John 13:12-20
Notes
Transcript
WELCOME TO POTR!
If you are visiting this morning…man you came on a good Sunday.
Its your lucky day!
You are here for our very FIRST “PROSPERITY GOSPEL SERMON” we have ever done at POTR.
Ok…If Im honest Im not too sure if this falls into the “Prosperity Gospel” stuff because I’ve never done that but it at least falls into the “FEEL GOOD, MAKE YOU HAPPY” Stuff.
I know you want to be happy… I mean, who doesn’t?
So…we find ourselves here in John 13:12-20 and that is EXACTLY what this section is about!
There are a few more points in here but everyone here knows I don’t do good with points and sub-points....but we won’t leave anything out.
Just know…I want you all to be happy and if you listen carefully and do what Christ is saying here guess what…you will be happy.
We are looking at the life of the life of a Christian, especially the life of a Christian among other believers.
So before we read our text:
A reminder of last week…
We saw in verses 1-11, Jesus washes the disciples feet. He gets up from supper and starts to wash all of the disciples feet.
Now, look at John 13:12-11 and HEAR THE WORD OF GOD:
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.”
Prayer:
Here we go…get ready to be happy!
Look at verse 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?
Can you believe this? Jesus washed all of their feet…even Judas’ feet.
And He knew that Judas was going to betray Him THIS VERY NIGHT (VS. 11)
Man, we are not like Christ in so many ways…but pray that we will be! Pray that He will conform us more and more into the image of Christ.
Do you know how much trouble and drama we have caused because we “THINK” someone “SAID SOMETHING” about us?
So you don’t want to admit it? Well, I will and man it gets dumb real fast. You know you’ve done it. We go off and tell people “he’s doing this, she’s over there doing “that”…I just “know” it”.
We get ourselves worked up and everyone else worked up
And half the time or more than that we were completely wrong but all we did is cause a bunch of drama and trouble and hurt friendships and relationships.
Let’s learn from Christ:
Christ KNEW what was about to happen and he still treated him as one of the disciples…AND HE KNEW Judas’ heart and that he was the betrayer of the Christ
He KNEW Judas had been stealing...
And even though HE KNEW…He didn’t accuse, He didn’t question…He was patient and waited for him to actually DO what he was going to do where he exposed himself.
Christ KNEW…and we DO NOT KNOW things like this.
I think this is something that we can all put in our mind so the next time we “think” someone is going “to do something”…trust that God will reveal it at the proper time.
Look at what Jesus said in verse 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?
“Do you understand what I have done to you?”
DON’T FORGET THIS QUESTION…I MIGHT BE ENDING WITH IT THIS MORNING
They’re probably thinking, “uhhh…you just washed our feet?”
But they know that isn’t the answer He is wanting
Jesus always had a deeper meaning
So…they look at each other…and don’t say anything..
We read this and we just keep going to the next verse.
But this is where good teachers learned how to teach…ask a question…pause…let the person think....
Don’t make them answer....
You don’t want to make people feel uneasy…you want them to feel safe
People hate having to answer questions sometimes…scared they might say the wrong thing.
Ask…pause…get them time to think…and continue.
So…he says,
John 13:12 (ESV)
“Do you understand what I have done to you?
HE PAUSES…THEY LOOK AROUND…WONDERING…THINKING....AND HE GOES ON...
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.
Jesus says, “you call me Teacher and Lord”....
You confess me this way...
Then in verse 14 He says, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher…you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
This is how first come to know Christ…
FIRST... He is our Teacher.
He “teaches” us through His Word that is shared with us…
THEN… we come to BELIEVE HE IS LORD.
Once WE confess Him as Lord...
then HE begins to TEACH
A.W. Pink puts it like this:
A Teacher is to be “believed”. A LORD is to be “obeyed”
Look again at verses 12-14:
John 13:12–14 (ESV)
...“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.
“OUGHT”… You “ought to wash one another’s feet”.
