Maundy Thursday 2006

John 13:1-17

 

A traveller tells the story of how he was a visiting a hospital in Southeast Asia. He entered just as a young missionary nurse was cleaning the sores of a sick, dirty, elderly man who had been lying in a gutter. The visitor recoiled from then sight and said to the nurse, “I wouldn’t do that for a million pounds” She answered quietly and firmly, “Neither would I.”

What would it take for you? Please turn with me to John 13. I want to make three simple observations about this well known scene that became known as the ‘Last Supper’.What Jesus knew. What Jesus did. What Jesus taught.

1. What Jesus Knew (John 13:1-3)

It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God & was returning to God.” (John 17:1-3)

 

Three things we are told Jesus ‘knew’

1.1 “Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.” (John 13:1)  He knew he was rapidly approaching the most important moments of his life. His destiny from eternity past. He knew that the pain, the shame and the agony of the cross was before him. 

 

Here is the question: If you knew that you would die tomorrow, what would you do tonight? I would spend the time with my family, I’d write some short letters to family I care about but too far to visit and I’d make sure my will is in order. Not Jesus.  John wants us to see something significant about Jesus. Fully God and fully man, Jesus is facing something we can not imagine. He doesn’t say to the disciples, “Don’t you care about what I’m facing?”  His focus is not on himself. He is concerned that they be prepared for what’s about to happen. Jesus is focused on them. Jesus knew the time. Do you?

1.2 “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;” (John 13:2). He knew who he was. Jesus, was the Lord of the Universe.


If anyone didn’t have to humble himself to wash the feet of farmers and fishermen, He didn’t. But because he knew he was Lord of the Universe, because He knew He was not diminished by showing his love in humble service, he took up the towel and basin and stooped to fulfil the role of a foreign slave - to do for them what they were unwilling to do for him, let alone for one another. Are we as secure in our position as children of God? That we can serve without feeling service is in any way demeaning? Jesus knew the time. Jesus knew who he was. Notice something else Jesus knew,

1.3 “For he knew who was going to betray him…” (John 13:11)
Judas, full of deceit, full of hypocrisy, is about to “stab Jesus in the back.” Jesus knows it. What does Jesus do? What would I do? Being stabbed in the back is not that uncommon but what would you do if you knew it was coming? Some people’s motto is “Do unto others before they do unto you.” Not Jesus.


Jesus does not distance himself from Judas. Jesus does not point his finger at Judas and say to him, “How dare you—after all I’ve done for you?” Instead he loves him to the end. He does everything possible to bring Judas to repentance. He washes his feet with the same tenderness and affection that he gives the other disciples. Maybe that will soften Judas’ heart. But it doesn’t. He comments on the pending betrayal - that all are not clean in verse 10. Here is another opportunity for Judas to repent. But instead of repenting Judas hardens his heart. In verse 26 it says Jesus dipped the bread in the dish and gave it to Judas and exposed him as the traitor.


That was Judas’ final opportunity for repentance. Opportunity after opportunity had been resisted. Satan enters him and Judas leaves to do his evil deed. Jesus knew his betrayer. We learn something about Jesus in all that. We learn something about how he would have us deal with those who betray us. No resentment, no anger, no bitterness, only sorrow for the awful decision Judas had made and the terrible consequences that would follow. Can you wash the feet of your enemies? Will you serve a person knowing it probably won’t be reciprocated? What Jesus knew. He knew his time. He knew his Father. He knew his betrayer.

 

2. What Jesus Did (John 13:4-5)
”so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” (John 17:4-5)

I imagine there were a few open mouths, some wide eyes and hushed conversations as, one by one, the disciples realised what Jesus had done. Without saying a word he gives them a lecture. Isn’t this the way we learn our most vivid lessons?
Notice the ‘action’ words in verses 4 & 5.

2.1 “he got up from the meal”

He left his comfort zone. He made his body do something it may have not wanted to do. My alarm went off at 6:30 this morning. My body did not want to get up. After a lengthy discussion with my body, it got up. To be a servant you have to first get up. Jesus got up.


2.2 “he took off he outer clothing”

To serve others we usually have to lay something aside. Most of us live with a full schedule of activity. I invariably work a 15 hour day six days a week and I struggle to get all I need to done. If I’m going to add a service for somebody, I usually have to subtract something I would like to do just for myself. Every servant has to deny himself something, to have the time and energy to give to others. Jesus got up - he acted. Jesus took off his outer clothing.

