Introduction:
A Opening Story
B John 13.1-5
1 Facts that need to brought out as I read . . .
a Passover (or eve of Passover)
aa Sunday: Palm Sunday
bb Monday: Cleansed the Temple
cc Tuesday: Arguing with religious leaders
dd Wednesday: Day of rest
ee Thursday: Lord’s Supper
dd 3 PM the next day, dies.
b His “hour” had come. The shadow of the cross could now be fully seen. Within hours He would be betrayed, tried 3 times, denied, beaten, & crucified.
c Jesus was in control of everything that was unfolding.
aa Jesus wasn’t the victim of a plot that caught Him off guard like a victim of a drive-by shooting. Wrong place, wrong time.
bb He was 100% aware of His authority, divine origin, and destiny. (Jesus knowing vs. 1,3)
2
C Prayer
I Foot washing has never been glamorous.
A In the ANE foot washing was not typically done as standard operating procedure in a Jewish household.
1 A Jewish servant would not have typically washed his master’s/boss’s feet. (Gentile servant more typical)
a John 1.27, John the Baptist said he wasn’t worthy to touch Jesus’ feet, little less baptize Him.
aa We know John the Baptist was being humble.
bb Washing someone’s feet was the lowliest kind of service required of any man.
b On the other hand, foot washing was something wives did for their husbands, children for their parents, disciples for their teachers.
c As a special mark of affection, a host or hostess might wash a guests feet but it was still not SOP.
2 Jesus and the 12 disciples were sitting in the Upper Room and the “hour” had come.
a Dr. Luke’s account of the Lord’s Supper tells us that as the disciples entered the Upper Room, they were arguing (Luke 22.24).
aa Apparently a recurring topic of discussion because Mark also records the same information (Mark 9.34).
bb John 20.21, Even Momma Zebbedee got involved. “I want my boys to start on your team.”
b Everyone of the disciples thought they were better than the next . . . spirit of competition was among them.
aa More special, spiritual, dedicated, gifted, etc.
bb And the truth of the matter was all of them had smelly, dirty feet and apparently some of thought their feet didn’t stink.
c Jesus had told them before “. . . the greatest among you shall be your servant . . .” (Matt. 23.11)
aa Apparently His words fell on deaf ears because they didn’t get it.
bb They would have been happy to wash Jesus’ feet, but the last thing any of them wanted to do was wash the feet of the guy next to him because it was an admission of inferiority.
B IL. At the house we keep our cold drinks in a refrigerator in the garage and going to one is all of 38 second job that apparently boys despise doing.
1 “You go get the drinks this time, I got them last time.” “Unh, unh, we ate at McDonald’s last night.”
a After about 3 minutes of lively & heated debate about the 38 second trip to the garage, Dad gets up out of his recliner to get the drinks.
b Never do I see them move so fast as when I begin to do something they should be doing.
aa (Motion has passed, Ol’man is acting on the motion, and Dave & Dan are now involved w/ damage control)
bb Dad, we were just playing. Do you want a sandwich with the cold drink we’re getting you.
2 As the disciples with smelly feet are arguing about who was the greatest, Jesus gets up. (Lays down his garments & takes up a towel: The humility of the cross was a reflection of the Upper Room.)
a vs. 3, “The Father had given all things into His hands”
aa What’s He do? He picks up the towel, basin, and starts washing feet.
bb Can you imagine the mood in the room when Jesus got out of His recliner?
b I bet supper that night felt as uncomfortable as some of ours are going to be this Thursday!
3 Jesus assumes the role of a servant and starts washing feet.
a Jesus said that He only does what He sees the Father doing (John 5.19) and I see no reason to believe foot washing is the exception.
b Luke 22.27, Jesus tells us that He is here to serve!
4 John’s account of the Lord’s Supper & the foot washing is an illustration of Phil. 2.4-7.
a Jesus did not exchange the from of God for the form of a servant.
b The form of God was revealed in the form of a servant.
aa We are seeing a declaration of the character of the Father.
bb Why does it trouble us because we serve a God that washes feet?
C I believe because the same spirit of competition/criticism that was present in the Upper Room is present in most our hearts & churches.
1 We dare not dwell on that suggestion too long for fear of it being true.
a We are running the race but we always look in the other lane to see how much we’re ahead of them.
b We fight the good fight but we always look in the other ring to see how many more times the guy next to us has hit the mat.
2 Lord, I’ll serve you, love you, humble myself before you, but please don’t make me lower myself to the level of the guy next to me.
a I’m special, spiritual, more gifted, more equal, unique...
b I don’t want people to think I’m a push-over, timid, cream-puff, . . .
aa It’s not of your business what people think of you!
bb You’re worried about being taken wrong if you would humble yourself before others, but cousin, your already in slavery to those whose favor you’re trying to gain.
c If you run after greatness it will run from you; You run from greatness & it will run to you!
3 “I don’t want people to take advantage of me.”
a We some how believe if we humble ourselves that people will somehow get “one up on us.”
b Fact: Everything in your life can change in the blink of an eye, but don’t worry. God never blinks!
c Stop worrying about people looking up to you and start working on looking up to God.
aa He can put you on your back and put you in a position that the only direction you go is up!
bb You defend God’s glory and let Him defend your reputation.
d We aren’t nothing but dead men walking, aliens, foreigners . . .
aa I once was lost, but now I’m found: was blind, but now I see.
bb Once was lame, walk; mute, put a new song on my lips.
cc I was orphaned, but have been adopted; poor and now I’m living on child support.
dd bound for a place prepared for the devil & his demons, bound for a place Jesus has went to prepare just for me.
ee I was on my way to hell, now I’m on my way home.
ff I once was dead, but now I’m born again; I was dry and now I have streams of living water flowing out of my belly.
gg I once was alone, now I’ve got a friend closer than a brother . . . and It’s all because of Jesus!
hh I’m not nothing w/o Jesus and w/o me He’s still Jesus!
Conclusion:
A I Peter 5.5
1 Will you stop competing, criticizing your brother/sister.
a Life is too short to be wasting time hating & hurting people.
b Time to forgive, forget, go forward . . .
2
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Mike Fogerson
