Our scripture reading for today, to which I invite you to turn with me at this time, is found in the New Testament, the Gospel according to John, the fourth Gospel account, the 13th chapter. John chapter 13. If you were with us last Lord's Day, you may recall that we began a series of messages on the theme, being the body, being the body. We look last Lord's Day at Philippians chapter 2, where Paul exhorts believers to have the mind of Christ, the attitude of Christ, who humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. Well, with that context being the background for our worship today, and that theme was the communion of saints, there are certain implications for being the body in view of the communion of saints. There are some very practical, personal implications then of how we ought to live together. And that is the theme, the subject matter of John chapter 13, We read verses 1 through 17, and we will work our way through that portion of Scripture together. John chapter 13, beginning in verse 1, let us hear then the word of the Lord. 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 love. 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 and 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 of 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. Do you understand what I have done for you, he asked them? You call me teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and teacher, have 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. Thus far, the reading of God's holy word, and as always, dear friends, I ask and urge you to keep your Bibles open and handy as we look to God's word together today. Dear congregation of Jesus Christ, many years ago, when I was a student up at the King's College in Briarcliff Manor, New York, The president of the college, Dr. Bob Cook, one day shared in a chapel service of a time when he was a young pastor, just beginning his ministry, and he was scheduled to speak at a very large, prestigious university. As I recall the account, Dr. Cook said that he was hosted by the very prestigious and well-known, renowned president of that university. He was staying in his home. He was gonna spend there the night, and then he was scheduled to speak first thing the next morning. But Dr. Cook said that during the night, he was awakened by this sound outside of his bedroom door. And so he got up to investigate. He said that he opened his door only to find the president of the university dressed in his pajamas, literally down on his hands and knees, polishing Dr. Cook's boots. Think about that. Dr. Cook said to us, well, that taught me a couple of things. First of all, he said, it taught me that probably my boots were a complete mess. And he said, but secondly, it told me right away who that man's Lord and teacher was. Think about that. A distinguished, renowned university president, probably living in a very palatial home, hosting this young, relatively unknown pastor, Bob Cook, And yet he gets up during the night, losing sleep for himself, sneaks into the bedroom, takes the boots, gets down on his hands and knees, and polishes them. Indeed, as Dr. Cook said, I knew instantly who that man's Lord and teacher was. Well friends, interestingly enough, as we begin to work our way through the words of our scripture lesson for today as recorded for us in John chapter 13, we can learn a great deal about ourselves as well in very personal and practical ways. For you see, here Jesus is telling us in no uncertain terms that if we claim to be his followers, if we claim to be his disciples, If we in truth say that no, I am a Christian, I am a follower of my blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and I seek to live following in his footsteps. Our Lord Jesus is saying to us that well, if that's true of you and me, well then a critically important part of what it means to be his body, a critically important part of being the body of Christ, is that we are found faithfully and fervently serving one another. That we are found faithfully and fervently serving one another. Now friends, as we begin to work our way through the words of our scripture lesson, I just want to give you a heads up that I will not be sectioning out or setting apart certain points that are probably all beginning with the letter P or something like that. We're not going to separate certain points, but I do trust and pray that you will not thereby conclude that this was a pointless sermon. But we're going to look at a lot of insights from this scripture lesson, but just I'm giving you a heads up, there's not going to be three P's or three R's or three S's or anything like that. We're just going to exposit the word of God. You ready? Let's go. Verse 1. It was just before the Passover feast. The Passover feast was one of three great pilgrim feasts which the people of Israel, especially the men, were commanded to observe by making a pilgrimage to the city of Jerusalem. Deuteronomy 16.16, if you're taking notes, tells us what those three feasts are. The one was the Passover feast. A second one was the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles. It's spoken of in John 7 verse 2, for example. And that was the feast by which the Israelites would commemorate their wilderness wanderings in the way in