Amen. You may be seated.
Well, if you turn in your Bibles to John chapter 13, 1 through 20, it's on page 1069 of your pew Bible.
That's where I'll be preaching from this morning.
A while back, we caught them in the act.
Right.
We had gotten home early from a trip.
And we had pulled up to our house.
And I recognized their cars.
And when I looked into the house, because it was evening, the lights were on.
I could see their heads.
And they were doing something that, well, that's not what we had agreed what they would do.
We had given them a key to the house because they were going to take care of our bunny, Rosie.
But they were doing something else.
The two are brother and sister in Christ.
They're members of the church.
They will remain anonymous.
We're in the same life group together.
I knew exactly what they were up to because I know them.
They were fixing a faucet in our first floor bathroom that hadn't worked since we had moved in.
And that's been 12 years at that point.
So they were not planning on being there when we had arrived.
They were serving in a clandestine fashion.
But they were caught in the act of conspicuous serving.
And it was endearing.
We felt loved.
We felt cared for.
We turned the water on and off in the faucet many a time.
Like, this is so good.
Have you ever been caught in a conspicuous act of service?
We've all been caught in sinning.
What have you ever been caught serving someone else?
As followers of Jesus, we are to be known for our serving, not for our sinning.
And this morning, we're going to come across a beatitude, a blessed.
And I have called it, blessed are those who serve.
We've reached a point in the Gospel of John that is called the farewell discourse.
It starts in chapter 13.
It goes through chapter 17.
And we're talking literally just hours leading up to the death of Jesus.
And so, if you look at 13.1, you can see now before the feast of the Passover.
The Passover has arrived.
The hour for which Jesus had come to die has now come.
And it's just a matter of hours and minutes before Jesus breathes his last.
And before Jesus dies, he's got some things he needs to say to his disciples.
In fact, he's got an object lesson to teach them.
And that's what we're going to be looking at this morning.
Notice in verse 1.
The hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father.
Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
So, the way that we're going to approach this object lesson
is understanding this is Jesus loving his disciples then and loving us, his disciples, now.
He loved his own to the end.
So, what follows in this passage is an example given.
This is verses 2 through 11.
And then the example is explained in 12 through 20.
It's an object lesson in servanthood.
When was the last time you were caught in a conspicuous act of service?
Let me read John 13, 1 through 20.
Now, before the feast of the Passover,
when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father,
having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot,
Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hand
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.
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's bathed does not need to wash except for his feet,
but is completely clean.
And you are clean, but not every one of you.
For he knew who was to betray him.
That was why he said,
Not all of you are clean.
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 no 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'm 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.
So let's look at this example given,
and then the example explained.
So verses 2 through 11,
the example given.
In verses 2 through 3,
we have a framing of this account.
John informs us
that what is about to take place
took place during the Passover supper.
John is the only gospel writer
who includes Jesus washing his disciples' feet.
All the other three other gospels don't include this.
And what he's doing is he's focusing
on something else about Jesus.
His example.
In verse 2, we learn that Judas has already,
that the devil has already put it in Judas' heart
to betray Jesus.
So Judas is present at the supper.
Jesus is going to wash his feet,
even though his heart is somewhere else.
He is not clean,
but he's there,
and he's fulfilling the purpose
for which God ordained him.
Verse 3,
we learn that everything is going according to plan.
Let me just read this for you.
We read this.
Jesus, knowing that the Father
had given all things into his hand,
even Simon's betrayal.
All things were going to plan.
All things were going according to the plan
God the Father had given his son to accomplish.
And so that includes God's sovereignty
over all things and this betrayer.
It's what we talked about last week,
this compatibilism,
where we have both God's sovereign
and people responsible
for real decisions they're making.
But it's in verse 4 through 5
that the story slows down.
And when you're reading something like this,
and the story slows down,
it's designed for your eyes to focus in.
And so what we see next
is designed to capture your imaginations.
