Jesus - Servant

Good Morning…Welcome to New Hope

John 13 NLT

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “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.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.” After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 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. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them. “I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’ I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I Am the Messiah. I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.” Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!” The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?” So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.” None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. So Judas left at once, going out into the night. As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?” And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.” “But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.” Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.

Who Do You Say I AM… Disciples making disciples… Don’t just attend… Become

In 1973, Republican Senator from Tennessee, Howard Henry Baker Jr. famously asked the following question - “What did the President know and when did he know it?”

Now, everyone can breathe a sigh of relief, because our conversation this morning isn’t about politics. You can get enough of that from the media and social media.

No, the reason why I bring that up is because it’s incredibly applicable to our biblical text this morning. Why Jesus did things is important. Why Jesus didn’t do things is important. His motive or His frame of mind adds another depth to why He did what He did.

Example: Few weeks ago we talked about How Jesus had compassion on the people. We just take for granted that He’s Jesus, He’s supposed to love.

It’s not just about how Jesus lived, but then applying that to our lives.

Similar to this deeper understanding of Jesus’ compassion is what we find this morning in . There’s a rich understanding that we can miss - frankly that I’ve missed before studying this passage. And I believe it’s so critical for the church today. If we want to become more like Jesus, we really need to grasp this.

(NLT)

1Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. (Jesus loved them completely, to the uttermost, unto his death on the cross.)

(NLT)

2It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

(NLT)

3Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.

11For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world. What did that mean? He was aware of what He would soon be faced with - rejection, betrayal, denial, suffering, pain, anguish, humiliation was all very near. What was Jesus thinking? We’re going to get to that in just a moment...

Jesus knew that the devil had been working and scheming. That he had already been able to convince one of his followers, namely Judas, to turn on him and betray him. How much would that hurt? What kind of pain would that cause you to experience? What was Jesus thinking? We’re going to get to that in just a moment...

Jesus knew that the devil had been working and scheming. That he had already been able to convince one of his followers, namely Judas, to turn on him and betray him. How much would that hurt? What kind of pain would that cause you to experience?

We talked about a few weeks ago, how the men who were so very close to him would all desert him. Jesus knew that this was about to happen. He knew that very quickly He would be alone. What was Jesus thinking? We’re going to get to that in just a moment...

What was he thinking of? We’re going to get to that in just a moment...

Jesus knew that his hour of glory was near. Jesus knew that very soon the past three years of ministry would come to a culmination at the cross of calvary. But he also knew what was to come - the ultimate fulfillment from his Heavenly Father. Knowing that very soon he would be reunited with his Father in Heaven had to be something he longed for. What was Jesus thinking? How ‘bout we get to that… All of these things that Jesus knew were going on in the mind of Jesus.

What He does next is completely unexpected. The disciples didn’t see this coming. In fact, I believe it may have made them feel uncomfortable.

(NLT)

4So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist,

5and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

It’s somewhat awkward that they seemed to have already engaged in the meal before Jesus “got up from the table.” Typically feet would have been washed upon entry into the room. Speculation could be that Jesus allowed each disciple to enter the room and gave them a chance to serve the rest - and none was willing. Some sources say that the task of washing feet was even below a servant. It was a task set aside for a slave. Never, ever, would something like this be done by a superior or person of authority.

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave

I don’t know about you, but having known everything that Jesus knew, doing what Jesus did is unthinkable for us. If it was me, the last thing I would be doing, the last thing that would be going through my mind... is serving these men. But that’s just what Jesus did.

Now we seem to perceive that Jesus just went to Peter and they had the dialogue we will read in a few moments, but scripture tells us that “he began to wash the disciples’ feet. When He came to Simon Peter...” Let’s not rule out that Jesus probably washed the feet of every disciple.

7Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave

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Instead - The previous verse declares the incredible truth that Jesus is God

He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.

6He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.

(NLT)

6When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

(NLT)

7Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”

(NLT)

8“No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

Peter is bold, man. He uses the strongest Greek phrase to let Jesus know that it ain’t happening. As we will see in a moment, Peter not only begins tell Jesus that he can’t serve him (and will never serve him), to then you aren’t doing it right and you should wash my hands and head as well!

Foot washing wasn’t just about the person washing feet. It was also about those who were receiving the foot washing.

(NLT)

9Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”

10Jesus 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.”

So what did Jesus mean by all of this and what does it mean for me today? The key seems to be found in two words - bathed & wash. “Bathed” seems to be a more general term for washing and is usually used referring to the whole body. “Wash” seems to be more specific in nature referring to a particular part of the body, such as the feet.

Peter is already entirely clean in a sense that he has a relationship with Jesus - That’s the bathing reference. But the washing part introduces the idea of Jesus preparing them for something more, namely a discipleship journey.

Follow this through with what Jesus says next...

12After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing?

13You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am.

14And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.

15I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

I don’t know that we fully understand that when we serve we engage in discipleship. Conversation this week with a couple children’s leaders…

When you serve it matters. How you serve matters. It not only does something transformational in you, but it also is impactful for those you serve, and is impactful for those who watch you serve.

This isn’t intended to be a guilt trip; It’s not to shame anyone; I don’t preach sermons at individuals or groups of people; We’ve had this scheduled for a few months.

Walk through the back of the bulletin - Where we need volunteers / Opportunities to serve

Offertory - New Life Group begins - March 1st