WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.000 Let's turn back to John 13. I thought we'd spend the day together in John chapter 13. 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:17.000 ! So if you come back later at evening worship, there'll be a bit of overlap in tonight's 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:25.000 ! I hope to talk to you this morning on the theme of serving. There are three ideas in 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:32.980 this part of John 13 on that theme in the ministry of Jesus. The first thing that John, 00:00:33.060 --> 00:00:40.679 the Apostle, wants you to see this morning is the glory of the serving God. The glory 00:00:40.679 --> 00:00:48.299 of the serving God. I think it's really easy to think that Christianity is all about what 00:00:48.299 --> 00:00:54.379 we do for God, isn't it? It's all about our efforts. It's all about our good works. 00:00:55.000 --> 00:01:03.980 But we see here that before we think about serving Jesus, we must meet the God who serves. 00:01:04.219 --> 00:01:11.480 We must meet the Jesus who serves. Jesus says in verse 13, if you look there, he says to 00:01:11.480 --> 00:01:18.780 the disciples, you call me teacher and Lord, and you're right. I am those things. I am 00:01:18.780 --> 00:01:28.000 your teacher. I am your Lord. But strangely, you must accept me as your servant as well. 00:01:29.579 --> 00:01:35.700 And if you can sort of get your head into the times. This scene was a very inappropriate 00:01:35.700 --> 00:01:42.960 display of service, wasn't it? It would have been humiliating to wash feet like this. It 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:50.179 would have been the lowest servant's job, a slave even. Jesus has arranged this private 00:01:50.179 --> 00:01:56.619 gathering, a private meal with his closest friends, his disciples, in this inner circle, 00:01:57.339 --> 00:02:04.500 in this upper room. There's no one there apart from Jesus and his disciples. And he's ordered 00:02:04.500 --> 00:02:11.340 them, hasn't he, to make preparations for this meal together. And so what is uncharacteristic 00:02:11.340 --> 00:02:17.640 about this meal and about the arrangements of this meal when they come in is that there 00:02:17.640 --> 00:02:26.460 are no servants. No servants to do the menial, undignified washing when they come into the 00:02:26.460 --> 00:02:32.560 room for the meal, getting the dirt and the muck, the animal muck off the sandaled men's 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:44.560 feet. It's a strange omission in the host's plan. But it's intentional, isn't it? Because Jesus 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:51.759 wants the role of the absent servant. And the disciples, they must have been very, very embarrassed, 00:02:51.900 --> 00:02:58.939 mustn't they? Peter refuses this service. But God, this is upside down altogether, isn't it? 00:02:58.939 --> 00:03:08.979 Where being glorious is about going down in service. Part of God's glory is that he serves. 00:03:10.280 --> 00:03:16.740 Do you see in verse 1, Jesus knowing that his hour had come to depart out of the world to 00:03:16.740 --> 00:03:22.560 the Father, having loved his own, he loved them to the end. See, now that gives you the 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:32.520 context of who Jesus is and who he knows himself to be, John tells us that Jesus was aware of 00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:39.599 the glory that was due to him after his death and resurrection. He was going back to the Father. 00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:46.819 He was destined to rise in glory, to depart out of the world. That's how John puts it. 00:03:46.819 --> 00:03:56.780 You know, if this was me, I'd think, great. Finally, I get to leave this lot. Think of all that 00:03:56.780 --> 00:04:04.079 Jesus has had to put up with, hasn't it? All of the evil that he has seen. All of the messiness, 00:04:04.280 --> 00:04:10.699 all of the selfishness, all of the faithlessness, and the slowness to believe, all of the blindness. 00:04:10.699 --> 00:04:16.659 Any of us would think, soon I'll be out of here. Just think when you're in that job, isn't it, 00:04:16.659 --> 00:04:20.959 that you've been doing for years, and finally you get to hand in your notice and leave. 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:27.899 Soon I'll be out of here. It's been three long years of training. His disciples have 00:04:27.899 --> 00:04:36.060 constant hassle, constant harassment, disappointment, and even betrayal. You'd expect him to think, 00:04:36.060 --> 00:04:43.620 finally, finally, I can hand in my notice. What a relief. Leave this lot and go to the glory of heaven 00:04:43.620 --> 00:04:51.319 and get what I deserve. But what strikes you is that no sooner, in the same breath almost in the text, 00:04:51.699 --> 00:04:57.319 is Jesus aware of his glory and where he is going, he stoops down to serve. 