Services | Washing Feet

Bulletin

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”
​
“To God be the Glory”
Praise and Worship
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm 29:1 & 2
“All Because of Jesus”
“My Own Little World”
“Strong Enough to Save”​​
“Love is War”
​
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
SPECIAL MUSIC – By Pru Hungate

Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“The Life and Ministry of Jesus The Messiah”
“Washing Feet”


PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“Empty Me (Chris Sligh)”

Acknowledgements and Announcements

Benediction “Won’t Stop Now”

Sermon Notes

John 13:1 – 4
The actions Jesus does is not in defeat, but who He is
John 13:5
Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, even Judas
John 13:6 – 10
Peter and Jesus’ discussion on the washing of feet
John 13:11
Judas is not clean
John 13:12 - 17
Washing of feet for our example
John 13:18
Jesus tells them betrayal was apart of the Scriptures
John 13:19
Jesus is plainly telling them what is going to happen
John 13:20
Receiving those Jesus sends is receiving Him and the Father

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Scritpures

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Transcript of Service

Which is often called the Last Supper or the last Passover that Jesus experienced. And in this there's almost if you will, a mini subseries within this, because we'll be spending a number of messages on the Passover Seder that Jesus partook.

So much so that it might equal the number of hours that actually the disciples were there at the Last Supper.

Because there's so much teaching and information there.

But before I start, we have this tendency when it comes to the Bible to think more about tradition than the scriptures. We do that a lot. We do that, especially with Christmas. We do it like with Angels singing as opposed to the Bible, always saying the Angels say and different things like that and we kind of when it comes to Moses. We think of Charleston Heston. We don't think of Moses, so we kind of get what we think based on our.



Tradition.

And one of the things that we kind of get based on our tradition is the.

That Passover an we all think about the painting that was done, called the Last Supper.

I had the fortune of going to Italy a couple of times. I took four years of Latin in high school.

And as result I had a much greater appreciation and sense of 1 to know more about Roman that classical's time. I was never much of a person who is interested in the Renaissance and therefore I was when we went to Italy. I was much more interested in Rome in different places, whereas other people like Tuscany area and they like Florence and all that and an. It's OK but doesn't interest me well. When I went to.

The second time I was with some people and they wanted to go to Milan to see the painting. The Last Supper and I wasn't.

To be truthful with you, I wasn't all that interested. You know, we even had a picture of it in our home many years ago, an.

So what it was just a painting as far as I could, but sometimes it's good to do what other people want. And so we went and they were fortunate it wouldn't bother me at all, but they were fortunate that we got to Milan just in time within about 15 minutes of the of the ticket place closing. But you have to buy tickets for the following day. So we bought tickets to go. Went to McDonald's data. Really classical Italian restaurant and then got her hotel.

And then we went to where the painting of the Last Supper was. And again, because what I had seen, it is always a painting. So I was assuming we were going to see a painting. Well, it wasn't a painting, it's a mural.

It is very interesting in the sense of that it was a mural painted on one wall.

An in the room that it was painted was a.

Dining Hall for priests, and so they would assemble and there would be this. the Lord Supper on this one side. Then there was another painting on another wall by another artist who nearly wasn't as good. Now, by nearly not as good, it's not like comparing Michelangelo to Joe Davis. Know this guy was probably good, but when you put it in the same room as as that artist.

It just didn't look it and it was. There was some very interesting things because it was amazing because during World War Two there was a lot of bombs, drops and artillery. An much of the building had been destroyed.

But this wall and that wall were still there, and if you seen the painting and I'm sure you have it has Jesus sitting at a table.

With his disciples spread out an an and I don't like the way they depicted John, he kind of looks a little strange to me and and they've got all these things and it's interesting, but there's some definite problems with it. 'cause First off, just because they were fishermen, didn't they didn't mean the 8 fish at Passover an also?

The 1st century.

Celebration of Passover was not sitting at a table. They recline data table the first Passover they sat ready to go with their feet, shod there longer rated move out but after that, especially in the 1st century they celebrated as they concern as Freeman and so they would recline at the table and they would kind of sit like this and they would eat and the feet would be out here so they weren't sitting at a table.

