John 13:1-120 - The calling to serve

Good morning, everyone. Today reading will be in the book of John chapter 13 and 1 to 20.

John 13 · chapter mention

! It was just before the Passover festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.

Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simeon, Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

Jesus knew that the Father had pulled all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God.

So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.

After that, he put water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simeon Peter, who said to him,

Lord, are you going to wash my feet?

Jesus replied,

You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.

No, said Peter, you shall never wash my feet.

Jesus answered,

Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.

Then, Lord,

Simeon Peter replied,

Not just my feet, but my hand and my head as well.

Jesus answered,

Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet.

Their whole body is clean, and you are clean, though not every one of you.

For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his cloth and returned to his place.

Do you understand what I have done to you?

For you, he asked them.

You call me teacher and lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am.

Now that I, your lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor his messenger greater than the one who sent him.

Now that you know all these things, you will be blessed if you do them. Amen.

Thanks very much, Alex.

And hi everyone. My name is Simeon. I'm one of the members here at West Kilburn.

And it's an exciting time, isn't it? Coming to God's word, seeing what he has to say.

Okay, so why don't we commit our time to the Lord here.

Gracious Father, we just thank you so much for your word, that you speak to us.

And Lord, we just long to hear you. We long to be open to what you have to say.

So we pray that you would help me with the words of my mouth be pleasing in your sight.

And help all of us to have hearts that are willing to listen to you.

Because we do pray for your glory. Amen.

Well, it's embarrassing to admit the depth of our need, isn't it?

Recently, we took a trip to Northern Ireland to see the new in-laws, my new in-laws.

We like them a lot. Hopefully they'll watch the recording so they can hear that.

Get some in-law points.

But at one point in the trip, Hannah, my wife, was having some trouble with a jar, opening a jar.

So, naturally, I stepped up, took the jar, twisted it, twisted it, nothing.

My dad takes it, pop, open, no trouble.

I did need his help, but omitting it wasn't easy.

We hate to admit our need, don't we?

It's embarrassing to admit our weakness.

That we can't do something.

Not that I couldn't have opened a jar, obviously.

Because if I wanted to, I could have.

But if I'm too proud to admit when I need help, then the help's not going to come, is it?

But when we realise that we need help, we need saving effectively,

then we put our hands up, we ask, I need help.

So it takes humility to be served, but it also takes humility to serve, doesn't it?

And we don't really like to serve too much.

Because, if I'm honest, my time and my needs are slightly more important than your needs.

And so, I don't like to be asked too much of, because it might interfere with my plans, with my dreams, my day.

But, I do think when we find a worthwhile cause, or a calling, if you like, then we are willing to serve.

We really do want to serve.

We think it's worth it.

And Jesus speaks into those two things in our passage today.

Humility to be served, and humility to serve.

Because we need to admit how deeply we need him, our humility to be served.

And just how high his call is for us.

We need to admit the depth of our need, and the height of our calling.

So, I don't know where you're at today.

Maybe today you're actually thinking, I'm pretty happy.

I don't think I need Jesus.

You know, I'm not too interested in what he wants for me.

Or maybe you're a Christian.

Maybe you know you need him, and you actually want to carry out whatever he has for you.

So, wherever we're at, we need John 13 to speak to us today.

And it might well humble us.

It might be a little bit uncomfortable.

Because it's going to show us just how much we need Jesus to serve us.

And my prayer is that it would spur us on to jump on board with his mission for us.

So, don't be scared.

This isn't just going to be about doing more stuff.

Filling up your plate even more.

But it's much more heart challenging than that.

So, let's strap in three things that we need to think rightly about to get our place in serving right.

What do we need to think rightly about?

First, we need to see how low you need Jesus to go.

That kind of makes me think of the game Limbo.

You know, how low can you go?

Well, I'm terrible at that game.

But I think Jesus would be good at it.

And you'll see why.

And anyway, with that really helpful image in our heads,

the way that Jesus acts here is actually pretty outrageous.

So, yeah, just like we heard in the kids' life.

They're having a nice dinner.

And then all of a sudden, verse 4.

Take a look.

If you close your Bibles, grab it back out.

Verse 4.

He's taking off his outer clothing.

He's taking off his robe and his cloak.

And he's wrapping a towel around his waist.

Uh-oh.

Ding, ding, ding.

Alarm bells for the disciples.

He looks like a servant.

He looks like the lowest of servants.

And now he's on his hands and knees.

He's washing his disciples' feet.

Can you imagine the awkwardness in the room

of Bartholomew and Thomas giving each other the wide eyes?

Like, what is going on?

This is completely upside down.

After the day of walking around in sandals,

you can imagine the smell.

And you can imagine the layers of dirt.

This is not a job for their superior rabbi.

But it's a job for a servant, right?

An inferior servant.