And so let's look at 13.4.
Jesus rose from supper.
Back in the first century,
ancient Near East,
they didn't have chairs at tables.
They reclined at table.
And so when he rose,
he's getting up from eating.
And when he stands up,
all eyes follow Jesus.
But you notice no words are said.
And then he lays aside his outer garments.
He would have been essentially naked.
He would have had his kind of like underwear on.
But he would have been a lot of skin.
No words.
All eyes on Jesus.
And then he takes a towel.
And he wraps himself in that towel.
No words.
But everybody at that supper
is looking at him
and they're wondering,
what is he doing?
In verse 5,
these little action statements continue.
He poured water into a basin.
Can you imagine in your mind
the sound of water being poured
into a large basin?
That's what happened.
It goes on.
After pouring the water in the basin,
he began to wash the disciples' feet.
He's working his fingers between their toes.
And then he wipes them with a towel
that was wrapped around him.
He wipes them dry.
No words.
Just actions.
Your mind is to be imagining
our Lord Jesus doing this act.
And what we fail to fully comprehend
is the cultural significance
of Jesus
and this conspicuous act of servanthood.
Foot washing
in the first century household
was the most menial job
reserved for the lowliest of servants.
And Jesus intentionally picked it.
Even Jewish households,
this job was given to non-Jews,
Gentiles.
Why?
Well, we're used to wearing shoes
that cover our toes.
First century engineers' footwear
were sandals, open-toed.
And being a dry, dusty place,
no underground sewer systems,
it was agrarian animal refuse
strewn about.
First century,
ancient Near East feet
were gross.
Disgusting.
You got all kinds of stuff
working in between your toes.
And the reason why Gentiles
were given that job
in Jewish houses, presumably,
is that you could defile yourself
with what you touch.
So if you were a foot washer
of a first century household,
you were low man on the totem pole.
It would have been humiliating.
Has anybody walked into
a public restroom today
while someone's cleaning it?
And you try to make eye contact
with the person cleaning it?
And they look for you for a second
and then put their eyes down?
That's the vibe here.
There's nothing wrong
with cleaning toilets.
But it is humbling.
So Jesus has very intentionally
chosen this act
as an object lesson
at the supper.
He's doing what
only the lowliest of servants
would do.
It would have been humiliating
in the eyes of many.
And just think about
the kind of posture of heart
that fuels this kind of practice.
Check it out.
Here is the one
who just raised Lazarus
from the dead.
Lazarus, come forth.
This is the Christ.
This is the son of man.
The Daniel 7 king.
This is the son of God.
Totally God.
Totally man.
The word incarnate.
The king who has come.
And he's getting his fingers
in between his disciples' toes
to get the filth and squalor out.
When you start to understand
the significance
of what Jesus is doing,
this conspicuous act of service,
it verges on scandalous.
And that's why we see
Peter's strong reaction.
Peter,
when he came to be his turn,
he said,
Lord,
do you wash my feet?
You're going to actually
wash my feet?
You see,
you see,
Simon Peter has some sense
of who this is.
He would have been there
when he raised Lazarus
from the dead.
You're going to,
you're going to wash my feet?
And Jesus says,
you don't get it now,
but you're going to get it
in due time.
It betrays the supernatural knowledge.
Peter doubled down
in verse 8,
and in the original language,
there is a pileup
of strong no's.
it would go something like this.
No,
never.
Absolutely not forever
will you do that.
It's,
it's,
it's a strong,
like,
no way
are you going to touch
the gook
between my toes.
He has a sense
of his own unworthiness
and the worthiness
of Jesus.
And then in the verse
part of 9,
Jesus says,
if you don't let me do this,
Peter,
you have no share with me.
So,
so what's going on here
is this.
What Jesus is showing
Peter and his disciples
is how his kingdom
rolls.
This is kingdom ethic.
This is a kingdom way.
This is a kingdom way
of being and interacting
with different people.
