Well, we're continuing on in our journey through the Gospel of John,
and we're coming to chapter 13 this morning.
This is a very unique section of John's Gospel.
Unlike the other Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, and Luke,
John is about to give us five chapters,
all of which happen in one evening,
the evening of the Last Supper, the evening of Jesus' betrayal.
And this is amazing.
The best storytellers know when to quickly move the story along
and when to really slow things down
in order to help us see what's most important in the story.
And that's what John is doing here for us.
Almost a quarter of John's Gospel describes one evening in Jesus' life.
So we have to know that what we're about to read here is very important.
What's in these five chapters from 13 to 17?
I'm just going to summarize it briefly.
First of all, John tells us what happened before the Last Supper.
Then John tells us about Judas, the betrayer,
and what happened with him at the table that night.
Then after that, Jesus goes on at length,
teaching the disciples, encouraging them,
telling them about what's soon to happen for them.
And finally, sometime before Jesus is arrested in the garden,
there's a whole chapter telling us what Jesus was praying that night.
So these are very special moments in the story of Jesus.
We heard last week what some of Jesus' last words were to the public before his death.
But now John is giving us Jesus' last words to his disciples.
This is almost like a sort of backstage pass,
an invitation for you and I to come into the house
where Jesus sat and ate his last meal with the disciples
and to hear all that was said in those final hours.
So let's begin by reading, starting in John 13, verse 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.
The evening meal was in progress,
and the devil had already prompted Judas,
the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power,
and that he had come from God and was returning to God.
So he got up from the meal,
took off his outer clothing,
and wrapped a towel around his waist.
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.
So John tells us that this was just before the Passover.
The translation on screen says Passover festival,
but the same word can also mean feast,
as in the special meal that the Israelites would eat together
every year on the day of Passover.
And this is probably what John means.
This is the evening of Passover.
And John gives us a little bit of a peek
into what's going on in the heart and mind of Jesus
at this moment.
He says,
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.
It's not as though Jesus' betrayal and arrest
and death just came out of nowhere
and caught Jesus by surprise.
Jesus knew that the hour had come
for him to leave this world
and go to the Father.
Up until this point in the story,
we've heard a lot from Jesus
about how he has come into the world,
how he has been sent into the world
by his Father.
But now we hear that Jesus is about to leave
this world
and go to his Father.
And we might be wondering,
if we imagine ourselves there in the room
with the disciples,
what do you mean, Jesus?
Leave this world?
Go to the Father?
Like how?
Is this referring to Jesus' death
and his spirit going to be with the Father
after he dies?
Or is this referring to Jesus ascending to heaven
over a month later?
For the moment,
we're going to leave those questions unanswered.
Let's wonder about them,
just as the disciples did.
And they're going to actually ask about this
in the conversation this very evening.
John's main point here
is that Jesus knows that this is the hour.
He knows that he's right now
having his last moments
with his disciples
before he dies and departs.
Think about this for a moment.
Imagine what it would be like
to know for certain
that in less than 24 hours
you would die.
What would you do with that last day
of your life?
Who would you want to spend it with?
What might you want to talk about
with that person, those people?
What might you do with them?
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.
Jesus spends these final hours
with his own,
his disciples,
his friends,
his closest followers,
those that he has chosen,
his sheep.
And I love how John says this.
Having loved his own
who were in the world.
Do you hear that?
It's as though
John is thinking back
over all the time
that he has had with Jesus
up until now.
And what does John remember
from his days with Jesus?
What does he say
about this whole time
up until now?
He remembers being
loved
by Jesus.
Being cared for.
Valued.
Treasured.
It's as though
John is saying
he had loved us all along
right from the start.
but now this evening
in these last hours
we knew,
we felt that again.
He loved us
right up to the end.
Right up
to his death
and departure.
Verse 2.
The evening meal
was in progress
and the devil
had already prompted
Judas,
the son of Simon Iscariot,
to betray Jesus.
So John tells us
that the meal's
already been served.
It's about to begin
and along with that
a plot to betray Jesus
has already been served
as well.
John says it
quite strongly.
A literal translation
would be something
like this.
Already the devil
having put it
into the heart
of Judas
that he should
betray Jesus.
Jesus.
This is not just
a wicked man
or wicked men
plotting against Jesus.
This is
the devil himself
going after
the son of God.
Verse 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.
These words
are quite something.
We've already heard
some of them already.
John told us already
that Jesus knows
that he's come
from God
and is returning
to God.
But with that
John tells us here
that Jesus knew
that the father
had put all things
under his power.
Literally
Jesus
having known
that the father
had given
all things
into his hands.
