John 12:35-36 - So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.”
John 12:36b-37 - These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them. But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.
John 1:11-12 - He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name…
4 responses to Jesus’s choice to wash the disciples’ feet
I. Endure the Challenges of Humble Service – vv. 13:1-4
A. The challenge to love sacrificially and faithfully
John 13:1 - Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
“Jesus knows that this is the beginning of the end for him. He is entering the final chapter and deepest valley of his earthly ministry. He ‘knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father.’ John then pauses in a moment of moving reflection and looks back over Jesus’s ministry and forward to the final week. Looking back, John says, Jesus had ‘loved his own who were in the world.’ Looking forward, ‘he loved them to the end.’
His ministry to this point has been utterly demanding—he has been tired and hungry, physically; misunderstood and mistreated by his friends and family, relationally; cornered and accused by the religious elite, publicly. But what is all this compared to drowning? What is a shouted insult when you are on your way to the guillotine?
For consider exactly what was impending. Jesus had done his Father’s will unwaveringly. But throughout it all, he knew he had the pleasure and favor of his Father. It had been pronounced over him (Matt. 3:17; 17:5). Now his worst nightmare was about to wash over him. Hell itself—not metaphorically, but in actuality, the horror of condemnation and darkness and death—was opening its jaws. What happened at the cross, for those of us who claim to be its beneficiaries?
It is beyond calculating comprehension, of course. A three-year-old cannot comprehend the pain a spouse feels when cheated on. How much less could we comprehend what it meant for God to funnel the cumulative judgment for all the sinfulness of his people down onto one man. But reflecting on what we feel toward, say, the perpetrator of some unthinkable act of abuse toward an innocent victim gives us a taste of what God felt toward Christ as he, the last Adam, stood in for the sins of God’s people. The righteous human wrath we feel—the wrath we would be wrong not to feel—is a drop in the ocean of righteous divine wrath the Father unleashed.
After all, God punished Jesus not for the sin of just one person but many. What must it mean when Isaiah says of the servant that ‘the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all’ (Isa. 53:6)? What was it for Christ to swallow down the cumulative twistedness, self-enthronement, natural God hatred, of the elect? What must it have been for the sum total of righteous divine wrath generated not just by one man’s sin but “the iniquity of us all” to come crashing down on a single soul?” (Dane Ortland, Gentle and Lowly, pp. 199-200)
B. The challenge to overcome the intense spiritual struggle
John 13:2 - During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him…
1 Peter 5:6-8 - Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Ephesians 6:10-12 - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
C. The challenge of believing your heavenly Father is at work
John 13:3-4 - Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
Revelation 19:5-6 - And a voice came from the throne, saying, “Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.”
John 13:4 - …got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
II. Expect the Controversy that Attends Humble Service
A. Some believe serving is nothing
John 13:8a - Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!”…
John 13:8b - …Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
B. Some believe serving is everything
John 13:9 - Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
“In verses 6-8 the footwashing symbolizes the cleansing that is the result of Christ’s impending cross-work. But Peter’s unrestrained (and thoughtless) exuberance (v. 9) opens up the opportunity to turn the footwashing to another point: the initial and fundamental cleansing that Christ provides is a once-for-all act. Individuals who have been cleansed by Christ’s atoning work will doubtless need to have subsequent sins washed away, but the fundamental cleansing can never be repeated.” (D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, p. 465)
John 13:10 - Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”
III. Embrace the Call to Humble Service
John 13:12-15 - Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
1 Peter 4:8-10 - Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
IV. Enjoy the Blessing that Results from Humble Service
John 13:17 - If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
- from time to time people will ask me what it’s like to serve as a pastor at Faith…or what words come to mind to describe our church family…
- one phrase that often rises to the top is that of “humble servants…”
- this has never been “Flashy Church” or “Big Shot Baptist”…in many ways we’re just a family of humble servants…
- here are some of the reasons I would respond that way…
1. It is amazing how often I am talking to someone in some sort of a mercy ministry context where they tell me – oh, so and so was already here and they took care of that for me…
- or another church member helped me solve that problem…
- or they fixed this or built that…
