John 13:1-30 “Leading Low”

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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We are returning this morning to our study of John's Gospel, the account that is written

by Jesus' closest disciple of Jesus' life.

In order, John says, he writes it that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the

Son of God, and that as we believe in Him, we would find life in His name.

That's why we are looking to encounter the real Jesus here, because some of us in this

room are still trying to decide what we think about and how we engage with the most influential

person in the history of the world, right?

Because all of us here have friends and neighbors who are wondering about where to find true

life in a really difficult world.

And because those of us who have believed in Jesus, often, we especially, we really struggle

day by day truly to find our joy and our life and our satisfaction in Jesus all the time,

as opposed to in other things.

And so, as we've been going through, John, we've seen Jesus already performing all sorts

of signs that point to His unique divinity, to His power over all of creation, to His identity

as the source of life.

And now we reach chapter 13, and the next five chapters, if you've never read the Gospel

of John, are just packed with powerful, awesome stuff.

Probably, in five chapters, we go just maybe a little more than five hours in His life.

And we get so many vital and memorable teachings from Jesus the day before He dies on the cross.

It's not Jesus just merely imparting some personal words from His deathbed, so to speak.

But actually, Jesus is commissioning those He is sending out to represent Him and His kingdom

in this world.

And He's got really important things to say, so listen up, because that's us.

He's speaking to you.

This fall, Lord willing, we're going to cover chapters 13 through 17.

I just wanted to whet your appetite for a second before we read.

Jesus is in the upper room with His disciples.

We get to listen in.

Today, we get the foot washing.

Then the command to love one another so everyone will know that you're my disciples by your love

for one another.

Next, Jesus talks about the mansions, the home that He's going to prepare a place for them,

and that He is the way there, and the truth, and the life.

He will teach us about abiding in Him, branches in the vine, right?

About His Holy Spirit that He is sending so that we can do even greater things than He has done,

and about the peace that we can have in the midst of the troubles of this world,

because He has overcome the world.

A lot of stuff He wants to say.

And then finally, Jesus prays for us.

He says a lot of things to us, and He prays for us a prayer about our union with Him and His Father,

and about our unity with one another.

It's going to be awesome.

All of those incredible, life-giving, purpose-providing, hope-infusing words coming soon.

I can't cover them all this morning, okay?

Sorry.

But we're going to get there, and Lord willing, this fall.

Today, we start with show and tell.

As Jesus does something that is totally unexpected, and then He explains why He does it.

We're going to come back to two sections of this story later today,

so when I skip, I'm coming back to it.

Don't worry.

But for now, I'm going to read what Jesus does,

and then His explanation to His followers.

John 13, beginning at verse 1.

This is God's holy word.

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.

During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot,

Simon's son, to betray Him,

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,

rose from supper.

He laid aside His outer garments and, taking a towel, tied it around His waist.

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.

Skipping down to verse 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?

You call Me teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.

If I then, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet,

you also ought to wash one another's feet.

For I have given you an example that you also should do,

just as I have done to you.

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.

If you know these things,

blessed are you if you do them.

Pray with me.

Jesus, what a wonderful reminder to us.

Thank you for your example.

Thank you for your love.

Would you teach it more to us now by your Spirit?

Would you change us by it?

As you send us into this world, we ask in your name.

Amen.

Amen.

Try to put yourselves in the sandals of one of Jesus' disciples

this memorable Thursday night.

I mean, it's been a pretty amazing three years, right?

You've been walking with him.

There's been miracles that you've never seen before.

Teaching that has just amazed you.

You've been traveling and sleeping and eating with this Jesus.

And just this week, you've arrived in Jerusalem with lots of other people.

And the crowds, they're cheering your rabbi.

Hosanna!

And then, with many of them watching,

he cleanses the temple and he's driving out the money changers.

Every moment of this bustling feast week

seems to be just bursting with significance.

And y'all are always going and doing.

And now you finally get to crash in an upper room.

Privately.

It's just about 13 of you.

There's a special Passover dinner ready.

You're chatting with your buddies.

You're so glad to be relaxing together around the table.

And then, all of a sudden, here comes one of the servants to wash your feet.

