Kingdom Living in a Politically Divided World: John 13:1-17

PRESENT THE TEXT OF EMPHASIS AND INTRO THE SERIES

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.

Response: ”This is the Word of the Lord" . . .

Prayer: O God, we pray for insight from you today. Amen.

We are continuing our series on Kingdom Living in a Politically Divided World. We are just days away from the 2020 general election here in the United States, and we face a country deeply divided by political ideologies, but also by different views on ethics, race, justice, and various other defining features of society. Our question then is not just how to live as a citizen of the United States, or of whatever political country we reside in, but rather, how do we live as a participant in God’s kingdom, in any society at large.

Now, because of the tense nature of political circumstances, we’ve decided to take part as a Kingdom community in one of the church’s most ancient practices, the Lord’s Supper, together here today. Before we do that though, we’re going to turn out attention to another practice Jesus initiated that evening, that has relevance for this question of Kingdom Living.

DEFINE THE LAW

Articulate teachings elements from the passage describing what we should do.

Passage highlights:

Introduce the narrative/passage with appropriate highlights.

In the account of the evening written by John Mark, one of Jesus’ disciples, he shared the description of Jesus washing his disciples feet. What he doesn’t mention is something we read about in Luke’s account of the same evening:

Luke 22:24–27 NIV

A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

So, Jesus was trying to communicate to His disciples about his impending death, and the implications of it, and his closest friends and students were arguing about who was the best. It sounds like all of the political debates we’ve seen this election season.

Lessons on how we should live:

Share what the passage teaches about how we should live.

Jesus was clearly trying to communicate that humble service toward our brothers and sisters in humanity is an essential part of “kingdom living”.

But this lesson takes on further meaning if we consider who was still there to participate in this foot-washing. Yes indeed Judas, although already making preparation to turn Jesus over to the religious authorities, was still at the dinner. And Jesus had already indicated that he knew Judas had already made the agreement. This means that Jesus humbly served Judas, by washing his feet, despite the fact that in a matter of hours Judas was going to betray Jesus, leading to his murder.

Now, I don’t know about you, but the idea of voluntarily serving the person who I know is going to led to my harm in the immediate future, seems like an almost unreasonable request. Yet Jesus is clear:

The New International Version Chapter 13

15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you

So here we are in tumultuous times, but maybe you don’t actually have someone who is plotting to “betray” you. I would imagine though that you certainly have someone in your life, or on your social media that you have serious disagreements with. How are we to treat those people? Jesus example in serving Judas is a model for us, Jesus instruction to people who are wanting to be a part of his Kingdom is, “to serve each other humbly” not considering self-interest. This command to serve includes even those who you disagree with. It’s an incredibly tough example for us to follow, and unfortunately Christians don’t have a great history actually doing it.

Won’t bake a cake for a gay couple.

IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM

Ask a question that explores why the problem exists. Then identity what the causes of the problem are in the answers?

What makes it so hard to serve (without self-interest ) people that we disagree with?

Response 1: We attribute motives that may or may not be accurate:

It’s generally a human problem, to not be able to understand or relate to people who have a completely different experience than our own. So when we come up against someone acting in a way contrary to how we might act, it’s really easy to attribute all kinds of motives to their beliefs and behaviors.

Jesus clearly understood Judas’s motives and still served him.

Response 2: We think serving or engaging will validate their belief and excuse their behavior:

Now, try to understand where someone is coming from seems like we might be endanger ourselves of “excusing” there behavior. But this isn’t the case . You can attempt to understand, why someone is acting the way they do without making excuses for it.

You can serve someone, without self

If I wash Judas’ feet will the other disciples think I’m excusing his betrayal of me?

Response 3: We don’t want to be hurt emotionally or physically:

There is a valid fear here. And Jesus isn’t asking us to remain in abusive relationships or put ourselves in unnecessary harm.

But we also aren’t always to avoid being hurt, we can’t sequester ourselves off into a bubble world where we never engage with people who disagree with us.

PRESENT GRACE

Disclose the key to resolution by explaining how human solutions to the problem are rarely sufficient and that only by the Gospel is resolution possible.

Explore what the human solutions to the problem usually are?

And so the human solution is to ignore those we don’t agree with or to avoid them. Thank God Jesus didn’t take this path:

God didn’t just ignore and avoid those who disagreed with him, but he engaged us through active service of love. The call from God, for those who are a part of his Kingdom is to do the same. The apostle Paul says it like this:

The New International Version Chapter 12

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

The New International Version Chapter 12

20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”e o

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

It’s a challenging command in these divided times. One, that all of us are certainly challenged with if we dare review any social media. But these are the Words of the Lord.

Tell what Christ’s actions mean toward rectifying the problem (theological exposition on the impact of the Gospel).

The good news though is that in Jesus, we can have this kind of supernatural love. We can be empowered to know how we can best serve each other, including those we disagree with and to actually do it.

2 Timothy 1:7 NIV

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

God’s Spirit gives us the ability to love.

Experience the Gospel by explaining how the Spirit works in us so that we can experience the power of the Gospel.

Anticipate the consequences by describing what a transformed life looks like.

God can do this in us today. Amen.

WORSHIP

Celebrate the work God has done, is doing, and will do.

• Imagine a group of people radically committed to service including serving those we disagree with.

CONFESSION. BENEDICTION. DISMISSAL.

• Confession:

• Benediction:

• Dismissal:

”May the God who is present to you be present through you as you bless one another with the words 'Sabbath Peace.''