Humble Servant (Part 1 of 2)

Many of us spend a lot of time and energy crafting are personal image others online or in the workplace. We are prone to expressions of vanity, hope to appear interesting or important this weekend on Truth for Life were looking at a passage where Jesus invites us into a countercultural lifestyle. Alistair Begg is titled today's message humble servant in chapter 13 of John at beginning in verse one we read these words. It 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 life. The evening meal was being stabbed and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 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 he got up from the meal to golf his arms or clothing and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

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'm doing, but later you will understand.

No said Peter you shall never wash my feet Jesus answered unless I wash you, you have no part with me then Lord Simon Peter replied, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well. Jesus 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, for he knew who was going to betray him and that was why he said not everyone was clean when he had finished washing their feet. He put on his clothes and returned to his place.

The understand what I've done for you.

The Aston you call me teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am now that I your Lord and teacher of 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. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. The events of the gospel of John, from about the 19th verse of chapter 1 which is the end of John's prologue all the way through to the end of chapter 12 cover a period of some three years from chapter 13 to the end covers a period that essentially is that of the passion week, and the opening three verses of the chapter that we have just read provide an important and significant context for the significance of the events that are about to unfold.

Jesus is clearly aware that the time of sorrow as he puts it here.

The time of darkness and of difficulty is under the control of God the father hands. Verse three. Jesus knew that the father had put all things under his power that he had come from God returning to God, so he got up from the meal and to this basin of water and so on is a reminder to his isn't that if were not very careful it will be possible for us to disengage often what we might regard as purple passages from the context of the Scriptures and say the right things and through things with them and make application from them. But if we do not have them set firmly in the context then we may miss. Actually the entire point as to why their present in the Bible and I say this this morning because we want to focus on the findings. Jesus is revealed to us here as a wonderful humble servant, but it is possible for us to deal with John chapter 13 simply to make that point and we do so we actually miss what is being said in this chapter we will deal with it only as a lesson in humility, which of course it is, but as it is important for us to find out it is more than that. It is the story of Jesus final submission to death. And this foot washing, which takes place is if you like and enacted drama. It is a parable illustrating the great principle of lowly service which finds, of course its ultimate expression in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. So I want you to pause, Ramona discovered clearly in your mind as I must get it in mind.

It is only in the shadow of the cross that we can understand the nature of the cleansing of which Jesus speaks it is only in the shadow of the cross that we will get this. Otherwise, we will do as well turn it into a story which goes something like this are certain things in life that can only be sorted out with a bucket of water and a towel and and you get us a wonderful story about all you need is a bucket of water and a towel and visit. That's what today is about and so long will it is about this basin of water and a towel, but they signify something far more significant than that which is expressed in this incident. So if you like.

There are two levels at which retitling are being tackled by this passage this morning. Let's begin. First of all by noting if you're taking notes the humility that Christ displays the humility that he displays right summarize it in three statements. First of all, we find the creator washing the feet of his creation. He who has created the universe.

He who has established the very properties of H2O is about to take a very water that he himself has created and use it in this particular way, it is vital that we recognize the first 12 chapters preceded the 13th chapter and that all the way through these first 12 chapters we have been confronted as John has painted the picture with the wonder of Jesus not only summarized in the prologue. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, then worked out throughout all that follows quickly under Chapter 2 and Jesus. This Jesus of Nazareth takes water and turns it into wine. In chapter 4, a Roman official comes and says that his son is sick today and Jesus takes care of the issue and raises up the boy. Chapter 5. The pool of Bethesda and a man who has been an invalid for 38 years is dramatically healed.

Chapter 6 the 5000 set down and are fed from five loaves and two fish. Chapter 6 Jesus of Nazareth walks on the water. Chapter 9 he heals the man who is born blind and chapter 11. He stands on the site does the tomb of his good friend Lazarus and calls for to come out. What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the waves will be stands in the face of dad declares himself victorious. Surely this man should already be removed from me every day.

Vicissitudes of life.

Surely this man of all men should be shepherded around.

Surely this character should live in a palace.

Surely this man should be perfected and applauded everywhere you go is that's the man now look again so verse four.