Only you stop your conversation and you notice it's not a household servant.

It's Jesus.

Dirt and sweat, toe by toe, stooping down before you,

is the man you've been following.

The one you've been learning from, even beginning to worship.

Jesus has lowered himself beneath your feet.

What is going on?

What's he doing?

Why is Jesus lowering himself?

Well, John tells us it has to do with at least two things.

He's loving and leading.

Verse 1.

Now, before the feast of Passover,

when Jesus knew that his hour had come,

we've been hearing about this hour, right?

The hour of Jesus' death.

It keeps not being his hour.

Now it's come, his hour to depart out of the world to the Father.

It comes during the Passover feast when the lambs are sacrificed.

Christ.

Having loved his own who were in the world,

he loved them to the end.

To the end of his life, perhaps.

Or it can also mean the fullness, the full extent of his love.

He's modeling love for his disciples.

That agape love that Pastor Derek mentioned recently is most natural in its stooping, right?

The higher bending to raise the lower.

That kind of love.

Even more particularly, though, Jesus is modeling how to lead.

We might say servant leadership.

Verse 3.

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands,

that he had come from God,

that he was going back to God.

He's the one who is controlling all things, right?

The emissary of heaven.

God himself come down to earth

and showing us now how in everything he is preeminent first place.

How?

How is he going to prove that?

Well, in case we have any math people here,

it's the parabola.

You will hear the extent of my knowledge of the parabola now.

It's a parabola.

Jesus' path downward

from infinite heights of glory

to dusty toes of men

before rising again to glory.

I'm going to talk about this path

mostly in terms of how we lead,

what leadership looks like,

but don't forget it's about love too, right?

How do we lead or love?

Love.

Watch.

Jesus says.

This is how by humbly serving,

by lowering yourself.

Jesus takes on the dress,

the posture,

the role of a servant.

A role that in many places and times

was beneath even a Jewish servant.

Only Gentile servants doing foot washing.

It's so lowly.

It's so beneath everyone else.

And yet Jesus retrieves the water.

Jesus carries the basin.

Jesus scrubs their feet.

Jesus dries them gently.

Jesus is their leader,

their teacher,

but he's made this point to them before

that he is among them

as one who serves Luke 22.

As his disciples argue about

what greatness is

and which one of them is greater

than the other,

that he came not to be served,

but to serve

and give his life as a ransom

for many, Matthew 20.

And at this time,

in a perhaps unmatched way

until the very next day

when he gives his very life,

Jesus doesn't merely tell them

about humble leadership,

about leading low.

He shows them, doesn't he?

Can you imagine the difference?

They feel it personally, don't they?

Intimately.

They feel it between their toes.

Can you imagine?

Church Father Severian of Gabala

around 400 AD

said it beautifully.

He who wraps the heavens in clouds

wrapped around himself a towel.

He who pours the water

into the rivers and pools

tipped water into a basin.

And he before whom

every knee in heaven

and on earth

and under the earth

knelt to watch

the feet of his disciples.

Marvel for just a minute.

This is Jesus, right?

I actually encounter Jesus.

Here he is.

Where are you going to find him

when he's with his people?

You better look low.

You better look down

towards the bottom.

You better look for the servant.

The king of glory

with a towel

wrapped around his waist.

Isn't it such a poignant

and powerful display

of humility

and of true strength?

strength?

The prince of heaven

with the dirt of earth

under his fingernails.

Wow.

When Jesus resumes

his place at the table

he wants to make sure

that his disciples

get the message.

It's possible

they may have missed

one or two

over the last few years.

Verse 14.

If I then

your Lord and teacher

have washed your feet

you also ought to wash

one another's feet.

For I have given you

an example

that you also should do

just as I have done

to you.

Our path

should look the same

as his

lowering

ourselves.

In fact

we only have to worry

about the lowering part.

He takes care

of the raising.

We don't even have to bother.

Not our deal.

We don't have to promote.

We don't have to exalt self.

We get to humble

and he raises up.

Now if that seems

like an easy message

to you

it's not.

Jesus is clear.

Take note

that he adds a warning.

Verse 16.

Don't think

you're above this.