2.3 “he wrapped a towel around his waist. After that he poured water into a basin.” He made preparations to meet the need no one else was willing to supply.


2.4 and “he began…” I like that. At some point we too have to begin. We can think about it serving. We can pray about serving. We can prepare for serving. But at some point we must start serving. At some point you have to start doing fulfilling your calling, fulfilling your destiny.

This week Prince Harry has become an officer and gentleman as he graduated from Sandhurst. Seeing the pictures reminded me about a man who always had trouble getting son to clean his room. The boy would always agree but then would not follow through. After school he joined the army. When he came home from leave after basic training, his dad asked him what he had learned so far in the service. “Dad” he said, “I have learned what now means”. The apostle Peter eventually learned to obey the Lord rather than offer excuses. That’s something we all have to learn. And better learn it now. 

Notice how John describes Jesus’ behaviour at end of verse 1, “Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed the full extent of his love.” The word for ‘full extent’ is also used to describe Jesus position on the cross - arms open wide. In washing their feet, Jesus was expressing His love for them. A little later in John 15:13 Jesus said “Greater love has no man than that he lay down his life for his friends” That’s what Jesus has done for you and me. The time for service is now. Are you on one of our serving teams? If not, remember what Jesus did for you. What Jesus knew. What Jesus did.

3. What Jesus Taught (John 13:12-17)
Jesus begins with a question: “Do you understand what I have done for you?”  Do you? It goes way beyond just getting your feet washed. It goes way beyond just getting your need met. Jesus comes into our lives. He loves us. He receives us. He meets our needs. And sometimes people think that’s all this is about—getting my need met, getting my feet washed. No, it’s about a personal transformation of character and thinking. It’s about becoming something. It’s about becoming a servant like Jesus.

In John 13:15 Jesus explains the reason he has done this. “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” If my experience in God is only about me, only about me getting my needs met, I’ve missed something along the way. If church is just about me getting what I want, I’ve missed something. The greatest human tragedy is for a person to never receive Christ and experience his forgiveness. The second greatest tragedy is that a person would experience Christ, experience his love, experience his grace—but never pass it on or share that good news in word and deed for others.

In his book The Four Loves, C. S. Lewis talks about this very danger. "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket--safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable ... The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers of love is Hell."

In verse 14 Jesus directly and specifically tells the disciples what the point of his actions are. “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” What does Jesus expect of us? That we “…wash one another’s feet.” What does that mean? It means doing what ever it takes to meet the needs of those we encounter. Especially those within and through our church family. 


Before she died, Mother Teresa visited Phoenix to open a home for the poor. During that brief visit, she was interviewed by KTAR, the largest radio station in town. In a private moment, the announcer asked Mother Teresa if there was anything he could do for her. He was expecting her to request a contribution or media attention to help to raise money for the new home for the needy in Phoenix. Instead, she replied, "Yes, there is. Find somebody nobody else loves, and love them."  Find somebody nobody else loves, and love them. How? Are you on one of our serving teams? If so, persevere, and don’t be discouraged what your service is not always recognised or appreciated. Remember you are serving Jesus.


Not on one of our serving teams yet? Talk to Nancy this week - she is putting together the teams for the Summer this coming week.  Is it because you have never let Jesus wash you? Then let him wash you this Easter - forgive you and make you his child. Is it because you have yet to acknowledge what Jesus your Lord and Master has done for you? Then do so.

We were created to serve, gifted to serve, shaped to serve, and here commanded to serve. That’s what ‘Maundy’ means. It means command. “My command is this: love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)  Need some more motivation? Jesus promises “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:17). What a promise. What a privilege. The apostle Paul understood this well.

In Philippians 2:5-8 tells us “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself...” May God humble us tonight of all nights.


Lets pray.

 

 

 

Inspired by a sermon by Richard Tow, Grace Chapel Foursquare Church, Springfield, MO
www.gracechapelchurch.org  and also by sermons by Guy Caley, Jeff Strite, Rick Gillespie-Mobley and Tim Zingale of Bible Baptist Church, Sapulpa, OK. For more information visit www.sermoncentral.com