How to be Great

Intro: What was Jesus teaching us when he washed his disciples’ feet? Do you prefer to be served or to serve other people?

We have all types of interpretations of how to be great. In corporate America it is almost encouraged to step on people, throw them under the bus so you can look good and climb the corporate ladder. In Pro Sports athletes strive to win a coveted trophy so they can “etch their name in eternity”. I remember in my days before I followed the Lord as a guy you would be considered great if you slept with as many women as possible, drink the most without passing out. We look at this passage and it is different from the worlds interpretation. Jesus is telling us not to Lord it over people but to get low, in humility serve one another. Jesus is telling us How to be Great.

Open and read text: John 13:1 – 17

Point 1: Knowing God empowers us to serve

Verse 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, rose from supper.

What did he do?

He laid aside his outer garments and taking a towel tied it around his waist. Jesus was on a mission. We are on a mission.

The mission that Jesus had was to save you. We see in the passage that it was the time of the year where they celebrated the Passover where they would slay a lamb and eat it. It was in remembrance of how God delivered the Jews from slavery and from Egypt. God here is preparing perform an even bigger rescue. He was going to set free many from slavery again but this time it was not Egypt but slavery to sin and death. I appreciate what the Fourth of July represents but my independence day was on March 2006 where the Lord Jesus delivered me from the bondage of drug addiction of hate. He saved me from me.

He was betrayed by his own for 30 pieces of silver.

He was arrested and falsely accused.

When he was arrested all of his disciples fled.

He was beaten, he was mocked.

The book of Isaiah chapter 52 said, “His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance.” It was like mangled flesh hanging on a cross. You could not tell what was hanging on the cross.

He did not bleed to death. He was tortured. When you are hanging on that cross it is difficult for people to breathe so they suffocate.

While Jesus was hanging on the cross to take a breath he would have to muster his strength to bring himself up as the nails tore through the bone. He yelled, “ELOI ELOI LEMA SABCHTHANI? My God My God why have you forsaken me?

He did this so that you can be reconciled to God. God had to do it. He is just so he has to justly deal with sin and at the same time he is merciful so he made a way to be delivered from sin to be forgiven to be brought into his family.

Jesus knew who He was. Knowing God is a powerful thing. I am not talking about head knowledge I am talking about a relationship an intimate relationship with God. The first interview from the video was from a guy I know and he is an atheist and his answer was spot on. It tells you that you can have the right answer but totally miss the mark.

When we see who God is we see who we are in light of who He is. We were dead in our sin.

Do you know who you are? Whose you are? The mission you have been called to?

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God. It was knowing God had given him power over all things and that he had come from God and was returning to God that Jesus performed the foot washing. Knowing this did not make him think he was above carrying out menial service. Knowing full well who he was, Jesus washed his disciples feet

Illustration: Richard Wurmbrand was a preacher in Romania this was during WW2 where the Soviet Union had a grip on his country. At the time the communist party infiltrated the church and with pressure they all compromised and telling their congregations that communism is good. Richard Wurmbrand refused to compromise and during a meeting with the Soviets and all religious leaders they were all pledging their allegiance. Richard Wurmbrand stood up and preached the gospel and said that communism was contrary to the gospel. He was imprisoned for 10 years. While he was in prison his wife was thrown in prison as well leaving their son without parents. During his time in prison they beat him so he would disclose the names of the other Christians but he refused. He was caught praying so they beat him. He continued to pray and minister in the jail and they beat him. They would take an iron rod and hit the soles of his feet, his legs. He said that him and the guards made a deal. I prayed they beat me. How was he able to endure?

Knowing God empowers us.

Here is what scripture says about knowing God:

Jesus in John 17 says this is salvation to KNOW you the one and true living God and Jesus Christ whom you sent.” Salvation comes from knowing God.

· In the book of Daniel when it starts to talk about the end times there is a section in chapter 11 where it talks about the Saints in the heat of the Great Tribulation. “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” Knowing God enables us to do great things in His name

· Galatans 4:8-9 – “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God” Knowing God gives us freedom.

· 1 John 2:3 – And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.”

How do we grow in our knowledge of God? It is relationship.

Lets look at 2 Peter chapter 1

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to[c] his own glory and excellence,[d] 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,[e] and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities[f] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What is the point being effective and fruitful in the knowledge of Jesus. It is the mission. It is not to help out self esteem. It is not to be apathetic of the here and now because the end is drawing near. As we know who we are, where we came from and where we are going it will empower us for this mission. It will empower us to serve. It will empower us to be the servant of all. It will empower us to love our neighbor including our enemies.

Point #2: Serving is the heart of the cross

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. 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.” 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,[a] but is completely clean. And you[b] are clean, but not every one of you.

Let me just tell you how low Jesus got. He took off his outer garments and what he had left was pretty much the attire of a slave. In Jewish tradition a Jewish slave would not be asked to wash peoples feet. That task was assigned to a Gentile slave.

We know that in the Jewish community, Gentiles were the low of the low. Here Jesus is not only doing the job of a slave but doing a job that a Gentile would do which was pretty low. We might think that this is crazy that the God’s Son would debase himself. Do you know what else is crazy and unbelievable? But True. I was a crack head junkie that was delivered from drug addiction by God from one day to the next. Explain that.

Peter was surprised as I am sure the other disciples were but in good Peter fashion, he could not keep his mouth shut.

Jesus tells his disciples that what he was doing they do not understand but afterward you will understand. Jesus was pointing to the cross. How do I know that?

