The Christian is a servant

Evening folks, delighted to be with you guys again.

In case you haven't met before, I'm Daniel, as Keith said.

! Let me just pray before we read again.

Amen.

We'll be continuing in John 13, from verse 18 to the end.

Jesus said,

I'm not referring to all of you, I know those whom I have chosen.

But this is to fulfill the passage of Scripture,

He who shared my bread has turned against me.

Sorry, I have technical issues. There we go.

I'm telling you now before it happens,

so that when it does happen, you will believe that I am who I am.

Very truly, I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me,

and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified,

Very truly, I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.

His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which one of them he meant.

One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.

Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said,

Ask him which one he means.

Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him,

Lord, who is it?

Jesus answered,

It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread

when I have dipped it in the dish.

Then, dipping the piece of bread,

he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

As soon as Judas took the bread,

Satan entered into him.

So Jesus told him,

What you are about to do, do quickly.

But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him.

Since Judas had charge of the money,

some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival,

or to give something to the poor.

As soon as Judas had taken the bread,

he went out,

and it was night.

When he was gone,

Jesus said,

Now the Son of Man is glorified,

and God is glorified in him.

If God is glorified in him,

God will glorify the Son in himself,

and will glorify him at once.

My children, I will be with you only a little longer.

You will look for me,

and just as I told the Jews,

so I tell you now,

where I am going,

you cannot come.

A new command I give to you,

love one another as I have loved you,

so you must love one another.

By this,

everyone will know that you are my disciples,

if you love one another.

Simon Peter asked him,

Lord, where are you going?

Jesus replied,

Where I am going,

you cannot follow now,

but you will follow later.

Peter asked,

Lord, why can't I follow you now?

I will lay down my life for you.

Then Jesus answered,

Will you really lay down your life for me?

Very truly, I tell you,

before the rooster crows,

you will disown me three times.

Amen.

So I first gave this sermon as part of a series on the Christian identity,

and this part was on how Christians are servants.

I wonder what comes to mind when you think of the word servant.

A couple of my friends are big fans of Downton Abbey,

which is all about the lord and lady of the manor,

in like the landed gentry,

the early 20s or something.

I've not seen it myself,

you can probably tell.

But one of my friends is such a big fan of the show,

that it's his dream to become a butler.

I don't know how you feel about that.

If I got an email from work one day saying,

we've had to do some restructuring,

and your new role is a butler,

I'd be quite disappointed.

But in this chapter,

Jesus shows us that if we're Christians,

we are servants of God,

and servants of each other.

The Christian is a servant.

So this passage in particular,

teaches three big things about that.

Firstly, we are servants who follow the example of Jesus Christ.

Then we are servants who are under the command of Jesus Christ,

and we are servants who experience the grace of Jesus Christ.

So firstly, we're servants in the example of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the example servant in the Bible.

He's the archetype.

And if we are Christians,

we recognize that even though we serve God,

God first served us in the person of Jesus Christ.

In his own words,

he came not to be served,

but to serve,

and to give his life as ransom for many.

Jesus came to serve us,

and thereby give us an example,

so that we may serve each other.

Read verse 15 with me.

It says,

after washing his disciples' feet,

he says,

I've set you an example

that you should do as I've done for you.

Very truly, I tell you,

no servant is greater than his master,

nor is a messenger greater

than the one who sent him.

Jesus says explicitly,

I've given you an example.

So what servant-like qualities

is Jesus exemplifying here?

Well, firstly,

it's his love for the people he serves.

At this point in Jesus' life,

he's about to leave the world.

He must have had a lot on his mind.

He was about to undergo

the extreme penalty of crucifixion,

and then he would be resurrected

and return to heaven.

He was about to go through

the depths of pain and sadness,

and then ascend

to the highest joys of heaven.

And so in the midst of this,

what was he thinking about?

Well, verse 1 says

that he was thinking about his people.

Verse 1 says that,

having loved his own

who are in the world,

he loved them to the end.

To the very end of his life,

Jesus loved his disciples,

and he loved them

to the fullest extent.

That's another way of understanding

that phrase to the end,

that he loved them

to the uttermost,

the fullest extent

that you can love someone.

And John expresses this love

in a particular way.

He says,

Jesus having loved his own

who are in the world,

he loved them to the end.

He phrases it this way

to make clear

that he's not only talking

about the disciples then,

but he's talking about

all of his people

for all time.

