Title: How To Wash Feet
Bible Book: John 13 : 1-17
Author: Dean Haun
Subject: Servanthood; Service; Christian Living; Foot Washing
Objective:
Introduction
Every Christian ought to know how to lead men to Jesus...to have full assurance of their salvation...how to walk with God...and how to be a cheerful giver...ALSO- How to Wash Feet! We are going to talk about becoming "foot washing Baptists" today.
When Christian Herter was governor of Massachusetts, he was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after a busy morning chasing votes (and no lunch) he arrived at a church barbecue. It was late afternoon and Herter was famished. As Herter moved down the serving line, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line. "Excuse me," Governor Herter said, "do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?" "Sorry," the woman told him. "I'm supposed to give one piece of chicken to each person." "But I'm starved," the governor said. "Sorry," the woman said again. "Only one to a customer." Governor Herter was a modest and unassuming man, but he decided that this time he would throw a little weight around. "Do you know who I am?" he said. "I am the governor of this state." "Do you know who I am?" the woman said. "I'm the lady in charge of the chicken. Move along, mister."
How easy it is to get caught up in who we are and even who we think we are to the point where we feel the world revolves around us and is here to serve us. And the same thing can happen in the church. "My church is here to serve me...to meet my needs...to take care of me." But I believe a careful study of Scripture will reveal that there are 4 different groups or areas of service that every Christian should be involved in:
1. Servants of mankind- those we do not know (why should we build a building f1or the Cambodians? Because God calls us to be servants!)
2. Servants of the members- (family members, church family members, even those who irritate and agitate us.)
3. Servants through ministry- have you discovered a place of service within the church? The body of Christ?
4. Servants of the Master- willing to do or go wherever He commands.
John Newton, the writer of the most popular hymn in history, "Amazing Grace" said: "... if two angels in heaven were given assignments by God at the same time, one of them to go and rule over the greatest nation on earth and the other to go sweep the streets of the dirtiest village, each angel would be completely indifferent as to which one got which assignment. It simply wouldn't matter to them. Why? Because the real joy lies in being obedient to God. For a Christ follower, the important thing isn't what God has us doing; the important thing is that we're doing what God wants us to do."
That's the message of our text today. Jesus is teaching the disciples and us a profound lesson about serving and service to one another. Prior to this chapter the disciples had been engaged in a series of debates as to who was the greatest in the Kingdom. In Mark 9 Jesus predicted His death and resurrection to His disciples and it greatly perplexed them. Verse 31 says, "For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day. (32) But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him." Look at verse 33..."Then He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house He asked them, 'What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?' (34) But they kept silent, for on the road they disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. (35) And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, 'If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.'" Simple message - enough said - that settles that little argument. But, oh no. Matthew 20:17-19 reveals they were on their way with Jesus to Jerusalem where He would suffer on the cross. Verse 20 describes an incredible scene involving the mother of James and John and a request she made of Jesus. "Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons (James and John), kneeling down and asking something from Him.(21) And He said to her, 'What do you wish?' She said to Him, 'Grant these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.' Can't you just picture this little Jewish mother bringing her grown sons to Jesus. 'Oh they are such good boys and you could really make me so proud of them.'(22) But Jesus answered and said, 'You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?' He was talking about the cup of suffering, the cup of his death, the horror of His crucifixion. NOTICE- THEY SAID to Him, 'We are able.'
Now James and John are in the picture. As a matter of fact, the boys probably planted this idea in their mother's heart? "Maybe if mom talks to Jesus it might happen." (23) So He said to them, 'You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.' What do you think is going through the minds of the other disciples? (24) And when the ten heard it they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. "Who do these guys think they are?"(25) But Jesus called them to Himself (He was so patient) and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. (26) But it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. (27) And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave- (28) just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
'Did that settle this little power struggle going on among the disciples? If you look at...# Luke 22:24, the Bible says when they came into the Upper Room for the Passover meal, "Now there was ALSO a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest." Nothing had been settled. Here was a room full of Mohammed Ali's arguing over who is the greatest. These guys were just hours away from the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus and they are arguing over self- importance...but then, that's what self always does, even in the church. "It's all about me...me...me! I am what is important and getting my way and having my needs met and my hand held." Oh listen, it is never about you or me...IT IS ALL ABOUT HIM and doing His will!
Look at the pattern:
In Mk. 9 in Capernaum He tells them He will be crucified and resurrected and they argue over who is the greatest in the Kingdom.
In Matt. 20 Jesus is on His final journey to Jerusalem to die on the cross and they are arguing over who is the greatest in the Kingdom.
In Lk. 22 they are in the Upper Room sharing their final meal with the Master and they are still arguing over who is the greatest in the Kingdom.
This little controversy had exploded into a full-blown feud. It's no surprise that when they came into the room that night for the Passover meal that no one took upon himself the role of a servant and washed the others feet. The custom in that day was that the lowest ranking slave of the household would wash the feet of the guests and if there were no available slave you would wash your neighbor's feet. "I'm not washing his feet! I'm better than he ever thought about being. I'm one of the big-shots of this operation." What you had was a room full of swollen heads and smelly feet.
Three truths I want us to understand and apply. Jesus demonstrates...
I. The Picture Of Humility (13:1-5)
What Jesus knew (13:1-3) determined what Jesus did (13:4-5). He knew His hour had come. He knew the cross was looming. He knew who He was, where He came from, what He had and where He was going. The disciples must have been in total shock when Jesus got up from the supper table, laid aside His outer garments, wrapped a towel around his waist, took a basin of water, and began washing their feet. His actions rebuked their selfishness and pride. It's hard for us to even imagine how shocking this must have been to them. They sat there in stunned silence. Here was the Sovereign, taking the place of a servant. Here was the One who had all things in His hands, yet He picked up a towel. He was the One who separated the seas and yet now He was pouring water into a basin. He was the One who had created them from dust, yet now He humbly wipes the dust off their feet. He was the Lord and Master, yet He is serving them like a common slave.