- I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve walked away from conversations like that thinking – I would have never known about what that other person did unless it had come up in conversation with the individual who had been served…
- then I start thinking – I wonder how many other acts like that occur in the average week with people who aren’t looking for credit or applause – they just like to serve our church family and community…humble servants…
2. Sometimes it’s not just the person serving, but the husband or wife taking care of the home or the kids so their spouse can serve…
- I was walking out of a recent Church Family Night and ran into one of worship team members who had been serving in that role in both the morning and evening services…
- and I asked about how tiring that must be, and she spoke about how her husband had to be willing to care for the children while she was away for a big chunk of the day…
- I thought later that I’m not sure I remember people like that enough…probably in part because they don’t make a lot of noise about it…just humble servants doing what has to be done so that, in cases like these, their spouses can use their gifts to directly serve the church family…
3. We have a significant number of ministries that are led by staff and volunteers who fit this same description…
- for example, the school is preparing to celebrate our 25th anniversary this year…
- that’s an amazing accomplishment and some of our long-time members remember when we prayed and worked toward launching that endeavor…
- well, not only has the Lord granted the request…but He’s given us a school characterized by excellence on all sorts of levels…
- and humanly speaking, that’s because of so many staff and volunteers who humbly serve…
- and that’s just one of dozens and dozens of seasonal or year-round ministries we could mention…
- in fact, when you stop and think about it – it’s amazing how many people it takes to keep a church and its associated ministries going in the average month…
4. We would certainly want to mention our deacons and their wives in this discussion…
- some time we should probably broadcast one of our meetings just so that everyone can see what it is like…
- but I can tell you this – it’s certainly not a power struggle between a bunch of guys with oversized egos…just a group of people wanting to humbly serve the Lord and this church family…some who have been faithfully fulfilling that role for decades…
5. I would also include our other pastors and their spouses and families in all of this…
- we have a very educated group with several more pursuing their doctorates now…
- and by God’s grace, we have been blessed with a lot of stability on our staff…
- but people aren’t concerned about positions or titles or credit or accolades…it’s just how can we humbly serve together as a team?...
- so I stand before you today thankful that these words describe so many in our church family – just humble servants…
- but then we would all ask this…What makes that possible, and perhaps more to the point, Who makes that possible?...
- you didn’t come out of the womb with that attitude….
- and we live in a world characterized by pride and selfishness and the polar opposite of what we’re discussing…
- it’s possible because we can…Enjoying Life in Jesus’ Name by Serving Others Well
- with that in mind, please open your Bible to John 13…page 84 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you…
- this morning we’re entering a new section in our study of the Gospel of John…chapter 12 wound down with Jesus saying…John 12:35–36 - So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.”
- then John reports…John 12:36b – 37 - These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them. But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.
- so its at this point that Jesus turns His attention to His disciples to prepare them for His death, burial, and resurrection…
- we’re seeing one of the early passages in this book coming to fulfillment in living technicolor - John 1:11–12 - He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
- the questions that are about to be clarified are:
1. Who really are His children?...
2. How are they to relate to one another once He is gone?...
- the answers on both counts are shocking…
- read John 13:1-20…
- so we’re talking about Enjoying Life in Jesus’ Name by Serving Others Well…and with the time we have remaining, let’s consider 4 responses to Jesus’ choice to wash the disciples’ feet.
I. Endure the Challenges of Humble Service – vv. 13:1-4
- part of the lesson of the first 4 verses is…Jesus did not serve his disciples because it was convenient, or easy, or pain-free…or because it was already a natural part of the dynamic of the group…
- the challenges of what our Lord was facing were immense…
A. The challenge to love sacrificially and faithfully
- John 13:1 - Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
- if you have been reading Dane Ortland’s book Gentle and Lowly – it probably won’t surprise you that he devoted an entire chapter to this verse…here’s part of what he said…
- Jesus knows that this is the beginning of the end for him. He is entering the final chapter and deepest valley of his earthly ministry. He “knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father.” John then pauses in a moment of moving reflection and looks back over Jesus’s ministry and forward to the final week. Looking back, John says, Jesus had “loved his own who were in the world.” Looking forward, “he loved them to the end.”