If you're a believer today,

you can read this passage

and know that Jesus

was thinking about you

and that he loves you

to the uttermost too.

Some people say,

I love you to the moon and back.

But if you believe in Jesus

and he loves you

from the depths of the cross

to the heights of heaven,

which is much further

than the moon.

Jesus sets an example

of love.

His love was patient,

selfless,

and went to the uttermost

through the most extreme

circumstances.

Secondly,

he sets an example

of humility.

In verse 3,

John gives us a look

into the mind

of Jesus.

It says,

Jesus knew that the Father

had put all things

under his power

and that he had come

from God

and was returning

to God.

So it says that Jesus

knows that he's from heaven

and that all things

are in his hands.

he was the Son of God.

I was thinking about

what I might be like

if I knew this

about myself.

I might get a bit

of a power trip

from that.

Maybe if someone

crossed me,

I would say,

do you have any idea

who I am?

The Son of God.

Jesus,

on the other hand,

knowing that he's

from heaven

and that all things

were in his hand,

serves sinners.

He did not consider

equality with God

something to be grasped

for his own selfish gain.

Instead,

as we read in verse 4,

it says,

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

the disciples' feet,

drying them with a towel

that was wrapped

around him.

In the ancient

Middle East,

servants would show

themselves to be servants

by wearing minimal,

simple clothes.

And one of the most

humiliating duties

of a servant

that they'd be expected

to do was to clean

the feet of their masters.

So when Jesus

takes off his

outer garment

and puts on the towel,

he's dressing up

as a servant.

Then he takes the role

of the servant

by washing

his disciples' feet.

Jesus is not

someone who,

when slighted,

would be thinking,

do you have any idea

who I am?

He's not someone

who would say

that this person

is beneath me

or this act of service

is beneath me.

He was prepared

to wrap himself

in a towel

and wash

his disciples' feet.

He sets the example

of humility

by extremes.

Though he was

the very highest,

and is the very highest,

he made himself

the lowest.

Though he is

the immortal,

invisible God

who wraps himself

in light

and is served

by myriads of angels,

he humbly

washes the feet

of those

that he loves.

So how are we

to respond to this?

Well, firstly,

we're to simply

receive Jesus' service

with thanksgiving

and accept it.

And secondly,

we must follow

his example.

If you read

verses 6-9

with me,

it says,

He came to Simon 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 will never

wash my feet.

Jesus answered,

unless I wash you,

you have no part

in me.

Peter protests

at Jesus'

act of service.

He doesn't feel

worthy.

He doesn't want

to receive

Jesus' service.

He wants to earn it.

But Peter

has to accept

that it's not

about how he feels.

If he's going

to be clean,

Jesus has to do

it for him.

He can't do it

himself.

Ultimately,

the act of

washing of the feet

points towards

Jesus'

death on the cross.

His extreme

act of service

for our forgiveness.

we can't save

ourselves,

and we have to

accept that.

We have to

simply receive

with gratitude

that Jesus

has done

the work of

saving us

on our behalf.

Perhaps this is

something you

personally

might struggle

with.

Maybe life

is a bit of a

mess,

and you feel

like Jesus

wouldn't help

you,

and that

you're

beneath him.

Well,

we must remember

that he was

glad to descend

from heaven

to die for you

and forgive

your sins.

Romans 5 says

that while we

were still

sinners,

Christ died

for us.

If he was

willing to

die for us

while we were

still his

enemies,

how much more

will he help

us now that

we're his

friends?

Christ.

So Jesus

is the

example

servant

whose

service

we first

must gratefully

accept,

and then

whose pattern

we have to

follow.

As well as

being the

servant in

this picture,

he's also

the Lord.

He's the

one who

dishes out

the commands

to a

servant.

That's my

second point.

Christians

are servants

under the

command of

Jesus Christ.

verse 13

says,

you call me

teacher and

Lord,

and rightly

so,

for that is

what I am.

Jesus is the

teacher and

Lord of his

people.

They're right

to call him

teacher and

Lord,

because he

came from

God,

and the

Father has

put everything

in the world

under the

lordship and

authority of

Jesus.

There's

nothing in

the world

that doesn't

belong to

him,

and there's

no person

in the

world who

won't

ultimately

answer to

Jesus.

In verse

14,

we get the

implication of

this in

this passage.

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 is a

messenger

greater than

the one

who sent

him.