And so, but we get this idea that they're sitting at a table. Now. The reason I'm glad that I went wasn't that I appreciated the mural that much, although it was nice to know is a mural not a painting.

But this is what I learned from it. Here's this great work of art.

It was in a dining Hall on the other side of the wall was the kitchen.

And people were tired of going out of the kitchen, around and back into the dining Hall so they cut a door in the painting. So if you see a painting of the Lord Supper.

Jesus, his feet aren't there.

'cause I put a door there.

And So what that what the Lord showed me was, I don't care how great you think you do and what kind of miracle you think you accomplished. Somebody is going to cut a door in it.

And so don't get discouraged when you think people are messing up and so there was one person for sure wasn't in our group who said?

Well, why don't you just?

Paint jesuses feet again.

'cause nobody has the same talent as the person who painted the picture to begin with. To paint jesuses feet, it's better just to leave it alone. And so again, there are times when we think we can fix things an we can't. So just let the door be there. But as I'm trying to say is that that we have these ideas of what the Passover is. This last time an.

Dispense with tradition and take a look at the scriptures so the scripture is going to tell us that they are not seated at a table there, reclining at a table.

So let's take a look at John Chapter 13, starting with verse one.

Now, before the feast of Passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour had come, that he would depart out of this world to the father, having loved his own who are in the world, he loved them to the end. Now I want you to notice at the twice the writer Jaune has told us that Jesus loved his disciples.

And he's loved them, even though with this.

Eventual out eventuality is going to happen. He still loves them.

He loves him in the world and he continues to do so and he loved them to the end. And during this uh, for the devil, having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the father had given all things into his hand, and that he had come forth from God, it was going back to God. Now wanna stop there. Jesus is about to do what Jesus is about to do, not because he's defeated not because he's depressed.

Not because he's not sure what's going to happen. He knows exactly what's going to happen. He knows that he came for the very purpose that he's come.

That he came from the father, and he's going back to the father. There is no sense of ambivalence with Jesus. He knows who he is. He knows what his ministry is. He knows what God the father has sent him to do and he is going to do that.

So he got up from the supper and laid aside his garments and taking a towel. He girded himself. So Jesus has basically removed his garments, that is wearing not because he's afraid to get them dirty, but he's doing so to show that he is becoming a servant.

So he strips himself of his privilege, and he wraps a towel around him for the purpose.

Of washing feet.

Then he poured water into the basin.

And began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel, whichever skirted now.

This is unusual.

Now most of you, if you've never gone to a Passover Seder, you're not sure of the events and what happens.

In a typical Jewish seder.

The first thing that you do is you do a ceremonial washing of your hands.

You don't wash your hands because of hygiene or cleanliness. You do it ceremonially to show that you are ceremonially clean and that your hands are done and so you've already wash your hands with soap and water. It has nothing to do with that, but you do that, but Jesus is in washing his hands or their hands.

He's taken a basin of water and washed the disciples feet now in that.

Time and even in that area of the world today.

The feet are a very dishonorable part of your body.

It was an insult to show your feet. It was an insult to show the bottom of your feet and quite frankly, a lot of people consider their feet to be very ugly, so they they put.

Beautiful shoes on or whatever to disguise it. But even today we don't think of our feet as beautiful. It's a less honorable thing. And yet Jesus has disrobed place the towel around him and is washing his disciples feet.

And so he came to Simon Peter.

And he said to him, Lord, do you wash my feet so it's like?

Are you gonna do to me like you've done to everybody else now? I think it's interesting up to this point. It seems that nobody has spoken to Jesus about what he's doing.

I don't know if it's kind of the shock of what's he doing or will wait a minute. We usually wash their hands. Jesus is washing fee, you know, and so maybe there's this. We were just so dumbfounded. We don't know what to say, but Peter, being Peter, seems never to have be a loss for words. He's always going to interject something and so he goes in. Or do you? Are you going to wash my feet? And Jesus answered and said to him, what I do? You do not realize now.

But you will understand hereafter. So Jesus basis is yes and I understand you don't quite understand what's going on, but that's OK. You're going to understand later.

Now, Peter.

Said to him.

Never shall you wash my feet.

Now I am frequently a critic of Peter.

I will say you know, dude.