- His ministry to this point has been utterly demanding—he has been tired and hungry, physically; misunderstood and mistreated by his friends and family, relationally; cornered and accused by the religious elite, publicly. But what is all this compared to drowning? What is a shouted insult when you are on your way to the guillotine?
- For consider exactly what was impending. Jesus had done his Father’s will unwaveringly. But throughout it all, he knew he had the pleasure and favor of his Father. It had been pronounced over him (Matt. 3:17; 17:5). Now his worst nightmare was about to wash over him. Hell itself—not metaphorically, but in actuality, the horror of condemnation and darkness and death—was opening its jaws. What happened at the cross, for those of us who claim to be its beneficiaries?
- It is beyond calculating comprehension, of course. A three-year-old cannot comprehend the pain a spouse feels when cheated on. How much less could we comprehend what it meant for God to funnel the cumulative judgment for all the sinfulness of his people down onto one man. But reflecting on what we feel toward, say, the perpetrator of some unthinkable act of abuse toward an innocent victim gives us a taste of what God felt toward Christ as he, the last Adam, stood in for the sins of God’s people. The righteous human wrath we feel—the wrath we would be wrong not to feel—is a drop in the ocean of righteous divine wrath the Father unleashed.
- After all, God punished Jesus not for the sin of just one person but many. What must it mean when Isaiah says of the servant that “the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6)? What was it for Christ to swallow down the cumulative twistedness, self-enthronement, natural God hatred, of the elect? What must it have been for the sum total of righteous divine wrath generated not just by one man’s sin but “the iniquity of us all” to come crashing down on a single soul? (Dane Ortland, Gentle and Lowly, pp. 199-200).
- Jesus very easily could have said – someone else is going to have to deal with the dirty feet problem, because I’m certainly about to do my part…
- but His love was both sacrificial and faithful – He loved us to the end…
B. The challenge to overcome the intense spiritual struggle
- Jesus knew what Satan was planning to do, and what Judas was planning to do…
- John 13:2 - During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,
- have you ever been betrayed by someone?...what did you feel like doing to them in return?...washing their feet?...
- it’s also amazing that just like in 2 Corinthians 12 when Paul is discussing his thorn in the flesh…he describes it as a messenger of Satan, given to torment him…
- but Satan never receives center stage – though he craves it…
- so in 2 Corinthians 12 – there is something that overshadows Satan – and that’s the sufficient grace of God…
- the same is true here – Satan is mentioned, and then he’s overshadowed by something far more powerful…the humility of sacrificial service…
- the apostle Peter who said far more in this passage than he should have, would later write… 1 Peter 5:6–8 - Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
- it’s possible that as soon as I raised this topic this morning – you became uncomfortable because you don’t like to serve God or others…especially if he or she has been or is just being evil to you…do you recognize that for the spiritual struggle that it is?...that’s why Paul told the Ephesians… Ephesians 6:10–12 - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
C. The challenge of believing your heavenly Father is at work
- John 13:3–4 - Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
- many of the people in our church family I mentioned in the introduction would say – it’s a lot easier to function as a humble servant when you know how the story ends…
- maybe the person I’m being asked to serve today isn’t that loveable…but I believe God the Father has an eternal plan in all of this…
- maybe the feet I’m washing right now belong to someone who will stab me in the back…I’ll leave that in the hands of the heavenly Father who will make all things right in His way and in His time…
- part of humility is leaving the final outcome to the one who knows the beginning from the end…
- do you remember the scene in the book of Revelation—often called the fourfold hallelujah?...part of it reads… Revelation 19:5–6 - And a voice came from the throne, saying, “Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
- there’s a direct connection between the beginning of that verse and the end…your willingness to serve God and others reveals the degree to which you acknowledge and trust His sovereign hand and power.
