Solely Jesus
John 13:1-17
Serve, Serve, Serve
Series on the life of Jesus
Goal is that you will see Jesus in a clearer way
The next 5 chapters cover one night
John 13:1 – sets the scene for the for chapter 13 – 17
His public ministry is done
The crowds are not around him any more
His attention is turned to those closest to him
To those who would be responsible for the greatest movement among humanity in all of history
The event we are going to read today
A long ‘Farewell Discourse’
A long prayer
Love occurs 31 times in these next chapters – compared to only 6 times in the 1-12
Love is a key idea/theme of this portion of the account
The other 3 accounts of the life of Jesus outline the details of what is called 'The Last Supper' but not a lot about what Jesus said.
John doesn't give those details.
Instead he gives details about what Jesus said during the event.
We are going to look at Jesus washing the disciple’s feet
There are some huge messages in this event
The event of washing the disciple’s feet had long lasting effect on the human race
The impact was so powerful that the ripple is still felt around the world
About 30 years after Jesus washed the disciple’s feet the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the believers in the city of Rome
Rome was the seat of power for the Roman Empire
It would remain one of the predominate cities of the world even to this day
Most of Jesus’ ministry happened in sparsely populated rural Galilee
The largest city that Jesus visited was Jerusalem
Once the church began and then Jerusalem was destroyed the church scattered
When it scattered believers moved into not only rural areas but large metropolitan areas
Here’s what Paul wrote to the believers in Rome
If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.
Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:20-21. NLT
This is a quote from the book of Proverbs the theme of which was a constant message of Jesus
If someone is hungry feed them
If someone is thirsty give them water
Clothe them, care for them
In prison visit and care for them
This was a constant message of Jesus
This was not only words Jesus spoke but this was how Jesus lived
When he told a story explaining who a person’s neighbor was it was of caring for an outsider
The story of the Good Samaritan – ever y state has what are known as ‘Good Samaritan’ laws
The ripple of what we are going to look at is still felt today in our laws and in legal proceedings that happen daily
Let me tell you about Rome
Rome was the largest city in the world – 450,000 – Loyang, China was 2nd
Small compared to cities today
The density of the city was incredible – Calcutta has 122 per sq acre. Manhattan has 100
Rome had 302 people per sq acre
Everyone was squeezed in
Private houses were rare
People lived in tiny apartments
Cooking was done over wood and charcoal – that was also the source of heat
Fire was a constant danger
There was no glass – openings/windows were covered with material or animal hides
The smoke would go out the windows
Chimneys were not invented for centuries
Apartments could only be built to 65 feet in height – laws of the city of Rome
Plaster
The desirable housing was on the ground level
The apartments got less and less desirable every floor they went up
Collapsing apartment buildings were a constant danger
There was central plumbing at ‘Restrooms’ but not in the apartment buildings – this waste was taken by underground piping straight to the Tiber River
People in the apartment s used ‘chamber’ pots
They would then empty them in open ditches along the streets
Those in the upper apartments, instead of carrying their chamber pots down to the ditches would just throw the waste out the windows.
That was mixed with mud, trash, animal waste in the cities
Soap had not been invented in the way we think of soap
People didn’t bathe at home ‘
If they bathed they went to public baths
Public baths were contaminated
Life expectancy was short
People were always sick
It was not uncommon that a person’s body who didn’t have someone to bury them would just be sent floating down the ditch
Rodney Stark – UW, Baylor
The tenement cubicles were smoky, dark, often damp, and always dirty. The smell of sweat, urine, feces, and decay permeated everything. Outside: mud, open sewers, manure, and crowds. In fact, human corpses-adult as well as newborns-were sometimes just pushed into an open sewer. And even if the wealthiest households could provide ample space and personal cleanliness; the rich could not prevent the stench of general filth from penetrating their homes-no wonder everyone was so fond of incense. Worse yet, flies, mosquitoes, and other insects flourished where there is stagnant water and filth-and like stinks, insects are very democratic.
Since the mortality rate was so high there was a constant turnover of newcomers and strangers to the cities
The new comers were needed to keep the city functioning and they were looking for a better life
Because of this cities were ‘communities of strangers’
Crime was everywhere
People didn’t go out after dark
There were house break-ins, pickpockets, petty thieves, muggers
Disease was rampant
Everyone was sick
Today people are identified by photos, finger printing or written descriptions
In the days of the NT people were often identified by the distinguishing mark of – Scars
In the pagan world – to show mercy or compassion was regarded as a weakness – a character defect
Mercy – is unearned help
Pagans didn’t help people who didn’t earn it or deserve it
You didn’t help sick people
You didn’t help the poor, the dying or the injured
People just didn’t – if someone dared to go there – they were ostracized by those around them
There was no ‘Good Samaritan’ law
Along comes Jesus – the start of this movement of his followers
They saw it as their mission to care for people
Compassion and mercy was one of the core ideas that Jesus taught
Jesus brother James wrote about it this way: If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled’, without giving them things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has not works, is dead. James 2:15-17
This idea of Christian Mercy was revolutionizing
Rodney Stark – Christianity provided an island of mercy and security.