That's quite a statement.
Think about it.
Jesus knew
that the father
had given
all things
into his hands.
The translation
on the screen
says all power.
We might see this
as a statement
about authority.
That Jesus
knows
that he will have
dominion
over all things.
That he will rule
and reign
and be king
over all of it.
all things
have been given
into his hands.
Jesus knew
that
and so what
does Jesus
do with this
awareness?
This is astounding.
having known
that the father
had given
all things
into his hands
he got up
from the meal
took off
his outer clothing
wrapped a towel
around his waist
poured water
into a basin
and began to wash
his disciples
feet
drying them
with the towel
that was wrapped
around him.
what an unexpected
thing
for the one
who knows
that God
has given
everything
into his hands
he takes
those very hands
and with them
he performs
the most lowly
and humble service
that can be done
for his friends.
He washes
the dirt
and the dust
off their feet.
Now the washing
of feet
is a rather
private matter
for most of us
except for maybe
some of you women
who like to go
and get a pedicure
from time to time.
The rest of us
we usually like
to wash our own
feet at home
by ourselves
in the tub
or in the shower
but this is
a different culture
and time
a different part
of the world
being a really hot
part of the world
they wore sandals
all the time.
Having no cars
the main way
to get around
was walking
on the dusty
and dirty
roads and streets.
By the time
evening rolled around
everybody's feet
were pretty dirty
possibly
smelly
and so this
was a custom
to wash their feet
before the evening meal.
It was a task
normally carried out
by the lowest
of servants
or by slaves
and you would
almost never
wash the feet
of one of your peers
and if you
happened to
it would be
a mark
a sign
of great
love.
Some Jews
even insisted
that a Jewish
slave
should never
wash
another Jew's
feet.
It was too
demeaning
of a task
too lowly
a task
for any Jew
to perform.
This was truly
considered to be
one of the lowliest
services that you
could do
for another human
being
and it was
kind of symbolic
I mean you
think about
the person
the feet
are at the
bottom
they're the
lowest
that you
can go
on the
person.
For us
today
maybe we
don't feel
quite the same
about that
but maybe
think about
the feeling
that you
might have
if you're
helping someone
who can't
do it on
their own
to take a
bath
or to
change their
diaper
if they're
incontinent
or to
scrub their
toilet for
them.
This is
maybe a
little closer
to the
feeling that
they might
have about
washing the
feet of
another
person.
You don't
want to do
that unless
that's your
job, that's
your role,
that's your
service to
them.
You might
be happy to
offer that
service to
someone of
great honor
like a
king but
you can bet
that the
disciples,
they had no
intention
whatsoever of
washing each
other's feet
before this
meal.
I'm not sure
what happened,
whether they
just had no
servants to
do the foot
washing or
what, we
don't know.
We might
assume that
Jesus simply
saw or
perhaps even
smelled the
need for it
and that he
didn't care
about positions
of authority
but that's
perhaps what's
so shocking
here.
It wasn't
like Jesus
just forgot
who he
was in
relation to
the disciples.
Having known
that the
father had
given all
things into
his hands,
he got up
from the
meal, took
off his
outer clothing
and began
to wash
his disciples
feet.
That's what's
amazing about
this.
Jesus hadn't
forgotten that
he was the
Messiah, that
he was to
be Lord of
all, which
means that he
did this on
purpose, knowing
full well what
he was doing.
Knowing full
well that he
was humbling
himself to
serve them
even though
they were the
ones who
really should
be serving
him, who
should be
washing his
feet.
It was a
mark of the
greatest of
loves.
The reality,
like John the
Baptizer had
said years
earlier, was
that these
disciples were
not even worthy
to bend down
and untie
the sandals
of Jesus.
That's how
great Jesus
the King
is, the
Son of God
is, and
yet he loves
them so much
that he will
do this humble
and lowly
service for
them to
scrub the
dirt of the
day off their
dusty feet.
eventually Jesus
comes around to
Peter to
wash his
feet.
Verse 6,
he came to
Simon Peter
who said to
him, Lord,
are you going
to wash my
feet?
Jesus replied,
you do not
realize now what
I am doing,
but later you
will understand.
No, said
Peter, you
shall never
wash my
feet.
Jesus
answered, unless
I wash you,
you have no
part with me.
What Peter
says doesn't
quite come
through in the
translation on
screen here.
Quite
literally, Peter
says, not
ever unto
eternity shall
you wash my
feet.
I was trying
to think of a
modern day
English equivalent
to that, and I
don't recommend
this expression,
but people in
our world might
say it this
way.
When hell
freezes over,
will I let
you wash my
feet?
