Untitled Sermon

John 13 ESV

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

Introduce yourself

Tell about the accident...with my life hanging in the balance I had a conversation with God

John 13–17 is our Lord’s “farewell message” to His disciples, climaxing with His intercessory prayer for them and for us.

Moses gave one in (Deut. 31–33), Joshua (Josh. 23–24), and Paul (Acts 20).

If you knew your time had come, what would you spend your last hours doing…

Besides His message Jesus choose to wash His disciples feet and to teach them a lesson, including Judas.

Title:

Wash Them Clean Or Love Until The End

Point One: A Great Last Deed

13 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

In eastern lands, they wore open sandals and had to wash their feet often.

Because of all the dust their feet were always dusty.

It was common courtesy for a host to have a slave wash the feet of his guests.

The slave wouldn't bring a bathtub into the room...he would bring something called a basin.

Exodus 30:18 says:

You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, 19 with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet

Here Jesus was the divine Host… but instead of getting a slave.

He became the slave and performed this lowly service.

So Jesus was washing their feet, one by one and He came to Peter.

Point Two: A Lesson For Peter

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”

Jesus now taught Peter that there was a spiritual meaning to what He was doing.

Foot-washing was a picture of a certain type of spiritual washing. The meaning of foot-washing is now explained.

9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

Living in this world brings you into contact with a certain amount of defilement.

Listening to vile talk, looking at unholy things, working with ungodly men etc.

These things soil the believer. So you need to be constantly cleansed.

This cleansing takes place by the water of the Word.

As you read and study the Bible, when you hear it preached, and when we discuss it with one another, we find that it cleanses us from the evil influences around us.

When Jesus said “you have no part with Me,”

He did not mean that Peter could not be saved unless He washed him, He meant that fellowship with the Lord can be maintained only by the continual cleansing of the Scriptures in his life.

The disciples would understand His example well.

On the way back from the public bath, a person's feet would get dirty again. He didn't need another bath but did need to have his feet washed.

This is what Jesus meant when He said:

“He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean.”

There is a difference between the bath and the basin.

The bath speaks of the cleansing received at the time of one's salvation.

Cleansing from the penalty of sin through the blood of Christ takes place only once.

The basin speaks of cleansing from the pollution of sin and must take place continually through the Word of God.

In other words…There is one bath but many foot-washings.

So He says “You are clean, but not all of you” means that all the disciples had received the bath of regeneration but Judas.

He had never been saved…Make sure that your spiritual body is washed by His blood…once. But continually wash your feet

Point Three: An Example For All Disciples

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, 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 to you.

Afterwards, when he has resumed his place, Jesus talks about what he has done. Although he is their Lord, he has washed their feet. Now they should do the same for one another.

When He washed their feet He was letting them know that

He does not hold their sins against them

He accepts them and forgives them.

We will always collect dirt and need our feet washed

His lesson is that we accept, forgive, and wash the dirt away from each others feet.

He is talking to His disciples:

What is a disciple...

A disciple is a learner and means one who mimics his teacher

16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

Take a look at verse 20

20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

If you are a disciple then you are the one He sent

Receiving the disciple is the same as receiving Jesus

Receiving Jesus is the same as receiving The father who sent Jesus