He said.

We so naturally

think too highly

of ourselves

don't we?

Jesus says

keep going down

and don't think

you need to stop

till you've gotten

as low as your master is.

You're not above me.

And then he adds

a promise.

Verse 17.

This is not

going to be easy

but blessing

true

soul

fulfilling

happiness

is in serving

rather than

being served.

Believe it

Jesus says.

Have you experienced

that reality?

I bet

many of you have.

Do you believe

that

truth?

Are you sure

that true happiness

is not

in lying

on the sofa

with a cold

lemonade

and the Olympics

on the TV

and somebody

rubbing your toes?

Are you sure

that leadership

is not about

power?

Tough talk?

Social influence?

Personal charisma?

Are you sure?

Jesus is teaching

us true leadership.

In fact

true love.

To lead

others

you have

to lower

yourself.

You're not

leading others

like Jesus

unless

you are

lowering

yourself.

I want to show

you this picture

of Bob Greenman

from about

10 years ago.

Bob's there

in the

in the foreground.

Bob was a

retired Navy

sub-captain

in his

70s at the

time.

The oldest

elder on the

Southwood

session then.

Bob worked

so hard

he took

minutes of

all of our

meetings month

after month

after month

for years.

and then

on VBS

week

he washed

the feet

of our

kids

one after

another

bending

down

toe by

toe

probably

hurt.

I love

that picture

but this

is not

merely

about

washing

feet

with

water

and

towels.

There are

countless

ways

to lower

yourself

to love

and to

lead

others.

To lead

others

you have

to lower

yourself

like

Jesus.

Think

with me

about what

that means

for different

ones of

us.

elders

you're not

leading

until the

most stubborn

wandering

difficult

sheep

in your

care

knows that

he is

valued

and pursued

by you.

Are you

lowering

yourself

in order

to serve

the flock?

Bosses

you're not

leading

until you

serve

and love

the lowest

ranking

person

at your

office?

Are you

lowering

yourself

to lift

them up

even when

it costs

you or

your bottom

line?

Husbands

you're not

leading

until your

wife hears

that you

are not

always

right

and until

you also

clean something

up around

the house

every once

in a while

too.

Are you

lowering

yourself

to sacrifice

for her?

It's the

way Jesus

loves

and leads.

Parents

you're not

leading until

your kids

see you

fall down

and need

Jesus

too.

Are you

lowering

yourself

to the

point

that you

can point

them up

to the

servant

king?

Have you

gotten low

enough that

they're starting

to see him

in the way

you serve

them?

Cool

kids

that's all

of you

right?

You're

not

leading

until

the

weirdest

most

left out

kid

in your

class

on your

team

in your

youth

group

is lifted

up on

your

shoulders.

Are you

lowering

yourself

to

include

and to

honor

those

that

everybody

else

is

excluding

and

mocking

laughing

at?

Grace

group

leaders

we're

thankful

for you

but you're

not

leading

until

you've

taken

extra

time

to

listen

to

a

hurting

friend

in your

group.

Are you

lowering

yourself

to meet

your

brothers

and

sisters

in

their

darkest

and

lowest

places

is that

what

leading

your

group

looks

like

or are

you

just

in

charge

of

deciding

what

we

talk

about?

Friends

lowering

yourself

like that

is not

even a

big step

down

for us

right?

