Saved To Serve
John 13: 1 – 17 Pastor Frank Velasquez (Notes)
Introduction:
Some time ago I asked Pastor Chris if I could preach something God had placed on my heart. He said yes but I had to wait. Since then I have seen an insert placed in the bulletin asking for volunteers to do ministry but I want you to know that this was in my heart long before that . It is not intended to persuade or coheres you into doing something but rather to take you to another level in your walk with Christ.
On the Thursday, before His crucifixion, Jesus has an opportunity to impart His last words to His disciples and He teaches a lesson on servanthood. From these 17 verses we are going to see seven things we need to learn about being a servant.
- Jesus knew His hour had come. His time to die.
Vs.1a “Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father.” (NLT)
- He loved His disciples until the end.
Vs.1b. “He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.” (NLT)
- Get ready to experience betrayal.
Vs.2 “It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.” (NLT)
- Know who you are.
Vs.3 “Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.” (NLT)
- He was willing to be inconvenienced.
Vs4.a “So he got up from the table,” (NLT)
- Jesus was willing to look less than He was.
Vs4.b “took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist,” (NLT)
- After the talking is the action.
Vs5-8 “and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
Vs.16, 17, “I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”
Conclusion:Listen , my brothers and sisters, Jesus is waiting for some of us to die to self. This morning Jesus says, don’t tell me you love Me or don’t say that you will follow Me and then don’t do it. What you do with this message is your choice but I want to leave you with this old saying, “Actions speak louder than words.”