And so,
essentially,
Jesus is saying is,
hey,
if you're not going to let me,
the king,
serve you this way,
you're not going to be able
to serve other people
this way.
You'll have no share
of my kingdom.
Peter,
being Peter,
swings the other way.
Because he's missing
the point.
He doesn't understand
what Jesus is doing
to him.
But he will.
And so,
Peter,
in Peter dramatic
style,
says,
not just my feet,
but yea,
also my hands
and head.
Kind of like all of me.
If you're going to go
wash something,
wash it all.
I can just imagine
Jesus kind of like,
oh,
Peter.
Peter,
Peter.
And in verse 10,
we read this.
the one who has bathed
does not need to wash
except for his feet,
but is completely clean.
And you are clean.
What Jesus is saying here
is,
Peter,
you've already been
forgiven of your sin
based on what I'm going to do
in just hours.
You're already clean.
So,
Jesus is saying to Peter,
Peter,
you've already been forgiven
based upon
what I will do
at the cross
in just moments from now.
For us,
living on the other side
of the cross,
we are forgiven
based on what Jesus
has done
millennia ago.
What Peter is missing
is what Jesus is doing.
It's like Jesus is saying,
would you just let me finish
with the object lesson?
I'm just trying to
wash your feet.
I'm trying to make a point.
And at the end of verse 10,
Jesus says something
a little ominous.
And you are clean,
but not every one of you.
He's referring to Judas.
He knows who will betray him.
Again,
divine knowledge.
And what's interesting here
is that Jesus must have
washed Judas' feet too.
Judas is not completely
clean like Peter.
He's got,
his heart is far from Jesus.
But Jesus has washed his feet.
But there's something
going on here
that you need to see.
This section begins
in verse 2
with a reference
to the betrayer,
Judas.
And verse 11
ends with a reference
to Judas.
And so what bookends
the actual example
Jesus gives
is an example
of betrayal.
This example
is bookended
by betrayal.
Why?
Well,
it happened.
But it's the very
opposite
example
of what Jesus
is modeling.
Judas
models for us here
selfishness.
serving himself.
Jesus
is modeling
selflessness.
Serving
others.
Considering
others
better than himself.
A humble
posture of heart
that is serving
people very
practically.
In this moment,
we get a line
of sight
on our
creator,
on our
sustainer,
our savior
and our
judge
and he
is kneeled
down at his
disciples' feet
and he is
getting the
gook out
between their
toes.
It's extraordinary.
He has
purposefully
selected
and
taken part
in this,
the most
menial job
of a
household
at this
time.
And you
know,
he has
served you
as well.
You know,
he hasn't
put his
fingers
between my
toes.
No,
he hasn't.
But in
Philippians
chapter 2,
we learn
that in
an act
of humility,
Jesus,
the second
person of
the Trinity
took on
human flesh.
He took
the form
of a
servant.
just by
becoming a
man,
a human
being,
it was an
act of
service.
That's
conspicuous
and he
did that
for you.
But even
more so,
in Mark
10,
45,
Jesus
says,
I came
not to
be served,
but to
serve and
to give
my life
as a
ransom for
many.
You have
been served
by this
man in
the most
conspicuous
act of
servanthood
of all,
and that
his work
on the
cross.
It's not
his fingers
getting the
grit out
between your
toes.
It's the
blood of
the cross
making you
white as
snow.
This is
the one
who is
giving us
an example.
I hope you
feel the
love.
Remember,
he loved
his own
to the
end.
So,
example
given.
Now,
let's look
at the
example
explained.
This is
verses
12-20.
So,
following
this
conspicuous,
even
scandalous
act of
service,
verse 12,
Jesus puts
back on
his outer
garments,
resumes
his place
at the
table,
and then
he asks
his disciples
a question.
He asks
them,
do you
understand
what I
just did?
In other
words,
do you
get it?
Do you
get the
object
lesson?
