WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.740 God is all-powerful. God is omnipotent. And to help us with that, we're going to look together 00:00:06.740 --> 00:00:14.620 at John chapter 13. So if you turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 13, on page 1081, 00:00:14.620 --> 00:00:21.000 we will read the first 17 verses. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:45.179 And we'll see together how Jesus, as the all-powerful one, how he acts in that context and what that 00:00:45.179 --> 00:00:52.920 means for our own lives. So let's read together from John chapter 13. It was just before the 00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:58.799 Passover feast. Jesus knew the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father, 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:04.439 having loved his own who were in the world. He now showed them the full extent of his love. 00:01:05.399 --> 00:01:10.899 The evening meal was being served and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, 00:01:10.899 --> 00:01:17.739 to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power and that he had come 00:01:17.739 --> 00:01:25.479 from God and was returning to God. So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing and wrapped a 00:01:25.480 --> 00:01:31.980 towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:37.540 drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter who said to him, Lord, 00:01:38.040 --> 00:01:45.880 are you going to wash my feet? Jesus replied, you do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will 00:01:45.879 --> 00:01:54.979 understand. No, said Peter, you shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered, unless I wash you, you have no 00:01:54.979 --> 00:02:01.239 part with me. Then Lord, Simon Peter replied, not just my feet, but my hands and my head as well. 00:02:02.439 --> 00:02:08.740 Jesus answered, a person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet. His whole body is clean and 00:02:08.740 --> 00:02:15.479 you are clean, though not every one of you. For he knew who was going to betray him and that was why he 00:02:15.479 --> 00:02:20.539 said not everyone was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and 00:02:20.539 --> 00:02:26.419 returned to his place. Do you understand what I have done for you? He asked them. You call me teacher 00:02:26.419 --> 00:02:34.319 and Lord and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, 00:02:34.759 --> 00:02:42.280 you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for 00:02:42.280 --> 00:02:49.860 you. I tell you the truth. No servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the 00:02:49.860 --> 00:03:00.599 one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. Amen. So this 00:03:00.599 --> 00:03:08.280 evening we're thinking about power. And I think many people have something of a, we could maybe call it a 00:03:08.280 --> 00:03:16.860 love-hate relationship with power. I wonder what we think of when we hear the word power. Because there 00:03:16.860 --> 00:03:23.900 are those stories that frequently make the headlines about abuse of power, where people with wealth and 00:03:23.900 --> 00:03:33.639 influence and status use that position to abuse others or to abuse their sense of privilege. We have 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:39.139 that saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely. And we often see that reflected in the world. 00:03:40.239 --> 00:03:48.079 Power too is one of those assets that divides us. Some people have, some people don't have. Some have 00:03:48.079 --> 00:03:55.139 power because of physical strength, because of beauty, because of money, because of charm, because of their 00:03:55.139 --> 00:04:01.439 status in society, whereas others find themselves lacking that, find themselves powerless. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:10.400 Perhaps when we hear the word power, we think here's a goal to aspire towards. Power that brings 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:18.860 security, status, perhaps at a personal level, influence perhaps, and the ability to bring change 00:04:18.860 --> 00:04:29.000 in a community, in a society, in a workplace. When we think about powerful people, do we think of them as 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:37.879 people that we admire? Or people that we are critical of? Or is it somewhere in between? 00:04:39.060 --> 00:04:43.500 I think it's probably a love-hate relationship when it comes to our views on power because 00:04:43.500 --> 00:04:51.959 people like us who are sinful, we use power in ways that is sometimes selfless, serving others, 00:04:51.959 --> 00:04:57.819 but other times using it in a thoroughly selfish way. Sometimes power gets used in ways that are 00:04:57.819 --> 00:05:04.839 constructive and bring benefit to society. Other times power is used in really destructive ways that 00:05:04.839 --> 00:05:12.740 are harmful in families and societies. And so the book that we've kind of been thinking about over the 00:05:12.740 --> 00:05:19.039 last few weeks, Jen Wilkins' book, None Like Him, she has a really helpful quote where she says, 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:25.120 whatever power we possess, we face the choice of whether we use it for the benefit of others 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:30.879 or abuse it for selfish gain. Because we all have some degree of power and influence. 