Oh how the 21st century church needs to apply this lesson. The seven greatest internal struggles of the church would be laid to rest if we just heeded the example of Jesus...If we just washed one another's feet, we would put an end to the spirit of...
A. Competition
It's almost sickening how competitive we have become...competition between churches, ministers and ministries, members desiring the highest positions of leadership. Abraham Lincoln was walking down the street with his two sons, who were crying and fighting. "What's the matter with the boys?" a friend asked. "The same thing that's wrong with the whole world," Lincoln replied, "I have three walnuts and each of the boys wants two!" Criticism Note I think some churches ought to close out on Sunday by asking, "Bro. Jones, would you please stand and dismiss us in a word of criticism?"
B. Conflict
It is a disgrace what is happening in the fellowship of some churches today...arguing, division, and strife...
C. Carnality
You can't run the church in the flesh like a business and expect God's hand to be on it. We walk by faith, not by sight.
D. Confusion
Everyone just doing their own thing...
E. Childishness
"If I don't get my way I'm going to withhold my tithe." Guess what? It isn't your tithe, it's God's tithe. It isn't yours or mine to holdback.
F. Contention
Pride and arrogance that refuses to be part of the team. After a minister had preached a searching sermon on pride, a woman who had heard the sermon waited upon him and told him that she was in much distress of mind, and that she would like to confess to a great sin. The minister asked her what the sin was. She answered, "The sin of pride, for I sat for an hour before my mirror some days ago admiring my beauty." "Oh," responded the minister, "that was not a sin of pride-that was a sin of imagination!" Oh how we need to pick up the towel and the basin and just serve one another...wash the feet of one another...put away our pride and ego...and become like Jesus! Jesus explains....
II. The Principle Of Holiness (13:6-11)
I want you to see how this relates to humility and service...As Peter watched the Lord wash the feet of the other disciples he became more and more disturbed and could not understand what He was doing. (6) Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, "Lord, are you washing my feet?" (7) Jesus answered and said to Him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with me." (8) Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me. "Notice how he swung back to the other extreme. (9) Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
"Here's the principle.(10) Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash His feet, but is completely clean; and you are all clean, but not all of you. (11) For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean." The word translated "wash" in verses 5-6, 8, 12, 14 is the Greek word nipto and means to wash a part of the body. But the word translated "bathed" or "washed" in verse 10 is louo and means "to bathe all over." Jesus was trying to teach His disciples the importance of a holy walk.
When you trust Christ as Savior, you are bathed all over and your sins are washed away and forgiven. However, as believers walking in this world it is easy to become defiled. But you don't need to get saved over and over, you don't need to get bathed all over again, you simply need to have that specific defilement cleansed away. God promises to cleanse us when we confess our sins to Him (1 John 1:9).
Salvation brings about our UNION with Christ but it is our daily walk that determines our COMMUNION with Christ! The bath we received at salvation establishes RELATIONSHIP with God. But it is the moment-by-moment washings that help us maintain FELLOWSHIP with the Lord. Jesus was saying, "Your childish competitive spirit and your lack of care and service to one another has caused you to become unclean in your walk with God. You are out of fellowship with the Father." He was hitting them (or may I say "washing them") right at their point of their sin. NOT ONE OF THEM WAS A SERVANT! As a result they were carnal, backslidden, out of fellowship with the Lord. If you've not been serving others, Jesus wants to wash your feet this morning.
If you've become haughty and high-minded in your thinking, Jesus wants to cleanse your mind. If you have refused to serve in His church, Jesus wants to wash your hands. If your attitude is full of self and pride, Jesus wants to cleanse your heart... because you are out of fellowship with Him! One other observation here- Jesus washed the feet of Judas as well, knowing he was the very one who would betray him and have him killed. Are we willing to wash the feet of even our enemies? Jesus reveals...
III. The Product Of Happiness (13:12-17)
(Vs. 12) "So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, 'Do you know what I have done to you?' (13) You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, 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 should do as I have done to you. (16) Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.
Verse 17 is the key- "If you know these things, blessed (happy) are you if you do them." The world thinks happiness is the result of others serving us, but real joy comes when we serve others in the name of Christ. Happiness is the by-product of a life lived in the will of God. Look at the pattern:
A. When We Humbly Serve Others
B. Walk In God's Path Of Holiness, And
C. Do What He Tells Us To Do...Then We Will Find Happiness
Humility...holiness...then happiness! That's God's formula for true spiritual joy! Albert Schweitzer said, "There are two kinds of people. There are the helpers, and the non-helpers. I thank God He allowed me to become a helper, and in helping, I found everything." You don't have to go to a designated building. You don't have to have a seminary degree. You can start right where you are with the people around you. Think about how you can give yourself away to the members of your family. How can you serve them and set them free to be the best they can be? What about significant friends and extended family? How can you give yourself to them? Think about your place of employment. I know you already work hard, but aren't there some ways you could serve the people around you? If you are a supervisor or boss remember what Jesus did for his followers. Let me not fail to mention the church. Can you see areas where ministry is needed? Have you ever sat around thinking "I wish the church offered this or that program?" Maybe God is giving you a prompting to meet that need. If you're a believer here today, give yourself away to the lost people in your world.
Build a relationship with an unchurched person and share your life and faith with them. If they have questions you can't answer invite them here where we seek to provide biblical advice. The point is there's a payoff in serving. You gain when you give yourself away.
Missionary Jim Elliot who served and ultimately gave his life trying to reach the Auca Indians with the Christian faith said, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he will never lose."