00:04:57.319 --> 00:05:05.779 Look at verse 3. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands, 00:05:06.180 --> 00:05:12.680 and that he had come from God and he was going back to God, rose from supper, laid aside the 00:05:12.680 --> 00:05:21.740 verbal garments. He begins the service. Jesus is conscious of where he's come from, of who he is, 00:05:21.740 --> 00:05:29.800 of his authority and his majesty. The Father has given all things into his hands, 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:42.040 in full knowledge that he is Lord of all. He is the servant of them all. The glory of his service, 00:05:42.680 --> 00:05:50.019 it is that actually he is not a slave, is he? Jesus is not a slave. He is not your slave. 00:05:50.019 --> 00:05:56.680 Jesus is the sovereign. Jesus is the sovereign with all things placed in his hands. 00:05:57.699 --> 00:06:06.079 With the hands that the Father has placed all things into. In coming to serve, it is not that 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:13.560 Jesus, as the Son of God, kind of empties himself of all of his dignity and his deity to serve men and women. 00:06:13.560 --> 00:06:21.899 He doesn't stop being God ever, does he? But he adds to himself a human nature. Like Paul says in 00:06:21.899 --> 00:06:31.019 Philippians 2, he takes on the former servants. And if Jesus was just a man here, if he was just a 00:06:31.019 --> 00:06:39.560 human being, without a divine nature, if these were merely a man's hands washing their feet, well, that would be a very 00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:48.480 kind thing to do, wouldn't it? It would be a very kind thing for a master of a group of men to serve his disciples. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:55.360 It would be a great example. But the hands that are doing the washing here are not the empty hands of a mere man. 00:06:55.360 --> 00:07:11.540 They are the full hands of the God man. The hands of the king. The ruling hands. The reigning hands. The hands with all things placed in there. 00:07:11.540 --> 00:07:23.460 Firmly holding hands. The hands that if you touched it, you would kiss it, wouldn't you? And bow down to it. 00:07:23.460 --> 00:07:34.460 But no sooner than Jesus is conscious of what is in his hands, of who he is and where he's going, his sovereign hands are our serving hands. 00:07:34.459 --> 00:07:46.379 This is the glory of his service, isn't it? Because he's an upside down kind of person. He is the God. When he thinks of glory, he thinks of service. 00:07:47.060 --> 00:07:57.719 When he thinks of greatness, he thinks of service. On the eve of the worst suffering possible, he is other-centered, isn't he? 00:07:57.720 --> 00:08:06.520 He doesn't look to his own things and to his own glory. He looks to the situation of others, of his dirty disciples. 00:08:08.220 --> 00:08:13.520 It's funny how John describes his service as Jesus goes to the cross eventually. 00:08:14.080 --> 00:08:19.660 Jesus, John uses this interesting phrase to describe the whole thing, the death of Jesus. 00:08:20.440 --> 00:08:23.980 He doesn't use negative language. He calls it in verse 1, 00:08:23.980 --> 00:08:31.759 The hour of his departure, or the hour had come to depart out of the world, to depart to glory, to greatness. 00:08:33.580 --> 00:08:40.360 He's not trying to deny the horror of what is to come, or to sugarcoat it, but to show us the connection. 00:08:41.220 --> 00:08:47.700 The two ideas emerged in Jesus. The splendor of Jesus is his service, isn't it? 00:08:47.700 --> 00:08:51.720 The glory is his grit and his suffering. 00:08:51.720 --> 00:08:58.460 And then John, it's as if he slows the narrative down as Jesus washes the feet. 00:09:00.460 --> 00:09:06.379 You get a description of each move, each motion. 00:09:07.720 --> 00:09:09.980 It's humble and it's glorious. 00:09:11.180 --> 00:09:13.480 It's considered, it's deliberate. 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:16.220 Glorious service. 00:09:16.220 --> 00:09:18.659 It's not just getting the job done as quickly as he can. 00:09:20.200 --> 00:09:23.659 John slowly pictures each moment from verse 4. 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:25.460 He rose from the sun. 00:09:28.060 --> 00:09:30.639 He laid aside his outer garments. 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:33.620 Letting go of dignity. 00:09:34.940 --> 00:09:37.220 Taking a towel round the waist. 00:09:37.220 --> 00:09:40.480 Then he poured water into a basin. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:43.680 He began to wash the disciples' feet. 00:09:44.740 --> 00:09:49.779 Then, verse 12, he puts his outer garments on and resumes his place. 00:09:50.460 --> 00:09:53.040 It feels almost ceremonial, doesn't it? 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:55.980 It feels deeply symbolic. 00:09:56.920 --> 00:09:58.660 And considered and deliberate. 00:09:58.659 --> 00:10:07.019 As we slow down, you can feel, actually, that this act, this ceremony is representative. 00:10:07.339 --> 00:10:11.439 It is symbolic of Jesus' whole life and his whole ministry. 00:10:12.699 --> 00:10:14.740 It describes it all, doesn't it? 00:10:15.059 --> 00:10:19.799 A symbolic picture of the journey that Jesus has come on into the world. 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:26.039 He begins knowing his glory and status in heaven. 00:10:26.599 --> 00:10:30.139 The word was with God and was God in the beginning. 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:34.099 But then, coming down and taking the form of a servant, 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:38.259 he wraps himself in the clothes of his service. 00:10:40.120 --> 00:10:41.859 Humanity, not just a towel. 00:10:42.479 --> 00:10:46.759 Putting on the clothes of humanity so that he can serve and that he can die. 00:10:47.259 --> 00:10:48.879 Washing the dirt from his people. 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:50.960 Then rising again. 00:10:51.799 --> 00:10:55.220 Putting on other garments and resuming his place. 00:10:56.379 --> 00:10:58.600 Being clothed in glory again. 00:10:59.299 --> 00:11:00.840 In resurrection and ascension. 00:11:01.539 --> 00:11:07.059 And he resumes his place in that glory that he had with his Father from the very beginning. 00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:12.720 As we slow down the picture, we glimpse the glory of the God who serves. 00:11:13.740 --> 00:11:15.120 Not only a man. 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:18.779 Knowing he is Lord of all, but he serves them all. 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:21.240 His sovereign hands are serving hands. 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:27.500 And so, from his service, there are two applications for us up there this morning. 00:11:28.580 --> 00:11:36.159 The glory of the serving God means that Jesus' people are the served people. 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:39.659 Jesus' people are the served people. 00:11:39.659 --> 00:11:44.500 And that is the lesson that Peter has to learn here, isn't it? 00:11:44.500 --> 00:11:56.659 Simon Peter has to learn that being a Christian, being a follower of Jesus is not first and foremost about serving God. 00:11:56.659 --> 00:12:00.659 But about him serving us. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:06.480 Peter doesn't get the opportunity to serve Jesus here, does he? 00:12:09.579 --> 00:12:11.079 Jesus serves Peter. 00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:14.500 Actually, he must serve Peter. 00:12:14.500 --> 00:12:16.920 He must serve us. 00:12:17.920 --> 00:12:22.480 When Jesus goes round washing their feet, he gets to Peter in verse 8. 00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:26.460 And he says, no, you shall never wash my feet. 00:12:27.300 --> 00:12:33.700 In the original, it means something like, never in a million years will you do that for me, Peter. 00:12:33.700 --> 00:12:36.980 Jesus, not in all eternity will you do that for me. 00:12:38.360 --> 00:12:44.320 The natural instinct is that we first relate to God by doing something for him. 00:12:45.400 --> 00:12:48.879 If we do stuff, he'll listen to us, won't he? 00:12:49.660 --> 00:12:53.280 If we do good things and if we behave well, we'll belong to him. 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:54.759 We'll get blessing from him. 00:12:54.759 --> 00:13:00.980 And if we haven't done those things, well, he's not interested unless we sort of try and make up for it another time. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:08.799 If I do something wrong, I'll try and do three or four things right to cover over it. 00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:12.439 But Jesus says, that is not the kind of God that I am. 00:13:13.319 --> 00:13:15.460 And that is not who you are to be with me. 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:21.539 Peter says, you're not going to wash my feet. 00:13:21.539 --> 00:13:27.319 And Jesus says, no, no, no, if I do not wash you, you have no share with me. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:35.039 If I don't serve you, Peter, you have no share with me. 00:13:36.219 --> 00:13:38.839 There is no blessing for you. 