00:05:31.980 --> 00:05:36.080 And so we have a question, will I act like a steward? This has been given to me by God, 00:05:36.520 --> 00:05:41.920 therefore I'm going to use it for the good of others and for His glory. Or will I act like 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:49.140 this is mine? I'm an owner of this status? I'll self-promote and I'll seek to glorify myself. 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:59.500 That's us when it comes to power. We possess some, but we are not all powerful. But God is. 00:06:01.139 --> 00:06:08.180 We can think, for example, in Revelation chapter 19, Revelation is full of songs, the songs of heaven. 00:06:08.180 --> 00:06:12.540 And in Revelation chapter 19, one of the songs of heaven says, 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:24.399 Hallelujah, salvation and glory and power belong to our God. Hallelujah for our Lord God Almighty reigns. 00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:32.860 Now here's a significant thing. The hosts of heaven, they love the fact that God is all powerful. 00:06:32.860 --> 00:06:39.620 We might be cautious about people that exercise a lot of power. Perhaps we are cautious about the idea 00:06:39.620 --> 00:06:46.699 of God being all powerful. But those in heaven, they love that reality. And it's because they know God. 00:06:47.259 --> 00:06:54.220 It's because they know that God's power is tied up with His goodness and His love. So we began reading 00:06:54.220 --> 00:07:00.939 in Psalm 113, God is exalted over all the earth. But God is also the one who raises the poor 00:07:00.939 --> 00:07:10.139 from the dust heap. God is not one who abuses His power. Rather, He uses His power to show love and 00:07:10.139 --> 00:07:17.519 grace to others. And we see this really clearly in John chapter 13. That's why we're going to spend 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:25.220 some time this evening in this chapter. Jesus revealing His power. But before we get there, 00:07:25.220 --> 00:07:30.400 we need to think about the context. So the first question that we need to ask ourselves is, 00:07:30.740 --> 00:07:40.860 when is Jesus' power revealed? Now look with me at verses 1 and 2, and we'll find the background to 00:07:40.860 --> 00:07:48.220 what's going on. Now there's a crucial phrase, second sentence in verse 1, 00:07:48.220 --> 00:07:55.020 Jesus knew that the time had come. Literally, that means the hour had come. It's probably more 00:07:55.020 --> 00:08:01.660 helpful to think about it as the hour. It's a big theme in John's gospel. Right at the time of His 00:08:01.660 --> 00:08:09.440 first miracle in John chapter 2, we discover that Jesus lived conscious of this hour that was coming. 00:08:10.400 --> 00:08:16.900 So He was at a wedding in Cana, and they run out of wine, and Mary came to Jesus asking for help. And 00:08:16.899 --> 00:08:22.459 He said, why do you come to me? My hour has not yet come. So at the very beginning of His public 00:08:22.459 --> 00:08:28.219 ministry, He's aware of this time, this hour. And then as we move through John's gospel, we see 00:08:28.219 --> 00:08:35.240 increasing opposition from the Jewish people. And then in John chapter 12 and verse 23, we discover 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:39.919 this thing. We discover on the one hand that the Jewish leaders have rejected Jesus. They're plotting 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:45.620 to kill Him. But then some Greeks come, and they say, we want to see Jesus. And it's at that point, 00:08:45.620 --> 00:08:53.980 Jesus then says, my hour has come. There's something in this moment that sparks the hour. Now, what does 00:08:53.980 --> 00:09:03.379 that refer to? And I think there are some clues, some pointers for us in our passage as to what the 00:09:03.379 --> 00:09:11.620 hour meant for Jesus. The first phrase there in verse 1, it was just before the Passover feast. Now, 00:09:11.620 --> 00:09:19.820 the Passover feast was celebrated every year by the Jews, a reminder of the first Passover, when God 00:09:19.820 --> 00:09:26.799 provided a Passover lamb who was killed so that the angel of death, the angel bringing God's judgment, 00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:32.700 might pass over the houses of the Israelites so that ultimately they might be delivered to freedom 00:09:32.700 --> 00:09:40.580 from Egypt. So when John the Baptist announced Jesus at the beginning of his public ministry, 00:09:40.680 --> 00:09:47.200 he pointed to Jesus