What does “ought mean”? DEFINITION ON THE SCREEN.
owe someth. to someone, be indebted to, to be under obligation to meet certain social or moral expectations, owe
Now there are two ways you can read the Bible
Literal : which means taking into account the context of the whole section
Literalistic: Which does not take into account the context
basically it says what it says and it means what it means
not a good approach
Someone who reads this in a “literalistic” way then they would say,
“Jesus says we “OUGHT” to wash one another’s feet”.
This is a command...
So what do people who read it this way do?
they schedule one day a year, or two or three times a year, to come in and everyone washes each other feet
And, they feel good because they are doing what God said to do in John 13.
But what about people who have no arms?
Jesus doesn’t say its okay not to wash each others feet if you don’t have arms.
Being a tTRUE CHRISTIANITY is not about rituals and ceremonies...
That is the easiest thing in the world to do...
Anyone can do some ceremony....
Anyone can wash someones feet
And anyone can have their feet washed....EVEN JUDAS.
Jesus’ point is NOT that we should schedule a time to get together…take off our shoes and socks and wash each others feet.
And there is nothing wrong if that is something you do sometime...
It JUST ISN’T THE POINT JESUS IS MAKING!
WHAT IS THE POINT?
Think about what Jesus did? Remember verses 1-11!!
Jesus kneels down...
Begins to wash their feet...
Peter says, “Lord, you wash my feet?” — Basically, “No!! Don’t wash my feet!!”
Lets just look at verse 5-10.
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.”
Once you come to Christ in faith…He has washed you completely by His blood…you are Clean and NEVER need to be washed again....
Jesus washes their feet because while we are still here in this world we are surrounded by sin…we fall into sin ourselves in so many ways…but Jesus is always there for us to come to him so he can wash our feet as we walk through this world...
We don’t have to be scared or ashamed when we come to Him for him to wash our feet because VERSE 1 tells us that He loves His OWN who are in the world to the end…to the uttermost…and nothing in all creation can stop His love for us.
Now look at verse 12-16...
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.
He is saying, “Guys…do you understand? Do you see what I have done to you? Do you see how much I love you? Do the same to each other!”
Do you see how much I love you…and I know you aren’t perfect!
Peter, I know you are going to deny me tonight!
Philip, I know you are going to question me (John 14:8-11)
Thomas…I know you are going to doubt me...
Judas… I KNOW what you are about to do in just a few hours… but you haven’t actually done it yet...
And I washed all of your feet....even though I KNOW you are not all clean (Judas)...
But ya’ll are clean…and I love yall so much that I bent down and washed your feet....
Guys, daily you CAN COME…AND YOU NEED TO COME TO ME so I can wash the sin off of your feet as you walk in this sinful world…because sin is not only around you as you walk in this world…you still fall into it yourself.
And I LOVE YOU TO THE UTTERMOST SO COME TO ME DAILY TO LET ME WASH YOUR SIN STAINED FEET CLEAN...
Do you understand what I have done for you?
Then you OUGHT to do the same.
WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET...
Care for one another…Love one another…Be there for one another…Help one another.
Be HONEST with yourself AND with your brother and sister in Christ.
If its you…come to Christ and let Him wash your feet clean.
If it is your brother or sister in Christ…Be HONEST with them
IF you see your brother or sister in sin…DON’T TURN YOUR HEAD because you don’t
want to get involved…GO TO THEM IN LOVE and be there for them.
Wash their sin with The Word....Love on them…encourage them…restore them.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Love one another…wash one another’s feet…Pray for one another...
get down and get dirty and love them and serve them like I have done...
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
This is what I have done for you…and you OUGHT…you are OBLIGATED…to do this for ONE ANOTHER....you OWE IT TO THEM...
Look at verse 15-16 again:
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.
Listen to me…if Christ has done this for us…and He continually DOES THIS for us...
NONE OF US are greater than Jesus Christ!
NONE OF US are ABOVE looking out for one another and caring for one another!
We are ALL OBLIGATED to do this…even for the least…and the least of us is probably you and its probably ME...
WE CAN NOT THINK ANY OF US ARE ABOVE caring for one another in this way church!
We are a family!
NOW....ARE YOU READY FOR VERSEE 17?
HERE WE GO...
If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
You know what “Blessed” means? SEE DEFINITION ON SCREEN.