He got up from the meal to golf his outer clothing and wrapped the towel around his waist. The creator washes the feet of his creation here in Wesley's words is our God contracted to a span and comprehensively made man whom Phillips in his rendition of the prologue describes them in this way all creation took place through him, and none took place without this is the one who does this. If you like you we really need to read a John chapter 13. In light of the hymn in Philippians chapter 2 we want to lay on it but let me just remind you of it so that you can consider this as as the day unfolds.

Philippians chapter 2.

Remember the words of Paul, according a Christian him. It would seem everyone that he wrote everyone had been written by somebody else and he says your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in the likeness of man found in appearance as a man humbled himself and became obedient to death, even to death on the cross and what you have in this scene as he takes his towel and wrapped around him as he takes this basin is if you like is almost a parable and enactment of the vastness of what is there described employer treated by by Paul in Philippians chapter 2. Indeed, there is actually no adequate analogy convey the wonder of what is taking place here. What is happening. The hymn writers of done the best with it, conveying only in descriptive terms what is happening rewriting it.

If you like and waiting for so for example in the hymn that reads the son of God's glory hides with parents me in for and he who made the heavens, abides in village home obscure. He in Lucite the Angels stand around whose throne the needs. Now students prepared on bended knee to wash his followers feet is nothing like this in an all in all of human history.

There is nothing like this in the stories of world religion, not that the Lord of glory. Stoops in this way. Indeed, when we think of the notion of them emptying himself a phrase over which some people stumble.

We are to understand, not in terms of a deficit but in terms of in addition, the question is not of what did he empty himself, but rather into what did he empty himself by emptying himself into humanity by adding to himself something that was not previously there.

Namely humanity. He expressed his humility. In other words, the expression of his emptying is not in what the latest site but in what he took to himself which is which is just in passing is a reminder that those of us are all so stuck on ourselves and on our humanity, and who we are and how we look at what we've done and everything else for the Lord of glory, to assume humanity was a step down and he stepped down into our world, there it bags an analogy doesn't. This is trivial but gives a sense of it. I think Andrew Martinez is one of the great caddies on the PGA Tour caddy for Johnny Miller. He is caddy for considerable time now for Tom Ln., Andrew Martinez, he's fit he's handsome. He's a good golfer. He's a better tennis player and he's a phenomenal backgammon player if you see him dressed in his 70s, driving his car through the community you would say there goes Andrew Martinez, but as soon as he pulls into the car park of the golf course where his boss is playing and goes into the Caddy shack he put something on over his outer clothes, depending on where he is white overalls and in the putting on of those white overalls in the adding to himself, you know, he loses himself. He still Andrew Martinez for the name on his back is lame. He exists solely for the service of his boss.

Despite all of his own giftedness. All of his own capacities.

Now I know the man analogy is trivial. Trying to get something into our minds of what is happening here. The creator washes the feet of his creation.

Or we might say the teacher washes the feet of his feuding followers. The teacher washes the feet of his feuding followers.

Look at his record of the events leading up to the to the Lord's supper, indeed immediately surrounding the Lord's supper tells us that when they were gathered in the room and Jesus was dealing with the Passover and distributing the breath in the wine right in the very context quotes a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be the greatest.

You may have gone to communion with a bad attitude but you perhaps have not approximated to this is a reminder to us is not that here in the establishing of the communion service.

Those who are his core group are sitting there in the immediate context of communion saying you know what I more significant than you know what I more gifted than you. You know what I deserve more than you is the story. It is the ongoing story of the followers of Jesus, break down to your last deacons meeting right down to your last church meeting.

It is the story of division and dispute and heartache and chaos, which is the very denial of the principle that is described to his here as the teacher washes the feet of his feuding disciples. Those were preoccupied with prominence of taught a lesson that they would never forget, one of which we are in constant need of reminder how much trouble arises as a result of my fathead a great deal.

Perhaps yours to stand on dignity.

These people know who I don't know where I've been having the heart of what I've accomplished surely of all the people in this meeting not to be a special seat for me really.

Not if are going to be like Jesus. No, we want to just be like ourselves. Yes, if we want to believe were the center of the universe and survivors marinara Moore is helping us with our children. The little emperors. The little emperors of the 21st century. Make no mistake about it, the idea of a graduation from kindergarten is my third point creator washes the feet of his creation. The teacher washes the feet of his feuding disciples and the Lord washes the feet of his betrayer. Verse 11 tells us that Jesus was aware not simply of the fact of his betrayer, but also the identity of his betrayer.

