Keep peeling the layers

Intro

Cut up an onion.

You are probably wondering why I am cutting onions and making everyone cry or hungry; it is because onions have layers and the story, we are looking at today, has layers of understanding and truth revealed through each layer, this is the first message in a season of messages, where we are looking at being church.

. I am also cutting onions because todays message is very much about something else that smell feet.

We turn to a familiar passge from holy week.

John 13:1-26

John 13:1–26 CSB

1 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.” 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.” 21 When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in his spirit and testified, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one he was speaking about. 23 One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining close beside Jesus. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was he was talking about. 25 So he leaned back against Jesus and asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.” When he had dipped the bread, he gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son.

a simple truth – how much Jesus loves you

John is the only gospel writer to share with us this story of Jesus washing the Apostle’s feet. It takes place a few days before Jesus crucifixion. The Twelve Apostles and Jesus were going to share the Passover meal together. We are told in Luke 22:7-13 how the preparations were made for this very significant meal in the Jewish faith as they remember the miracle of God delivering His people from the Egyptians.

John 13:2 begins “the evening meal was being served” then we have lots of footnotes of what was going on and finally in verse 4 John finishes the sentence “so He got up from the meal and took off His outer clothing …” There was something that normally happened when you entered a Jewish person’s home at this time in history that didn’t happen - a servant would wash people’s feet. This did not happen here because they were in a borrowed room - we call the Upper Room. Since none of the Apostles felt it was his place to wash the other Apostle’s feet, and they were of a higher class than servants, Jesus set the example and did it to His Apostles.

You may remember the story in Luke 7:36-50 Jesus was in the home of Simon the Pharisee. Simeon failed to give to Jesus the common courtesy of having Jesus’ feet washed, but a woman of shall we say dubious profession came into his home and washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair as an act of worship.

Why did Jesus wash His disciple’s feet?

To follow Jewish custom. Societal norm and yet counter cultural.

Practical - , people’s feet get dirty and smelly and it is good hygiene to have clean feet when eating. Jewish customs for eating around a table were different than ours. Instead of sitting at a table with chairs as we do, the custom then was to recline on pillows with your head and hands near the table and feet extended out. This way Jesus could easily reach or had access to the feet of the disciples. According to the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci it shows Jesus and His disciples sitting at a table. As wonderful as his painting is, it is inaccurate at this point.

The third and more important reason Jesus washed His disciple’s feet, is to show them how much He loved them. In verse 1 John shares with us Jesus wanted to show the “full extent” of His love to the Apostles. Most translations have “He loved them to the end”. Does that mean, loved them to the end of His earthly life? To the end of eternity? The Greek word translated “end” can also be translated “complete or fully”. He loved them with the full extent of His love!

From all we can tell, Jesus spent almost every moment of about three years with these 12 men. He knew their strengths and faults and yet He loved them completely. Jesus also loves you and me even with our warts, shattered dreams and brokenness. I call this first layer of the onion illustration – a simple truth how much Jesus loved them. It was love not in words, but through action. This is how we ought to love Jesus as well. Jesus loved these disciples so much He humbled Himself to wash their feet.

The first layer of this story is the simple truth - it shows how much Jesus loved you.

Nice feet,

Nasty feet

Feet that tell a story.

Jesus live the people whose feet he washed

Application - How will you show the full extent of your love to others? Wash dishes? Rake the leaves? Some other way.

How will you show the full extent of your love to Jesus? Witness to someone about your faith in Jesus? Begin tithing? Go on a mission trip? Something else?

Layer two – have fellowship with Me

Let’s peel back another layer of the onion. I was originally drawn to this passage because of the conversation between Jesus and Peter. I wanted to understand the deeper meaning of what was being said here. I have learned that and much more.

John 13:6 begins “He came to Peter.” As Jesus began washing the feet of the Apostles He came to Peter in the rotation. One scholar speculated that John was first to have his feet washed and John allowed it as an act of Jesus loving him and his love for Jesus flowed back. Remember that John refers to himself six times in his gospel account as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”.