which God miraculously provided for them. And a third so-called Pilgrim Feast was the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. And that is read about, of course, spoken of in Acts chapter 2. And so the Passover was being celebrated. It was one of the great Pilgrim Feasts. And it says it was just before the Passover Feast. And Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. How did He know that? Jesus is not only fully man, He was equally and fully God. He was revealing His deity by His omniscience in this regard. Having loved His own, agape, the selfless, unconditional love which was made manifest on Calvary's cross when Christ died for us, Romans 5, 8 says, while we were still sinners. John is called the apostle of love. Many of us may know that. It's also interesting to note that in the first, let's say, verses... Let's say the first 12 chapters of John, the first 12 chapters of John, if you're taking notes, John uses that word agape, or love, six times in chapters 1 through 12. But in chapters 13 through 17, he uses that word 31 times. He is building the case of the love that God has for us in Christ. And notice too, brothers and sisters, that it says, having loved his own, having loved his own. John 17, Jesus' great high priestly prayer in verses six and nine. Jesus says, Father, you've given them to me out of the world. They are in the world, but they are not of the world. And so Jesus is claiming us as his very own people. He knew that he had to leave the 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. The Greek word is telos. It means he loved them to the end. He loved us to the uttermost. Some of the translations read that way. Verse two. The evening meal, that is the Passover meal, was being served. And the devil, the Greek word is diabolos. Satan is the accuser, the slanderer of God's people and God's heavenly court. That's what the word devil or diabolos means. The evening meal was being served, and the devil, Diabolos, had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. And if you're taking notes, jot down John 13, verse 27, where it also speaks about the devil entering Judas and putting him up to his act of betrayal. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power. He had all sovereignty and all authority and all rulership at His disposal. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power and that He came from God. What is that a reference to? It's a reference to the Incarnation. In John 1 verse 1, John says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, and the Word was with God. In the beginning. And then in John 1 verse 14, John says, and the Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. And we have beheld His glory, the glory of the one and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. It's all kind of in the background here of what John writes. When he says that 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, picture this, 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. And it begs the question, why? Why? Why would Jesus do that? Some commentators, brothers and sisters, have correctly noted that this particular action by Jesus was an essential summary of His entire earthly ministry, His incarnation, His humiliation. One commentator in particular, I never thought of this before, he believes that Jesus here is literally acting out a parable of his entire redemptive ministry. In fact, you can kind of see some of these points when you think about Jesus coming from the Father, there's the incarnation, he takes out his outer clothing and takes on the form of a servant, and there's his humiliation. And then he's pouring out the water, which symbolizes the pouring out of his blood. And then if you'll drop back down to verse 12, it says he returned to his place. This particular commentator said, well, there's an indication of his ascension and his session ruling and reigning at God's right hand. He said it's a parable of Jesus' whole ministry. And perhaps so, those are some great insights. But friends, what Jesus is doing here was, was the task of a servant, of a doulos, of a slave, of a bond slave. Washing the guest's feet was the task of the lowest person in the household, the one who would be the lowest slave. Think about that. And yet it's what Jesus did. It's what Jesus did for his disciples. In fact, as it goes on to give us some of the details of how he did this and what he said while he was doing it, he approaches them apparently one by one. Why? Why? Well, you know, it's interesting. The three, what are called the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, because they're so similar, tell us that at this time of the Passover feast, Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. John does not mention that. The other gospel authors mention that. John does not. But John mentions this while not mentioning that. But they mention that but don't mention this. So we need all four gospel accounts for scripture to interpret scripture. And there's a critical something going on that night that John does not mention that is the context, and I believe the precursor for Jesus doing what he did. It's recorded in Luke 22. Let's turn there together. Matthew, Mark, Luke. If you're taking notes and you'd rather not turn or whatever, I'm gonna be reading Luke 22, 24 through 27. Luke 22, same context, Passover night, the cross is the next day. Luke also indicates about the institution of the Lord's Supper. Fine. But then Luke alone says this. In Luke 22, 24. Look with me please. Also, a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be the greatest. Jesus said to them, The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them call themselves benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves, the akaneo, it's where we get our word deacon from. And brothers and sisters, I personally believe that it was at that precise moment, when Jesus heard them arguing about who was the greatest, that our text picks up in verse four of John 13. 