Learn you know. Yeah, you know yeah, you get out of the boat but and yeah you walked on water, but how come you got your eyes off Jesus? You know he's he's one of those guys who says something and then it doesn't go well.

But let me tell you.

I don't disagree with Peter.

Here's a son of God.

The Messiah.

His Messiah, his rabbi, his teacher, his Lord.

Is going to humble himself and remove from his position of being the son of God to being a servant and feeders going on no no, I know I got a real good idea who you are and I ain't worthy.

And I perfectly agree with Peter.

And I had a problem. If I had the courage or whatever, speak up like I just did not know. Lord, you're not doing that.

'cause you're the son of God.

And I'm just one big mess up.

But notice what Jesus says.

Jesus answered him, if I do not wash you, you have no part with me.

Now it this is a fairly major review.

If I don't wash your feet.

If I don't serve in this way.

Then you might as well leave.

'cause we're not together.

I can't think of a more cutting thing that Jesus could have said.

And so Simon Peter.

Said to him, Lord, then wash not only my feet but also my hands and my head.

If you need to wash my feet, great, but my hands give me in trouble too. So wash them and my mind. My head just goes the wrong places so God wash those two, do a thorough job if you're going to wash my feet, wash all of me.

Jesus said to him.

He who is bathys only to wash his feet but is completely clean.

And you are clean.

By having faith in God by having faith in Jesus by understanding his sacrifice, we become righteous and we become clean and Jesus. And once you have been bathed in that.

Sacrifice.

You have become cleansed.

And so you're all cleansed, so I don't need to wash your feet, your hands I don't need to wash your head because you've already been clean.

But

not all of you.

For a new, the one who is betraying him for this reason, he said, not all of you are clean.

Now I want you to understand something.

Jesus Wash 12 men's feet.

He even washed.

Judases feet.

If eleven of the twelve were not worthy, you can imagine.

The thought of Judas.

And yet Jesus says.

You're clean, but I'm going to wash your feet 'cause I want you to understand a couple of things. The first thing that he's already taught us is that faith in him cleanses us.

And that our feet get dirty because we are still in the world but not of the world. And the travel through this world, is it dusty, dirty place and our feet will get dirty and dusty and needs to be cleansed.

So he's already taught them a valuable.

Theological point. So when he had washed their feet and taken his garments and reclined at the table again and he didn't sit down, he's reclining.

He said to them.

Do you know what I have done to you?

And the answer is no.

You call me teacher and Lord Ann. You are right, or so I am.

So he's gone.

I'm going to tell you what I did and I want to tell you why I did it.

But I want you to understand that you yes, you do call me teacher you to call me Lord and that is right. You're right when you do that.

So if I then the Lord and the teacher wash your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

Or I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

So he tells them he did this to teach them.

A theological point. He's also teaching them a practical point of serving of service, of being a servant.

Now the problem is.

We take this.

Instruction.

And generally do one of two things rather than one or three things.

There are some denominations, not many who do a footwashing.

That they'll actually wash people's feet.

The problem with that is they usually before you have the ceremony to wash people's feet, they all get pedicures.

'cause I don't want their feet to look ugly and they want their toes painted and all the things so there when people wash their feet are girl boy your feet don't stink. You know here? Do you have nice feet and anan whatever? So it's it's. It's an absurd, but they do that because they think that's the example that Jesus is telling them in the answer is that's not the example Jesus is giving them.

The other thing that we do is go well, that's really interesting.

But I'm not going to wash anybody's feet.

Yeah, will do the Lord Supper and we may even do a Passover Seder and we'll do a few things, but.

This is just esoteric. Jesus is just be Jesus and we never give any consideration to washing peoples feet.

But there is a third thing.

That we ought to do.

And that is.

Follow his example.

And wash

People's feet not physically, but in reality.

Then we need to act as a servant to people.

But a servant?

As a servant and so.

We're coming up on Thanksgiving and a lot of families and this good and in. And please don't think I'm critical of what I'm about to say. It's a it's a good thing, and so a lot of families will find someplace where there's like they're going to feed the homeless or whatever, and they go and they help serve the food.

And that's a good thing, and that's doing good works, and I'm not critical of that at all. It has accomplished a lot. 1 It helps to feed the people who are hungry. It gives you and your children a sense of understanding that you are blessed because it's more blessed to give than to receive that that there that it is good. That is good works and I commend that to you.