So that

means if

Jesus was

humble,

making himself

the servant

of people

who didn't

deserve him,

who couldn't

repay the

favor,

then we

must do

the same.

Otherwise,

we're saying

with our

actions that

we're greater

than the

master when

we're not.

God.

Imagine being

in the

upper room

with the

disciples

and Jesus

that night.

Jesus took

off his

robe,

imagine him

washing Peter's

feet,

and John's

feet,

and James'

feet,

and Andrew's

feet,

the disciples,

and then he

comes around

and washes

yours.

And then he

says to you,

now you must

follow my

example,

you should

wash each

other's feet.

You wouldn't

think of

saying,

no way,

would you?

You wouldn't

think of

saying,

washing feet

beneath me,

it would

be crazy.

Who would

you think

you're talking

to?

All things

are in

Jesus'

hands.

He's God

in the

flesh.

But sometimes

we do find

reasons not

to follow

Jesus'

example.

We find

reasons not

to serve

other people.

But when we

realize that

our Lord

made himself

a servant

for his

people while

they were

still sinners,

all those

reasons and

excuses melt

away.

Because no

servant is

greater than

the master.

So in a

church family,

we're all

servants.

None of us

are the

masters.

Do we

insist on

getting our

own way

rather than

seeking the

benefit of

the other

person?

Perhaps we

have less

time for

certain

people in

the church

because they

rub us up

the wrong

way.

We must

follow Jesus'

example instead.

Thinking a bit

beyond the

church family,

are there

people out

there in

the world

that we

think are

beneath us?

Are there

people for

whom we

feel, I

don't need

to respect

this person?

Maybe it's

because their

politics is

wrong.

Or maybe

they're a

drain on

society.

No servant

is greater

than the

master.

And if

Jesus is

willing to

welcome

sinners and

show kindness

to them,

working to

bring them

to faith,

then we

must do

the same.

Otherwise,

we're saying

with our

actions that

we're greater

than the

master.

father.

The other

thing to

see is

that Jesus

issues his

commands

through his

words.

If you

read verse

20, it

says,

very truly

I tell you,

whoever

accepts anyone

I send

accepts me,

and whoever

accepts me

accepts the

one who

sent me.

Jesus there

is talking

specifically

about the

disciples.

When they

go out and

evangelize and

put scriptures

into writing,

they teach

with Jesus'

authority.

They speak

his words.

So when the

apostles preached

and gave

commands to

the churches,

they did so

with the

authority of

Christ.

That's why we

have all the

other writings

in the New

Testament.

What this

entails is that

how we respond

to Jesus'

commands in

the Bible

displays how

we respond

to him

personally.

When we

listen to

his word,

do we do

it and

accept it

with

thanksgiving?

Or do we

try to get

around it,

find

reasons not

to obey?

Remember that

Jesus said,

whoever receives

the one I

send receives

me.

In this

particular

chapter,

Jesus'

commands are

about loving

each other

as a church

family.

He expresses

this in two

ways.

First in

verse 14,

it says,

now that I,

your Lord and

teacher,

have washed

your feet,

you should

wash one

another's

feet,

one another

being your

fellow believer.

Then he

says in

verse 34,

a new

command I

give you,

love one

another.

As I

have loved

you,

so you

must love

one another.

I mentioned

earlier that

Jesus washing

his disciples'

feet was

pointing to

how he

would deal

with their

sins on

the cross.

The washing

represented how

forgiveness

covers over

their sins

and washes

them away.

Jesus took

the extreme

penalty on

their behalf

so that

their sins

would not

be counted

against

them.

So when

Jesus says

to wash

each other's

feet,

what does

he mean?

We're not

like Jesus.

We can't

take away

someone's

sin,

that was

his job.

But we

can say to

each other,

I forgive

you for

what you've

done against

me.

To wash

each other's

feet means

that we

must forgive

each other

and be

gracious to

each other.

Listen to

a part of

Colossians

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3.

Put on

then as

God's

chosen ones

holy and

beloved,

compassionate

hearts,

kindness,

humility,

meekness and

patience,

bearing with

one another.

And if

one has a

complaint against

another,

forgiving each

other.

As the

Lord has

forgiven you,

so you

also must

forgive.

church needs

to be a

family where

forgiveness is

abundant,

where we

frequently let

go of the

things we

have against

others.

We let

go of our

anger at

their failings.

We let

go of our

pride to

forgive people

who have

hurt us.

