Serving Others Like Jesus Served Us
Sermon Notes
Today we’re continuing our teaching series called Visible God, which is about seeing God through the life of Jesus. We’re studying a book of the bible called the Gospel of John which records the life and words of Jesus as it was written by an original source, an original follower of Jesus, and today we’re talking about serving. We’re talking about serving others, like Jesus served us. But our natural desire isn’t to serve, it’s to be served. In fact even in our attempts to genuinely serve others, we’ll sometimes have some hidden motives to serve ourselves. For example sometimes we’ll serve others hoping they’ll serve us in return. “If I do the dishes maybe my spouse will give me a back rub later...If I go the extra mile at work maybe my boss will give me a promotion.” Sometimes we’ll serve hoping to be served in return, but other times we’ll serve because we crave praise and recognition. We’ll serve others hoping they say “Thank you! I appreciate you! I appreciate all the hard work you do.” We aren’t serving for a promotion, we’re serving for recognition. Even those who serve because it makes them feel good, are really serving themselves. They’re serving because it makes them feel good.
My point is our natural desire isn’t to serve, it’s to be served, and sometimes we can have the right intentions, but the wrong motives in our hearts. But what’s so great about the way Jesus served, is he had nothing to gain by serving us...He had absolutely nothing to gain by serving us, which makes his service so much greater, more loving, more pure than ours. He served not with selfish hidden motives to gain, but with a genuine desire for others to gain. In today’s text we’ll see Jesus not only model this way of serving, he’ll also help and empower us to serve like him in our everyday life, so our relationships and city will prosper and gain. So let’s turn to John 13:1-20 and get into it. If you open your bible to the middle and turn a few books to the right, you’ll find John. We’ll be in John 13:1-20. The title of today’s message is Take The Towel, and here’s the big idea. It’s take the towel...Take the towel...Take the servant’s towel, and serve like Jesus.
Context:
Here’s your context. Ch 13 brings us to the final few days of Jesus’ life. It’s actually a Thursday night, the night before Jesus is about to be crucified, and in Luke’s gospel we learn this is Jesus’ last meal, his last supper with his disciples. Now by this point his disciples are sensing something big is about to happen, they’re thinking Jesus is about to overthrow the Romans and start ruling as their Messianic King. So some of them start arguing over who will get the greater positions in Jesus’ kingdom. They’re thinking lordship not servanthood, but Jesus is about to show them what it means to be a servant leader in his kingdom. Now as we study his example we’ll learn 3 things about taking the servant’s towel. We’ll learn to reflect, to receive, and to respond. Vs 1-5 are about reflecting on his love, vs 6-11 are about receiving his love, and vs 12-20 are about responding to his love, by taking the servant’s towel like Jesus. Let’s check it out.
The Word:
John 13:1-20 states, “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” Okay so John the author wants us to reflect on Jesus’ love, to reflect on the love Jesus showed his own. He wants us to reflect specifically on how Jesus is about to wash his disciples feet. A few weeks ago I mentioned that washing people’s feet back then was considered one of the lowest tasks a person could do. People walked around the dusty desert roads with open toed sandals, and by the end of the day their feet were filled with dirt, mud, sometimes even animal dung. So feet were considered the dirtiest part of a person’s body. In fact some societies viewed feet as so disgusting, they actually passed laws preventing slaves from having to wash a person’s feet. Yet here’s Jesus, on the last night of his life, willing to take on this task. He’s willing to humbly serve in a position some considered lower than a slave.
What if tonight was your last night to live?...What if tonight was your last night to live?... The text says Jesus knew he was about to die, so what if you knew tonight was your last night to live, how would you want to spend the last night of your life?...Some of you’d spend it turning inward, throwing a pity party for yourself...Some of you wouldn’t throw a pity party, you’d throw a real party! You’d live it up, cross a few things off your bucket list, enjoy these last few hours while you can...Some of you might even spend the night filled with fear, or filled with regret thinking “Would’ve, should’ve, could’ve.” But you know what you wouldn’t be thinking? Let me wash people’s feet...Let me humbly serve others in the lowest position in society, and wash their feet. That just isn’t on our bucket list. But Jesus thinks and loves so much greater than us, that even in his final hours his focus isn’t on himself, it’s on serving those he loves to the end. Jesus is so much more pure in thought, pure in love, pure in motives than us, and John the author is saying “Behold our King! Reflect on the love of our King! He’s so loving and humble he’s willing to serve us even in the lowest position of society, by washing our feet!” This is what John wants us to reflect on. He wants us to reflect on the love of Jesus and how he spent the final hours of his life, bending down to wash the feet of those he loved, like a servant.
