Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

13 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. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 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. 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.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 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.”

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. 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.

SERMON NOTES

Sunday, April 11, 2021

The Book Of John

Series: LOVED BY JESUS

Message: The Servant

Scripture: John 13:1-17 ESV

Pastor Philip Miller

The Servant: Do You Have A Heart Like Jesus?

In this passage from John 13:1-17, we see a profound demonstration of Jesus' servant heart. This scene takes place during Jesus’ last meal with the disciples. It's Thursday evening of Holy Week, just hours before his crucifixion the following day. As the story unfolds, Jesus washes the disciple's feet. It’s moving and touching to us today, but in first-century Palestine it was, shocking, radical, and scandalous.

The story shows us three characteristics at the very heart of Jesus:

The Humbling Servant (vs. 1–8a)

• The humility of Jesus is humbling.

1) The Humbling Servant: Jesus knows that the Father has given all things into His hands, and that he's the greatest person in the room. But what does he do? He takes off his garments, wraps a towel around his waist, and washes feet. He willingly, voluntarily, and humbly takes on the role of the lowliest slave. The humility demonstrated by Jesus is humbling for us.

Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

13 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. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 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. 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.”

The Cleansing Redeemer (vs. 7–11)

• Jesus cleanses our soles and our souls.

2) The Cleansing Redeemer: There are dimensions to this foot washing that Peter can't accept. So, Jesus shifts his response to Peter from physical cleansing to spiritual cleansing. Jesus is making this point: we don't just need physical cleansing, we need spiritual cleansing.

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.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 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.”

The Transforming Example (vs. 12–17)

• Served people serve people.

3) The Transforming Example: Jesus is calling us to be like Him. To become humble servants. To become slaves of all. To clean refuse off the feet of the undeserving. To pursue the unlovely. To love our enemies. To lay down our lives in loving service, humble sacrifice, and selflessness care. But how are we supposed to do this? We must give up our pride, and realize that served people serve people.

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. 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.

Takeaways:

• If you’re searching for Jesus, you’ll find him at your feet.

• All will kneel before Jesus, because Jesus knelt before all.

• We serve because He first served us.

Jesus' love is teaching us how to kneel. We love because He first loved us; we forgive because He forgave us; we serve because He served us.

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John 13 ESV and Audio

Scripture: John 13:1-17 ESV

The Book Of John

Series: LOVED BY JESUS

Message: The Servant

Scripture: John 13:1-17 ESV

Pastor Philip Miller

Message: The Servant

Sunday, April 11, 2021

^Videos by Inspirational>1...

“Take Time to Behold Him” Lyrics: Adapted from William Dunn Longstaff ca. 1882

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