JESUS: THE LOVING SERVANT
Keith O’Connor
Woodland Church
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
(John 13:1-17, NLT) “Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.” After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”
(John 13:1b, NLT) “He (Jesus) had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.”
(John 15:13, NLT) “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”
(John 13:1) “[Jesus] knew that His hour had come”
(John 13:1) “…leave this world and return to his Father”
1. Humility
(Luke 22:26-27, NLT) “But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.”
(John 13:4-5, NLT) “[Jesus] took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet”
(John 13:3) “Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God”
(John 3:35, NLT) “The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands”
(Matthew 20:28, NLT) “…even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many”
(John 13:4-5, NLT) “So, he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him”
2. Pride
a. Pride of the Disciples – Who is the Greatest?
b. Pride of Peter – You will never ever wash my feet!
(John 13:6-8, NLT) “When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
(John 13:8-9, NLT) “Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
c. Pride of Judas – Betrayal
(John 13:10-11, NLT) “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you. For Jesus knew who would betray Him. That is what He meant when He said, ‘not all of you are clean
(John 13:27, NLT) “When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, Hurry and do what you’re going to do
3. Keep our Focus
(John 13:15, NLT) “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you”
(Hebrews 12:1-2, NLT)“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne”
4. Blessing
(John 13:17, NLT) “God will bless you for doing them”