So, Jesus is humiliating himself.

So, Peter steps up.

Are you going to wash my feet?

Verse 6.

No way, Lord.

You're the one that God has sent.

I won't let you stoop so low.

But you don't get it, Jesus says.

Verse 7.

You do not realize now what I'm doing,

but later you'll understand.

Peter's not happy, is he?

No.

You shall never wash my feet.

Oh, boys.

It's getting heated.

So, Jesus has to tell him straight.

Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.

What's he saying?

Well, that word part is often used to do with inheritance.

So, think of the lost son.

Give me my inheritance.

Give me my part.

So, to have a share with Jesus, a part with Jesus,

is to share in what God will give him.

To share in his glory.

To know the living and true God, now and in eternity.

And Jesus says,

if you don't let me wash your feet,

then you can't have that.

And I wonder if that seems like a bit of an over-exaggeration to you.

A bit like saying to your sister,

if you don't let me make you a cup of tea,

then you're out of this family.

But,

the stakes are way higher, aren't they?

Because cleaning here is a picture.

And it explains people's spiritual reality.

And their eternal destiny.

So, our sin,

that's everything in us that wants to live our way

and resist God's way.

It's like this layer of dirt between us and God.

And he's a perfect God.

He's perfectly just and pure and right.

Nothing impure

can even come near him.

Nothing wrong can be tolerated by him.

And that is good news, right?

Because that means

he won't let any wrongdoing go unpunished.

But it's also bad news

for anyone who has ever done wrong.

For anyone who's not perfect.

Because it's like this big giant wall

that we've built with our own hands

that separates us from God.

So, our sin means that we can't be with Jesus in this life

and we can't be with him in the next.

So, that's a pretty bleak situation.

It's a big problem.

And what Peter doesn't understand yet

is that this whole act of service,

what Jesus is doing,

points to the solution.

It's actually what this whole section of John

is going to be leading up to.

And verse 1 is the introduction to it.

It says,

The hour has come

for him to leave this world

and to go to the Father.

So,

he's about to die.

And when he dies,

all of that dirt and filthiness

of our hearts

that meant that we couldn't be with God,

he took it on himself.

He faced the judgment of the Father

so that he can say,

verse 10,

he can say,

you are clean.

So, there's a separation in the room here,

isn't there,

between Judas and everyone else.

If you look halfway through verse 10,

Jesus says,

You are clean,

but not every one of you.

But he knew who was going to betray him.

And that was why he said,

not every one of you was clean.

So, there's a separation in this room too, right?

We're either spiritually clean or not.

We either know God or we don't.

And it's nothing to do with how much we serve

or give or attend.

It's either those that have admitted

their need for the cross

or haven't.

And maybe we need to think more

on Jesus' response to Peter here.

Peter, he hated the idea of Jesus

serving him.

He says,

No way.

But Jesus,

it's like he says,

Don't you see

the extent of your need?

I have to do this for you.

I have to sink

this low for you

and way further

to die for you.

And I love you too much,

not to.

It's embarrassing to admit

the depth of our need,

isn't it?

How low we need him to go.

How we need him to die for us.

And it's the only way

to be right with God,

to have a part with Jesus,

to share in his heaven.

Because, yes,

our sin is that awful,

is that serious.

And you might feel

the burden of that today.

You might feel the weight

of your sin

making you feel

impure

or ashamed.

But actually,

the beauty of Jesus' offer here

is that he will wash it away.

That night

that we just can't forget.

Those words

that we wish

we could take back.

And that thing

which we haven't told anyone.

Like a teacher

at the end of the day

wiping the whiteboard

clean.

Or they're probably

just all digital now.

Just press a button.

But

it's gone.

You can't see it anymore.

We're washed,

pure,

acceptable to God.

Nothing held against you

and welcomed

into his eternity.

And all because Jesus,

in the words of

Philippians 2.7,

made himself nothing.

He humbled himself

by becoming obedient

to death,

even death

on a cross.

So if we get this,

if we understand this,

when we want to

to burst out

like Peter,

wash me.

Verse 9,

not just my feet,

but my hands

and my head as well.

We need Jesus

to give everything

to save us.

and we need to see

just

how low

he still needs

to go

even after we're saved.

So that's our second

thing that we need

to see.

You never stop

needing

his service.

So verse 10,

those who have

had a bath

need only

to wash

their feet.

Their whole body

is clean

and you are clean.

So Peter's clean.

He's had a whole

body wash.

In other words,

he's forgiven

by God.

But he still has

to see his need

for this foot wash.

So,

what's that all about?

Well,

it's a beautiful

picture of

our constant

need

for forgiveness.

Not to save

us again,

because

Jesus' death

has already

changed our status

with God,

right?

The disciples

are already

clean.