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:45.919 Not because you haven't done that for me, but because you refuse to let me serve you. 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:52.639 There is no place for you with me in my glory unless I serve you. 00:13:53.019 --> 00:13:55.879 Unless I humiliate myself for you. 00:13:56.679 --> 00:13:58.179 There is no glory for you. 00:13:58.679 --> 00:13:59.659 There is no way. 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:03.860 And that is a big hit on our self-esteem, isn't it? 00:14:04.740 --> 00:14:07.639 We find it very difficult to be served. 00:14:07.639 --> 00:14:17.139 If I let you do that for me, I'm admitting I can't do it for myself, aren't I? 00:14:18.139 --> 00:14:19.980 I'm showing a bit of weakness there. 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:24.240 I'm showing a bit of dependence that I need you, that I'm not okay. 00:14:24.860 --> 00:14:26.279 I'm not self-sufficient. 00:14:27.159 --> 00:14:28.620 I'm not on top of everything. 00:14:30.259 --> 00:14:32.779 You know what it's like when someone gives you a gift, isn't it? 00:14:32.779 --> 00:14:34.539 Do you ever get that uncomfortable feeling? 00:14:34.679 --> 00:14:39.259 You're in a coffee shop or a pub or whatever, and your friend's there. 00:14:39.379 --> 00:14:41.139 There's always that argument, isn't there? 00:14:41.159 --> 00:14:42.019 I'll get this. 00:14:42.259 --> 00:14:43.259 I'll get this for you. 00:14:43.740 --> 00:14:44.139 No, no, no. 00:14:44.179 --> 00:14:44.439 Let me. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:44.879 Let me. 00:14:45.019 --> 00:14:45.220 Please. 00:14:45.620 --> 00:14:45.939 No, no. 00:14:45.959 --> 00:14:47.000 This is my route. 00:14:47.179 --> 00:14:47.679 No, let me. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:49.220 It goes on forever, doesn't it? 00:14:49.480 --> 00:14:53.419 We just can't stand to be served by people. 00:14:55.639 --> 00:14:57.759 There's a pride there, isn't there? 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:03.360 We hate being in someone's debt, even if it's just a latte. 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:11.960 Jesus gets Peter and he says to him, you know, in my kingdom, pride is the great enemy of blessing. 00:15:12.319 --> 00:15:15.439 Pride is the great enemy of hope. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:21.980 Pride is the great enemy of having a share with me, of my cleansing for you. 00:15:21.980 --> 00:15:30.180 The only people who don't get a share with me are those who say, I don't need you, Jesus. 00:15:31.379 --> 00:15:33.159 You're not going to do that for me. 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:36.820 His grace offends us, doesn't it? 00:15:36.860 --> 00:15:38.240 And we refuse him. 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:44.120 He says, you'll never get true esteem from me unless you're prepared to give it up. 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:48.320 Unless I serve you, you have no share with me. 00:15:49.139 --> 00:15:52.919 Unless you say to Jesus, I have got nothing to give you. 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:55.899 I can't pay. 00:15:57.139 --> 00:15:58.299 You'll have to pay. 00:16:00.060 --> 00:16:07.879 I'll follow you, not so that I have to serve you first, but that you might serve me, Jesus. 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:10.560 I need you to serve me. 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:20.339 And the only way that you can block God's blessing and cleansing is by trying to split that around and trying to earn it, isn't it? 00:16:21.319 --> 00:16:25.199 The way to lose out on Jesus' glory is to work for it. 00:16:26.479 --> 00:16:32.939 Jesus says to you, you must let me be the one to cleanse you and to sort you out. 00:16:32.940 --> 00:16:40.860 When you fail and you will and you realize how dirty you are, I'll be waiting. 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:45.360 I'll be waiting for a towel in my hand, ready to serve you. 00:16:46.700 --> 00:16:49.280 You follow me and I will be serving you. 00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:51.360 And you've got to get used to that. 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:53.980 You must learn to let me do that, says Jesus. 00:16:54.880 --> 00:16:56.200 It's upside down, isn't it? 00:16:56.680 --> 00:16:58.280 The glory of the serving God. 00:16:59.280 --> 00:17:00.780 His people are the served people. 00:17:00.779 --> 00:17:07.240 And then lastly, and thirdly, Jesus' people are the serving people. 00:17:08.700 --> 00:17:10.759 Jesus' people are the serving people. 00:17:12.879 --> 00:17:15.180 Jesus arranges this meal in the upper room. 00:17:15.819 --> 00:17:21.799 And he deliberately, I think, places the disciples in an awkward social situation. 