We make a

special effort

as God's

people to

forgive people

in our church

family.

family.

And we're

unable to do

this because

the Lord

himself has

forgiven us.

That's what

Colossians says.

Our sins in

God's sight have

been dealt

with.

They're gone.

So we can

share with

each other the

forgiveness and

grace that God

has shown us.

we saw earlier

that Jesus is

love for us.

His people is

committed to the

end and full of

humility, willing

to do the

servant's job for

the other person.

And our love must

follow that

example, our love

for each other.

There's a part of

the Westminster

Confession that we

follow as a church

that teaches us

very clearly.

It says,

all saints,

that's believers

or Christians,

are united to

Jesus Christ,

their head,

by his spirit

and by faith,

have fellowship

with him in his

graces,

sufferings,

death,

resurrection and

glory.

And being united

to one another

in love,

they have communion

with each other

in each other's

gifts,

and are obliged

to the performance

of such duties,

public and private,

as do conduce

to their mutual

good,

both in the

inward and outward

man.

In other words,

we're united

to each other

in love,

and therefore

obliged to serve

each other.

We're obliged

to work for the

good of other

people in our

church family.

I was reflecting

on this,

that obliged

is a strong

word.

It goes further

than advised

or suggested

or recommended.

An obligation

is something

you must do.

There's also

a few helpful

distinctions

it makes there.

It says that

we're to perform

public and

private duties

for each other.

Some things

we do for each

other can be

seen,

like hospitality,

having someone

over for a meal.

Other things

are private.

People won't

see you

praying for them.

The other

distinction

that's made

here is

looking for

the needs

of the

inward

and the

outward

man.

What this

is meaning

is the

inward

man

is the

spiritual

aspect

of

someone's

life.

And the

outward

is the

practical,

physical

aspect.

aspect.

Maybe

someone is

struggling

spiritually

and is

deflated

and discouraged

and needs

someone to

talk to

and pray

with them.

Maybe on a

physical level

someone is

ill and

needs help

or struggling

financially,

struggling to

keep the

heating on

or to

stop the

fridge being

empty.

If we're to

love and

serve each

other as

Christ has

commanded us

to, we

look to

the good

of both

the inward

and the

outward

person.

So if

we're to

fulfill

Christ's

command to

love each

other, then

we love

each other

in public

and private

ways and

inward and

outward

ways.

And the

wonderful thing

is that because

we're united

to Christ, we're

enabled to do

this for each

other.

It's not just

left to us.

When we're a

believer in

Jesus, we're

united to

Jesus.

His life is

in us and

his love

overflows in

our hearts,

reaching the

people around

us.

In verse

35, Jesus

talks about the

outcome of

this love for

each other.

He says,

by this,

everyone will

know that you

are my

disciples if

you love

one another.

Our love

for one

another shows

the world

that the

gospel is

true.

By this,

all people

know that

you're my

disciples.

How will

the people

in this

area of

Edinburgh

hear the

gospel?

They'll

hear it

from you

guys as

you tell

them about

Jesus and

invite them

to church.

And how

will the

people in

this area

of Edinburgh

know that

that gospel

you told

them is

true?

Well, it's

because they'll

see the love

of God

in your

hearts.

They will

see you

living with

faith and

assurance that

Jesus loves

you to the

uttermost,

having given

his life for

you.

And they

will see you

loving each

other, living

in the light

of the gospel.

By this,

all people

will know that

you're my

disciples if you

have love for

one another.

Now, what

happens if we

fail in our

service to

Jesus, if we

fail to

follow his

commands and

fail to love

one another

properly?

The last

part of the

passage shows

that we're

servants who

experience the

grace of

Jesus Christ.

Servants who

experience the

grace of

Jesus Christ.

I don't know

how you guys

feel about

dogs.

I love them

personally,

always had

them growing

up.

And something I

noticed is that

you can always

tell the

difference between

a well-trained

dog and an

untrained dog.

Well-trained

dogs love their

owners and are

incredibly obedient.

When the owner

says to the

dog, go, he

goes.

And when he

says return, he

returns with no

hesitation.

There's not much

thought that goes

on in their

minds, really.

It's quite

funny.

But wouldn't

it be wonderful

if we were

like that for

Christ?

If we would

understand his

commands and

just do them?

If we

realize that, you

know, God

told me through

his word that I

need to forgive

someone, so I

forgave them.

No hesitation.

Jesus told me

to, through his

word, to stop

getting drunk, and

so I did.