The washing of the disciples’ feet was symbolic to what he was going to do on the cross. Jesus said, “ If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”

Jesus self-humiliation in washing his disciples’ feet symbolized his self-humiliation in accepting death upon the cross to bring about their cleansing from sin. Unless Peter was prepared to accept what he would do for him on the cross there could be no relationship between them. - Colin G. Kruse

The cross is what cleansed them of their sin. He was showing them what he would do for them on the cross.

“And you are clean means

· Forgiveness of sins which makes people fit to have fellowship with him

· Fit to enter the presence of God

· Accepting Jesus word is the means by which people are made clean because it means by which they receive the benefits of Jesus Death. (John 15)

FF Bruce says, “The form of God was not exchanged for the form of a servant; it was revealed in the form of a servant. In the washing of their feet the disciples thought they did not understand it at the time saw a rare unfolding of the authority and glory of the incarnate Word and a rare declaration of the character of the Father himself. “

Jesus is also showing us that serving is not partial. Look at what scripture says, “. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet.” It said the disciples’ feet. All of them. Including Judas.

Jesus came and died for everyone. The worst of the worst. John Wayne Gaycey, Ted Bundy, Adolph Hitler, You, Me. A lot of times I am tempted not to give my time to the unlovable, the needy, the person who refuses to change. The temptation is to serve when it is convenient. If left it to Jesus to die on the cross when it was convenient, we would be dead in our sins. God comes in when it is not convenient..

Illustration: Jim Elliot a former missionary who died preaching the gospel. The mission that God called him to was to evangelize the Huaorani people of Ecuador. The people lived in the jungle and were known to be savage but that did not stop Jim. He encountered a man who he called George who was part of the Huaorani tribe. George essentially led them to the tribe and in their first encounter with the Huaorani people two people who greeted them from the tribe murdered them. After his death, his wife Elisabeth Elliot and other missionaries began working among the Huaorani, where they continued evangelistic work. So imagine this woman’s husband was killed. She had every reason to call it quits. To grow bitter but she was on the same mission that her husband was on.

Just like Jesus who washed Judas’s feet and loved him. So did Elisabeth by continuing to minister to the Huaorani people which would lead them to accepting the gospel and be saved.

Serving is not partial. Serving is not convenient.

Jesus died on the cross for you.

Romans 13:8-10

8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Please understand that there are two aspects to this. 1) Foot washing is something that Jesus does uniquely for us 2) It is something we do for one another[SF3] . Let me elaborate. Jesus foot washing is something that is pointing to the cross where he after his death and resurrection he would wash us inwardly. When we are baptized we are symbolically pointing to the death and resurrection of Jesus. We share in his death and resurrection symbolically but also the Holy Spirit enters us. Who will lead us into all truth.

How can we wash peoples feet today?

· Praying for one another (Sunday morning prayer)

· Bearing one another’s burdens and so fulfll the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2)

o (Example: Conquer Group)

· Encourage one another, build one another up 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (Home Group)

· Serving as a teacher in Sunday School and washing the feet of the parents

Mowing the church lawn

If you loved me you would have kept my commandments.

Point 3: We are called to serve

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. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant[c] 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.

I have a question to ask yourself.

Are you building your life on sand? Are you building your life on rock?

It is one thing to know what we should do; it is another thing to do it. The blessing that Jesus is talking about in John 13 comes not with the knowing the commandment but with the doing. Jesus teaching at the end of the Sermon on the mount concludes in similar vein with the parable of the two builders. One built on sand and the other built on rock. The destruction of the house built upon the sand symbolize the fate of those who hear the teaching of Jesus but do not carry it out; whereas the survival of the house built upon the rock symbolize the blessing experienced by those who obey Jesus word.

Let’s look at what Paul says to the church in Phillipae

Philippians 2:3-8

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,[a] 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,[b] 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,[c] being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Illustration: Robert Cleaver Chapman[SF2] Chapman was born in Helsingor, Denmark, in a wealthy Anglican merchant family from Whitby, Yorkshire. Robert was educated by his mother while the family was in Denmark and later at a boarding school in Yorkshire, after the return of the family to England. At the age of 15 Robert moved to London to work as an apprentice clerk in the legal profession. He accepted the post as pastor of a Strict Baptist chapel only on the condition that he would only be bound by what was written in the Bible and not by any denominational creeds or beliefs

It was said that , “No task was too lowly for Chapman. Visitors were particularly impressed by his habit of cleaning the boots and shoes of his guests. Indeed, it was on this point he met with most resistance for those who stayed with him were conscious that despite the simplicity of his house he was a man of good breeding and when they had head him minister the Word with gracious authority they were extremely sensitive about allowing him to perform so menial a task for them. On one occasion a gentleman having regard no doubt to his hosts gentle birth and high spiritual standing refused at first to let him take away his boots. “I insist” was the firm reply. In the former days it was the practice to wash the saints feet. Now that this is no longer the custom. I do the nearest thing and clean their shoes.”

Point blank a servant is not greater than his Master.

Let’s swallow our dignity for something greater. For God. For the gospel. For unity of the body. For keeping the bond of peace within the body.

Did you know that Jesus is still serving us?

· For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, (1 Timothy 2:5) He is the go between for God and Man. He is standing in the gap.

· If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) He is faithfully forgiving us and washing us as we turn to him and ask for forgiveness.

Dwight L Moody said, “ There will be no peace in any soul until it is willing to obey the voice of God.

Whose feet do you need to wash and how? Are you showing gratitude for those who wash your feet?

I would like the band to come up and play. If you are here and want to join Him. To Follow Him for the first time our leaders will be up here to pray for you.

After song

We have a great opportunity to put this into practice. We have a potluck right after church and we need help. Please find Jonathan Pickard on how you can wash feet aka server food, drinks, set up tables, clean up etc.