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:28.659 Because he's forgotten to get these servants, the ones who would normally not be part of the meal, 00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:31.059 but would do the peep washing as you came in. 00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:37.980 The disciples themselves are left to work out the dirty foot problem, aren't they? 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:42.339 When they come in the room, who's going to wash the peep? 00:17:42.339 --> 00:17:46.419 At the beginning of the meal, that's what you'd expect. 00:17:46.740 --> 00:17:47.899 To have your feet clean. 00:17:48.019 --> 00:17:52.199 You'd be reclining at the table, almost lying down. 00:17:52.419 --> 00:17:55.980 And dirty feet around food isn't a good thing, is it? 00:17:56.039 --> 00:17:57.059 That's just a no-no. 00:17:58.099 --> 00:18:02.459 But awkwardly, none of the disciples have volunteered to do it themselves. 00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:05.500 It was beneath them. 00:18:06.380 --> 00:18:08.100 No one had done it. 00:18:08.259 --> 00:18:09.500 They were too proud. 00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:12.720 They each look at the basin. 00:18:13.840 --> 00:18:15.819 John mentions the basin, doesn't he? 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:17.799 And the water, Joe. 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:20.420 And they think, well, that's not for me. 00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:23.059 I'm not the servant. 00:18:24.579 --> 00:18:27.779 They were too proud to be served. 00:18:28.340 --> 00:18:30.440 And too proud to serve. 00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:34.340 Can you imagine this bunch of men in a room? 00:18:35.380 --> 00:18:38.400 All the egos and the testosterone. 00:18:38.820 --> 00:18:41.519 They've been invited by the Lord, haven't they? 00:18:42.019 --> 00:18:46.140 They're feeling pretty good about themselves in this exclusive group. 00:18:47.500 --> 00:18:49.500 They want to talk theology, maybe. 00:18:50.340 --> 00:18:52.960 They want to wrangle for closeness with Jesus. 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:59.320 None of them had fought to break away from the group and wash the greed. 00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:06.600 So it's utterly crushing for them when Jesus himself does the kneeling. 00:19:06.599 --> 00:19:14.179 In being served, they are confronted with their own unwillingness to serve on them. 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:16.779 So verse 14. 00:19:16.939 --> 00:19:22.619 If I, then your Lord and teacher, wash your feet, you ought also to wash one another's. 00:19:22.959 --> 00:19:25.000 No servant is greater than his master. 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:33.920 And it would be very, very difficult in that room as Jesus got down on his hands and knees for anyone to be on their high horse at that point. 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:39.500 The overwhelming feeling would have been utter humbling. 00:19:40.580 --> 00:19:43.840 An embarrassment of generosity, wouldn't it? 00:19:44.300 --> 00:19:46.039 Lord, what are you doing? 00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:55.379 It would be very difficult to have been served by Jesus in such a lowly way and then not feel utterly humbled. 00:19:56.700 --> 00:20:01.159 And not to feel that you were wrong not to serve in the same way. 00:20:02.920 --> 00:20:11.940 Because people who follow Jesus have been served radically by Jesus at the cross. 00:20:11.940 --> 00:20:22.900 They have had the worst mess and muck cleaned away by Jesus who suffers to do it. 00:20:24.580 --> 00:20:26.420 Worse than dirt on your feet. 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:27.980 Dirt in your heart. 00:20:29.120 --> 00:20:30.759 The dirt of your sin. 00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:38.460 And so people who have been served by Jesus in that way, they will naturally become servants. 00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:42.079 You would just sit in that room, wouldn't you? 00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:46.620 And not serving to belong to the group. 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:47.880 I need to do it. 00:20:47.940 --> 00:20:50.079 I need to show me what to do. 00:20:51.100 --> 00:20:54.079 But serving because the model has been set. 00:20:54.460 --> 00:21:00.360 And you'd be embarrassed, wouldn't you, not to follow because you've been served so generously by him. 00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:07.879 Jesus asks Peter in verse 12, do you understand what I have done to you? 00:21:08.839 --> 00:21:12.240 And the word understand gets repeated here in verse 7. 