Do you
understand
what I
just did
to you?
Because
this
object
lesson
is a
gospel
kingdom
lesson.
You know,
when I
was a
young
football
player,
which was
a long
time ago,
my coaches
would show
me how
to tackle
and how
to block.
And they
would show
me how
to tackle
and how
to block,
not so
that I
could just
get head
knowledge and
like,
oh,
exceptional
form,
coach.
No,
they
wanted
me to
do it
myself.
And they
would ask,
do you
get it?
After they
would show
me.
And then
they'd be
like,
do it.
Practice
it.
What Jesus
is asking
here is,
do you
understand
what I've
just done
to you?
He's not
asking if
they get
it conceptually.
He's asking
if they get
it conceptually
so they
can do
it
themselves.
Do you
understand
what I've
done to
you?
He's not
asking about
foot washing
technique.
What he's
asking is
more about
heart
posture.
A heart
posture of
a citizen
of his
kingdom.
He's like,
do you
have the
same kind
of heart
towards one
another as
I have to
you?
Are you
a servant?
We're going
to see
in just
a second.
He's
going to
tell us
blessed
are those
who
serve.
What we
have here
in verses
13 through
17 in
particular
is he
gives an
explanation
for his
example.
And he
uses what's
called an
if-then
argument.
He says,
if this
is true,
then this
is true.
And in
verse 13
he starts
setting it
up.
Look how
he sets
it up.
Jesus
says,
you call
me teacher
and Lord
and you
are right
for so
I am.
Do you
know what
he's saying?
He's saying
I'm greater
than you.
He's saying
you call
me teacher,
it's a
position of
authority,
you call
me Lord,
master,
and it's
true,
it's good
and right
you're saying
that because
I am.
And what
we know
is Jesus
has more
authority
than just
by way
of role.
He has
authority over
all people
because he
is God
incarnate,
the Christ,
son of
man,
the son
of God.
So then
he goes
from 13,
he's established
that he
has greater
authority,
greater nature
than them,
and then
14 is the
actual argument.
He says,
if I
then,
your Lord
and teacher,
have washed
your feet,
then you
also ought
to wash
one another's
feet.
That's the
if-then
argument.
If it's
true of
me that
I'm washing
your feet
and I'm
greater than
you,
then you,
my disciples
who are
less than
me,
then you
must wash
other people's
feet as well.
See the
argument?
In verse
15,
Jesus says,
for I have
given you an
example that
you also
should do
just as I
have done
to you.
There's the
explanation.
This
example,
this object
lesson,
is an
object
lesson in
how his
kingdom,
how it
rolls.
Kingdom
ethics,
how we
relate to
one another.
Verse
16,
he drops
a truly,
truly,
he's like
saying,
let me
give it to
you straight.
This is
how it
really is.
I say
to you,
a servant
is no
greater than
his master,
they're the
servants,
he's the
master,
nor is a
messenger
greater than
the one
who sent
them.
In this
case,
they're the
messengers,
he's the
one who
sent them,
and he's
saying,
because of
this,
because I'm
greater than
you,
you're going
to follow
me,
because I'm
your king,
into serving
one another,
being a
servant.
And then in
verse 17,
what we see
is the
beatitude.
He says,
if you
know these
things,
blessed are
you if you
do them.
Do you
know where
the blessing
is found?
Not in
the knowing,
in the
doing.
The blessing
that he's
speaking of
is not
in the
knowledge,
in the
theory of
being a
servant,
the blessing
is in the
practice of
being a
servant.
It's
posture of
heart lived
out in
practice.
When you
think of
beatitudes,
maybe you
think of the
beatitudes in
the Sermon on
the Mount,
that's in
Matthew chapter
5.
Do you
remember what
the first
beatitude
is?
Blessed are
the poor
in spirit,
for theirs
is the
kingdom of
heaven.
Poor in
spirit is
just talking
about another
way of
humility,
talking about
servanthood.