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 that then began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. And you can imagine all the disciples watching him, wondering. He came to Simon Peter. We don't know again the order. He came to Simon Peter. And by the way, they are not seated as they appear in the Lord's Supper painting by Leonardo da Vinci. That painting is not the way that they were sitting there. You say, well, how do you know? Well, the custom of that day was for them to recline on an elbow on these couches. Most Bible commentators say they were probably in a U-shape, and they would lean on their elbow while they were eating with their feet extended out, sort of in a pinwheel fashion. So you can get the Lord's Supper, Leonardo da Vinci out of your mind. That's not what was going on here. Their feet are extended. Jesus goes up to Peter at this point, his first one mentioned, and he says, Peter says, Lord, are you going to wash my feet? Jesus replied, you do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand. That is after the cross, after the resurrection, after the ascension, after the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter, then you're gonna get it. You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand. No, said Peter, with his patented impulsiveness. No, said Peter, you shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered, unless I wash you, meaning spiritually by his blood, of course, unless I wash you, you have no part of me. Then Lord, Simon Peter replied, not just my feet, but my hands and my head as well. Notice how Peter always goes from one extreme to the other. Lord, call me, I'm gonna walk on the water to you. He gets out of the boat, he walks on the water, and then he sinks. And then he says in Matthew 16, 16, you are the Christ, the son of the living God. And then a few verses later, he says, but you're not going to the cross. I would never deny you, Lord, I would die for you. And he denies him three times. That's Peter, patently impulsive. No, said Peter, you shall never wash my feet. Unless I wash you, you will have no part of 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. Why did Jesus say that? Well, in the ancient Near East, brothers and sisters, when a person was gonna go somewhere, they would generally bathe themselves, but then they would walk along dusty roads in sandals, and it was their feet that got dirty, and they had walked about two miles from Bethany. If you look in the prior context, they had left Bethany, where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, and they probably had bathed prior, but now their feet are dirty, and that's what Jesus is saying to Peter. A person who has a bath needs only to wash his feet, but then when they got to where they were going, somebody would wash their feet. The water was there. The pitcher was there. The basin was there. The towel was there. They're in an upper room and no servant. Not a single one of those 12 disciples thought to wash their feet. Think about that. So the one through whom God created the universe, the one who turned the water into wine at the wedding at Cana, the one who fed 5,000 with five loaves and two fish, the one who healed the leper, the one who gave sight to the blind, the one who raised Lazarus from the dead, the King of kings and Lord of lords, takes off his outer clothing, and he puts a towel around his waist, and he pours the water in a basin, and he begins to wash his disciples' feet. A person who has 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, omniscience, deity. And that was why he said not everyone was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, verse 12, look with me please, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. Do you understand what I have done for you? He asked them. And according to what Jesus said in verse seven, probably not, probably not. Do you understand what I have done for you? He asked them. You call me teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. Pause right there. Some faith traditions say, well, Jesus here was instituting a new rite, a new sacrament, if you will. St. Ambrose of Milan, 4th century AD, regularly practiced foot washing in his worship services and in his ministry. St. Augustine of Hippo, by the way, a contemporary of St. Ambrose, said there's nothing wrong with actually literally washing each other's feet, but Augustine said, and I quote, if not with your hands, certainly with your heart. It's not with your hands, certainly with your heart. Friends, be