Humility and Servanthood

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” 15 Jesus answered him, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John allowed him to be baptized. 16 When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.”

Here we see the example of Jesus’ baptism, before he started his earthly ministry, he went to John the Baptist in the wilderness along the Jordan River and had him baptism him.

We also see the trinity here, Jesus the Son of God, being baptized, when we see Jesus come up out of the water, the heavens open up and a dove comes down to Jesus which we are told is the Spirit of God - the Holy Spirit.

Then we see that a voice from heaven spoke saying this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, this is God the Father.

Jesus went out into the river with John the Baptist, John would then dunk Jesus under water, because we are told that Jesus went up immediately from the water, that is he came up out of the water.

We need to understand that Baptism does not get you into heaven, and the lack or the missing of baptism does not keep you from heaven, but it is a form of obedience and also a form of worship to Jesus.

We are given a great meaning of what baptism represents in Romans 6:3-5

Romans 6:3–5 CSB

3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection.

See when we go down into the water we are symbolically representing that we are dying to our old way of life, just as Jesus died for our sins, we have been forgiven of those sins and are putting them behind us.

As we are under the water we symbolize that we are buried with Christ in the death of those sins, meaning that we are going to strive to not sin, and we are putting that old way of life away.

Then when we come up out of the water, we are symbolizing that we are following Jesus in his resurrection, in a new life, as followers of Jesus, to strive to live like him, each day we will strive to walk closer and closer to him.

Again we must remember baptism does not save us, it does not get us into heaven, but it shows our obedience, and it shows the world that we are a follow of Jesus Christ and we are going to strive to walk in the newness of life to live a life fully commited to Jesus.

I am now going to turn it over to Pastor Wayne, for announcements and a song, as I go to prepare for Baptism I am going to turn it over to Pastor Wayne.

The Meaning of Foot Washing

I want to start off by saying that in the Southern Baptist churches, and here at Red Level, we recognize two ordinances that Jesus gave us to follow and that is Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and we will be observing the Lord’s Supper later in the service.

You may ask then why are we going to talk about foot washing, well, Jesus washed the feet of the disciples at the last supper, and even though it is not an ordinance of the church, that is something that we are commanded to observe, there is some great lessons we can learn from what Jesus did through the washing of the feet of the disciples.

Now I did not call upon 12 men to come and help with this, one it would take up a lot of time, and two, I felt to really get the point across we could do it with just two men.

Therefore, I got pastor Wayne helping, he will be playing the part of Peter, and I got Ed, who will be playing the part of one of the other disciples.

We are going to try to give you an example of what it would somewhat look like, obviously we are not dressing up, we are not going through the whole routine of the supper, as the Passover Feast would actually last a week, but the last supper or Lord’s Supper took place on the first night which is called the Seder meal.

During this Seder meal there was a lot too it, from telling and explaining the Exodus story from Egypt, there was song, prayer, tasting of symbolic food, then the actual meal includes four cups of wine, eating unleavened bread, then other foods, and more traditions.

John 13:1–3 CSB

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. 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. 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.

Jesus knew the plan that God the Father, had for Him to be arrested, to be tried, to be beaten, to be crucified, to be buried, to be resurrected, and to ascend to heaven. He knew that timing was at hand.

Judas had already meet with the Jewish officials and made a deal with them to betray Jesus in order that they could arrest him, and yet he still went to the supper and the thing is Jesus even washed his feet knowing that Judas would betray him not long after.

John 13:4–5 CSB

So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.

Act out.

Beginning with Ed. - wash feet positioned so that the congregation can see.

Then move to Wayne - (Peter)

Script

John 13:6–11 CSB

He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.” “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said. Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” “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.” For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

Jesus had obviously washed all twelve of the disciples feet, but what we are trying to do here is show and explain the meaning behind Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, and therefore, we just need to see it done.

Jesus even goes on in Scripture there in John to explain why he had washed the feet of the disciples, he explains it to them.

John 13:12–17 CSB

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? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. So if I, 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 for you. “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

After Jesus finished washing the feet, he put his outer clothing back on, and sits back down, then asks the disciples, do you know what I have done for you, another words do understand what I did, do you understand what the meaning of that was?

He tells them you call me teacher and Lord, and that is right, and then He says, if I your teacher and Lord have washed your feet, you ought to also wash one another’s feet. He says, I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you.

Now there are some that take that as literal thinking that Jesus is saying that we should be literally washing each others feet on a regular occasion, and some denominations out there that have even made it a ordinance of their church, but again we do not accept it as a ordinance.

I believe that Jesus was not meaning that we are to literally wash each others feet on a regular basis, but that we are to serve each other, no matter what the situation is, no matter what the need is.

See the act of foot washing was considered in that time, the lowliest of the low of jobs, it was the job of the servant at the bottom of the list, it was the job of the least of these.

But Jesus took, on that role of the lowliest servant to show his disciples, that they should not think they are better than someone else, but that they should be willing to always serve others, no matter what the job is.

Paul tells the Philippians believers in Philippians 2:7

Philippians 2:7 (CSB)

Instead he emptied himself

by assuming the form of a servant,

taking on the likeness of humanity.

Jesus left perfection, He left heaven, He left eternity, He left the Father, to come to this earth and assumed the form of a servant, and in this instance he took on the job of the lowliest of servants, he took on the likeness of humanity, he came as both man and God.

What Jesus was doing in the act of foot washing, is showing the disciples the importance of humility and servant hood, and how we as his followers need to follow in that example.