Vs. 2, “During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him...” The devil whispered in the ears of Judas, and he accepted Satan’s lies instead of the truth and love of Jesus. But again we’re to reflect on the great love of Jesus, and how Jesus is still showing love to his enemy. He’ll eat his last meal with Judas, even wash the feet of Judas. It’s another shocking display of Jesus’ love that’s different than ours. I mean our mindset isn’t to extend love to the very enemy who’s about to betray us and have us killed. I’m not thinking “Extend love, share a meal, wash his feet.” I’m thinking “Shank him or put a laxative in his falafel!”...But instead of retaliating Jesus extends love to him one last time, and we’re to reflect on this. We’re to see Jesus loving us here, see Jesus loving you here. We’re to see Jesus extending his love to us as sinners, like he’s extending his love to Judas the betrayer. Romans 5:8, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus extends his love to us as sinners, like he’s extending his love to Judas the betrayer.
Vs. 3, “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” Jesus takes the towel...Jesus takes the servant’s towel, and washes their feet...Now what Jesus is thinking about is his mission, it’s the very reason he came, which is to be a sacrificial servant. It isn’t time for him to be exalted as the Messianic King they want him to be, it’s time for him to be the sacrificial servant they need him to be. He knows it’s time for him to cleanse something even dirtier than their feet, it’s their sin stained hearts through his death on the cross. What we’re to reflect on here is the fact that Jesus was powerful enough to rule us as King, but instead he served us as a sacrificial Savior. He came not to sit comfortably on a throne, but to hang painfully on a cross. He came not to wear a crown of gold, but to wear a crown of thorns. He came not to take a royal rob, but to take a servant’s towel. He took the towel...Jesus took the towel, even to the point of laying his life down on the cross, to cleanse our sin stained hearts.
Vs. 6, “He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, do you wash my feet?’ 7 Jesus answered him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.’ 8 Peter said to him, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’” Peter’s shocked by what Jesus is doing, and it’s understandable considering the period of history he’s in. In our society people might not be as shocked, because we have a growing sense of entitlement in our society. People are like “You know what I deserve this?...My superiors owe me. My parents owe me. My boss owes me. The government owes me. Even Jesus owes me! He owes me love, happiness, prosperity, an easy life, eternity in heaven.” This entitlement mentality is different than the undeserving mentality of Peter. Peter’s like “What are you doing? I don’t deserve this! You’re far too superior for such an inferior task!” But Jesus shows us that true love takes the servant’s towel regardless of positional status. In fact there’s no record in Greco-Roman or ancient Jewish history that shows a superior washing the feet of an inferior. There’s no king, leader, master, rabbi who bends down to wash the feet of others. The only example we have is right here in John 13, it’s the example of Jesus.
Again vs. 8, “Peter said to him, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.’” This is about receiving his love. We talked about reflecting on Jesus’ love, but this is about receiving his love. Jesus says “If I don’t wash you, you’ll have no share with me,” meaning this about more than cleansing their feet, it’s about cleansing their sins so they can have eternal fellowship with God. He says the only way for that to happen is if he does the cleansing! He doesn’t tell them to cleanse themselves by doing good works, he says it has to be his work! He has to be the one to cleanse us of our sins through his work on the cross. This is about them and us receiving the cleansing love of Jesus for our sins.
Vs. 9, “Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ 10 Jesus said to him, ‘The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.’ 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’” Not all of you are clean, meaning Judas. He isnt cleansed of his sins because he doesn’t receive Jesus’ love. Peter receives, Judas doesn’t.
Vs. 12, “When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, ‘Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” Jesus wants them to respond to his love. He wants them to respond to his love by taking the servant’s towel like he did. He doesn’t just want to cleanse them, he also wants to send them to live as servant leaders in the world. Each week we close our services saying City Awakening you’re sent, because we’re sending you to live missionally as servant leaders like Jesus. Our relationships, city, country desperately needs this kind of loving servant leadership. Our country’s getting more divided every day and Jesus is sending us to take the servant’s towel to spread his love. A Christian’s 1st allegiance isn’t to a political party or societal movement, it’s to Jesus and his Kingdom movement! A Christian’s 1st allegiance isn’t to Donald Trump, Joe Biden, or Kanye, it’s to Jesus Christ! If only we were as vocal about Jesus as we are about our politics we might actually see a Great Awakening, a City Awakening! But it won’t happen if we don’t take the towel, to spread the great name and love of Jesus.