It was

a massive

leap

down

for Jesus

when he

came

the prince

of heaven

has to

stoop

beneath

our

feet

and

because

he

has

stooped

to

love

us

in

our

weakness

in

our

struggle

in

our

lowliness

at

our

lowest

points

we

then

as

his

people

and

those

he

sends

into

the

world

seek

to

love

the

least

think

think

of

someone

in

need

that

you

know

we

seek

to

love

the

lost

someone

who's

seeking

hope

the

littlest

can you

think

of

someone

in

the

next

generation

someone

smaller

than

you

we

seek

to

love

the

lonely

someone

perhaps

in

the

older

generation

we

want

to

love

the

left

out

do

you

know

someone

that

others

are

overlooking

lower

yourself

humble

yourself

Jesus

says

that's

leadership

that's

love

you

actually

need to

think

of

someone

specific

these

are

12

disciples

who

have

names

and

faces

and

feet

love

that

person

that

God's

bringing

to your

mind

right

now

to

lead

others

you

have

to

lower

yourself

and

then

and

then

when

you

do

you'll

be

representing

the

king

who

leads

and

loves

like

that

right

when

in the

midst

of

this

amazing

scene

there

are

two

really

important

interactions

that we

haven't

read

yet

but we

need

to

notice

briefly

multiple

times

throughout

this

story

there's

a

mention

of

betrayal

we

get

more

at

verse

18

Jesus

says

I'm

not

speaking

of

all

of

you

I

know

whom

I

have

chosen

but the

scripture

will

be

fulfilled

he

who

ate

my

bread

has

lifted

his

heel

against

me

I'm

telling

you

this

now

before

it

takes

place

that

when

it

does

take

place

you

may

believe

that

I

am

he

I'm

the

one

that

this

is

about

I'm

the

God

who's

being

betrayed

to his

death

truly

truly

I

say

to

you

whoever

receives

the

one

I

send

receives

me

and whoever

receives

me

receives

the

one

who

sent

me

after

saying

these

things

Jesus

was

troubled

in his

spirit

the

great

enemy

death

comes

back

on the

scene

and causes

this

emotional

turmoil

for

Jesus

it's

the

same

word

we

saw

at

the

grave

of

Lazarus

troubled

he's

troubled

truly

truly

I

say

to

you

one

of

you

will

betray

me

the

disciples

looked

at

one

another

uncertain

of

whom

he

spoke

none

of

them

expected

this

didn't

see

it

coming

verse

23

so

one

of

his

disciples

whom

Jesus

loved

was

reclining

at

table

close

to

Jesus

so

Simon

Peter

motioned

to

him

to

ask

Jesus

of

whom

he

was

speaking

hey

ask

him

ask

him

who

he's

talking

about

so

that

disciple

leaning

back

against

Jesus

said

Lord

who

is

it

Jesus

answered

it

is

he

to

whom

I

will

give

this

morsel

of

bread

when

I

have

dipped

it

so

when

he

had

dipped

the

morsel

he

gave

it

to

Judas

the

son

of

Simon

Iscariot

then

after

he

had

taken

the

morsel

Satan

entered

into

him

and

Jesus

said

to

him

what

you

are

going

to

do

do

quickly

the

money

bag

Jesus

was

telling

him

to

the

poor

so

after

receiving

the

morsel

of

bread

he

immediately

went

out

and

it

was

night

darkness

it

was

night

but

we'll

be

reminded

here

that

darkness

is not

beyond

God's

knowledge

it's

not

beyond

God's

control

Jesus

knew

who

would

betray

him

verse

11

Jesus

knew

that

it

had

been

foretold

and

even

that

this

betrayal

would

serve

God's

master

plan

of

redemption

I hope

you can

remember

that

when it

is

night

in your

life

when the

darkness

seems to

be

closing

in

it may

be

for you

right

now

this

may

be

in a

day

to

come

you

need

to

remember

that

you

can

be

overwhelmed

and

God's

still

working

there

in the

storm

in the

darkness

that you

can't

see

through

he

can

and

he's

holding

you

tight

but

two

other

lessons

for us

from

the

Judas

piece

of

this

story

even

when

faced

with

the

love

of

Jesus

some

will

serve

themselves

for

thirty

pieces

of

silver

perhaps

for

some

religious

prestige

Judas

has

his

feet

washed

by

his

master

and

then

in

the

same

night

betrays

him

with a

kiss

that's

remarkable

friends

please

don't

walk

away

from

Jesus

as he

offers

his

love

to you

this

morning

see

what's

even

more

remarkable

to me

is not

Judas

that

that's

wild

but