It's a
posture of
heart that
is true
of those
who belong
to Christ's
kingdom.
It's the
beginning of
servanthood.
At the
very heart
of servanthood
is humility,
being poor
in spirit.
That word
blessed
carries the
sense of
joy and
happiness.
What Jesus
is getting
at is this,
it's the
good life.
The good
life in
God's
kingdom is
not being
served by
others,
it's serving
others.
There's joy
in that.
I define
humility as
simply this,
living in
reality.
Humility is
living in the
reality of who
Jesus is and
who you are
and who other
people are.
And when
you're living
in the truth
and reality
of all that,
you're living
humbly.
You've got the
right posture
towards God,
yourself,
and others.
That's
humility.
It's the
Copernican
revolution of
the soul.
Remember
Copernicus?
He's the guy
that discovered
that the sun
doesn't orbit
the earth,
but the earth
orbits the sun.
And similarly,
when we have
our eyes open
to Jesus,
Jesus brings
us into the
reality that
Jesus doesn't
exist for me.
I'm not the
sun of my
solar system,
and Jesus
orbits me.
No, I orbit
him.
He's at the
center of all
things.
I don't live
for myself.
I live for
Christ,
and he says
serve others.
And so when
you come into
Jesus' orbit,
you're going to
become like him.
in serving
other people,
and doing
that in
maybe menial
ways.
What we have
here is an
explanation that
has now moved
into exhortation.
You're being
urged by
Jesus.
It's like,
this is who
you are.
Now live it
out.
I'm not telling
you these things
or showing you
these things so
you can be
like, oh,
that's interesting.
No, he's
telling us these
things for us
to do them,
to live them
out as he
himself has.
He's like,
go be blessed.
Serve others
as I have
served you.
It's,
another way to
talk about it
is Philippians,
the way Paul
talks about it
in Philippians
too.
He says,
so if there's
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,
what does that
look like?
He says,
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,
having this mind
among yourselves,
which is yours
and Jesus,
and then he
talks about how
Jesus humbled
himself by
taking on flesh
the form of a
servant.
It's normal
Christian living.
Humility is
the essential
posture of heart
for every Christian
who follows
Jesus.
This beatitude
in verse 17
Jesus is speaking
of a joy
that he knows
personally.
For the joy set
before him,
he endured the
cross,
scorning its
shame.
He knows this
joy,
and he wants
us to personally
experience the
good life of the
kingdom,
the joy of
serving others,
but he does touch
on an exception
at the end
here.
He says in
verse 18,
I'm not speaking
of all of you.
I know who I've
chosen,
but the scripture
will be fulfilled.
And then he quotes
Psalm 41.9
in reference
to Judas.
He who ate
my bread
at the supper
has lifted
his heel against
me.
He's going to
betray me.
And then he
says,
I'm telling you
this now,
before it takes
place regarding
Judas' betrayal,
that when it
does take
place,
you may
believe that
I am he.
And that
little I am
he is the
Greek phrase
ego emi,
I am.
In other
words,
even in my
betrayal,
it will be
made known
to you that
I'm God in
the flesh.
the point
of all this
is that
because Jesus
has served
us,
we serve
one another.
Blessed
are those
who serve
because he
served us
with a
humble posture
in very
practical
service.
We serve
one another
both in
posture and
practice.
because of
Jesus,
we no longer
serve
ourselves
and we
no longer
see other
people as
serving us.
Because of
Jesus,
now we
serve
others.
So let's
apply this
for the time
that's remaining
in two general
categories,
posture of
heart,
day-to-day
practice.
So let's
talk about
posture of
heart.
the way
to leave
this building
is sensing
a call
to humility
that leave
this building
this morning
saying,
it is good
for me to
humble myself
because Jesus
humbled himself.
Remember,
humility is just
living in reality
of who Jesus
is and who
you are.