Vs. 16, “Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” Jesus again refers to Judas rejecting his love. In vs. 18 he says he shared a meal with him, but Judas lifted his heel against him. Now Jesus repeatedly addressing Judas is important because it shows Jesus isn’t tolerating his sin. He offers him love, but doesn’t tolerate his sin. He offers us love, but doesn’t tolerate our sin. A lot of people think it’s loving to not address people’s incorrect beliefs and sinful practices, but Jesus addresses both Peter and Judas. He doesn’t say “Let’s just hug it out guys. Let’s just agree to disagree.” Instead he addresses Peter’s incorrect beliefs and Judas’ sinful practices, but he does so lovingly. He does it while taking the towel and washing their feet. He takes the towel, but also doesn’t tolerate sin...Okay so let me ask you 3 questions. Let me ask you 3 questions relating to the text.
#1 Will you reflect on Jesus’s love? = Will you reflect on Jesus’ love?...In our entitlement culture we often underestimate how undeserving we are of his love. So it’d serve us well to take time to reflect on the love Jesus displayed in this text, to reflect on how undeserving we are of his love, especially his love on the cross. But just like we underestimate how undeserving we are, we also underestimate how willing and loving Jesus really is. So also take the time to reflect on how willing and loving he was, to take the servant’s towel, and go to the cross for you.
#2 Will you receive Jesus’s cleansing love? = Will you receive Jesus’ cleansing love? He said if you don’t receive his cleansing love on the cross, you’ll have no part of him. So if you want to be cleansed of your sins, have eternal friendship with Jesus, then believe he died for your sins on the cross, ask him to cleanse your sins, and he’ll do it. If you’re a Christian then you already have his cleansing and friendship, but you still need his daily cleansing and friendship for renewal. It’s because sometimes we’ll forget the cross and beat ourselves up over our sins, or we’ll try to overcome our sins on our own with Jesus. Like Peter we’ll say “I’ve got this. I can clean myself up, go through life on my own. I’ll check in with Jesus every now and then, but I don’t really need him for daily cleansing and renewal.” This is the attitude many people are having during COVID. The novelty of online church has worn off and many have fallen out of the discipline of attending church, small groups, reading their bible, praying, spending time with Jesus daily. So will you personally, receive cleansing and renewal today from the only one who can cleanse and renew you? He’s willing to cleanse and renew you daily, if you ask for it.
#3 Will you respond to his love, by taking the servant’s towel? = Will you respond to his love, by taking the servant’s towel, and serving like Jesus?...Look Jesus cleanses us and sends us. He helps us to go from being a mess, to being a messenger...He helps us go from being a mess, to being a messenger...We’re to take the towel and share the great loving message of Jesus with others. But unfortunately there’s a lot of people in our churches today who sit at the table like Judas, and when Jesus says take the towel, they give him their heel...When Jesus says take the towel, they give him their heel. There’s a lot of tasks that need to be done in this church, in our church, like setting up the pipe and drape, putting up the chairs, tech team, worship team, social media team, guest services, online hosts, and the question is will you be the kind of person who takes the towel or shows your heel?...Will you be the kind of person who takes the towel in your church, home, workplace, neighborhood, city, or will you show Jesus your heel? 2020’s certainly been a difficult year for churches and society, but difficulty doesn’t excuse a Christian from taking the towel...Difficulty doesn’t excuse a Christian from taking the towel...So take time this week to ask yourself “What does it look like for you to take the towel in your church onsite or online?...What does it look like for you to take the towel in your relationships, and your city?”
The Big Idea:
Look the big idea is take the towel...Take the towel, and serve like Jesus served us... There’s only one person who deserves to be served as Lord, his name is Jesus, and he set an example for us to follow. It’s to take the towel and serve like he served us. We want City Awakening to be a church that follows his example, that takes the towel and loves a few so we can love the many. We want to be a church that loves a few people so well, that they can’t ignore the love of Jesus for their lives. We want to be a church that takes the towel in our daily lives. I know our natural desire isn’t to serve it’s to be served. But our relationships and society won’t ever benefit if everybody expects to be served as Lord. Instead they’ll benefit if people serve like Jesus served us. So will you be the one who takes the towel in your church?...Will you be the one who takes the towel in your marriage, your family, your home?...Will you be the one who takes the towel in your workplace, your neighborhood, your city?...You’ll have plenty of opportunities this week to take the towel. The question is will you take the towel, or will you turn the heel?