Once and for all... Again and again... more and more
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Good evening, guys. Tonight we are going to be in . So go ahead and open your copy of Scripture we have some bibles there in the back or scroll on to to join us.
Introduction
How many of you have gone on a mission trip? How many of you have been on a trip where you did not have ready access to a shower? This gritty feeling inevitably comes in these sorts of scenarios where there just seems to be a film over your whole body, where you feel like you could run your finger up your leg and see the marking of all the dirt and then you bare skin. Sometimes those moments come where we haven’t been able to shower in a couple of days and if you’re like me you could run your fingers through your hair and it just stands on end, almost like you put hair gel in, only problem is you realize that’s just your own nasty self that made your hair do that.
I’m sure that some of you have hit that moment. If any of you have travelled overseas by plane this moment comes somewhat frequently in those scenarios. You have a 6 hour flight, a 2 hour layover, followed by another 5 hour flight and by day’s end, even if you’ve ended up somewhere exciting the only thing in the world that you want is a hot shower, to wash off the day, and just take that most satisfying sigh of relief after you're done. We all desire to be clean… for the most part. Many of you, boys mostly, probably one through some stage of life, where a parent or friend looked at you, sniffed a couple of times, and said, “boy, take a shower.”
Good evening, guys. Tonight we are going to be in . So go ahead and open your copy of Scripture we have some bibles there in the back or scroll on to to join us.
I have two little cousins, they’re twins, and I remember when they were real little they just absolutely loved playing in creek, getting muddy, and just being all boy. Nowadays, I’ll go and visit them and it smells like someone set off an Axe body spray grenade on them. Why? Because they’re undoubtedly trying to impress some little girl and all of a sudden the need to be clean takes on a whole new importance to them. You all might remember a similar stage in life, some of you may be in need of this intervention. But it is almost a fundamental and basic instinct, this need to be cleaned. And we turn every which way to find it don’t we? At this point I don’t just mean water and soap clean, but fulfillment, satisfaction, rightness. Well tonight we are going to unpack something truly wonderful and if you are here and you are a professing believer this is the greatest of encouragements, and if you are here and you know in your heart of hearts that Jesus is not the Lord of your life, come and hear this incredible news of hope.
How many of you have gone on a mission trip? How many of you have been on a trip where you did not have ready access to a shower? This gritty feeling inevitably comes in these sorts of scenarios where there just seems to be a film over your whole body, where you feel like you could run your finger up your leg and see the marking of all the dirt and then you bare skin. Sometimes those moments come where we haven’t been able to shower in a couple of days and if you’re like me you could run your fingers through your hair and it just stands on end, almost like you put hair gel in, only problem is you realize that’s just your own nasty self that made your hair do that.
I’m sure that some of you have hit that moment. If any of you have travelled overseas by plane this moment comes somewhat frequently in those scenarios. You have a 6 hour flight, a 2 hour layover, followed by another 5 hour flight and by day’s end, even if you’ve ended up somewhere exciting the only thing in the world that you want is a hot shower, to wash off the day, and just take that most satisfying sigh of relief after you're done. We all desire to be clean… for the most part. Many of you, boys mostly, probably one through some stage of life, where a parent or friend looked at you, sniffed a couple of times, and said, “boy, take a shower.”
Pure and simple the central idea that I want you to walk away with tonight, no minced words, no cloudy meaning, I want you to know clearly that God offers us the cleansing that we need to be made right with him through the person and finished work of Jesus.
I have two little cousins, they’re twins, and I remember when they were real little they just absolutely loved playing in creek, getting muddy, and just being all boy. Nowadays, I’ll go and visit them and it smells like someone set off an Axe body spray grenade on them. Why? Because they’re undoubtedly trying to impress some little girl and all of a sudden the need to be clean takes on a whole new importance to them. You all might remember a similar stage in life, some of you may be in need of this intervention. But it is almost a fundamental and basic instinct, this need to be cleaned. And we turn every which way to find it don’t we? At this point I don’t just mean water and soap clean, but fulfillment, satisfaction, rightness. Well tonight we are going to unpack something truly wonderful and if you are here and you are a professing believer this is the greatest of encouragements, and if you are here and you know in your heart of hearts that Jesus is not the Lord of your life, come and hear this incredible news of hope.
