iServe

For the two weeks before last we looked at several practices and ceremonies that take place in churches to find their spiritual meaning and purpose. Baby Dedication, Water Baptism, Burying the Dead, Communion, Weddings and Membership...

All of these have spiritual significance.

I want to look at another “ceremony” that took place in God’s Word - in fact - Jesus said because I do this, you should do this too!

There are some churches that practice this ceremony almost as regular as communion - it is one of their ordinances. WE DON’T - and you may wonder why????

Well, here is the 911 on FOOT WASHING!

Does that inspire any of you to run for a towel, water and soap and take your shoes off???

John 13:1–17 ISV

Now before the Passover Festival, Jesus realized that his hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. By supper time, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray him. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was returning to God, got up from the table, removed his outer robe, and took a towel and fastened it around his waist. Then he poured some water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel that was tied around his waist. Then he came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later on you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You must never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not just my feet, but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus told him, “The person who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is entirely clean. And you men are clean, though not all of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him. That’s why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” When he had washed their feet and put on his outer robe, he sat down again and said to them, “Do you realize what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right because that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you must also wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, so that you may do as I have done to you. Truly, truly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. If you understand these things, how blessed you are if you put them into practice!

WOW! A pretty clear picture of washing feet! Jesus did it, and He said we should too… but was he talking about the act of footwashing or the act of serving when he was speaking about washing feet?

1. Example of Serving

You see, the real example Jesus made was the need for His disciples, and all future disciples to SERVE ONE ANOTHER!

It was just earlier in the same day that we see this happen...

Luke 22:24–27 NLT

Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.

Ahhhh, the desire to hold position, to outrank, to be the greatest… AMBITION!!! We all have some!

Jesus knew when He would ascend into heaven, that the disciples and future generations would take up the work of spreading the message of the Gospel, and with that would come the enduement of God’s Holy Spirit and power.

That also means that MAN WOULD HAVE GOD’s POWER FLOW THROUGH HIM ----

That can be a dangerous thing! It can bring pride and ambition of personal greatness rather than the purpose of spreading the message - which is to bring glory to God.

Take for example an Evangelist - they are often used of God in praying for people and moving in the gifts of the Spirit. It is not that God has not used Pastors in the same gifts - but this is their focus. They come for a short period of time, minister and leave - and often if something does not work out after they have prayed the prayer of faith, they are nowhere near by to deal with what happens later. It is easier to step out when the consequences are not direct. Where a pastor is there for a long haul and serves over a period of time in the good and the bad.

Both can become admired by people, both have to deal with the dangers of ambition --- in fact any teacher of spiritual things, or person with faith who prays for others can face this same danger ---

Therefore it is important that we understand we are just MESSENGERS — in fact Jesus said this in v 16

John 13:16 NLT

I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message.

So what did He do - he showed them the importance of serving!!!!

Not any old area of service. I serve you every week when I preach the Word — but serving base needs.

Washing feet was normally only done by a household servant or slave. It was kind of demeaning handling and cleaning someone’s feet, kneeling low to do the task of washing, and bending beneath someone almost as if taking a posture of bowing. HUMBLING!

It was an undesired job!

We are each called to serve each other (specifically to Christians here) and not just to treat as we want to be treated (Don’t wash my feet and I wont have to wash yours), but to serve the needs of those around us and in the church.

We often do not serve because it is inconvenient - we don’t have time, or there are things that are important to us personally that we cannot take the time to give of ourselves to ministry, the needs of the body of Christ, or those hurting.

(Think of our common response when someone asks us to do something… Let me check my calendar, see of I am available — or in reality if I don’t have something that is more important to me…)

This is not being said to guilt or manipulate, but to demonstrate --- how far from being true servants of one another we have become...

Let me also say this, if you try to manipulate people to guilt them into serving - than you are not demonstrating the heart of a servant…there are some who are always looking to take advantage of Christians through this principle… this is not servanthood either, but esteeming yourself needs as more...

What Jesus was doing was showing there are needs — washing feet was something that had to be done regularly for health and comfort… cleanliness.

There are things that need to be done in the Kingdom to take care of things, and none of us is above serving.

JEsus was about to commit the greatest act of servanthood — DYING FOR OUR SIN!

it was a dirty job

it was a painful job

it was a humiliating experience

he lost everything for us

he was not forced (like community service)

He willing laid down his life!

Philippians 2:6 NLT

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

Philippians 2:6–8 NLT

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

He was setting an example for us to follow, not of washing feet, but of serving each other!!!!

2. Example of Communion

Likewise in this example of serving He was teaching us the importance of communion over union.

What do I mean by that?

John 13:8–10 NLT

“No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.”

Peter is like wash all of me --- Jesus is like “That is not needed”

What He was showing was the need for us to come to Him daily for cleansing.

We are united with Christ through our salvation, we belong to Him - we are in UNION with CHRIST.

Just because we are in union does not mean we are maintaining COMMUNION --- that FELLOWSHIP with Christ.

COMMUNION is kept when our hearts are kept in right relationship with Him - that is done by living right and be cleansed daily.

Saved is getting the full bath --- washing feet is done daily or after walking around --- think of it, we walk a daily walk with the Lord in this world, and the dirt gets on our feet — we need to keep clean - not get saved all over, but be cleansed.

Ephesians 5:25–26 NLT

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.

The Hebrew Priests would clean in the brazen laver — like a mirror — on a daily basis...

James 1:23–24 NLT

For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.

James 1:23 NLT

For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.

This is indicative of the cleaning we need from God’s Word - daily to show us what needs to change to align with the Lord. It helps us to not just be in union, but communion.

3. Example of Love

What was Jesus motive for serving? What was His motive for wanting us to be cleansed daily?

LOVE!!!!

He was showing us that when we LOVE HIM and when we LOVE each other through serving - we are taking on His example to us.

For God SO LOVED the world...

God demonstrated His LOVE toward us...

No greater LOVE than a man lay down his life for his friends...

The motive of Judas in this passage (Jesus says one is unclean) was never his love of Christ, Judas always desired wealth and greatness.

Jesus wanted his disciples to have a motive of love toward one another — this was what He was showing them. When we serve each other we are showing HIS LOVE and our LOVE for HIM.

CONCLUSION

We don’t wash feet, but what we do is encourage one another to:

SERVE

COMMUNE with God by keeping our hearts clean

LOVE as He loved us

This is what Jesus desired us to do. Today, our feet are generally clean, covered with socks and shoes --- it is not a need like it was in the day he showed it...

Serving the actual needs of others is always available! Loving the body of Christ as Jesus did, and staying in right communion.