The Hour Has Come (2)

Sermon Intro:

The Hour Has Come

Today, we move into a part of the gospel of John where time slows down.

The previous 12 chapters have taken place over a span of three years. The next five chapters are all the details of one day.

And this next section is divided into three main “events” which will also be the focus of this week and the next two weeks. The Footwashing, the Farewell Discourse (where Jesus will unpack what is happening for His disciples) and then the High Priestly Prayer (where Jesus will pray for them and for all who will follow after them.) Barb Fuller and Jodi Spargur will preach on these next two sections and help us make our way through these chapters.

Today’s text is when we will first hear Jesus say that his “Hour Has Come” … as we’ve been making our way through the gospel of John, and perhaps as you’ve been reading on your own, you may have noticed all the times when “HOUR” comes up....

Jesus, to his mother, at the Wedding at Cana: 2:4 – “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.”

Jesus, to the Samaritan at the well: 4:21 – “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.” 4:23 – “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him.”

Jesus, to the Jews: 5:25 – “Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” 5:28 – “Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice.”

The Evangelist/Narrator: 7:30 – Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. 8:20 – He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

Jesus, to his disciples, before raising Lazarus from the dead: 11:9 – “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world.”

Jesus, to his disciples, after Andrew and Philip tell him that some Greeks wanted to see him: 12:23 – “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”

So, listen for Jesus’ affirmation that the hour has come.

But one other bit of context:

Our text this week skips over chapter 12 of the Gospel of John.

We’ll return to chapter 12 in a few weeks on Palm Sunday, tracing Jesus’ journey into Jerusalem for the final time in the book of John.

But I don’t want us to miss the context and connection to last week. And as well, there’s a story we won’t look at during this pass through John’s gospel, but that will give our text for today some needed context.

Remember last week, Lazarus died and Jesus arrived (late) and called Lazarus from the tomb.

Lazarus’ two sisters, Mary & Martha, played important roles in last week’s story.

And the opening of chapter 12 has Jesus returning to Bethany. Returning to Lazarus, Mary & Martha’s house. Jesus comes for a visit and during the meal, Mary takes nard, an expensive ointment, and puts it on Jesus’ feet… preparing him for his death and burial.

And this event should be held in our minds as we hear our text today. Feet will come up again. But in a different way.

Mary, will you come and read for us. Will you stand for the reading of God’s word?

[Reading]

John 13:1–17 NIV

1 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. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 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. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 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.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. 12 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. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

The Hour Has Come

The hour in which Jesus, as Paul would write in a letter to the Philippians

Philippians 2:5b–7 NIV

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And so, here in John 13, the gospel writer John allows us to see a meal in progress.

A meal at which Judas the betrayer is present and included. That whole scenario is already in progress…and we have the sense that things are in motion and cannot be stopped now…

John takes pains to refer back to his Prologue when he reminds us that all belongs to Jesus and that He came for all of it.

John 1:3 NIV

3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

John 13:3 NIV

3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;

And then because of this - because everything belongs to Him, Jesus does a very unexpected thing… he takes the nature of a servant.

The act of washing the feet of His disciples only takes 2 verses to describe. In the describing, we can see the action taking place.

But what is harder to see are all the boundaries that are being crossed here in this act.. Peers might wash one another’s feet as an act of devotion. But a host washing their guests' feet? No. A teacher washing his students’ feet? Never. A servant, sure. But even then, the lowest of the servants would be selected for such a task. This is an upending of social customs and expectation.s

This is followed by Peter’s misinterpretation. Which is the usual thing to follow something Jesus does. Jesus acts and then the people around, often including His disciples try to figure out what’s going on, usually missing the point entirely. So Peter has a strong reaction (surprise surpise!) and then entirely changes his mind. NO! You can’t my feet! to Wash all of me. He’s resistant to what Jesus is doing and then he’s “all in” on missing the point. Give me a bath! Oh, Peter.

In our text, we are given front row seats to see…

The Love of Jesus

Having loved… He loved them “to the end” (NIV) “fully) (CEB)

Jesus is embodying love. In his birth, in his life and ministry, in his relationships, including those with those gathered here in this upper room. And of course, we anticipate the way Jesus will love “to the end/fully” as He lays His life down for the sake of the world.

And so, Jesus’ entire life so far has been about love. And about the kind of love that doesn’t stop until completion. Until fulfilment.

Love and the abundance of that love is the context of the footwashing.

Love and the abundance of that love is the context of the teaching Jesus will offer after the footwashing.

Love and the abundance of that love is the context of the

Love and the abundance of love is the context of the the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.

Love and the abundance of love is the context of God’s presence in the what has been created.

In our text, we are given front row seats to see… the love of Jesus. And

The Example of Jesus

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. (NIV)

So follow in my footsteps and do for each other what I have done for you. (FNV)

What kind of example is Jesus setting exactly? Is this about helping with the dishes when we’re invited to dinner? Or at least offering to help?

There are several ways we could answer that question, but I’ve been pondering how this is an example of what we are to do with power.

What is power for…? Scot McKnight & Laura Barringer speak about the different kinds of power:

power over (domination)

power to (change with authority and structure)

power with (shared power)

power for (when we use our power for the good of others and to empower others to agents of grace)

power through (surrender power to others)

What sort of example does Jesus set for us? The One in whom and through whom all things are made. The One who had come from God and knew that the Hour had come for him to return to God. The One who knew that the Father had put all things under his power.

This One… because of all this… took off his outer robe and wrapped a towel around His waist. … and then would lay his life down, all the way down. For our sakes. And for the sake of the world.

And then He will entrust these to make

In this text, we have a front row seat to see the love of Jesus, the example of Jesus and...

The Challenge of Jesus

The challenge with the challenge - Jesus not only calls the disciples to wash others’ feet, but to wash ONE ANOTHER’S feet. This means that we are not just called to serve (which is hard enough), but to let others serve us.

Serving others. Difficult. Though at certain points, we can enjoy seeing a need, and moving towards that need with love and generosity.

But serving one another? That gets messier. Because for most of us, we’d rather serve than be served. Tell me how I can help. But if someone asks how we could be helped? Oh no. I’m fine.

And Jesus says, now that I have washed your feet, you should wash one another’s.

Now that you KNOW this. Do it. Blessing won’t come from knowing that serving one another is what Jesus requires of us. Blessing comes from DOING it.

Paul would address this when he wrote to the Galatians. They were busy arguing over theological lines in the sand. Mainly about whether Greeks needed to be circumcised in order to become Christ followers.

Galatians 5:6 NIV

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Galatians 5:13–14 NIV

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

So in this text, we have front row seats to the love of Jesus.

Love that remains. Love that is full. And love that will see things through to their fulfilment.

We have front row seats to the example of Jesus.

And we have front row seats to the challenge of Jesus.

Don’t just know this. Do it. And let others do it to you.

Philippians 2:1–11 NIV

1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.