However, rough and tuff Peter was not into touchy and feely things. Peter’s question is on the edge of being a rebuke “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus explains to Peter, verse 7, that he did not understand what Jesus was doing but that he would later.

Even though Peter didn’t understand it, he refused to allow Jesus to humble Himself to a servant role and wash his feet. Verse 8 gives us the strong words of Peter “You shall never wash my feet”! This is another of those passages where English language has trouble giving the full impact of the Greek in this verse. The Message version gets close:

,“You’re not going to wash my feet—ever!”

Some churches have taken foot washing and made it a church event. Every maundy Thursday at the agape meal in Fiskerton feet are washed. Other churches have a foot washing service on a regular basis. That is fine if they want to do that, and a good reminder for the church, and I have to say a moving experience. But I do not think that Jesus is asking us to Wash the feet of those around us in the physical sense. -

Not a societal norm

Not of practical advantage

Does it show love or is it creepy

Fails to have people fellowship with us.

Our service, our demonstration of love - our desire to fellowship needs to reflect the world and the need around us. Externally people may be uncomfortable with being served. It is just as counter cultural to some as it was for Peter.

I can understand Peter uncomfortableness with Jesus washing his feet. However, there is more here than meets the eye. The reply of Jesus in verse 8 moves this experience to a mutual fellowship “unless I wash you, you have no part with Me”. Jesus told Peter if He didn’t wash his feet - you have no part or share with Me. When Jesus raised the bar and made this foot washing about fellowship and relationship

Peter may have been hot headed but he caught on quick - he may not of wanted Jesus to wash his feet, but above all he desired to know Jesus more - Peter changed his attitude very quickly! Peter wanted his relationship with Jesus to be all it could be so he responds to Jesus in verse 9 “Then Lord not just my feet, but hands and head as well.” Essentially, wash all of me if that is how I can be closer to you! Don’t you love Peter’s passion! - this is the second layer. we are called to fellowship with God, with each other and with the people around us. - never matter what the state of teir feet. -

fellowship dictionary - A group or orgnisation, a club.

a friendly feeling that exists between people who have a shared interest or are doing something as a group:

Fellowship - biblical - Fellowship is an important part of our faith. Coming together to support one another is an experience that allows us to learn, gain strength, and show the world exactly what God is - It is to live life together

Application: When you came to church this morning did you come with a mindset of “I will give Jesus a couple of hours of my time, but that’s all”. You are giving to Jesus a little bit of yourself. I am moved by Peter’s heart for Jesus – not just my feet, but wash all of me! I urge you today to give Jesus all of yourself in worship and in service. Is there any area of your life you are holding back on from Jesus? Give it to Jesus! Let Him have all of you.

Layer three – serve one another

Let’s peal back this onion a third time and see another layer of truth presented here. READ 12 – 17.

John 13:12–17 CSB

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.

After Jesus washed the disciple’s feet, He explained to them why He had done it.

As a footnote, if you will excuse the pun. - Jesus washed the feet of Judas. Jesus knew that he was going to betray him. - foot - washing is not just about dealing with the nice people.

Although the leader of the group, Jesus set the example by serving others; we should look for ways to serve the people in our church family and the people in the community. Most of us would nod our heads in agreement that would be a good thing for us to do – serve one another. However, will we take the time to do it? Will we make the effort?

Luke’s gospel gives us another view on why servanthood is necessary and gives us another dimension ofJesus’ teaching on foot-washing. The message makes the meaning in Luke 22:24-27 clear

Luke 22:24–27 The Message

24 Within minutes they were bickering over who of them would end up the greatest. 25 But Jesus intervened: “Kings like to throw their weight around and people in authority like to give themselves fancy titles. 26 It’s not going to be that way with you. Let the senior among you become like the junior; let the leader act the part of the servant. 27 “Who would you rather be: the one who eats the dinner or the one who serves the dinner? You’d rather eat and be served, right? But I’ve taken my place among you as the one who serves.