I want or we would've done Skipton ignored him while verse five tells us what he did.

He wants to speak and when I was all over and the disciples reflected upon the ministry of Jesus, how the words of the sermon on the mount must've been riveted in their minds is the contemplated what their master had said and now what their master had done. For example just won one quote from the sermon on the Mount. You have heard that it was said love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

The Lord of glory washes the feet of his betrayer. Let's move on from the humility that Jesus displays to the clarity that if you like.

Jesus provides. We don't delay on this, but we need to understand the custom of the day am sure many of us are familiar with it, therefore, is just tedious when you have to listen to the fellow going take about 15 minutes describing something that could be described in a sentence as selector sign get right through Charlie Rose of Palestine were on the surface they were they were unclean in dry weather, the traveler's feet would be dusty and wet weather they would squelch through the mud and they would be quite challenging. Consequently, the wearing of open sandals would bring their feet at the end of a journey into the context of a home in need of attention before they went very far as a result of that water parts of the door reports were there in order to be used for the washing of the feet long with water parts was often a servant, the servant would then know what he was supposed to do. Take the water wash the feet let the people and for the meal. The server wasn't present in the person who was responsible for all would then exercise due humility in fulfilling the role of the servant so that you have been welcome to the house would enjoy the privileges we been doing much the same and enjoying the hospitality of someone around the lake eventually had one of those coolers with with water in it all week so that when we come up off the beach.

We stand we stand in the cooler and a shake around a little, so that our feet may then be representable when we go into the house after time, the waters been so cold. It's been a challenge all of his own, but nevertheless this but I might have asked my wife to suspend or wash my feet for Macy's and Sears. It just it just hasn't happened while the interesting thing is that in terms of the custom of the day. It just hadn't happened. You will notice that the disciples had presumably worked themselves up into such a state of competitive pride or that they just grown so disinterested in one another that the meal was already being served is within the context of the meal you notice that you got to call his outer clothing and engaged in these things. Now here's the real issue and this point we have to fasten down.

We need to grasp the symbolism which Peter clearly misses we need to grasp the symbolism with Peter clearly misses because if we miss it with them. Then we missed the whole thing. And etiquette is so easily become a form of moralism. Here's humility while you try and be humble.

It is a lesson in humility. But that is not ultimately what it is you notice that the meal was being served.

And while the meal was being served. Verse two. That is, in other words, it expresses the deliberate nature of the action of Jesus in chapter 3. He spoke about the need for spiritual birth in chapter 4 about the nature of spiritual living water in chapter 6 about spiritual bread you is the bread of life and now he is addressing the issue of spiritual cleansing your listing to Alistair Begg on Truth for Life message called humble servant to listen again or to catch up on previous messages in our study titled to know Christ visit us online@truthforlife.org you cannot listing through the truth like mobile app today. It is easy to download onto your smart phone or tablet that what you have instant access to Alister's entire teaching library as well as the daily devotional. Simply download the app for free from your app store. This series gives ample proof that Jesus has been a lightning rod for controversy from the first century down to today, people have worshiped him, and people. I walked away from him, but it's always been impossible to simply ignore him. A truthful we believe God is calling us to spread the gospel with greater intensity and urgency than ever before, and to do it with compassion, love and understanding.

Just as Jesus did with that end in mind, we have paired two books together that we think you can find very helpful.

The first book is called, have no fear in this book the author provides practical tools for overcoming our reluctance to talk with other people about Jesus. The second book is designed for you to share alongside a friend and will include two copies of this book is called the word one on one book provides a template to guide you in your conversation walking you and a friend or a neighbor through the first chapter of John to learn how you can request this three pack of books.

Visit our website@truthforlike.org again that's truth for.org truthful. I for we are all about reaching as many people as possible with the lifesaving message of the gospel.

Our mission is to teach the Bible with clarity and relevance so that unbelievers will be converted. Believers will be established in local churches will be strengthened. Our prayer is that you have benefited from today's program by Bob Lapine hope you'll join us again next weekend. As we continue our study in John 13.

Learning how to know Christ more deeply. This program, the Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by truth for like with the Learning is for Living