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:16.539 So, what I am doing you do not understand. 00:21:17.159 --> 00:21:19.059 But afterwards you will understand. 00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:24.079 And then again in verse 12, do you understand what I have done to you? 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:32.779 And John, that word gets repeated because that is the question that drives us serving people. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:38.779 Do you understand what I have done to you? 00:21:40.859 --> 00:21:41.599 Do you? 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:43.879 Do you understand? 00:21:43.880 --> 00:21:44.000 Do you understand? 00:21:45.780 --> 00:21:51.680 Jesus said that Peter wouldn't really understand until after the cross and the resurrection. 00:21:51.900 --> 00:21:52.820 And then he would understand. 00:21:53.780 --> 00:22:01.300 He would understand the significance of this active picture of Jesus' generous service. 00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:09.580 And when you understand what I have done to you, you will be able to do what you failed to do before we had dinner. 00:22:09.579 --> 00:22:20.500 When we understand what Jesus has done to us, we will do to others what we never could have done before. 00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:23.619 We become a serving people. 00:22:25.220 --> 00:22:28.659 Serving others is a matter of understanding, isn't it? 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:32.579 Understanding how Jesus has served me. 00:22:33.439 --> 00:22:35.699 What Jesus has done to us. 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:38.699 It's not just academic, is it? 00:22:38.700 --> 00:22:51.299 The more we understand, the more we understand the gospel, the more we understand Christology, the more we understand the Bible, the better servants we become. 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:53.220 It changes who we are. 00:22:53.400 --> 00:22:56.039 It changes how we act with others. 00:22:57.180 --> 00:23:00.620 It changes what we do with our money, our time, everything. 00:23:00.619 --> 00:23:04.199 And if we're bad servants, I'm a bad servant. 00:23:05.459 --> 00:23:07.459 We can try harder, can't we? 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:12.519 But as we try harder, we've got to keep going back to the gospel to understand. 00:23:13.979 --> 00:23:15.779 To learn Christology. 00:23:16.199 --> 00:23:17.159 The study of Christ. 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:18.259 The person of Christ. 00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:23.660 We might ask ourselves, how do I want to be treated? 00:23:24.420 --> 00:23:25.879 I'll treat others like that. 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:28.299 That's kind of biblical, isn't it? 00:23:29.539 --> 00:23:31.920 But here Jesus extends that law. 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:38.279 Jesus wants us to say to ourselves, not just how do I want to be treated? 00:23:38.539 --> 00:23:39.859 I'll treat others like that. 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:42.200 But how does Jesus treat me? 00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:44.799 I'll treat others like that. 00:23:47.600 --> 00:24:00.600 My lack of service to get a towel in my hand, whatever that turns out to be, whatever the basin is in the room or in the church, is a symptom that if I'm honest, I don't understand. 00:24:00.700 --> 00:24:05.740 I don't understand as well as I should do what Jesus has done to me. 00:24:05.740 --> 00:24:14.200 If I struggle to serve, I need to think again, I need to understand again what Jesus has done. 00:24:14.859 --> 00:24:24.140 If I'm cold and I'm harsh and I'm stingy with others, I need to grasp and understand the embarrassment of the generosity Jesus has shown me. 00:24:24.140 --> 00:24:30.280 Just hear how far Jesus goes with his service here. 00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:34.420 Because the meal takes a dark turn near the end of this portion, doesn't it? 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:43.180 Because after Jesus has finished washing all of the people in the room, there is one set of feet that is about to walk out and betray him. 00:24:44.620 --> 00:24:48.180 Jesus has just washed Judas' feet. 00:24:48.180 --> 00:24:53.080 John doesn't make a big deal of it, but it's he. 00:24:53.360 --> 00:24:58.420 So Jesus quotes from Psalm 41, verse 18. 