Like, no,
uh-uh, not
going to happen.
And maybe it's
implied, I don't
know.
You give that
bowl to me,
Jesus, and I'll
wash your feet.
That's what's
right.
That's how it
should be.
And Jesus
just slices
right through
Peter's
objection.
He says,
unless I wash
you, you
have no part
with me.
I think what
Jesus means is
simply that Peter
and all of the
disciples must
allow Jesus to
humbly serve
them.
And I don't
think it's mainly
about the feet.
It's that the
disciples have
need of a humble
service that only
Jesus can provide
for them.
And I think
this points to
what he's about
to do for them
tomorrow, which
is much more
humbling and
lowly.
His suffering and
death on the
cross for them.
The ultimate
act of love.
It's as though
Jesus is saying,
all of you must
receive the humble
service I offer
if you want to be
with me, have a
part with me.
But it seems
that Peter is
mainly thinking
about the
physical, the
tangible, the
water and washing
part of things.
Verse 9,
Then Lord, Simon
Peter replied,
not just my feet
but my hands and
my head as well.
You've got to
love Peter.
If this washing
is needed for me
to roll with you,
Jesus, then
let's go all in.
Give me the full
bath.
Wash my hands.
Wash my head.
Whatever this is
about.
Give me the full
package deal.
Is this a cleansing
rite, a purification
ritual of some
kind?
I don't know what
Peter's logic is
here.
It seems to be more
washing equals
bigger share with
Jesus.
And it's here that I
imagine Jesus
probably chuckled
and said,
Oh, Peter,
those of you who
have had a bath
need only to wash
their feet.
Their whole body
is clean.
It's as though
Jesus is saying,
yes and no.
Yes, there is a
deeper meaning to
what I'm doing right
now for you,
Peter.
But no, it's not to
spiritually cleanse
you like a
purification rite or
a ceremonial washing.
That's not the
point.
On one level,
what I'm doing is
simply to meet the
physical, tangible
need.
Your feet are dirty,
Peter, from the
days walking.
The rest of you,
it looks and smells
pretty good from
your bath earlier
today.
No, Peter, this is
not about me being
made spiritually
clean by me
washing your feet.
But when it
comes to spiritual
cleanness, Jesus
seems to turn
the metaphor that
way for a moment
here.
He seems to be
saying that Peter
and the other
disciples, they
already have some
measure of cleanness,
whether spiritual or
ceremonial, I don't
know, it doesn't
say.
But listen to what he
says here in verse
10.
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.
You see what I
mean?
It's like Jesus
seems to be saying,
speaking of spiritual
or perhaps ceremonial
cleanness, you all
have it, except for
one of you, who is
defiled, who is
unclean.
Verse 11.
For he knew who was
going to betray him,
and that was why he
said that not everyone
was clean.
So whatever kind of
cleanness he meant at
the end here, Judas
didn't have it.
And this washing of
Judas' feet, it didn't
give it to him.
He had already been
plotting with the
Pharisees about how he
might hand Jesus over
to them.
And while the deed
hadn't been done yet,
the treachery of that
deed was being planned
and prepared even now
in the heart of
Judas.
making him
unclean.
Defiled.
There's perhaps a
brief word for us
here.
Sometimes we just
are tempted to
think that God only
really cares about our
outward behaviors.
But no.
God sees our hearts
and our thoughts
too.
And those inward
things defile us
and make us
unclean
too.
it's only through
faith in Jesus
and his blood
shed for us
that we can have
this spiritual
cleanness that
Jesus offers.
Finally, we come to
the deeper meaning
of the foot washing
itself.
The lesson behind
what Jesus did for
them that evening.
Verse 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.
You call me
teacher
and Lord
and rightly so
for that is what
I am.
Now that I,
your Lord
and teacher
have washed
your feet,
you also
should wash
one another's
feet.
I have set
you an example
that you should
do as I have
done for you.
Very truly,
I tell you,
no servant
is greater
than his
master
nor is a
messenger
greater than
the one
who sent
him.
Now that you
know these
things,
you will be
blessed
if you do
them.
Here,
Jesus gives
the lesson
to us
in all
this.
The first
thing he
makes clear
is that
what he's
just done
here now,
washing their
feet,
it's not
meant to
erase all
notions of
authority or
to make all
people equal
in role
with one
another.
He says,
you call me
teacher and
Lord and
rightly so,
you should
because that
is what I
am.
It's still
fitting for
them and
it's still
fitting for
us to
refer to
Jesus as
the teacher
and we
the learners.
To refer
to Jesus
as the
Lord or
the master
and we
the servants.
