Thursday, April 2, 2009

The Last Supper, Part 9 of 15

TEXT: "The evening meal was being served, 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, took off his outer 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 am 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" (John 13:2-11).

IDEA: Washing feet is not our basic challenge; it is washing feet without becoming spiritual landlords.

PURPOSE: To help listeners realize that before they can wash the feet of others, they must be washed themselves.

Two actions took place as Jesus met with his disciples on the evening before his crucifixion.

The "Lord's Supper"—What is its meaning? Why do Christians continue to observe it?

The washing of the disciples' feet. What does it symbolize?

I. Is there a danger of challenging listeners to wash dirty feet but have them do it for the wrong reasons?

Suppose we started "The Order of the Towel and Basin." Suppose, too, that we gave out little membership pins with a tiny basin with a towel that you could put in your lapel – a bronze pin for five acts of service, a silver pin for ten acts of service and a gold pin for twenty acts of service. Would you join me in this?

Suppose we said, "We ought to wash one another's feet because in that way we will be able to win people to Christ." (Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People)

Do you think that washing feet is our basic challenge? Isn't it to do it without becoming spiritual landlords?

II. When we serve as those who have had our own feet washed, we can serve one another as Jesus has served us.

The towel and the basin not only symbolize unselfish service; they also symbolize cleansing.

There's a remarkable encounter between Jesus and Peter in John 13:2-11.

Imagine the scene: As Jesus went from disciple to disciple to wash each one's feet, they uneasily accepted it. But not Peter! When Jesus reached him, Peter blurted out, "You'll never wash my feet! Never!" Peter is saying, "With those hands that opened blinded eyes, cleansed lepers—you'll never use those hands to wash these filthy feet of mine." Peter's answer was both reverent and wrong.

How does Jesus answer Peter? "If I wash you not, you have no part in me."

Jesus is saying, "Unless you are cleansed from your sins and are served by Him, you are not ready to serve others."