Jesus states later in the chapter of John a new commandment and how people will know that we are followers of His.

John 13:34–35 CSB

“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Jesus has given us the ultimate example of love, and he demonstrated a form of love here in the act of foot washing.

You may wonder how is washing someone’s feet a demonstration of love, when we are willing and humble enough to take on the lowliest of jobs, to bend down and wash a persons feet, it is showing that person, in biblical times, that we are willing to do whatever they are needing done, that we are willing to go where ever they need us to go, to give up whatever is needed to help them.

Because we just humbled ourselves to the lowest position there is, to wash their feet, and that is showing love to them.

There are a lot of people out there that would say I am not washing someone’s feet, that is just disgusting, I am not touching someone’s feet, but Jesus stopped being the master, the teacher, the Lord, and he washed his followers feet.

He was showing the disciples, that we have to be willing to do whatever is needed to get the gospel message out to the world, that may mean washing the feet of someone, that may mean cleaning a toilet, that may mean picking up trash, that may mean, going to a village in the back country of Haiti where there is no running water, no electric, no comforts that we have here in the U.S. but we can share the gospel message and give people the opportunity to come to Jesus Christ for salvation.

See Jesus also said in Matthew 20:16

Matthew 20:16 CSB

“So the last will be first, and the first last.”

We have to be willing to take the last place, it is not about being first place, it is not about being number one, the top of the list, the top of the ladder, here in America, we are told to climb the corporate ladder to be successful, but Jesus says the first will be last and the last will be first.

Are you willing to do whatever God leads to reach the lost, are you willing to serve in any capacity in order to show the love of Jesus Christ to this lost and dying world?

1 Corinthians 10:31 CSB

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

No matter what we are doing, we need to remember our life is not about us, but is to be about bringing glory and honor to God.

Special Music

The Meaning of the Lord’s Supper

Mark 14:22–26 CSB

22 As they were eating, he took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I tell you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Again they are participating in the Passover Festival, this is the meal of the first night and again there is a whole process that goes with it.

It is not clear to exactly what point in the meal process that they were at, possible preparing to eat the main course or just finishing the lamb shank.

When Jesus takes the bread and gives a new meaning to the bread and eating it. The unleavened bread symbolized the severing of the Israelites from the old life in Egypt, it represented a separation from worldliness, sin, and false religion and the beginning of a new life of holiness and godliness.

From then on in the Lord’s Supper, the bread would symbolize Christ body, which He sacrificed for the salvation of men.

Next Jesus takes a cup, and they drank from it, this is believed to be the third cup of the meal.

Jesus says about the cup, this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many, now the wine, or as we use the juice does not turn into blood, but is symbolic of Jesus’ blood that He shed on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, and to establish the new covenant, between men and God.

Jesus then tells the disciples I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God, this does a couple of things here, He is telling the disciples, this is the last time He will participate in the Passover meal with them here on earth until His return, and it also serves as a promise that He will return and that He will return to set up His millennial reign.

After they finished they left the upper room singing a hymn.

As Paul wrote to the church at Corinth he gave them some warnings about partaking in the Lord’s Supper in the wrong manner which is found in 1 Corinthians 11:27-33

1 Corinthians 11:27–33 (CSB)

27 So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep. 31 If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged, 32 but when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned with the world.

First, we are told in an unworthy manner, that is with an unrepentant heart, or a spirit of bitterness, or any other ungodly attitudes in their life they will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord.

Another words you need to examine yourself before accepting the Lord’s Supper, making sure there is nothing that is being harbored in your heart that will cause you to sin against the Lord.

If we judge ourselves and are honest with ourselves, and ask God to convict us if there is something that we need to repent of or to go ask for forgiveness of someone that we have wronged, once we are clear, clean then we can take the Lord’s Supper with a clean heart.

But if we do not do that and we just take the Lord’s Supper without checking ourselves first, we are going to bring judgment on ourselves.

Verse 30 tells us that is why many are sick and ill, and some have even fallen asleep - and that is not that they have taken a nap. That is they had some serious offense and still participated in the Lord’s Supper and they died.

We are told that if we would properly judge ourselves, then God would not need to judge us, but when we are judged by the Lord we will be disciplined, God is a just God.

Therefore, only you and God truly knows your heart, we are going to have a song of invitation, and I believe due to having the Lord’s Supper we are going to just allow the video to play this morning in order to give every single person the opportunity to come to the altar if they need too.

If you need to just come and talk to the Lord you can do it right there in your seat, but these altars are open, and I don’t know about you but I love to pray on these steps. I already have this morning.

If you need to go to someone and ask for forgiveness, then take this time to do that, if you need to step outside and make a phone call, to ask for forgiveness then please do.

I truly believe in being right with God and others before you partake in the the Lord’s Supper.

If you need to come and commit to follow Jesus in believer’s baptism, I will be right down front here, if you need to come and talk about church membership, then again I will be right down front here.

If you are here this morning and God has been speaking to your heart, and you have never called on the name of the Lord for salvation, to make Jesus to the Lord of your life, then please do not hesitate, you do not know when your life will end, when you will step into eternity and at that point it will be to late.

Romans 10:9 CSB

9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Will you come this morning believing in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross to shed his blood for the forgiveness of your sins, three days later God raised him from the dead to give us victory over death and sin, and now reigns in heaven. If you believe that will you come and confess him with your mouth before man that you want him to be your Lord and Savior.