Lessons from the Upper Room: The Heart of a Servant

Bible Passage: John 13:1–17

Summary: In this passage, Jesus exemplifies true servanthood by washing the disciples' feet, demonstrating His love and humility as their Lord and Savior. This act sets a profound example for His followers about the nature of service in the Kingdom of God.

Big Idea: Embrace the call to servanthood by following Jesus’ example, recognizing that true service reflects the heart of God and promotes His love in a broken world.

Good Morning,

I want to thank Chad and Aubrey for doing an incredible job over the last 2 weeks as Alyssa and I got settled in with Eli. I’m not going to lie, today is a special day for me, to have my son here for the very first time.

As I told yall before Christmas we are going to jump ahead just a little in the Gospel of John. From now until Easter we will be going verse by verse through John’s account. Sort of a Room to the Tomb type of a series. What We will focus on are the various lessons we can learn from the different portions of this pivotal story, all culminating with Easter Sunday.

This morning we start in the Upper Room, looking at our first lesson,the lesson of servitude.

But how did we get here?

Jesus has been spending considerable time teaching, not only His Discipl;es but those around him, as well as performing many signs.

Just before we arrive at our scripture for today we read the final mention of the Jew’s disbelief in Christ. Again, everything that happened in Jesus’ life was to fulfill prophecy, including the Jewish rejection.

We see in the Gospel of Mark rthat Jesus sends two disciples ahead to ready the place for what will be the Last Supper

Mark 14:13–15 NIV

So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

That brings us to our passage for this morning

John 13:1–17 NIV

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

1. Servant's Love Unveiled

John 13:1–5 NIV

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Jesus knows whats coming, His hour has come

John makes epcial note of Christ’ love for his friends

Jesus knows what Judas has done, and as Judas enters the room, Jesus knows it all

John reiterates the relationship between Jesus and the Father

Jesus lowewrs himself to the level of a servant

This is the lowest job in the house, stinky, dirty

Sandals

He even washed the feet of Judas

This is a show of His love, He loved his disciples so much and he served them in this very tangible way.

How many of us would see our boss kneel down in front of us and wash our feet? None right? As always, there is a lesson here. And it all leads to the servants heart.

Are you ready to serve?

Perhaps begin by highlighting how Jesus, knowing His hour had come, loved His disciples to the end by choosing to wash their feet. This sets the stage for understanding the depth of Jesus' love and His mindset as a servant, even facing betrayal and death. This introduction invites listeners to ponder the profound love that motivates genuine service and encourages adopting a heart of servanthood inspired by Christ's example.

2. Servant’s Cleansing Revealed

John 13:6–11 NIV

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

Peter is always Peter, We are a lot like Peter

Jesus’ purpose was far greater than the physical washing

Jesus was demonstrating the cleansing He would bring

We must be washed in Christ

MAny use this to tie baptism to salvation

This is a spiritual washing, not physical

Again, Jesus is using a real physical act to explain the Spiritual

Peter, again wants it all, He wants to be full washed.

Jesus is the only one who provides the cleansing.

We see the shift back to the physical as Jesus tells him only his feet need to be washed because he is fully clean

Alludes to Judas

Again, Jesus even served the one who was set to betray him and was filled with satan.

Are we willing to embrace the humility to Christ’s love?

This is essential to true discipleship

You could explore Peter's confusion and resistance to Jesus' act of service. This interaction exemplifies the struggle to understand the necessity of humility and acceptance of Christ's way. By identifying with Peter's discomfort, the audience can be encouraged to reflect on their own hesitations to embrace humility or accept God's transformative actions in their lives, trusting that Jesus' cleansing is essential for true discipleship.

3. Servant’s Example Followed

John 13:12–17 NIV

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Jesus explains the signifiance of His actions here

He instructs them to do the same

Not simply washing feet

This is way bigger than that

Christ is at the end of his life, and one of the last lessons He wants us to know is that we are to serve others.

No one is better than another

Blessings come to those who serve

Alyssa and I did this at our Wedding

To signify that we would live a life devoted to serving each other

This is a powerful scene

Powerful words

Are you a real servant?

Are you willing to serve?

Our first lesson from the upper room is to serve.

Not just words

Jesus got dirty

I pray that we all will embrace our call to servanthood to refelct the heart of God and spread His Gospel and Message through not just our words but our actions.

Maybe focus on Jesus explaining the significance of His actions as an example for His disciples. Here, genuine servanthood is defined by following Jesus’ pattern of love and humility. Emphasize that true greatness in God's kingdom is found in serving others, thereby pushing forth the sermon’s big idea: embracing our call to servanthood as a reflection of God’s heart, promoting His love in the world through our actions.