An adjective describing a person as experiencing positive circumstances or a happy disposition.
to being fortunate or happy because of circumstances, fortunate, happy.
You want to be happy DONT YOU?
Then BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD!
Serve!
Serve your brothers and sisters in Christ!
You know why most people get down and depressed?
Because we sit around and think about ourselves
We think about all the things we messed up on...
We think about how she didn’t call me...
He didn’t text me...
I wasn’t invited...
They didn’t say “hey” to me...
Then we judge them…of what we “THINK” they are saying and doing to us....
Christ didn’t do that to EVEN JUDAS…and HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO THIS NIGHT....
Christ still got on his knees and washed all of their feet…KNOWING ALL OF THEIR FAILURES....
We are no better than Christ, OUR MASTER…THE ONE WHO SENT US AS HIS MESSENGER....
You want to be happy....SERVE THE LORDS CHURCH!
SERVE…HE GAVE US THE EXAMPLE…WE ARE ALL OBLIGED…IN DEBTED TO ONE ANOTHER ...
YOU now have NO EXCUSE...
“you know these things, BLESSED ARE YOU IF YOU DO THEM”
Let me start landing this plane....
Look at verse 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.’
I know whom I have chosen…interesting phrase...
But the Scripture that the Lord Jesus is quoting comes from Psalm 41:9.
Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
“lifted his heel against me”…interesting…sound familiar?
This Psalm is referencing what happened to King David when his son Absalom was trying to take the throne from his father, David.
He convinced Davids friend, and counselor, to conspire against David.
And King David’s friend and counselor, Ahithophel, turned against David and sided with Absalom and gave him counsel on how to kill King David.
Absalom refuses his counsel and listens to David’s true friend instead.
When Ahithophel finds out that his counsel was not accepted by Absalom…you know what he did?
When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.
Jesus knew that Judas was the betrayer from the very beginning.
These prophecies are pointing to Judas...
Jesus knows that when Judas betrays the Lord Jesus Christ…that the disciples might start questioning things.
What is going on?
How could Judas fool the Lord Jesus?
is this whole thing unraveling ...
Is this whole thing falling apart?
The other disciples NEVER saw this coming...
How could ONE OF US do this???
Have you ever experienced that?
Has someone who you thought was SO CLOSE TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST that there was NO WAY he could ever do something so heinous against Him?
No way this man…or this woman…could ever turn their back on Christ this way?
It is shocking if you have experienced it...
And Christ knew it would shock his disciples...
So He reassures them…in VERSE 19...
I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.
And look at verse 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.”
Listen to me…Do not put your faith and trust in any man.
Don’t put your faith and trust in me…I promise…I do not want that load to carry because I will fail you one way or the other.
Put your FAITH AND TRUST IN CHRIST!
If you have experienced a Judas in church before...
someone who you thought was so close to the Lord that they could never fall and turn away…TRUST CHIRST...
LOOK AT VERSE 20 AGAIN...
HE says, “whoever receives the one I send receives me AND whoever receives me receives the one I sent”
FIRST: Don’t be alarmed if a Judas shows up in your Christian life…stay true to Christ…put your trust in Him.
SECOND: If a Judas is the one that shared the faith with you and you came to Christ…thank God that Christ sent him with the right gospel!
The POWER IS IN THE MESSAGE…NOT THE MESSENGER!
Im closing now…so let me recap this real fast...
This section is the Christian’s life.
This is our example and how we should live with one another.
Now…if you missed the gospel in this passage…in this section from verses 1-20…I want to show it to you so you will ALWAYS SEE IT.
ONCE YOU SEE SOMETHING YOU CAN’T UNSEE IT.
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.
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?
Serve one another…
wash each others feet...
Bear with one another...
Support one another...
Forgive one another...
See the best in one another...
Encourage one another...
We are obligated…in debted to one another because of what Christ has done for us.
This is not beneath us…because it was not beneath Him...
Wouldn’t this be an amazing church if we DO THIS...
You will BE BLESSED…WHEN YOU LOOK TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS.
YOU WILL BE DEPRESSED WHEN YOU FOCUS ON YOURSELF.
I’LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS....
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.