and said, here's the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus comes 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:54.060 to be the Passover lamb that through his death, through him shedding his own blood, there is freedom, 00:09:54.059 --> 00:10:03.759 there is life through his sacrifice. So his hour brings us to this time where Jesus will sacrifice 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:12.399 himself for his people. And what John realizes is that when Jesus washes the feet of the disciples, 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:21.439 he's preparing the way for a greater washing. When Jesus on the cross will wash away the sin of all those 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:30.020 who will put their faith in him. So his hour is connected to this time of sacrifice, but it's also connected 00:10:30.020 --> 00:10:39.580 to a time of spiritual battle. Look at verse 2 and we'll see this. So the evening meal was being served 00:10:39.580 --> 00:10:49.180 and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. So Jesus's hour 00:10:49.179 --> 00:11:01.219 is when a conspiracy of evil takes place. We find the devil prompting Judas to betray Jesus. 00:11:02.199 --> 00:11:11.559 Here are the forces of darkness lining up against Jesus in his suffering, heading towards his death 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:19.039 on the cross. And again, this is a theme that you can trace through the Gospels. There are in a sense 00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:26.539 two phases to the way the devil looks to attack Jesus and stop his mission. So the first phase 00:11:26.539 --> 00:11:34.980 is the devil trying to stop Jesus getting to the cross. And we see that really early in Jesus's life. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:43.539 Think about what happens with King Herod. King Herod, the evil king, tries to kill the newly born 00:11:43.539 --> 00:11:50.879 King Jesus. That's the devil's influence trying to stop Jesus' ministry from beginning. 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:57.699 And then the first thing that happens in Jesus' public ministry is the temptation in the wilderness. 00:11:57.879 --> 00:12:04.159 And again, the devil comes to Jesus trying to throw him off the path of obedience to God, 00:12:04.299 --> 00:12:07.879 leading to the cross, telling him there's another way to be a king. 00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:15.200 Why don't you ask me and you can gain power and influence another way? And Jesus says no at all 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:22.659 points. So that was phase one, stop Jesus getting to the cross. Well, here we find phase two of the 00:12:22.659 --> 00:12:30.759 devil's attack. And this time he seeks to bring the cross about by Satan's will, not by Jesus' obedience. 00:12:30.759 --> 00:12:37.559 He tries to throw everything into this to get the religious leaders, to get the Jews, to get the 00:12:37.559 --> 00:12:47.819 Romans, to get Judas all together to try and take over the cross. So that it's about Satan's will rather 00:12:47.819 --> 00:12:58.139 than God's will and Jesus' obedience. And we discover that he fails in both attacks. But what we recognize 00:12:58.139 --> 00:13:06.179 is that Jesus comes as God's king, bringing the kingdom of God, and as a result, he comes to put 00:13:06.179 --> 00:13:17.939 himself deliberately in total opposition to Satan. Jesus comes to dethrone the devil, to defeat the devil, 00:13:17.939 --> 00:13:27.740 and that climaxes, of course, at the cross. And so again, that spiritual battle is part of Jesus' hour. 00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:39.039 Another part of this hour is the fact that Jesus is returning to God. Verse one, Jesus knew that the 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:46.980 time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. And again in verse three, Jesus knew 00:13:46.980 --> 00:13:55.580 that he'd come from God and was returning to God. So this hour that John speaks about is part of this 00:13:55.580 --> 00:14:03.720 journey of Jesus' journey of Jesus from the glory of heaven to humbling himself to come into this world, 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:10.860 to then going lower still in his death on the cross and the humiliation and the suffering that that 00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:17.920 brought before resurrection, exaltation, return to glory at the Father's right hand. 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:27.219 So part of the hour is his return to glory as the obedient son. And we see that even at the cross. 00:14:29.259 --> 00:14:35.159 Returning to God is the conquering Savior who'd come on a rescue mission and had successfully carried out 00:14:35.159 --> 00:14:43.279 that rescue mission. Returning to God as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. So this is all part of the hour. 