PALM SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2020

Preaching Notes - JOHN 13

Here is the message for the day.  It will be live-streamed at 10:30 a.m. this Sunday via Facebook, then available after that as online/video.  The  manuscript is included for those that do not use/prefer the internet, and or want the extra pieces included with the manuscript (Words of Greeting, Prayer of Confession, fuller citations, etc.)

Gospel of John Sermon Series: That You May Believe

"Doing What Jesus Does..."

Introduction

            What’s in a name?

            Quite a bit actually, if you have a name like the lady who is known as Jameshawnnel, or Jamie for short.

            Her name has more than 1,000 letters in it, including the titles of movies, cars, countries and cities. It is an amalgamation of 100 shorter first names. It has 1,023 letters and two apostrophes. Her middle name has only 36 letters. Jamie’s name also includes the names of many of her relatives and words such as “friend” and “love.”

            Registering her name was not easy for the clerks in the registrar’s office in Houston, Texas. They had to use seven other birth certificates and glue and staples just to register her name. It was such a laborious process that the rules were changed prohibiting names that wouldn’t fit in “two typewritten lines in the 5 1/8 inch space on the official birth certificate.”

            Jamie’s mother explained that she chose this name, which holds the Guinness record (at that time, at least) as the world’s longest, because she “wanted it to be unique.”  Clearly, she succeeded.

            "Jesus" only has five letters, not 1,023 like Jamie’s. But what a name! It’s a name about which sermons have been preached, by which lives have been transformed, on behalf of which people have fanned out to the corners of the earth. It’s a name so powerful that bodies have been healed, hospitals have been built, schools have been established, people have been rescued and sins have been forgiven. All of it — in this name, Jesus!

Remember...

·         Philippians 2:9-11

“Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

As you would expect - a powerful name is accompanied by great power...

·         John 3:3-4

3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.

·         So what does Jesus do with that power?  -- He washes the feet of his disciples.

·         All the power in the world... and he uses it to wash feet?!

Foot Washing

·         The practice of foot washing was originally an act of hospitality in Palestinian homes, performed for guests (who wore sandals and walked on dusty roads) by a servant. It was a sign of hospitality and most frequently done in contexts where the washing precedes a meal or banquet.  It was almost exclusively the duty of slaves or servants.  Servants draw the water, wash the feet, and dispose of the water.  To wash another’s feet symbolized the subjugation of one person to another.  Those who received foot washing from another were social superiors of those who performed the task.

·         It was a total surprise that Jesus would do the work of the slave - he is the teacher after all...

Let's look at two people present that night: Judas and Peter

Judas: What do we learn from Jesus washing his feet?

·         Judas is not necessarily our favorite guy, right? He is the scoundrel of Scripture. He is the one who turned our Lord over to the treacherous hands of those who would crucify him. He's not our hero.

·         I'm sure you have been around a lot of people at the point that they name their child... "What are you going to name your boy?" They say, "Well, we thought about it. We thought maybe we'd name him Peter or Thomas or James. John is a real nice name. We didn't like Paul a whole lot. But we've decided to name our boy Judas. I mean, we kind of like it. It's cute. It's got a cute little ring to it. When he grows up, we hope he'll be just like Judas." No, we never hear that because Judas is not our guy.

Picture this scene

·         Scholars say the partakers of this meal would have been seated at a U shaped table unlike our modern era where the table tends to be rectangular and the guest of honor seated at one end of the table.

·         If you’ve ever seen daVinci’s The Last Supper, it was kind of like that with the host sitting in the center. They’re reclined on couches, and there were two places of honor as people sat around the host. One was to the host’s right, and one immediately to the host’s left. It’s obvious from the text that John the Beloved Disciple (author of the Gospel) was sitting to the right of Jesus. They were on couches and literally leaned on the breast of the person to their left/next to them.

·         But, interestingly, most scholars think that Judas was the one seated to the left of Christ—which, by the way, was the place of highest honor. I want you to think about that.

·         One reason the scholars believe Judas is seated immediately to the left of Christ is because that would be the only way Christ could pull off what he does next. He takes this morsel of bread, and dips it into a very special mixture of raisins, dates, and sour wine. He takes a chunk of the bread and puts it in there, dips it, and hands it to Judas. What you need to know is that, when a host would do this, he was making a statement of honor and love. In that culture to receive this morsel dipped in that sauce was to be highly honored at the dinner.