- so even with all of these challenges in play…and in light of the fact that the disciples had been jockeying for positions of authority in Christ’s kingdom [in one case by even having their mother make the request…]
- and by arguing about who would be greatest…
- and by reclining at a table where they would literally have their dirty feet in one another’s faces…the Lord…John 13:4 - got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
- are you letting these introductory verses have their intended effect?...any excuse we could make, or reason we could give for not serving in a particular situation melts away when we consider the challenges Jesus was facing at that moment…
- yet He didn’t focus exclusively on the tremendous sacrifice He was about to make…
- or brood about the treacherous betrayal that was about to occur…
- or demand that someone else do their share…[repeat verse]…
- friend, are you willing to endure the challenges of humble service?
II. Expect the Controversy that Attends Humble Service.
- one of the interesting aspects of Peter was that he was so unpredictable that he sometimes illustrated both wrong extremes in the very same event…that’s certainly the case here…
A. Some believe serving is nothing
- John 13:8a - Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!”…
- you notice he didn’t offer to switch places…
- but to him such an act was demeaning and unfit for the Messiah or any subject of His coming kingdom…
- and you may feel that way too…you’d never catch me doing that…
- or you may have people in your life who criticize you for serving the way you do…
- I’m glad there are plenty of people around here who don’t possess this attitude…
- this summer I set a goal to get to each of our properties and buildings to check on the maintenance and be sure we were preparing for any larger ticket type expenses…
- that included some of the CDC houses Lori Walters and her team have been able to acquire and renovate and make available to low income buyers…
- many of those older houses are on some sort of crawlspace or basement with a low ceiling…so one gentleman who rents one of our homes took me down this very narrow set of stairs and there set a brand-new water heater…
- the first thing I thought was – how did they even get the water heater down those steps…and the plumbing was all straight and professional looking…
- and the man mentioned one of our CDC volunteers by name – one of our retired men, and he went on to tell how impressed he was at the way the men cut each pipe was precision and made everything fit just right like he was installing a water heater at the white house…
- I would have never known about that had I not toured those homes…but there’s yet another example of one of our members choosing Jesus’s view of serving instead of Peter’s…
- the Lord surprises Peter when He says - John 13:8b - …Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
- now we understand that this wasn’t simply about washing dirt off smelly feet – but symbolic of what Christ was about the accomplish for them on the cross…which results in Peter, as he often did, turning on a dime…because some believe…
B. Serving is everything
- John 13:9 - Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
- D.A. Carson explains what he believes is transpiring here – In verses 6-8 the footwashing symbolizes the cleansing that is the result of Christ’s impending cross-work. But Peter’s unrestrained (and thoughtless) exuberance (v. 9) opens up the opportunity to turn the footwashing to another point: the initial and fundamental cleansing that Christ provides is a once-for-all act. Individuals who have been cleansed by Christ’s atoning work will doubtless need to have subsequent sins washed away, but the fundamental cleansing can never be repeated (D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, p. 465).