what about

Jesus

what's

so

remarkable

is that

Jesus

knowing

who

would

betray

him

to a

horrible

death

that has

his

heart

troubled

has

just

done

what

washed

Judas's

feet

what

grace

what

humility

can you

imagine

our

master

shows us

that people

don't have

to be

worthy

of our

washing

their feet

do they

they don't

have to

play nice

for you

to serve

them

they don't

even have

to respond

with gratitude

to be

recipients

of your

sacrificial

gifts

leading

and loving

is about

lowering

yourself

moving

toward

the

unworthy

it's

not

about

evaluating

worthiness

finally

there's an

important

interaction

between

Jesus

and

Peter

that I

skipped

over

in our

reading

so far

all the

disciples

were surprised

to find

Jesus

at their

feet

don't you

think

Peter

was

appalled

and when

Peter

feels

something

Peter

says it

doesn't

he

rarely

he keeps

his thoughts

to himself

verse 6

Jesus

is washing

their feet

and he

came to

Simon

Peter

who said

to him

Lord

do you

wash

my feet

you

washing

my feet

I'm

confused

Jesus

answered

him

yeah

you're

confused

what I

am

doing

you

do

not

understand

now

but

afterward

you

will

understand

there's

more than

meets the

eye

going on

here

Peter

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

Peter

this

is

about

our

relationship

oh

well

then I'm

all in

Simon

Peter

said

to him

Lord

not

my

feet

only

but

also

my

hands

and

my

head

oh

if

this

is

about

relationship

with

you

yes

Jesus

all

of

me

Jesus

said

to him

Peter

the one

who has

bathed

does not

need to

wash

except

for his

feet

but is

completely

clean

and you

plural

all of

you

here

are

clean

but

not

every

one

of

you

for

he

knew

who

was

to

betray

him

that

was

why

he

said

not

all

of

you

are

clean

this

whole

scene

of

lowering

himself

to

love

and

lead

it's

not

primarily

about

hygiene

is

it

it's

not

even

merely

about

servant

leadership

it's

not

about

washing

your

hands

before

dinner

Peter

it's

too

much

to

take

in

right

now

I

know

you

don't

understand

but

I'm

going

to

explain

Jesus

says

and

after

I

tell

you

about

a

Passover

with

my

body

given

for

you

with

my

blood

shed

for

you

after

I

go

to

a

cross

tomorrow

and

die

for

you

because

my

hour

has

now

come

then

then

you'll

understand

Peter

what's

happening

this is

about

that

see

because

of this

special

relationship

we have

Peter

because

of what

I'm

doing

for

you

you

are

completely

clean

did you

notice

that

this is

a

relationship

of

grace

isn't

it

you

come

needy

you

contribute

your

sin

you

come

dirty

and

I

wash

you

clean

dear

ones

if

you

have

forgotten

that

if

you

forgot

what

it

means

to

have

a

relationship

with

Jesus

I

want

you

to

feel

the

hands

of

Jesus

this

morning

stooping

to rub

the dirt

off the

dirtiest

parts

of your

life

amazing

grace

if

you

trust

Jesus

that's

all

if

you

come

to

Jesus

you

are

completely

clean

and

don't

you

ever

forget

it

don't

you

ever

tell

him

that

you

don't

need

to

be

washed

by

him

don't

you

ever

tell

him

that

his

cleansing

makes

you

kind

of

clean

but

not

enough

no

completely

clean

in fact

because

by his

grace

you are

completely

clean

you can

come back

to

Jesus

day

by day

by day

and you

can

confess

that you

need

your feet

washed

you

can

repent

of

your

sins

you

can

have

specific

dirt

acknowledged

and

confessed

and he

will

cleanse

you

from

all

unrighteousness

that's

his

promise

in

fact

Christian

one

who's

been

walking

closely

with

Jesus

for

years

like

Peter

you

must

still

repent

you

must

lower

yourself

because

you're

not

on

your

own

better

than

anyone

else

around

you

you

must

regularly

remind

yourself

of

your

cleansing

coming

only

from

Jesus

so

daily

as

you

talk

with

Jesus

in

prayer

weekly

as

we

gather

and

confess

our

sin

and

hear

his

assurance

of

pardon

regularly

as

you

watch

the

waters

of

baptism

wash

over

another

child

of

God

you

come

with

dirt

and you

declare

even

because

I

live

with

Jesus

I

am

completely

clean

every

time

you

need

to

hear

that

every

time

you

need

to

feel

that

and