That's the
reality between
Jesus and
his disciples,
between Jesus
and us.
What Jesus
does here at
this meal,
it doesn't
change the
authority
structure.
It doesn't
make us
somehow the
master or
greater and
him the
servant.
And just
in case there's
any confusion
about this,
Jesus comes
back to it.
He reinforces
it again in
verse 16.
He says,
very truly
I tell you,
no servant
is greater
than his
master,
nor is a
messenger greater
than the one
who sent him.
There is still
authority,
there is still
distinction in
roles and
position.
There is still
one who is
greater and
one who is
lesser.
And Jesus
will always be
the greater
and we the
lesser,
even though he
has stooped
down so low
to wash our
feet,
to serve us.
even to die
for us.
But now the
lesson comes
in verse 14.
Now that I,
your Lord and
teacher, have
washed your
feet, you
also should
wash one
another's feet.
I have set
you an
example that
you should do
as I have
done for you.
what does
Jesus mean?
What does
he want them
to do?
Jesus,
very simply,
wants his
disciples to
take up the
towel and
to wash the
feet of one
another.
Now some
might here
want to talk
about foot
washing as
a ritual that
has been
practiced in
some church
traditions.
Should we be
doing that?
That's a good
question if it
comes from a
sincere desire
to understand
and to obey
the Lord Jesus.
I'm just going to
share with you the
helpful comments of
D.A. Carson from
his commentary on
John.
I found them
helpful.
This is his
answer.
Two factors have
prevented most
Christians from
institutionalizing
foot washing.
first, nowhere
else in the
New Testament
or in the
earliest extra
biblical documents
of the church
is foot washing
treated as an
ecclesiastical
rite, an
ordinance, a
sacrament.
He goes on to
acknowledge that
there is one
place in the
New Testament
in 1 Timothy 5.10
where foot washing
is mentioned but
it's merely listed
there as a kind
of good deed that
goes with hospitality
in the list of
qualifications for
widows.
He goes on to
say, second and
perhaps more
importantly, the
heart of Jesus'
command is a
humility and
helpfulness toward
brothers and
sisters in Christ
that may be
cruelly parodied by
a mere rite of
foot washing that
easily masks an
unbroken spirit and
a haughty heart.
And I think when
most of us hear
that, we have to
admit, well, yeah,
deep down inside we
know that Jesus is
not here just asking
us to regularly do
a ritual show of
humility and
service to one
another whenever we
gather together.
Just like Jesus
washing the feet of
the disciples, it
had a tangible
benefit to them, a
need that it met.
In the same way,
our humble service
of one another should
meet a need, a
real need.
So Jesus is simply
commanding them and
commanding us to
humbly serve one
another, to
metaphorically take
up the towel, do
the jobs and work of
a servant for one
another.
Just like with the
disciples that night,
it's like he's
saying, don't look
around the room here
and think, well, I'm
not going to do that
for them.
That's what the
disciples were
thinking.
There was the need
for someone to
wash the feet and
it's like they were
all just looking
around at each
other like, well, I'm
not going to do
that for them.
Here today, the
need in our church
is not foot
washing.
But what is the
need in our church?
Who has a need in
our church that you
know about?
What are the needs
in our church for
various ministries?
For the adults?
For the youth?
For the children?
Don't look around
the room and think,
well, I'm not going
to do that for them.
Jesus has called all
of his disciples to
be his servants to
one another, to
humbly serve one
another, to do the
jobs and work that
nobody wants to do
for one another.
This is the way that
Jesus showed his
deep, his great
love for his
disciples.
And this is the way
that he's commanded
us to love each
other.
And what will get
in the way?
Pride.
If you think these
kinds of things are
beneath you, that's
pride.
If you think, well,
that job or that
work or what's
needed to help that
person or those
people over there,
that's something I
don't like to do.
Well, somebody's got
to do it.
And if it isn't you,
who will do it?
The disciples found
out that night that
Jesus will do it.
There's almost like
an argument from the
greater to the lesser
here.
See if you can hear
it in verse 14.
Now that I, your
Lord and teacher, have
washed your feet, you
also should wash one
another's feet.
It's like he's saying,
I am your Lord.
I am your teacher.
You are my students.
You are my servants.
And if I, as your
Lord and teacher, have
humbly served you, how
much more should you as
peers, as equals, jump
up, grab the towel to
serve one another?
It's like even if some
of you were greater than
each other and you're
not, you should still
serve one another like
this.
I, says Jesus, I am the
greater and I have
served you.
Take up the towel for
one another.
Take up the toilet brush
for one another.
Take up that job that
nobody else wants to do
for one another.