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:51.759 There's sacrifice, there's battle, there's movement of return to glory, and there's also love. 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:59.279 Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. So when 00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:04.500 we think about this hour, when we think about cross and resurrection and return to glory, all of that 00:15:04.500 --> 00:15:14.620 is framed by the love of Jesus for the world. So having said that this is the context, now we're 00:15:14.620 --> 00:15:22.240 going to see how Jesus reveals his power at the climax of his mission. What will that demonstration 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:29.200 of his power be like? How will the all-powerful Son of God react to the situation that he finds himself 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:37.680 in? And for that, we'll need to think about what motivated Jesus and to see how Jesus redefines 00:15:37.680 --> 00:15:47.400 power and what happens here. So let's think secondly about how does Jesus redefine power for us? 00:15:47.680 --> 00:15:55.480 So from verse 3 to verse 13. And again, it's really important for us to notice that John is very clear 00:15:55.480 --> 00:16:04.039 on the identity of Jesus. Verse 3, Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, 00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:10.960 that he'd come from God and was returning to God. So he's very clear when we think about this 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:19.519 foot washing, it's a foot washing performed by the Son of God, the one who has all things under his power, 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:28.980 the one who has all things under his power. So how will the all-powerful Son of God use his power? 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:38.620 Well, what he told in verse 1, his motivation is love. He uses his power to demonstrate absolute 00:16:38.620 --> 00:16:48.039 love for his people. He loves his own to the fullest extent. He shows total love because he loves his own 00:16:48.039 --> 00:16:55.779 people today. John is writing here reflecting back on the events of the life of Jesus. He's reflecting 00:16:55.779 --> 00:17:03.319 back on this meal. He's reflecting back on the foot washing. And he now sees that Jesus is anticipating 00:17:03.319 --> 00:17:12.359 the cross. And so John understands that this is a signpost to the total love that Jesus is going to 00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:26.479 show for his own by dying on the cross for us. So what happens next? How does the all-powerful Son of God 00:17:26.479 --> 00:17:36.839 use his power? What might we expect? We might expect that he would perhaps name and shame 00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:44.659 Judas. He knew Judas. He knew Judas was going to betray him. We might expect sudden judgment of Judas. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:52.539 We might expect the devil to be destroyed in a display of incredible power. But that's not what we find. 00:17:52.659 --> 00:18:02.379 Instead, the all-powerful Lord of the universe takes up the position of the lowest servant. Verse 4, 00:18:02.380 --> 00:18:10.720 So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 00:18:11.660 --> 00:18:19.580 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with a towel 00:18:19.580 --> 00:18:30.300 that was wrapped around him. Now, culturally, it was okay, it was accepted that you could wash the feet 00:18:30.299 --> 00:18:39.079 of a superior. That was an important way culturally to show respect for somebody. But you would never do 00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:47.180 that for a peer, somebody who was equal to you. And certainly, you would not see a superior doing that 00:18:47.180 --> 00:18:55.379 for someone that was less than them. And in actual fact, a Jewish servant would not be expected to do 00:18:55.380 --> 00:19:04.760 this kind of job because it would seem to be so low and so shameful. But here is Almighty Jesus, 00:19:05.180 --> 00:19:13.120 the Son of God, and he's dealing with the dust and the dirt and the dung of the road on his disciples' feet. 00:19:13.660 --> 00:19:20.920 Here is the most powerful person in the room, who is at the same time the most powerful person in the universe, 00:19:20.920 --> 00:19:29.580 lovingly adopting the position of a servant to wash his friend's feet. 00:19:29.579 --> 00:19:38.480 Now, again, it's important for us to remember that the disciples knew very well that Jesus had power. 00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:43.859 They had been with him since the beginning of his public ministry. They'd seen him turn water to wine. 00:19:44.419 --> 00:19:50.460 They'd been with him when he calmed a storm, when he healed lepers, when he raised the dead. And 00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:56.419 they'd heard his teaching and knew that it was unique because he spoke with the authority of God. 00:19:56.420 --> 00:20:09.300 And verse 13 makes clear that Jesus is still their teacher and that he is still the Lord. 00:20:10.120 --> 00:20:20.519 That's the same Greek word for God in the Greek Old Testament. So Jesus is not giving up his power. 