And that is where we open up to this episode in ,
13 Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands, that he had come from God, and that he was going back to God.
4 So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. 5 Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”
8 “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.
Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
10 “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
THE MEANING OF FOOT WASHING
12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. 14 So if I, 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 for you.
16 “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
18 “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats my bread has raised his heel against me. 19 I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am he. 20 Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives him who sent me.”
Pure and simple the central idea that I want you to walk away with tonight, no minced words, no cloudy meaning, I want you to know clearly that God offers us the cleansing that we need to be made right with him through the person and finished work of Jesus.
There is a lot to unpack here, but there are three truths that I hope you guys can walk away with tonight, namely that 1. Even Jesus Submits. 2. All things work together for the good of those who love God. 3. Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient.
And that is where we open up to this episode in ,
First, even Jesus submits.
13 Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands, that he had come from God, and that he was going back to God.
4 So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. 5 Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”
8 “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.
Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
10 “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
THE MEANING OF FOOT WASHING
12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. 14 So if I, 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 for you.
16 “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
18 “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats my bread has raised his heel against me. 19 I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am he. 20 Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives him who sent me.”
2 Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands, that he had come from God, and that he was going back to God.
4 So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. 5 Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”
8 “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.
Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
10 “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
THE MEANING OF FOOT WASHING
12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. 14 So if I, 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 for you.
16 “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
18 “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats my bread has raised his heel against me. 19 I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am he. 20 Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives him who sent me.”
We have spoken the past couple weeks now about what it looks like to walk in Jesus’ footsteps, about how the Christian life is one marked by self-sacrifice. We spoke about what it looks like follow him and to take up your cross. Last week we spoke about Jesus’ humility in the triumphal entry, that he didn’t ride into Jerusalem like some warlord but displayed his gentleness as he rode in on the top of a donkey. And this week we unpack this sign that Jesus performs before his disciples that was a grand act of humility and service, but it pointed forward to something far more profound.
There is a lot to unpack here, but there are three truths that I hope you guys can walk away with tonight, namely that 1. Even Jesus Submits. 2. All things work together for the good of those who love God. 3. Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient.
First, even Jesus submits.
Just last week we spoke about Jesus’ entrance into the Jerusalem, the beginning of the end as it were and that Jesus knew full and well the path that he was walking. He was not surprised by the outcome. He knew that he was in essence beginning his own death march. And as the streets were lined with countless people screaming, Hosanna, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, he knew that this experience would end in a very different sense of fanfare.
We now arrive at this episode. Jesus and the disciples have reclined for dinner. They didn’t sit in chairs but lounged and laid around a floor level table, like so. And as such you can imagine, occasionally there would be that person who would adjust and bam! Smelly ole feet right in your face as you try and eat. Appetizing right? It was common practice to wash yourself before dinner, much like you and I would wash our hands, but in a day in age where you are traveling by foot most anywhere, and you weren’t wearing a fresh pair of nikes but something much closer to a sandal, you can imagine there was some really grimy funk going on down by one’s feet. So It was expected that you would do everyone the service of washing your feet. But never was it expected for someone of such high esteem to wash your feet. If anyone else touched your feet, it would have been your lowest servant that you had in the house. And it is with that in mind that this Jesus, this one whom all these disciples had seen perform these miraculous signs and wonders wraps a towel around his waist, grabs a bowl, and stoops low to wash the muck and the grime off of his followers.
We have spoken the past couple weeks now about what it looks like to walk in Jesus’ footsteps, about how the Christian life is one marked by self-sacrifice. We spoke about what it looks like follow him and to take up your cross. Last week we spoke about Jesus’ humility in the triumphal entry, that he didn’t ride into Jerusalem like some warlord but displayed his gentleness as he rode in on the top of a donkey. And this week we unpack this sign that Jesus performs before his disciples that was a grand act of humility and service, but it pointed forward to something far more profound.
Just last week we spoke about Jesus’ entrance into the Jerusalem, the beginning of the end as it were and that Jesus knew full and well the path that he was walking. He was not surprised by the outcome. He knew that he was in essence beginning his own death march. And as the streets were lined with countless people screaming, Hosanna, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, he knew that this experience would end in a very different sense of fanfare.