·         What was Jesus saying by doing this? -- It was an amazing display of love.

·         John 13:2 (Jesus knew what was to take place)

"The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus."

·         Jesus washes all their feet, including that of the man who within hours would betray him.

Jesus knew who would betray him, but the disciples did not.

·         "Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."  His disciples stared at one another (picture that, them staring t each other - it is funny to think about!), at a loss to know which 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 Iscariot, son of Simon."  (John 13:21-26)

·         It is my guess that we all know this story...

·         I only ever have two pieces of advice when it comes to dealing with people who you struggled with. Whether they are just annoying, or considered an enemy. You heard me say both before, they serve me, personally, very very well.

·         The first is simply that you pray for them. That just makes sense - sounds like the easy children's sermon answer that applies to everything, but I mean it: pray for them. Consistently. What happens is that you begin the transition from praying about them to praying for them. You begin to seek what is best for them and that changes us and changes the way that you feel about them.

·         The second is not unlike this and you see it so clearly in Jesus who washes even Judas's feet, knowing what is to take place later that evening. This is my advice: treat others not according to who they are, but according to who you are. That other person may truly be unkind, but I am only going to act in kindness to the best of my ability - my Spirit empowered ability. That person may have honestly hurt you, but I will do no harm. I will not fight them on their level, I will not have an attitude of eye for eye and a tooth for tooth. I am a child of God and I will act like it even if they do not, even if the world can justify returning fire with fire.  In so doing, it generates patience in me. It generates compassion. It makes me a better person. I will not stoop to their level but try to arise to Christ's level. And it creates an opportunity for them to lay down their arms as well. More than that, I look ever more like my Savior. May I would love others as he loves me.

·         John 13:34-35

34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

·         You are never going to hear something more practical come out of this pulpit, from me.

Let's look at Peter: His Resistance

·         John13:5-10

5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" 7Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." 8"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." 9"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" 10Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."

·         If Peter understood clearly that Jesus was the master, and in comparison he was the servant, he should have taken it upon himself to wash everyone else's feet. Jesus says, because I am the master, I will wash everyone else's feet.

·         Peter acted in disbelief when he saw the Lord Himself perform the menial task. Not only had Peter failed to show the service and love to the Lord, he failed to love his brothers as well.

Remember that Peter will betray Jesus too, in yet another way...

·         John 13:33, 36-38

33"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.... 36Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later." 37Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." 38Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

·         We know this story as well... (Luke 22:54-62)

·         I heard the story recently of a man who ran a grocery store during the Second World War - see if this does not hit home these recent weeks... He was there just before the President announced the rationing, which was going to take place on some of the staples you’d find in a grocery store. He tells that an elderly lady came into his grocery store, went back, and started loading her basket up with piles of sugar and all of the things that were about to be rationed. As she was going through the cashier’s aisle, he said, “Madam, I can’t let you take all of those things.” She said, “Well, why not? I just wanted to get them before all the hoarders got here.”

·         Like her, we rarely see the depth of our own sin.

·         Peter in no way can imagine not going to his death with Jesus. (37Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.")

            Just as our prayer of confession suggests - we all have our courtyards... (where we deny knowing Christ).  All sin is a form of betrayal.  We choose our way over God's way -- that's sin.  We put our will and desires and pleasures before God - that is betrayal.. That is sin.  Disobedience is sin/betrayal. 

We should be following his Example

·         Christ’s ultimate service for mankind was his willingness to give His life for us, which was to happen the next afternoon. His example of humility, service and generosity is all the more poignant because of its contrast with the attitude of the rest of humanity. Our natural tendency is to look for ways to make others serve us. God’s way, on the other hand, is unpretentious, willing service to others.

·         "Contemporary society is obsessed with love. From romantic movies to popular songs to cheap paperback novels, romance is a primary theme in both entertainment and in everyday conversations. It is also big business, as newspaper columnists, talk shows, and Internet websites offer pertinent advice to the lovelorn. But despite all the world's talk about love, very few people actually understand the real thing. The modern world's version of love is unabashedly narcissistic, totally self focused, shamelessly manipulative. It sees others merely as a means of self gratification. Not surprisingly, relationships between selfish people usually do not last. If your current partner fails to live up to expectations (or they find someone more exciting), they move on." (John Macarthur)

·         That is not Jesus - who washed even Judas' feet 

Illustration: Ah but Your Land is Beautiful (Alan Paton) excerpt.