00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:28.240 Jesus has not somehow lost his power. Rather, he is redefining power for us. 00:20:29.779 --> 00:20:36.119 And in a sense, this foot washing is a pattern that we can trace through Jesus' life. 00:20:38.099 --> 00:20:45.940 Because Jesus had all the glory of heaven, but he left all that glory behind to take on human flesh. 00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:53.660 Jesus gave up his life as he took our sin to become our savior. 00:20:54.440 --> 00:21:00.180 Jesus redefines power because he uses it to love and to serve. 00:21:02.039 --> 00:21:06.920 For Peter, for Simon Peter here, this is something truly shocking. 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:11.500 So we see that dialogue between Peter and Jesus in verses 6 to 10. 00:21:11.500 --> 00:21:19.640 For Peter, there's a sense of social order and cultural expectations and also understanding of the identity of Jesus as the Son of God. 00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:22.759 They've just been completely turned upside down. 00:21:23.380 --> 00:21:28.720 So when he says, you shall never wash my feet, he's saying the Christ of God cannot become my servant. 00:21:29.579 --> 00:21:33.359 The Son of God can't be the person that washes feet. 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:36.479 How does Jesus apply? 00:21:37.539 --> 00:21:42.359 You do not realize now what I'm doing, but later you will understand. 00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:45.379 No, said Peter, you shall never wash my feet. 00:21:45.919 --> 00:21:50.639 And Jesus answered, unless I wash you, you have no part with me. 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:56.379 Jesus' words here are making plain that the foot washing is speaking about something beyond itself. 00:21:56.619 --> 00:21:58.619 It's a sign pointing to something greater. 00:21:58.619 --> 00:22:04.559 Jesus is saying to Peter, you must be willing to let me wash you. 00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:10.419 You must be willing to let me serve you if you're to have any part in my kingdom. 00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:15.079 We must be willing to let Jesus serve us. 00:22:15.439 --> 00:22:20.519 Not to wash our feet, but to become our suffering servant. 00:22:20.519 --> 00:22:25.299 To live a life of perfect obedience that we can't. 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:30.579 And then to die as our representative for the sins that we have committed. 00:22:32.019 --> 00:22:35.160 We need to be willing to accept that washing. 00:22:35.400 --> 00:22:42.900 That Jesus deliberately, lovingly, willingly goes low, goes under the judgment of God for our sin. 00:22:43.980 --> 00:22:45.599 So that you and I might be free. 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:51.559 The Lamb of God, Jesus is saying, must wash our sin. 00:22:52.859 --> 00:23:00.919 He must be able to use his power to serve us by winning that decisive victory at the cross for us. 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:05.679 Or we can have no place in God's family. 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:19.860 So again, to use the language of Don Carson, the revered and the exalted Messiah assumes the role of the despised servant for the good of others. 00:23:20.560 --> 00:23:22.799 This is how Jesus redefines power. 00:23:24.120 --> 00:23:27.900 And this is what makes him someone to love and trust. 00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:33.400 He has all the power in the world, but he doesn't abuse that power. 00:23:33.400 --> 00:23:36.660 However, he chooses to serve others with that power. 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:44.019 Jesus uses his power to work ultimate good for those like us who are weak and powerless. 00:23:45.100 --> 00:23:47.620 And he does that fully conscious of his position. 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:51.080 He knows that he's from God and he's returning to God. 00:23:52.420 --> 00:23:56.800 And it's because he's so secure, knowing that he is loved by his Father, 00:23:57.240 --> 00:23:59.660 knowing that he's pursuing the will of his Father, 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:02.480 determining to seek the glory of his Father, 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:06.319 that security gives him freedom to go low, 00:24:06.680 --> 00:24:10.220 to serve others, not to hang on to power or status, 00:24:10.339 --> 00:24:13.680 not to fight for political power that people wanted to give to him. 