This is the Jesus that we speak about every week. This Savior King who has come and done everything we could ever hope for or imagine on our behalf. A king who is due all worship, reverence, respect and is worthy of everything that his followers could possibly offer up to him and it is HE who comes and washes the feet of his followers.
We now arrive at this episode. Jesus and the disciples have reclined for dinner. They didn’t sit in chairs but lounged and laid around a floor level table, like so. And as such you can imagine, occasionally there would be that person who would adjust and bam! Smelly ole feet right in your face as you try and eat. Appetizing right? It was common practice to wash yourself before dinner, much like you and I would wash our hands, but in a day in age where you are traveling by foot most anywhere, and you weren’t wearing a fresh pair of nikes but something much closer to a sandal, you can imagine there was some really grimy funk going on down by one’s feet. So It was expected that you would do everyone the service of washing your feet. But never was it expected for someone of such high esteem to wash your feet. If anyone else touched your feet, it would have been your lowest servant that you had in the house. And it is with that in mind that this Jesus, this one whom all these disciples had seen perform these miraculous signs and wonders wraps a towel around his waist, grabs a bowl, and stoops low to wash the muck and the grime off of his followers.
We’ve talked a lot these past couple of weeks about sacrifice, about service, about cross-bearing but I hope that you see so clearly here that when Jesus bids you to come and follow him that he is not going to ask you to do anything that He himself has done, and much more than that he has done it perfectly.
So serving with humility, he’s done it. Taking up your cross, he’s already done that. Making yourself low so that others may be lifted high, He’s done it! And all of this will be perfectly shown by Jesus as he knowingly journey’s to his own cross. This ultimate instrument of death and shame.
This is the Jesus that we speak about every week. This Savior King who has come and done everything we could ever hope for or imagine on our behalf. A king who is due all worship, reverence, respect and is worthy of everything that his followers could possibly offer up to him and it is HE who comes and washes the feet of his followers.
We might be a little desensitized to the imagery here. We see crosses on tattoos, on necklaces, on the back of cars, but let’s never forget what this truly represents. This was the Roman Empire’s best way to kill and embarrass you at the same time. We wear crosses around our necks but in all actuality this is like the equivalent of wearing an electric chair charm around your neck.
We’ve talked a lot these past couple of weeks about sacrifice, about service, about cross-bearing but I hope that you see so clearly here that when Jesus bids you to come and follow him that he is not going to ask you to do anything that He himself has done, and much more than that he has done it perfectly.
Through humility and shame, this is how Jesus has come to us. And as he reclines with his followers here he knows where the road ends. On top of Golgotha to be executed and much more than that, to face the full weight of God’s wrath, to pay for sin once and for all. Not too much longer after this, Jesus would find himself waiting in the garden of gethsemane, praying, waiting for his arrest to come. And as he prayed he sweated drops of blood out of anguish, knowing what was to come, not pain, not the lashings or the nails driven through his skin, but the full onslaught of God exacting justice on all sin, through Jesus’ death on the cross. All of this was to enough to make Jesus, Jesus, pray, “Father, if there is any other way, make it so! But not my will be done, but yours.” Even Jesus submits. We see that clearly in this Last Supper, and we see it even more clearly in the cross
So serving with humility, he’s done it. Taking up your cross, he’s already done that. Making yourself low so that others may be lifted high, He’s done it!
Transition
This is all a grim and bleak scenario as Jesus initiates the beginning of the end here. But again we have the blessing of knowing how this story ends. It ends with an empty tomb and we can look at the impending betrayal and we can scream our second point tonight that All things work together for the good of those who love God.
That might sound familiar, it's a reference to and it is often lifted up as a note of encouragement, which it is, but let’s not forget what this means for Jesus here in this moment. Jesus stoops low and one by one washes the feet of his followers. He comes across Peter who says, “you will never wash my feet,” because Peter knows that this is a shameful job. Peter is a blunt instrument, isn’t he. He rushes out of the boat, walks on water but becomes overcome with fear and begins to sink. He has the audacity to rebuke Jesus here. And even when Jesus predicted his own death, Peter said, “I’ll never let it happen.” Peter is a good character to relate with. I know that I do, whenever I’m feeling brash and brazen, I feel like I can relate to Peter a lot.
But notice here when Jesus rebukes him back and says, “if I dont wash you, you have no part with me.”