Jesus told me to

put off anger and

malice and sexual

morality, and so I

have.

Wouldn't it be

wonderful if we

were like that?

I was convicted

writing this that I

don't live up to that

standard, and maybe

you're feeling that

too.

But there's good

news for servants of

God who fail.

We're servants who

experience the grace

of Jesus who

covers over our

sins.

In this part of

John, there's two

disciples who fail

him that Jesus

talks to in this

chapter.

There's Judas and

Peter.

We see in Judas

that doubling down

on sin leads to

death.

I wonder if you've

ever come to the

realization that

there's some area in

your life where

you're sinning

against God.

Maybe it's your

attitude or bad

habit.

I think in those

situations we have a

choice between

doubling down,

pretending it's not

true, covering it

up, or owning up

to it, confessing it

to God, asking for

his forgiveness and

striving to change.

The story of Judas

warns us against the

first option, against

doubling down.

The Gospel of John

makes clear that

Judas had a problem

with money.

In the chapter

before, there's an

incident where someone

anoints Jesus with

expensive perfume and

it says, but Judas

Iscariot, one of the

disciples, he who was

about to betray him,

said, why was this

ointment not sold for

three hundred denarii and

given to the poor?

And John helpfully tells

us that he said this

not because he cared

about the poor, but

because he was a

thief.

And having charge of

the money bag, he

used to help himself

to what was put in

it.

Judas loved money,

and despite hearing

Jesus' preaching and

Jesus' teaching, he

couldn't give it up.

He must have heard all

the things Jesus said

about money, but Judas

doubled down and

hardened his heart, and

in the end he fell

away and betrayed

Jesus because of his

love for money.

When we're confronted

with our own sin, when

we realize that we're

being disobedient to

Christ, we mustn't

double down.

It can be tempting to

pretend something's not

a problem, but we

must not do that.

It can be tempting to

keep it a secret, hoping

it will go away, but it

won't help.

It's best to talk to an

elder or your minister,

or get someone who's

maturing Christianity to

help you deal with that

sin in your life.

But let Judas be a

reminder not to double

down.

He couldn't give up

his love for money, no

matter what Jesus

said.

I mentioned earlier

that in a church family,

forgiveness must be

abundant.

This shows us so much

repentance.

When we sin against

others, our instinct must

be to repent and

reconcile.

When we are sinned

against, our instinct

has to be to forgive

and to seek

reconciliation.

We see in Judas that

doubling down leads to

death.

We can see through

Peter that repentance

leads to life.

Peter also failed

Jesus.

He denied knowing

Jesus three times.

But the difference

between Peter and

Judas was that Peter was

repentant.

Jesus knew the difference

between the heart of

Peter and the heart of

Judas.

Judas didn't really love

Jesus.

He loved money.

Peter sinned, but he

loved Jesus.

When he realized he

denied him, he wept and

had deep remorse.

And when Jesus rose

again, Peter ran to see

him.

He didn't double down.

He ran back to God.

And so Jesus issues him

a great assurance.

Verse 36, it says,

Simon Peter said to

him, Lord, where are you

going?

Jesus answered him,

where I'm going, you

cannot follow me now,

but you will follow

later.

You might remember at

the start of the passage

that Jesus knew he was

going to the Father.

So in this verse, Jesus

is telling Peter, you

can't come to the Father

with me now, but you

will go after.

And that's a promise to

anyone who follows

Jesus.

There's a song that says

our sins are many, but

his mercy is more.

And his mercy will bring

you to heaven to be with

him.

If you're a servant of

Jesus who's failed and

sinned, it's not the end.

Simply ask him to forgive

you and he will.

Strive to put the sin

away forever and he will

help you and you will

follow him to heaven.

So to be a Christian who's

a servant, we're to be

servants in the example

of Christ.

He's shown us true love

and humility, ultimately

by serving us on the

cross.

And so we accept his

service with thanksgiving

and strive to follow his

example.

Christians are servants

under the command of

Christ.

He's our Lord and

teacher.

We belong to him.

We follow what he says

through his apostles and

scriptures.

And we show the whole

world that the gospel is

true through our love for

one another.

And we're servants who

experience the grace of

Jesus Christ when we fail

and when we sin.

He has mercy on us so we

must not double down and

hold on to it.

We have to give up our

sin.

We must repent with the

assurance that Jesus will

bring his people to eternal

life with him in heaven.

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