In verse 10,

they're pure

in his sight.

This foot wash

is about

ongoing

relationship

with God.

Because our sin,

it hinders

our walk

with God

every day.

We know that,

don't we?

It entangles

us.

It trips us

up.

And,

undealt with,

it makes our

relationship with

God unhealthy

and unhappy.

Maybe you feel

that today.

Because we

start to welcome

again the

very things

that separated

us from God

in the first

place.

It's like they

stick to our

feet.

And so Jesus

needs to stoop

low and wash

our feet from

the very

sin that he

died to

forgive.

And I

wonder if

it's even

harder to

admit our

constant failure

that we've

messed up

again.

Like a

child not

wanting to

admit that

they've wet

the bed

again.

We want to

be the

finished article.

not after

10,

20,

50 years

of being

a Christian

still

constantly

needing

Jesus to

wash our

dirt away.

It's

embarrassing.

But we

have to

admit our

need.

So I

think humility

looks like

saying sorry

to God

and trying to

steer clear

of the mud

which holds

us back from

that healthy

happy life

with God.

So just as

a quick

side note,

it's not

about ritual

confession.

I don't need

to have a

special prayer

or I don't

need a

special person

to, like a

priest, to

save me,

re-save me,

bring me back

to God.

This is all

about a

heart and a

mindset change

that we

constantly need

to walk

with the

Lord.

We constantly

need forgiveness.

forgiveness.

But if you're

anything like

me, I think

when I've

disobeyed

him, I

kind of feel

like I

need to

wait a

little while

before I

come back

to him to

show that

I'm not

that bad.

Maybe let

the dust

settle a

bit.

As if I

think that

if I come

straight back

to God,

he'll be

like, look

at what

you've just

done.

Like, you

think I'm

going to

forgive you

after just

literally a

second ago

you disobeyed

me.

But that's

actually, that's

the devil's way

of thinking

because I

don't have to

prove myself

worthy or to

earn his love

again.

My relationship

with him is

always going to

be dependent

on his love

and his

forgiveness.

So I need to

run back to

him at that

very moment.

So I want

to ask, is

there sin

that you

don't want

to get rid

of that's

sticking to

your feet?

Because that's

a dangerous

thing, right?

Run back to

Jesus.

Have that

dirt that's

hindering your

walk with

him washed

away.

So see how

much we

need him.

See how low

we need him

to go.

We need

Jesus to

die for us.

And we

never stop

needing his

service.

We need

Jesus to

keep forgiving

us.

Jesus serves

and he

keeps serving

and he

will keep

serving even

into eternity.

And the

scary thing

is that

Jesus sets

the bar

for us.

Right?

That might

sound a bit

shocking or

confusing,

but that's

the third

thing that we

need to see.

We need to

see how

high our

calling is.

Do you

see how

high your

calling is?

So take

a look

with me

at verse

15.

I have

set you

an example

that you

should do

as I have

done to

you.

Now,

we obviously

aren't called

to die to

give people

eternal life.

We can't

save people

like that.

but we're

called to

serve like

Jesus.

So to

go low

for the

sake of

others and

even for

the sake

of their

salvation.

Now that

is a high

calling.

I'm not

sure there

could be a

higher one.

How can

we ever

attain to

that?

How can

we ever

have hearts

that really

want to

serve like

that?

Well,

Jesus gives

us three

life-changing

truths here

and they're

three phrases

that I

really want

to fix

in my

mind so

that they'll

give me a

heart that

wants to

serve.

And I

know three

might sound

like a lot

of ground

but we'll

move quickly

and I just

couldn't not

share these

with you.

So stick

with me.

Here we

go.

Phrase

number one.

I'm not

better than

Jesus.

Now,

it feels a

little bit

awkward saying

that like

how proud

do you think

we are?

Like I think

I'm better

than Jesus?

But actually

Jesus does

think that

there's a

danger of us

thinking this

way.

So take a

look at

verse 16.

Very truly

I tell you.

So this is

Jesus' way

of saying

I'm about

to tell you

something crucial.

So get the

highlighter ready,

get the

pen ready

for the

double

underlining

because what's

he going to

say?

Very truly

I tell you

no servant

is greater

than his

master

nor a

messenger

greater than

the one

who sent

him.

So Jesus

is the

greatest,

right?

There's no

one greater

than Jesus

who's walked

this planet.

And verse

three,

all things

are under

his power.

Literally

he's in

charge of

everything.

And yet

his mindset

was to go

way to the

bottom of

the pile

to lay

aside his

glory and

his status,

become a

man and

to give

his life

for those

who hated

him.

And we're

not greater

than Jesus,

are we?

No one

is.

So that

means that

there's no

task too

low for

the Christian,

right?

There's no

position too

inferior.

If Jesus

was willing

to go so

low for

me, how

low am I

willing to

go for

others?