So let me do
some math
and you answer
the question,
is Jesus
greater than,
less than,
or equal to
you,
greater than.
He's greater
than me,
he's greater
than all.
And if he
humbled himself,
if he became
a man,
washed grimy
feet,
gave himself
his life
as a ransom
for many,
we must
humble
ourselves
too.
So humility
is to
characterize
all of us.
It's Philippians
2.
It's the
principal
posture of
heart.
So when you
leave here,
you might want
to leave here
saying,
oh God,
would you
help me
to humble
myself?
The second
heart posture
is joy.
It's joy
to serve
others.
So if you
are grumbling,
complaining,
whining
about helping
others,
that should
be an indicator
that your
heart is not
postured right.
Maybe it's
the result
from being
overextended,
there are
realities there,
but sometimes
it's because
you're insisting
on your own
way.
You're
actually
wanting to
serve in
practice
without having
the right
posture of
heart.
And the
way that
we go
about getting
the right
posture of
heart,
a humble
posture of
heart,
when we're
in the
midst of
serving,
is fixing
our eyes
on Jesus,
the author
and perfecter
of our
faith,
who for
the joy
set before
him endured
the cross.
Joy is
to be
fought for
in the
Christian
faith.
We can
descend
quickly just
into the
nuts and
bolts of
serving
practicalities
and not
tend to
our hearts.
Humble
yourself,
experiencing
the joy
of the
Savior.
Fix
your eyes
on him.
Blessed
are those
who humble
themselves.
I just
want to
say one
more thing
before I
get some
more
practicalities.
This has
to do with
posture of
heart.
What Jesus
is telling
us here
is not
a matter
of gifting.
All of
us are
called to
serve.
All of
us are
called to
have a
humble
posture of
heart.
it's
not a
matter of
how gifted
you are.
It's a
matter of
posturing
yourselves
under the
glorious
kingship of
Jesus and
serving from
that.
What we
have here
is a
normal
kingdom
way of
building
being for
all citizens
of Jesus
kingdom.
So if
you're to
be a
follower of
Jesus
Christ,
you're
being called
into
humble
service
of
others.
No
exceptions.
No
exceptions in
the room.
We're all
called to
serve.
So the
question that
you could ask
right now
yourself is
this.
How am I
serving
others?
In what
practical
real ways
can I
point to
that
demonstrate
me serving
other
people?
And if
you find
yourself
coming up
short of
examples,
bring it
to the
Lord Jesus.
Lord Jesus,
would you
help me to
serve others
as you've
served me?
Okay.
You ready
for some
practical
steps?
First one,
I'm going
to isolate
a group in
the room,
husbands and
fathers.
Husbands and
fathers,
whether you
are acknowledging
it or not,
you control
the thermostat
of your
home.
You're
setting the
tone.
Whether you
are stepping
into responsibility
or avoiding
it, you are
setting the
tone of your
home.
And we,
in light of
Jesus'
example here,
are called
to be
servants of
our wives
and children.
We lay
our lives
down for
them.
We do
good to
them, even
sacrificially.
So, husbands
and fathers,
serve your
wives and
children.
Don't whine
and complain.
Don't grumble
underneath that.
There's joy
in that.
That's God's
good design.
Now, I have a
caution, and I
caution you because
I know myself,
and this is what
I do.
after a long
day of serving
my family,
you're
legitimately
washing dishes,
mowing the
lawn, cleaning
out the
garage.
Do you
know what I
do?
Jenny, did
you see my
Christ-like
service today?
Guys, don't
do that.
Don't
Christ-like
serve your
wife and
children, and
you're like,
what do you
think about
that Christ-like
service?
That's not
Christ-like
service.
Christ-like
service, generally
speaking, likes
to go under
the radar.
Learn from
me, brothers.
One of the
things you need
to understand
about helping
people and
serving people,
we need to
help people in
a way that
doesn't hurt
them.