For us today – the idea of caring for the poor, the sick, the hurting, the injured, they dying is common place
We think that there is something wrong with someone who won’t help
This was not the case in antiquity
Jesus brought this to the world.
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to His Father. He had loved His disciples during His ministry on earth, and now He loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
John makes a specific point that the devil had already been working on Judas to betray Jesus.
He has a point in mind
Jesus is actually going to wash the feet of the one who is going to betray him to the authorities for a measly 30 pieces of silver.
It has always struck me that Jesus washed the feet of his betrayer
This has been a foundational idea for me – I don’t choose who I serve
My job is to serve
Hit me this time thinking through these events
He was washing the feet of his betrayer – and those who would abandon him – and the one who would deny him
The lesson – I don’t choose who I serve – My job is to serve
Jesus knew that the Father had given Him authority over everything and that He had come from God and would return to God. So He got up from the table, took off His robe, wrapped a towel around His waist, and poured water into a basin. Then He began to wash the disciples' feet, drying them with the towel He had around Him. (John 13:1-5 NLT)
Jesus was clear as to who he was and why he was here on earth – that to serve was no big deal
One of the tell-tale signs of insecurity is a person’s unwillingness to do the dirty work
An insecure person will not ‘wash feet’ because someone might then label them a foot washer.
Foot washing was a standard part of life
Can you imagine what feet looked and smelled like?
If the family had some resources – servant
Children would wash their parents’ feet
In this culture – Dad did not wash the feet of those in the house
They are all reclined at the dinner table
Jesus has been waiting to see if someone was going to do the foot washing
Haven’t they learned anything?
Time and Time again they’ve argued over power – message – serve
Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:25 ESV
The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:11-12. ESV
A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves. Luke 22:23-27. ESV
Haven’t they learned anything
No one moved
No one even appears to have thought about washing the feet
Jesus gets up and washes the feet of the abandoners, betrayers and deniers
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."
When Jesus gets around the table to Simon he protests
Lord, are YOU going to wash MY feet?
You’ll understand someday …
Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to Me – veiled statement about being washed of his sins.
This is how believers understood Jesus’ statement right from the start.
Simon Peter exclaimed, "Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!" Jesus replied, "A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you." For Jesus knew who would betray Him. That is what He meant when He said, "Not all of you are clean." (John 13:6-11 NLT)
You go to the public bath you are clean
We’ve talked about it before – when they entered the Temple area there were numerous pools that people bathed in so that they were clean when they went into the Temple
They were clean --- but not all of you
Jesus is hinting that he knows about Judas
Did the disciples get the hint?
Did Judas know what Jesus was hinting at?
After washing their feet, He put on His robe again and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing? You call Me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you are right, because that's what I am.
And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.
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.
(John 13:12-17 NLT)
You don’t choose who you serve – you serve
You don’t choose what kind of serving you get to do – you serve
“I don’t do windows.”
I don’t do …
1989 Mother Teresa was in Phoenix to open a home for the poor. One of the influential people in the city asked her what he could do for her. Her response: "Find somebody nobody else loves, and love them."
What would it look like for you to find somebody nobody loves and love them?
Who in your life do you need to love/serve?
Not the easy ones to love/serve?
Not the ones that it is cool to serve?
Not the ones that make you somebody because you serve?
What about the person that makes you a nobody?
It does nothing for your resume
It does nothing for your ego
No one knows
Whose feet do you need to wash?
Whose feet is Jesus calling you to wash?
Someone in a different political party
Someone who has wronged you
Someone who has wronged someone you love
Someone who has taken advantage of you
A friend who betrayed you
Jesus washed the feet of those closest to him
Betrayed him
Abandoned him
Denied him
He said he did it as an example --- so that they had an example to follow
They were going to have to wash the feet of people who would
Betray them
Abandon them
Deny them
Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s hamburger chain – characterized by humility – and he was the founder a multi-billion dollar empire. People would ask him what made him so successful. He would regularly reply "my MBA."
Then he would tell them about his MBA – his” mop- and-bucket attitude."
What if 'washing someone's feet' is serving your boss?
Serving your employee?
Serving your ex?
Serving your ex’s new husband?
Here’s what happened with the disciples
They took the words of Jesus seriously and served the very people who crucified Jesus - those who dried out 'Crucify, him.'
They went into communities and fed people, cared for the sick and dying, the elderly, the widows, the orphans
They started education, hospitals, and orphanages
This week - whose feet do you need to wash?
Remember:
If the person is easy to wash their feet - you may not actually following Jesus' example.