·         In Alan Paton's historical novel, Ah but Your Land is Beautiful, he tells a story from the early days of post-World War II apartheid in South Africa. A climactic scene in this novel is on Maundy Thursday of Holy Week a highly placed white judge is invited to the black church of his family's housekeeper at the urgent invitation of the black Pastor.  He slips in the back unnoticed.  Simply by worshiping in this church the judge risks his career. But the Pastor has also asked that he participate in the foot washing ritual... commemorating the night we read about in John 13.  .

·         The feet presented to him are those of a woman who has worked as a servant in his house for more than 30 years. Some of the worshipers gasp as Jan Christian Olivier kneels before the little old lady, Martha Fortuin. As he is washing the housekeeper's feet, he thinks of the countless times she bathed his own children, washing and kissing them.  The story concludes, then he took both her feet in his own hands with gentleness, for they were no doubt tired with much serving, and he kissed them both. 

·         The judge's presence and participation had been planned by the minister and agreed to by himself as a statement, but the kisses arise naturally within the moment. At the sight of selfless love, The Holy Church of Zion fell a-weeping.

This is the example we have to follow...

·         John 13:1

1It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

·         John 13:12-15

12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

·         Peter does not understand.  Peter wants his body washed - and Jesus says that on that physical level only his feet are dirty.  But betrayal an disobedience are a matter of your inside being dirty. 

·         Francis Schaeffer, has a profound notion about the text in 1 Corinthians 3. First Corinthians 3 says that, at the end of our lives, we will be led before Christ. And, in a very powerful metaphor, the text says that all we have built during our lives—wood, hay, stubble, gold, silver, precious stones—will be tried by fire. The wood, hay and stubble are not necessarily evil deeds, but just the worthless things, the things that don't count for eternity. And when we come before Christ, the blazing fire of his glory will burn away everything in our lives that is wood, hay and stubble. Only those things of Christ and for Christ and for eternity will remain for us to present to him. Schaeffer says on that day there will be many whom he termed as "ash heap Christians" who will stand before the Lord, having all of life burned away, all the stuff—the cash, the comfort—that didn't count for eternity. And they will stand in a pile of knee-deep ashes with nothing to present to him.

·         1 Corinthians 3:12-15

¹² If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. ¹⁴ If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

To illustrate:

·         When my children were younger they participated in various science Olympiad's. I loved it. It was fun working on those projects together. One particular project was to build a bridge out of wood, using pieces about the thickness of matchsticks. You had to design a bridge, that was light but structurally sound, and then put it to the test. The bridge spanned a certain distance, then you hung a weight from the middle of it, and added to that weight until it finally gave in. If you built something of substance, it would hold up when it was tested.

·         If our life holds up, when the chaff and dross and worthless things are burned away, what will be left will not be good works, so to speak - as if good works get us into heaven. The good works represent obedience. That's what will hold up. Not a particular list of good deeds, but have we been faithful? Were we obedient? Did we follow his example? Do we serve and love?

Conclusion

·         Buckner Fanning tells a story from visiting Czechoslovakia a number of years ago, and the government had come and taken the church building away from a group of believers, and they had looked for months for a place to worship. He said when he went back to Czechoslovakia a second time, they had found a building, and the building they had purchased was right in the center of a graveyard. Nobody else wanted the building. You can’t imagine selling dresses when people have to walk through a cemetery to get to your place of business. So the church got it. And you know what they called that church? "The Church of the Resurrection."

·         That’s what it’s all about. That’s where we are. Planted right in the middle of the dead and the dying. We’re the Church of light planted right in the middle of the darkness. Judas didn’t understand that.

·         There is a correlation between  obedience, and commands - right?!

34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

·         Amen.

Benediction: Philippians 2 

                        ¹ Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

                        ⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature God,

    did not consider equality with God 

    something to be used to his own advantage;

⁷ rather, he made himself nothing

    by taking the very nature of a servant,

    being made in human likeness.

⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,

    he humbled himself

    by becoming obedient to death—

   even death on a cross!

⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

    and gave him the name that is above every name,

¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.