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:19.660 He freely, joyfully serves and dies for his own. 00:24:20.200 --> 00:24:24.579 And all the while, without giving up his power for a moment, 00:24:25.099 --> 00:24:29.519 his lordship and his power remain absolute. 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:32.519 So we think about the drama of the crop. 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:36.440 When all the enemies of Jesus are raging against him, 00:24:37.379 --> 00:24:40.379 when he could actually have saved himself, 00:24:41.379 --> 00:24:43.559 he deliberately chose not to, 00:24:44.220 --> 00:24:48.019 instead showing the full extent of his love. 00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:52.019 So that's how Jesus redefines power. 00:24:52.019 --> 00:24:56.799 What does it mean for our use of power? 00:24:57.799 --> 00:25:00.859 Look at verse 14 onwards. 00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:03.420 Jesus says, 00:25:03.420 --> 00:25:24.380 So what is the example that Jesus gives? 00:25:24.380 --> 00:25:28.880 Is it that we should wash one another's feet? 00:25:29.320 --> 00:25:36.140 So you'll find religious groups that have that practice of a ritual that's perhaps annual or quarterly. 00:25:36.140 --> 00:25:40.480 And it may look like that, 00:25:41.060 --> 00:25:42.800 but that's not all that's talking about. 00:25:43.860 --> 00:25:48.080 I read a few months ago about a church plant in San Francisco. 00:25:48.200 --> 00:25:52.880 San Francisco is one of those cities that has some of the most influential and wealthy people in the world, 00:25:53.020 --> 00:25:57.700 but also some people who are really deprived and powerless and homeless. 00:25:57.700 --> 00:26:05.299 And there was a church plant that was going onto the streets and seeking to serve the homeless community by giving hair washes, 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:07.400 by giving haircuts, 00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:09.799 and also by washing people's feet, 00:26:09.940 --> 00:26:13.500 a practical expression of care for their needs. 00:26:13.660 --> 00:26:15.900 So it may look like that, 00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:18.799 but it goes deeper than just a ritual. 00:26:19.480 --> 00:26:25.059 It's an attitude of humility and helpfulness towards others. 00:26:25.059 --> 00:26:30.299 It's an attitude where we're holding on to our status lightly, 00:26:30.919 --> 00:26:35.659 where we're willing to use whatever power and influence we have for the sake of others, 00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:40.839 where we're willing to go low for the sake of others. 00:26:42.639 --> 00:26:47.399 So that we recognize that power is not an end in itself. 00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:53.159 Power is not to be used simply for ourselves. 00:26:53.160 --> 00:26:56.080 Rather, as those who would follow Jesus, 00:26:56.259 --> 00:27:01.440 we're called to use our power to restore and redeem. 00:27:02.620 --> 00:27:04.080 And so we need to think for ourselves, 00:27:04.220 --> 00:27:07.380 what does that look like in our lives? 00:27:07.700 --> 00:27:11.460 You know, if we have influence, for example, in our workplaces, 00:27:12.080 --> 00:27:16.380 how can we use that influence to care for those who are around us, 00:27:16.420 --> 00:27:18.460 perhaps those who are under us? 00:27:18.460 --> 00:27:21.519 Are there ways where, in our work, 00:27:21.579 --> 00:27:26.039 we can look to serve those who are poor or weak or lonely? 00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:35.000 If we have the power of popularity or influence in school or university or in our community, 00:27:35.319 --> 00:27:41.420 will we use that in Jesus' name to make sure that the weak or the awkward 00:27:41.420 --> 00:27:46.000 or the ignored or the new people can find a welcome? 00:27:48.140 --> 00:27:54.920 As a church, where we look to serve both those who are inside and outside the church 00:27:54.920 --> 00:27:57.400 in order to restore dignity, 00:27:58.120 --> 00:28:00.360 in order to meet basic needs, 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:05.940 in order to express the love of God to others. 00:28:05.940 --> 00:28:10.360 Whatever power or influence we have, 00:28:11.120 --> 00:28:13.920 Jesus demonstrates for us the way that we should use it. 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:20.920 Since the Lord of the universe gave a footpath to his followers, 00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:27.000 since the almighty Son of God gave his own life for his friends, 00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:34.080 since the all-powerful King Jesus holds us safe now and for all eternity, 00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:41.399 we can freely and joyfully make ourselves nothing to serve others, 00:28:41.879 --> 00:28:45.039 to use power, perhaps in surprising ways, 00:28:45.179 --> 00:28:46.839 in counter-cultural ways, 00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:51.720 to care for the weak and to bring glory to God.