our lives “completely” and “wholly” to God.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.