But that's not washing people's feet as Jesus considered it.

Because let's face it, you're on one side of the table serving and they're on the other side of the table, hitting it.

But Jesus, as the son of God.

Served.

He took his position and set it aside.

You can be who you are.

And pass out food.

When you.

Are considering about servant Hood.

Anne, if the thought of comes across you, but I am.

You have a problem.

But I'm the pastor.

Thinking that somehow being a pastor means.

That you have some high position.

Being a pastor means you've been demoted, but a lot of people think, oh, because I'm the pastor. I'm not supposed to have to do these things.

But I'm the owner of the company.

But I'm a Deacon, but I am this when you, but I'm the older brother. I'm the older sibling. When you think of all these things and you're saying this is my position. Therefore I don't have to do it or I'm not going to relinquish my position. I'm just going to do. You are not washing peoples feet.

You're simply doing good work.

But you see, Jesus set aside the fact that he's teacher and Lord and is teaching his disciples an essential aspect.

You do not hold on to your position.

When there is need.

So you wash peoples feet.

So you serve. So you do that, which is more important for the person you're serving than the title that you have.

So when you're more concerned about your title than service, you're not washing people's feet.

And that's hard.

Because we want to think better of ourselves. And so when we go to these places to feed the hungry.

We're grateful in obviously so that we don't have to go through the food lines.

But we don't have to go through the food line.

But when you take away your right.

For somebody elses needs.

And you understand that your position is not what is important, but the service to them. So Jesus washes his their cycles feet to teach them, not just humility.

But to teach them.

That as the son of God.

He came to serve and to be a servant.

To be a servant, not to just serve, but to be a servant. And all too often we're happy with serving, but not being a servant.

Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

She's the same look at guys.

You call me teacher, you call me Lord and I am.

God sent me.

And he did.

If I did this for you.

You are not so great that you're not to do it to each other and others.

Jesus went from being the son of God to serving his disciples.

Jesus is simply asking us to serve one another.

To serve the lowly to serve those without claiming what our position is and what are rightists?

And we love our rights.

I'm entitled to this because of who I am.

And Jesus says.

You're not greater than me.

And if you're not greater than me, then who are you to say I'm entitled?

If you know these things.

You are blessed.

If you do them.

Here's the interesting thing. So many of us know so much about the Bible.

But we don't do it.

Jesus says you're blessed first. If you know them, but that's not the end. You're blessed if you know the man, do them.

We are blessed.

When we know that Jesus as the son of God as the Messiah as one sent from God.

Became a servant.

To us

then we are blessed, knowing that, and then doing what he did as an example.

I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen.

But it is.

That the scriptures may be fulfilled. He who eats my bread and lifts up his heel against me.

He says this whole thing, about Judith.

And they are not aware at this point who Judas that Betrayer is. He saying, the scriptures have confirmed this.

I'm not taking by surprise of what Judas is going to do. The scriptures proclaimed it, and I am the author of the Scriptures.

And so as a part of being the Messiah.

I will be betrayed, but I want you to understand something when you serve. It's not the quality of the people that you're serving.

You have Judas.

Who betrays Jesus in a few hours?

And yet Jesus washes his feet.

So when we are a servant to people, we don't say, well, you know they they don't understand, they don't get it. They don't like me, they don't. Whatever that's irrelevant.

Because Jesus even washed the feet of a betrayer.

So we don't get to be a servant to those people. We want to be a servant to.

From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am he. So Jesus is giving them additional reason for faith because he understands what's going to happen in the next several hours is going to rock their world and so he's going to say I'm going to tell you things that it's going to happen so that when they happen.

You don't get that shook.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I thin receives me, and he receives me, receives him who sent me.

Jesus saying.

When you accept.

Those that I send and he's going to be sending his disciples.

Then it's the same thing. Is it receiving Jesus?

And receiving Jesus is the same thing as receiving the father.

Because the father sent him for, as the scripture says, for God so loved the world he sent Jesus.

And by receiving Jesus, you receive the father.

Phone calls with this.

Washing peoples feet.

I think you should try to find opportunity to do that.

Rather than waiting for it to just kind of hit you in the face.