“Well, Lord, not only my feet but also my hands and my head.” Translation… “Give me the deluxe package then.”
Just as a brief aside guys, we are talking about the humility and service of Jesus and how we should respond in likeness to that, but there is another side to that coin. I hope guys that when those moments come and you need to just submit and let others help you, to let other serve you, that you would recognize that this is Jesus bringing the gospel right to your very feet. Lay down your pride. None of us make it out of this life alive so when you are in need, ask for help and receive that help.
But guys as we take inventory of the situation here we see that Jesus stoops low, he serves, he washes the feet of his followers… even the one who would betray him.
It doesn’t say that he washed one or a few or 11, but his disciples…. All who were in attendance, even Judas the one who would in just a few hours go and sell Jesus out to those who wished to put him to death. So when Jesus expounds later about no one being greater than their master and that he had set before them an example to follow, he is not telling you to go and serve only those who are kind to you, or only those whom it easy to serve, but even your enemies! How many of you are okay with that?
Well, Eric you don’t understand, that person is just so bad. That person has done this that, and the other. No, what Jesus lays before his followers here is an unqualified command. Go and serve others, even those who do not wish you well. Your call is not to be judge. Your call is to be obedient to Jesus, and Jesus commands u stories serve others because he serves others.
This is how all things work together for the good of those who love God. Not that being a Christian is like a good luck charm and being a Christian will bring fame and fortune, there are those who will try and sell you that nonsense, but all things work together for your good because as you lay yourself down in sacrifice for one another you become more and more like Jesus, and wouldn’t that be much more hopeful than anything that we know in this world. We look around and see people tear each other down, be ugly to one another, but no, Jesus says take the low spot, serve others, love God and love people and watch and see how all things unfold for the good of those who love him.
Lastly and in conclusion, we see in this passage the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice.
What Jesus does here is a profound symbol, but it is just that, a symbol. It points to something else, something that is about to happen. Just as Jesus stoops low, takes the spot of a humble servant, and cleanses his followers, so too is he about to take the ultimate low spot, that on the cross, humbly serve us through his own death, and cleanses us of all our sin. We all have that inkling to be clean. But just like that stain on our favorite piece of clothing, we scrub and scrub and scrub and it just doesn’t go away. Some of you listen to this and say, yes, I need that, but I need more than just a foot washing. What I’m dealing with is much worse than some grubby feet.
Some of you have a bad habit of hoisting Jesus back up on his cross. And to you I say stop it. WE KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS! Jesus scales the hillside, he is nailed to the cross and as he gives up his soul on our behalf he says… It… Is… Finished! Don’t want this life of shame anymore? It is finished. Tired of feeling hopeless? It is finished. If you are a believer in Christ you and I get to walk out of here tonight wrecked by this beautiful truth that Jesus has taken all of your brokenness and hurt, he put it to death, it was buried there in the tomb with him, but it did not follow him out, and it was dealt with once and for all. It… Is… Finished...
There is a famous guy in history that some of you might have studied, his name is Martin Luther, not Martin Luther King, but Martin Luther once said that we as Christians experience God’s grace in a number of ways, once and for all… again and again… and more and more.
I’m 28 years old now guys and I look back on all the ways God has moved in and through my life and over and over again his grace hits me in the face like a fastball. More and more, I’ve gone to school to learn more about, learn m ore about scripture and it’s becoming more and more clear guys that I’ll never have “arrived” in this Christian life. God lavishes and pours on his love over and over, and just when you think you’ve reached the extent of it all, he gives you more.
But there are some of you here tonight who perhaps have not experienced God’s grace in this “once and for all” manner. And if that is you I pray that you would hear his call tonight, to follow him, to pick up your cross and follow him, but also know that the Sovereign King of the universe reclines at your feet and offers you that cleansing that you are so desperately searching for. says, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.” Bow your heads with me as we close.
Father,
I pray that my friends here tonight would hear your invitation loud and clear. That for those who are saved by the blood of your son Jesus that we would walk out of here tall, knowing that we are welcomed in the presence of a most High and Holy God. But lord, for those who might not know you, truly know you, I pray that they would be struck with the knowledge that you have pursued them, you have come after them. And while that might be scary for some, that they would have to reckon with the problem of sin, Lord, you offer us cleansing and purity through the blood of your Son.