So just
because someone
says, you
need to serve
me this way,
doesn't mean you
should serve
them that
way.
What you
want to do
is you
want to
dignify
them in
the way
that you
serve them.
So
husbands,
fathers,
serve your
wives and
children in
the best way
possible according
to God's
word.
That's going
to mean some
hard conversations,
but they're
good conversations.
It's called
servant
leadership.
Here's some
other ways you
can care for
one another in
the church.
Childcare,
a.k.a.
wild care.
Find and
initiate a
young couple
with young
children, a
single mom,
families with
challenging
situations in the
children they're
raising, and you
go to them and
say, hey, can we
watch the kids for
a night?
Get you and your
lady out.
Get the two of you
out to refresh.
We'd love to do
that for you.
And you can
just pay us
$400.
That's all.
We bear one
another's burdens.
This is big,
folks.
And we have
young families
all around us
that you will be
called blessed
by them if you're
like, we'll give
you a night out.
Meals.
Blessed are those
who watch
children.
Meals.
We can serve
one another by
preparing meals for
one another when
crisis hits.
But even better
than that, you
invite people over
to your house when
they hit a crisis,
and you share a
meal together.
You do this
together.
You minister to
them not with just
a meal, but with
your presence.
Blessed are those
who serve up a
meal.
You give rides.
Some people among
us don't have cars,
and so we can use
our cars to serve
other people by
getting them places,
grocery stores.
The downtown area
has a bit of a food
desert.
We can get them to
and from appointments.
We can gather
them, get them,
and bring them to
our Sunday gathering,
get them home from
our Sunday gathering,
and as they're in
the car with you,
you're not an Uber
driver, a Lyft
driver.
You're a brother and
sister in the Lord,
so you get to know
them in the car.
Rides.
Blessed are those
who give rides.
friends.
The last one I want
to share with you is
probably the hardest.
It's not getting
grime out of people's
toes, though.
It's harder.
I titled it a
listening presence.
We live in a high-paced,
individualistic culture.
People often feel
left out and
isolated, and so we
can serve one another
by just showing up
and listening.
You show up and
listen.
You hear people.
People.
I regularly ask God
when I meet with
people, oh God, give
me an instructed ear
and an instructed
tongue.
So you listen.
You listen for where
people are, and when
they know that you're
listening, do you know
what happens?
You get to serve
them.
Get to love them.
Blessed are those
who show up and
listen.
There's other kinds
of serving.
Sunday morning
breakfast, the
Tuesday night
shalom meal,
king's place.
Oh, that's a great
place to serve.
King's kids.
Do you know what?
We also serve our
enemies.
Jesus washed the
feet of his
betrayer.
Do you know what
you do when you
don't feel like
serving?
Fix your eyes on
Jesus.
In verse 20, we
have another
truly, truly,
I say to you,
whoever receives
the one I send
receives me, and
whoever receives me
receives the one who
sent me.
Up until this point,
Jesus has been
talking about the
Father sending him,
and now he's
shifted that.
He's talking about
him sending us,
and he's sending us
out as lowly
servants.
We are Christ, his
servant
representatives, and
our gospel
serving will
open doors for
our gospel
seeking in
order to expand
his gospel
kingdom.
How about this?
God in heaven, Lord
Jesus, let's
start serving one
another more and
more with these
conspicuous acts of
service, not for us,
but for his glory.
Blessed are those who
serve and who get
caught in their
serving.
Let's pray.
God in heaven, Lord
Jesus, we thank you
so much for the way
that you have served
us and are serving
us and will continue
to serve us.
You've served us in
the greatest way
possible by becoming
a ransom for us.
Lord, would you bring
us into greater
degrees of joy as we
serve more and more
people, not because
we have to, but
because we want to.
Would you bring
glory to your name
through us, this
little church in the
middle of Kenosha?
Make a name for
yourself, Lord Jesus.
It's in your name we
pray.
Amen.