that as it may, verse 15, Jesus continues and he says, I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant, no doulos, no bond slave is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, And who of us does not now know these things because we just considered them very carefully and I trust prayerfully in depth? Now that you know these things, don't leave it in your head. In essence, Jesus is saying, you will be blessed. Not just contented, not just at peace, not just fulfilled, not just self-satisfied, you will be blessed. Experiencing the favor, the smile of the Lord our God, His presence with you and His blessing upon you, you will be blessed if you do them. If you do, then Apostle James, the brother of the Lord, says, faith without works is dead. So that begs the question, does it not? Friends, how many very personal and practical ways can you think of as to how we can serve one another. How many personal practical ways can you think of by which we can serve one another? I can think of dozens. I see people using their gifts as musicians. I see people using their gifts and serving as ushers. I see people serving as greeters. I see people serving as coffee servers. I see people staffing the nursery. I see people teaching Sunday school and leading youth ministries and leading Bible studies and serving on committees and serving councils and hosting fellowship opportunities and on and on it goes. Working in our nursing homes, bringing the gospel and afternoon services at a nursing home. It goes on and on. And then you read the bulletin, and you see dozens of people week by week who are in need of our love, and our care, and our prayers, and our visits, and our calls, and our meals, and our compassion, our cards. And you look at Matthew 25, if you wanted to turn there with me just for a moment. In Matthew 25, verses 31 and following, Jesus said, you know what's going to determine the separation of the sheep and the goats on judgment day? I'm just reading the text. Matthew 25, 31 and following, he said, it's going to depend upon whether or not you and I have physically and spiritually fed the hungry, given drink to the thirsty, and welcomed in the stranger, exercised hospitality, given clothes to the naked, and visiting the sick and visiting those in prison as if they were ourselves. And brothers and sisters, again, I say this with love and respect, that begs the question, are you, am I doing, not just knowing, doing these things? Or are we simply taking up space in a pew? Or are we just simply taking up space in a pew? God should be glad I'm here. Now as we close, go back to John 13 one more time with me, if you would please. Did you notice a couple of stark contrasts which this text presents to us? First contrast is between God and the devil. God sent Christ into the world to die on Calvary's cross to save us from our sins. John 3, 16, Jesus says, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. That's God. That's God. Then on the other hand, you have Satan, Diabolos, the slanderer, the accuser, who prompts Judas to go and betray Jesus. What a contrast, what a contrast. Life and death. Then you have another stark and direct contrast, do we not, between Judas and Jesus. It says in verse two that the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. In John 13, verse 27, it says, as soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him, and he goes out into the night, verse 30 says, to do his dastardly deed. If you're taking notes, you may wish to jot down Matthew 26, verse 14 through 16, because Matthew 26, verses 14 through 16, tells us that Judas went to the high priest, and he tried to offer them that he would betray Jesus if they paid him money. It was all about him, it was all about self-aggrandizement, it was all about money, it was all about greed, it was all about me. And as you know, he betrayed Jesus, the Bible tells us, for 30 pieces of silver. In Exodus 21, verse 32 tells us, Exodus 21, 32 tells us that that was the price of a slave. He betrayed Jesus for the price of a slave. And the contrast, of course, is that we have Jesus. the one who's being betrayed, the one who's gonna die on Calvary's cross experiencing hell so that you and I won't have to. He takes off his outer clothes, puts a towel around himself, pours water into a basin, and washes his disciples' feet. Brothers and sisters, I ask you this as we close, I ask you this question. As you and I, don't look at anybody else, as you and I look at ourselves, I look at me, you look at you, as we look at ourselves and the place we are at, the part we are playing as part of being the body, are you, am I, more like Jesus or Judas? Amen, let's bow our heads and our hearts together in prayer. You call me teacher and Lord, said Jesus, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I've set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Now that you know these things, you'll be blessed if you do them. O faithful father, lest any of us succumb to the exceedingly sinful, selfish, destructive, and deadly example of Judas. May your Holy Spirit inspire, enable, and empower each and every one of us to follow faithfully in the footsteps of Jesus, being the body by serving one another. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.