00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:02.920 He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me. 00:25:03.600 --> 00:25:07.660 That's talking about Judas, who has eaten the supper with them. 00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:11.320 So this is staggering, isn't it? 00:25:11.319 --> 00:25:23.299 Jesus has just washed the foot, literally, of the heel of the one who wants to stamp on him with his foot, figuratively speaking. 00:25:24.460 --> 00:25:29.879 He wants to dig his heel into Jesus and grind him down into the floor. 00:25:31.439 --> 00:25:34.919 You know, when you stop stepping dog dirt, you've got to clean the shoes. 00:25:35.879 --> 00:25:38.539 Judas' feet are like that for Jesus, aren't they? 00:25:38.539 --> 00:25:41.379 That heel, that foot. 00:25:43.059 --> 00:25:45.480 And Jesus even washes that heel. 00:25:46.399 --> 00:25:47.899 He even washes that foot. 00:25:49.019 --> 00:25:53.599 He doesn't go around the room and then get to Judas and say, oh, oh Lord, not him. 00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:56.240 Not his foot. 00:25:57.379 --> 00:25:58.420 Not his heel. 00:25:58.579 --> 00:25:59.579 I won't serve him. 00:25:59.700 --> 00:26:01.339 I won't serve her. 00:26:02.859 --> 00:26:05.379 He kneels before his betrayer. 00:26:06.639 --> 00:26:07.680 And he serves him. 00:26:08.539 --> 00:26:12.039 He even says to his enemy, I am your servant. 00:26:14.119 --> 00:26:15.879 And Judas can't stand it, can he? 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:16.980 You'll see this tonight. 00:26:17.099 --> 00:26:20.879 Judas can't stand the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:26:21.740 --> 00:26:23.440 His pride can't stand it. 00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:26.099 And it's at this moment that he leaves the room. 00:26:27.980 --> 00:26:28.960 This is the model. 00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:33.740 We are to inwardly say to each other, I am your servant. 00:26:33.740 --> 00:26:43.039 Once you've been served by Jesus, you're tripping over each other, aren't you, in the room with Jesus to get to the washbasin. 00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:46.720 Knocking it over, trying to get it to serve others. 00:26:47.799 --> 00:26:50.099 We should be falling over each other, shouldn't we? 00:26:50.099 --> 00:26:53.699 Asking, who can I serve? 00:26:53.699 --> 00:26:54.599 Where can I serve? 00:26:54.980 --> 00:26:56.079 Let me serve. 00:26:57.159 --> 00:27:01.159 Let me understand how he has served me. 00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:07.619 And let me be like the Apostle Paul who calls himself a slave of Christ. 00:27:07.619 --> 00:27:12.199 Let me be a slave to the servant. 00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:19.279 Martin Luther King Jr. said, anybody can be great because anybody can serve. 00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:20.979 So right, wasn't he? 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:25.599 Because he understands something of the glory of God and of his kingdom and his people. 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:29.419 Greatness in his mind is upside down. 00:27:29.959 --> 00:27:34.899 In full knowledge that he is Lord of all, he serves them all. 00:27:36.039 --> 00:27:41.179 And the hands that hold all things clean the dirty feet. 00:27:42.219 --> 00:27:45.339 They clean the heels, even of his enemy. 00:27:46.879 --> 00:27:50.179 And he comes to serve you at the cross and clean you. 00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:56.700 And unless you trust him to do that, unless you say, yes, Lord, I need you to clean me. 00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:58.740 You can't have a part in him. 00:27:59.960 --> 00:28:07.240 If you refuse the God who serves you, you'll go through life, actually, even if you're in church, 00:28:08.380 --> 00:28:13.100 you'll go through life looking at the basin and saying, that's not for me, is it? 00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:15.380 I'm not the serpent. 00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:19.960 You'll not want to serve others. 00:28:20.180 --> 00:28:26.480 You'll come to other people and certain people and you'll say, oh, it's not him, Lord. 00:28:26.980 --> 00:28:27.920 Not her, Lord. 00:28:28.660 --> 00:28:29.460 Not his people. 00:28:31.799 --> 00:28:35.799 Jesus reminds us, we, the servants, are greater than the master, are we? 00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:40.539 And we need to understand again and again what he has done to us. 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:44.460 Serving people as the servant. 00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:46.580 We pray together. 00:28:46.820 --> 00:28:47.340 Amen.