- so the Lord has to correct him again - John 13:10 - Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”
- serving is important…but the core issue is always the gospel, the free gift of salvation that is available through trusting the finished work of Christ on the cross…
- there are far more applications here than we could possibly cover this morning…but let me mention a couple that are especially important to our church’s mission and philosophy of ministry…
- many of you remember when we were praying for and working toward developing a campus near Purdue University…we see that as an incredible mission field where the Lord brings people to our community from around the world and we wanted to be good stewards of that opportunity…
- developing property is that area is no easy feat…but by God’s grace, He gave us FW…
- I have the privilege of speaking there on average about once a month…and one of the things I love about walking into that building is seeing the large community room filled with tables of Asian students, families, and professors studying English by reading the Bible together…
- now, here’s my point – if you follow cable news – especially certain stripes – you know there is plenty of discussion about the origin of COVID 19…
- some people are frothing about that issue because of the possible political points that could be scored…
- lost in that picture is the racial hatred toward people of Asian descent who either live or study in our country…
- and that poses an interesting question for us as a church as we prepare in the next few weeks to begin welcoming Purdue students back to campus…
- how do we intend to position ourselves?...here’s the answer – by washing dirty feet…by serving in any way we can…and then looking for opportunities to share the gospel…
- that’s why we have a temporary housing program for those who come to town before their permanent housing is available…
- that’s why we participate in the international student friendship program…
- we’re not a political action committee…and we care about a lot of things far more deeply than what happens in the next election…
- the same is true when it comes to arguments about Black Lives Matter and Critical Race theory and those who are pushing back against it in education and government policy…
- those are important conversations to have on both sides of the issue…
- but if there’s a lack of genuine serving with the goal of building loving relationships and a desire to share the good news of Jesus Christ and new life available in Him…everything else just becomes background noise…
- that’s why I’m also glad that once a month I have the privilege of speaking at FN …last Sunday when I was there the church family was telling how the day before they had 3 baby showers, a birthday party, another church’s prayer service, and a visitation and memorial service for Scott Beutler’s father Norman …in the north end in one day…
- here’s the point – wherever you locate yourself on the racial reconciliation spectrum…
- where do the topics of serving, and building genuine relationships, and faithfully living and proclaiming the gospel fit into your approach…
- if its all arguing and criticism and judgmentalism…but no washing dirty feet and addressing root spiritual causes…then whatever approach you choose is going to fall short of achieving lasting, eternal change…
- so, endure the challenges of humble service, and expect the controversy that attends humble service…and
III. Embrace the Call to Humble Service
- it’s amazing to think about how one of the pairs of feet Jesus washed belonged to Judas…
- that makes all of our excuses melt away, doesn’t it?
- then the Lord sits back down and says…
- John 13:12–15 - Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
- Can I ask you this morning – how are you doing in this area of life?...
- and there are so many different layers of this conversation…
- for example – are you a servant at home?...do you wake up and start looking for dirty feet?...even if it’s not fair, even if others aren’t doing their part, and on and on….
- what about at work?...and even if you have management responsibilities over a lot of people, you can still lead in a way that serves others…
- what about here at church?...it’s interesting that Peter really changed his tune on this topic – do you remember what he said in his first epistle?... 1 Peter 4:8–10 - Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
- and I realize that you might say – PV, I really struggle with this area – the pull of pride and selfishness are so strong…
- friend, that might be an indication that you don’t yet know Christ…Jesus didn’t just model this kind of life…He died on the cross to make it possible [develop the gospel]…
- [if time – develop implications to fall readiness]
- [if time – develop implications to future planning]…
- can I also ask you this – do you have anyone in your life who especially exemplifies this principle?...perhaps this message would be a good opportunity to touch base with them through a card, an e-mail, a personal conversation and thank them for the way they serve with such Christ-like humility…
- so, endure the challenges, expect the controversy, embrace the call…and lastly…
IV. Enjoy the Blessing that Results from Humble Service
- the promise that Christ makes here is sure and powerful…
- John 13:17 - If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
- this gets at the very core of what it means to “Enjoy Life in Jesus’ Name” …
- I think many of the members of our church would say that some of their most joyful memories involved serving together in some way…
- the BCTC, the LN, the Passion Play…serving together in the nursery, youth group, on a worship team…
- what Jesus promised is true – If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them…
- If you still have children in your home, I hope you are raising them to serve...and we are going to do everything we can to assist you in that endeavor…
- at our last Pastor/Deacon’s meeting, we asked Pastor Kjaer to update us on how things are going with our teens…the kinds of headwinds our young people are facing…how we’re trying to assist parents as they raise their young people in the nurture and admonition of Christ, etc.…
- part of his report included an update on our youth serving trip…