Sermon Tone Analysis

! Introduction:

*As one reads through the Gospel of John, the shadow of the cross grows longer and darker until now the reader stands at the foot of the cross on the evening before the Crucifixion.

In just a few short hours (somewhere between 15 –24 hours) our Lord would be suspended between the sky and earth as the sin-bearer of mankind:

"And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him" (John 19:17-18)

Before the sun set again he would breath His last tortured breath: 

"Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’”

Having said this, He breathed His last."

(Luke 23:44-46)

Chapters 13-17 record what we have come to know as the *Upper Room Discourse*.

In these five chapters we see intimate teaching about Service, Love, the Holy Spirit, Heaven, our Union with Christ, and Prayer.

The disciples had spent many a nights with their Lord Jesus Christ, however this night is going to be different from all other nights.

This is a night that is going to change their lives forever.

If you only had a few hours to live and you knew that you did, what would you tell your friends?

What message would you want to pass on to them?

This is one of those nights, a night where Jesus is revealing His heart and giving them a night of intense discipleship.

*Chapter 13 Forms A Break In The Gospel Of John:*

a)                   Chapters 1-12 deal with the entire ministry of Jesus Christ, about 31~/2 years, whereas, chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, & 17 cover 1 night.

We can even go further than that.

b)                  Because it says in (1:14) /“the word became flesh and dwelt among us”/ that s when He was born, his birth, his incarnation, you could say this: the first 12 chapters of John cover everything from birth almost to death, 12 chapters 33 years, but 5 chapters cover 1 night.

We can go even further than that.

c)                   John 1:1 says, /“ In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.”  /So you could say this: Chapters 1-12 deal with everything from eternity past all the way up until the upper room discourse, but 5 chapters deal with one night.

/  /   

 

!

I.                    The Prerequisite For Royal Service: Washing And Cleansing (v.6-11).

What happened now was critical for every person who claimed to be a follower and a servant of the Lord.

The crucial point is this statement, found in (v.8):

*Jesus told Peter “*If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”  (John 13:8, NASB95)

There is a deeper meaning to what Jesus was doing, a spiritual meaning.

A person has to be washed and cleansed by Jesus...

*… *before he can become a part of Jesus.

*… *before he can serve Jesus.

*Another way to say the same thing is this:* before a person can ever serve Christ, he must be a part of Christ.

However, before a person can become a part of Christ, there is a /critical prerequisite/, an absolute essential: a person must be washed and cleansed by Christ.

!! A.                 Washing Is Misunderstood (v.6).

!!! 1.                  Lord, are you washing my feet (v.6)?

!!!! a)                  Peter expressed his disapproval.

!!!!! (1)                 Knowing the layout of a table and Passover meal, we have reason to believe Peter was seated at the far end of the U-shaped table from Jesus.

Jesus probably came to Peter last.

!!!!! (2)                 Perhaps Peter thought, “All these guys missed the point by letting Jesus wash their feet.

He wants us to protest, and proclaim that He is too great, and we are too unworthy, to have Him wash our feet!”

So, watch this guys!

\\ !! B.                Washing Has A Deeper Meaning: Spiritual Cleansing (v.7-8).

!!! 1.

What I’m doing you don’t understand now (v.7a).

!!!! a)                  Peter */did not /understand *at first.

!!!!! (1)                 Most people don’t understand, & even object to the cleansing act of the blood of Jesus, missing the whole purpose of why He even came to this earth:

*Remember when the angel told Joseph *"Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will* save *His people from *their sins*."

(Matthew 1:20-21)

 

!!!!! (2)                 /The Spiritual Understanding/.

Some say it was not till Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came, that the disciples understood.

That is perhaps true.

At Pentecost they began to understand many things they did not understand earlier:

 

!!!! b)                  */Before Jesus Was Glorified/*.

*After Jesus cast a demon out of a young boy, and everyone was marveling at the greatness of God, Jesus said, *"Let these *words** *sink into your ears (Luke 9:44)…  "The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later” (Mark 9:31)…  But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement.”

(Luke 9:44; Mark 9:341-32)

*Again, Jesus foretells His death and resurrection saying *"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished.

“ For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again.”

But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said."

(Luke 18:31-34, NASB95)

                *When Christ appeared on the Road to Emmaus and talked with two men, it says,  *"But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him… "When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.

Then their eyes were *opened* and they *recognized* Him; and He vanished from their sight.

They said to one another, “Were not our hearts *burning *within us while He was *speaking* to us on the road, while He was *explaining* the Scriptures to us?”  (Luke 24:16, 30-32)

* *

!!!! c)                  */After Jesus Was Glorified/*.

*Remember when Jesus cleansed the temple because they were trading and selling in it, *"The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?”

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples *remembered* that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word, which Jesus had spoken."

(John 2:18-22, NASB95)

*The Triumphal Entry, Palm Sunday, His disciples did not understand these things at first* “but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.”  (John 12:16, NKJV)

*When the woman came to the empty tomb the angel said, *"He is not here, but He has risen.

Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

And they *remembered *His words."

(Luke 24:6-8, NASB95)

*When Jesus warned them of the persecution in the future, He said *"These things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may *remember* that I told you of them.”

(John 16:4)

\\ !!!!! (1)                 /The Practical Significance/.

But I believe our Lord is here simply referring to the explanation that he is going to give at the end of his actions *(John 13:12, 15, 17; 16:25-30)*.

!!!!! (2)                 *There are things the Lord does in our life that we don’t understand:*

*At those times, *"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”.(James 4:8, NKJV)

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on *your own understanding*; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."

(Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV)

*Because we are prone to worry about things *"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6, NKJV)… casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

(1 Peter 5:6-7, NKJV)

*We often think the worst, but the Lord says *"I know the thoughts that I think toward you… thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.”  (Jeremiah 29:11-13, NKJV)

*The Lord says *"‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’”

(Jeremiah 33:3, NKJV)

*Often He answers before we pray *"It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.

“  (Isaiah 65:24, NKJV)

 

!!! 2.                  You will know after this (v.7b).

!!!! a)                  Peter */did /understand/ /*after Jesus’ death & resurrection.

!!!!! (1)                 The Holy Spirit opened his eyes:

*Peter wrote about Jesus saying *"who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed…  "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit," (1 Peter 2:24; 3:18, NKJV)

 

!!!! b)                  The Means of Having Understanding.

The means of understanding are by God’s:

!!!!! (1)                 *Gift*                   *When God asked told Solomon he would give him anything he wanted, Solomon said *"Give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil.

For who is able to judge this great people of Yours…?”

Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart”  (1 Kings 3:9-12, NKJV)