So we're

not better

than Jesus.

And second,

service is

greatness.

The reason

Jesus served

was because

of his

importance,

because of

his importance,

not in

spite of

it.

So this

is backwards

to how we

think of

it.

So Jesus,

he knows his

authority,

he's in charge

of everything,

verse 3,

and he's

come from

God and

he's going

back to

God.

And it's

because of

that that

he serves.

So we

think that

authority and

status,

greatness,

it should

mean reward

now,

shouldn't

it?

I should

get honour

and status,

I should

have a

comfortable

life,

I should

have

riches,

I'm

working

hard for

my gain,

right?

That's the

way we're

taught to

think.

But Jesus

flips it,

he says the

role of the

greatest is

to serve.

And our

word,

prime minister,

I don't know

if you know,

it literally

means first

servant.

And I

think Jesus

would be

pretty happy

with that.

The one

at the

top should

be the

first to

serve.

And I

wonder if

we have

that mindset,

are we

the first

to serve?

Are we

the prime

minister of

our home?

Are you

the prime

minister at

work?

Are you

the prime

minister for

God's

people?

Because

instead of

saying I'm

important,

serve me,

my job is

important,

my time is

important,

so serve

me,

we need to

flip it.

It's how

can I use

my important

time to

serve you?

So we're

not better

than Jesus,

service is

greatness,

and lastly,

we have an

eternity

changing

mission.

Have you

ever thought

of yourself

as a

messenger,

like in

verse 16,

a messenger

sent by

Jesus?

He gave

his disciples

this life

saving message,

right?

So that

the people

who accepted

them,

who accepted

that message,

accepted

Jesus

himself.

Take a

peek at

verse 20,

very truly

I tell you,

whoever accepts

anyone I

send,

accepts me.

And in

the same

way,

we

we

represent

Jesus

to the

world.

And those

who accept

us and

the message

that we

pass on,

the gospel,

accept the

Lord Jesus

Christ

himself.

So we're

his ambassadors

serving so

that others

might be

saved.

Did you

catch that?

we're the

Lord's

ambassadors

serving so

that other

people might

be saved.

But how

high a

calling?

Could there

be a

higher one?

Going low

so that

others might

hear and

believe.

Is there

any length

that it's not

worth going

to?

Is there

any energy

or money

or time

that's not

worth giving?

And we've

got to start

to rethink,

ask ourselves

questions about

things like,

is the beach

holiday worth

giving up for

the Christian

summer camp?

Or is

respect worth

losing to

share about

what I heard

about the

sermon at

work tomorrow?

Or is a

little bit

less in the

bank account

worth it so

that more

people, the

unreached, can

hear the

gospel?

Well, obviously

there's good

reasons to

not do those

specific things.

That's just to

help us to

examine our

hearts and

think, do we

believe that we

have this

eternity

changing

mission from

the Lord?

So those are

our three

statements.

Can you

imagine what

would change

if we woke

up in the

morning with

these things

ringing in our

ears?

Like, I'm

not better

than Jesus.

Service is

greatness.

I have an

eternity

changing

mission.

How much

more would

my heart

want to

serve him?

And so that

means that

today we're

not going

away

with a

list of

things to

do,

but it's

about a

heart that

says, I

know the

depths of

my need.

I see how

low Jesus

went for

me.

It's a

heart that

cries out, I

know how

high my

calling is.

I want to

serve for

others and

for their

salvation.

salvation.

And man, I

wish I was

less of a

hypocrite in

this really.

I wish I

made my

life more

about this

calling.

And maybe

some of you

are in the

same boat.

So we

need to pray

because we

can nod along

this morning,

we can have

all of our

intentions in

the right

place, but

let's go for

it, let's

follow our

Lord.

So I'll

leave you

with the

Lord Jesus'

words in

verse 17.

Now that

you know

these things,

you will be

blessed if

you do

them.

Let's pray,

shall we?

Gracious

Heavenly

Father,

we come

before you

and we

admit how

much we

need you.

And we

just pray

that we

would admit

that more

and more.

We just

thank you

so much

for how

low Jesus

went for

us, that

he was

willing to

become

nothing for

us so

that we

can know

you.

That he's

willing to

keep having

mercy on

us, to

keep forgiving

us, and

we just

pray that you

would help

us to never

move away

from that,

never move

away from

the cross.

If there's

anything here

Lord today

that you're

convicting us

of or

prompting us

to lay

aside or

to repent

of, to

turn back

to you,

we just

pray that

you would

give us

the boldness

and trust

to do

that.

And Lord

give us

hearts that

want to

serve like

Jesus.

Keep that

mission on

our hearts

and in

our minds

and help

us to

follow Jesus

more each

day.

Because we

do pray it

for your

glory.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.