You look for the opportunity.

When you find that somebody seems to be.

Taking your rights away.

Did you go?

That's what you need.

I love you anyway.

If you're in a relationship, whether it's your brothers or sisters or whatever, and it seems.

I'll put it on our child.

My grandkids love to play games.

But they hate to lose.

And they'll cry. And then whatever, and it's almost uncomfortable because you know you're trying to say we're trying to have fun here this you crying. This is fun in whatever, but there gets to be a point. What when their parents, others instructors they look at.

It's more important for your brother to win.

Then you.

'cause you love your brother more?

Then winning.

At least you are too.

And but that's a hard thing, because we all want to win. We all whatever but it. It takes those types of little steps to say.

He's more important or she's more important than this thing.

And then it's like.

And then you go from there to little steps to saying.

Wash their feet.

Wash your feet.

Wash their feet to drive home the point that it's not about your position, but about them.

So I'm going to give you a story. It's a fictional story. I just made it up.

To kind of show you the difference, I talked about the food line.

I want to give you another story.

Fiction.

I would call her parable, but Jesus.

Does better parables than me, so I'll just call it a story.

There is an owner of a chain of restaurants, high end restaurants, the kind that have linen table clause and linen napkins. And then you gotta make reservations and an you gotta check your financial statements before you can make a reservation. 'cause it's expensive. OK so the owner of of a chain of these.

Tells one of his employees.

To go out and find 4 people.

Who couldn't afford to come to this restaurant?

On their best day.

And he finds four people they sent some at a table and the owner never saying that he's the owner of the restaurant.

Stands.

At the table.

Import some water.

And they never have to ask for the far order. Be refilled. As a matter of fact, the owner of the restaurant fills the glass almost every time.

They drink, they never have to ask for to be filled.

An IF and when the people say thank you.

He not only says.

But means with every fiber of his being. It's my pleasure.

I find joy in doing.

And if they drop something, he immediately picks it up and gives him a new one.

And as they are conversing, they may be conversing in astrophysics, and the owner of this restaurant knows a lot about astrophysics, but doesn't say anything.

And they talk about personal relationship in this owner of this restaurant knows a lot about personal relationships. Matter of fact. Written 45 books about it. Never says a word.

And then they talk about the best way to cook pork belly and this owner got his start making pork pork belly, but never says a word why? Because he's not part.

Of the table.

He simply is there to serve.

See, that's different than handing out food.

He is serving. He has placed himself as a.

Lower position.

Then the people at the table.

It's not a matter of humility is understanding. Yeah, I'm the owner, but I am serving you now. I want this day to be the mess meal you've ever eaten.

And then when the check comes.

The check says.

Paid in full.

Including the tip.

And the people at the table never know.

Then it was the person who served them.

Was the one who paid for it was the one who thought to it was the one that made sure that their evening was the best evening that they ever experienced.

Because the owner of the restaurant didn't want recognition or what great thing he did, or what a wonderful thing. Oh, and the newspapers never found out.

And he told his employees under pain of being fired. You never speak of this.

You see, because it wasn't about his position.

There's about serving.

And we need to take that attitude. It's not about our position.

It's about service and it's about setting assign who we are and who we think we are so that we might help the needs of those who need it.

Now for us that should be easy.

'cause we ain't got.

We're not the son I got. Yeah, we love to to praise the Lord that we are children of the most high and we are.

But we are not above him and he told us to do this.

Again.

We love to hear how much Jesus loves us.

And if we have accept that love.

And we've accepted the fact that he's in fact washed our feet.

And we need.

Just stop with the attitude.

Empty our self importance.

And serve.

In a moment, the band is going to lead us in the song, says empty meat.

And usually that's the first thing we gotta do.

We don't come by it naturally.

We need to learn.

It's not about me.

That's why this song is it in my own little world population me.

Ah, my own little world population 0.

'cause it's not. About me.

It's about those who the Lord puts in my path.

That I might serve that I might love, that I might be like him.

And if he being the son of the living God, if he being the Messiah, if he being who he is.

In this robe.

Wrap a towel around his waist.

And get down on his hands and knees to wash his disciples feet.

Then who am I?

To the man to stand upright.

Who am I?

To the man.

May God treat me different.

And all God's people said.