Take up the oven mitts
for one another.
Take up the work gloves
for one another.
And notice that there's
no mention here of
skill.
That's got to be one of
the top three excuses I
hear to why people can't
serve other people in
the church.
I'm not very good at
that.
Or that's not my gift.
Now there are a few
people when they say
that to me when I say,
you might be right
about that.
You might be right
about that.
That's okay.
We'll find someone else
to do it.
But most of the time
when people say that
to me, what I think
is, how would you feel
if your son or daughter
said the same thing to
you about taking their
turn to wash dishes
or clean the bathroom
at home?
Dad, washing dishes,
I'm not very good at
that.
Mom, cleaning the
bathroom, that's not
my gift.
I think you're better
gifted towards that.
I'm pretty sure I know
what most of you would
say to your son or
daughter.
And I would suggest to
you that with most
things in the church,
it's no different.
There are some people
who are specially gifted
by God to certain
kinds of work in the
church.
But there are many
times and many kinds
of service in the
church for which a
special gifting is not
necessary.
Just like with doing
the dishes at home
or cleaning the
bathroom.
You can learn how to
do it.
You can get good at it
with practice.
I don't want to pick
on anyone, but ask
Charles before this
past year.
I mean, he had very
little experience teaching
kids Sunday school,
right?
And over this past
year, the more you do
something, the better
you get at it.
You figure out what
works and what doesn't
work.
And now Charles is
saying, I love this.
This is my thing.
I think of myself.
I'm not gifted or good
at ministering to youth.
This past Friday, I had a
game planned out for the
kids and it bombed.
The kids didn't like it.
They said, can we do
something else?
It was kind of
embarrassing.
I was a little red.
But sometimes by God's
plan, he doesn't give us
a special gift for the
work that needs to be
done.
Maybe it's a way that he
teaches us to depend on
him and to look to him
for help.
But will we obey the
command of Christ and
serve like he has given
example to us?
Or will we just keep
looking around the room
at someone else who we
deem better suited to the
work than us?
Take up the towel, says
Jesus, just as I have
done for you.
As I was reflecting on
these words and how they
apply to us as a church, I
feel that I need to
commend some of you.
Some of you have been
living this way, that
Jesus says we should.
You've been serving one
another.
You've been scrubbing the
church toilets.
You've been vacuuming the
church carpets, making
coffee on Sunday morning,
making and delivering
meals to people in need,
helping one another out
with vehicles or
equipment, serving our
kids on Sunday mornings
with a live, doing the
sound booth and the
PowerPoint at the back,
serving with your voice
or instrument for
worship, delivering meals
on wheels.
The list really can go
on.
As I thought about it, I
thought, wow.
For a small church, we
are a serving church and
we do a lot.
And so to all of you who
have been helping and
serving so faithfully over
the years, I just want you
to know that your work
and your service has not
gotten unnoticed.
And the Lord will reward
you.
He sees it all.
And so I just want to say
thank you to all of you
who have been serving so
faithfully over the past
years.
Your service is so deeply
appreciated by us.
Some of you here this
morning maybe have been
less involved for whatever
reason.
Maybe it's health.
Maybe you're new.
Maybe you're just visiting.
Maybe you feel burnt out.
Maybe you want to serve,
but you're just not sure
what to do.
Or maybe if you're honest,
your attitude has been a
little bit like the
disciples here.
Whatever the reason, this
morning if you're here and
you hear the Lord's call to
take up the towel and you're
ready, I want you to know
that there's lots of
opportunities to serve in
this church and in this
community.
We've got a bulletin board
through that back door.
We call it the servant's
corner.
It's got opportunities
printed on it there.
And there's lots of
opportunities that aren't
listed there as well.
Feel free to come and
chat with me about it
any time.
We've got church yard,
spring cleaning, youth on
Fridays, health center
services, other little
projects and waiting.
And we've also got people
who continue to be in need
of help, even with just
something as simple as a
meal, who are having a
rough go here in our
church.
So if you're looking for
ways to serve, check out
the servant's corner.
Come talk to me and I'd be
happy to help you figure
out how you can take up the
towel.
Let's pray.
Lord Jesus, we're humbled
by your love.
We know that if we were in
the room that night,
you would have washed our
feet.
And we would have known that
we should have been the ones
with the towel in our hands.
We thank you that you have
loved us with such an amazing
love.
And that you went way
further than that.
The next day, you suffered
and you died for us.
We are unworthy.
You are worthy.
And we love you so much.
Thank you for doing that
for us, for meeting the
greatest need that we have,
that we could not meet for
ourselves.
We love you and we pray
this for your glory.
Amen.