I bet you’ve seen this before. - I’ve been at this church form the start - translated as ‘Who do you think you are, you’ve only been coming the last five years”

I’m part of the worship team, the flower arranging team. - I have a title don’t you know.

I’ve been asked to do this, the hidden agenda being - you haven’t

Jesus knew they had this argument and that these Apostles hearts and attitudes were probably still on that subject while eating the Passover meal. What did Jesus see when He looked across that room? Proud hearts and dirty feet.

By His washing their feet Jesus showed them humility. Earthly kingdoms are all about title and position. The Kingdom of God is about humble service. Those who are the greatest in the Kingdom of God are those who serve rather than those who have the highest position of honour. These Apostles were unwilling to humble themselves and wash each other’s feet – but Jesus was willing to do it.

Application: Is there someone at work or a neighbours or even in church, who you should humble yourself to serve in some way?

Engage in a random act of kindness

Leave flowers on a friend’s doorstep

Call someone just to check in on how they are doing

Share words of love and appreciation

Make amends for something you have done that may have been hurtful

Stand up for those who are unable to do so for themselves

Support someone, despite if you agree with their choices

Lend a listening ear to someone going through tough times

Bring a new person to your church

Use your God-given gifts in new ways

John 13:17 teaches us what will happen to us if we do the things of God – we will be blessed! This is the thrid layer of the story we serve one another.

READ THIS Layer four – you do not understand this now

Let’s pull back the layer of the onion one last time. I want to come back to the statement of Jesus in verse 7 that Peter did not understand what Jesus was doing then, but later he would.

What did Peter come to understand later?

Beyond receiving the full extent of His love

Beyond the humility to serve one another

Beyond sharing a part with me in fellowship and relationship

Peter came to understand the humility of Jesus would go even deeper than washing feet. Jesus humbled Himself to die on the cross for the sins of the world.

Peter finally got it! We hear Peter on the day of Pentecost preaching this truth. Acts 2:32-33 READ.

Acts 2:32–33 CSB

32 “God has raised this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. 33 Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear.

What did Peter come to understand in the Upper Room? A humble leader teaching His disciples to serve one another. By the time of the Pentecost, who did Peter see Jesus become?

Verse 33 one who was “exalted to the right hand of God”. Rather than kneeling and serving, Jesus was exalted!

Further in verse 36

Acts 2:36 NIV

36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

The humble teacher – revealed His glory in the resurrection and now Peter could boldly proclaim Jesus is Lord and Christ!

Peter thought he knew all about Jesus, but there was so much more to learn and understand. I pray that God help each of us grow in our awareness of Jesus’ glory!

Conclusion:

Let me close with this story about the power of foot washing , questions about God’s existence often troubles H. A. Hodges a brilliant young professor at Oxford University. He was a professor of philosophy and had studied all the great philosophers and world religions and but couldn’t commit himself to anyone of them.

One day as he strolled down the street, he passed by an art store. His attention was gripped by a simple picture in the window. It showed Jesus kneeling to wash His disciple’s feet. He had read the Bible as a text book, and was familiar with the story. Suddenly, the sheer meaning of that scene gripped his heart. God! The God who created the universe! Had come to earth and humbled Himself to do the lowliest of tasks! If God is like that, then that God shall be my God! He surrendered his heart and life to follow the foot washing God!

(Dennis Davidson sermoncentral.com)

What about you?

Do you follow the God who was willing to humble Himself to wash His disciple’s feet?

Do as Peter did and let Him wash all of you in a complete surrender of yourself to Him and His ways.

Pray

Forgive

See

Serve

Reveal

Over the next few weeks we are going to focus on what being church is - today we focused on how we are loved by God and how this causes us to serve in humility. Over the next few weeks we will look at other practical applications that make us Church.