Sermon Notes
Verse 15 is the KEY verse.
Please memorize this verse.
In the Bible, there are 4 farewell messages:
Deut 31-33 – Moses
Joshua 23-24 – Joshua
Acts 20 – Paul
John 13-17 – Jesus
Jesus style is unique compared to other 3.
Jesus began with the action of washing (chp 13)
Chp 14 – Let not your hearts be troubled.
15 – I am the true vine, you are branches.
16 – I have told all these things to you, so that you may have peace in me. I have overcome this world.
17 – Closed with prayer (himself, disciples, ALL believers in the future – including YOU! Jesus prayed for YOU!)
(14-17 = messages)
Jesus washed 24 feet.
God washed 24 ugly, dirty, stinky feet.
All power and authority are in his hand, but he took off his outer clothing and wrapped a towel around his waist and poured water into the basin and began to wash their feet.
Can you imagine it?
In Palestine at that time, no paved roads – only dirt, also, very thin sandals. So in the dry season, tons of (yellow?) dust. In the rainy season, tons of mud.
At that time, washing feet = a slave’s job.
Verse 12-15 When he finished
Do you understand? I am Teacher and Lord, I am your Example. No servant is greater than his master.
Jesus is our example. The greatest example!
Is Jesus really, truly your personal Savior. Be honest before God, not before me.
IF he is, then there is no question that he is our example. One of his main purposes in coming into this world was to be our example – our role-model – he modeled the behavior we should follow.
Phil. 2:15 –
Hebrews – Fix your eyes
Eph – Fix your eyes on Jesus
“Jesus suffered for us, leaving an example for us.”
Who is your example? In the Bible, there are many “good” people. Of course we can learn from them. But NOBODY is our final example – besides Jesus. Who suffered for you, gave his life for you? ONLY Jesus.
Make sure ONLY Jesus is your final, true example. Not even other human mentors. ONLY Jesus is the final example.
Share 5 Characteristics of Jesus: hoping, praying for us to be like Jesus more and more.
#1: Jesus is a person of absolute holiness.
(v 10). Cleanliness = godliness.
(v 11).
Jesus washing their feet symbolizes Jesus cleansing, purifying, and making them holy. He is holy, and holy person maker.
He is the ONLY absolute holy one.
“Holy and Righteous One.”
Jesus has also been tempted in every way, but is without sin (Hebrews 4?)
He was holy in nature and conduct.
Only Jesus is sample of holiness.
If you like Jesus, you will be like Jesus.
If you behold Jesus, you will be holy like Jesus.
Moses in Exodus, his face shown (shining) after meeting God – he was transformed and becoming holy more and more as he spent time with God.
Christians = Saints = “Holy Ones”
Because we are justified and saved, we must “work our your salvation with fear and trembling” – work out your holiness in your conduct, your personality, your MOUTH.
#2: Jesus is a person of genuine love.
(v. 1 second sentence)
Can you understand this picture?
Many times we notice the word “knew”
He is original God, omnipotent. He knew and knows now and the future.
Also in this time, Jesus KNEW:
1. Judas would betray
2. Peter would betray
3. Disciples would scatter – lack of trust, laziness, fear of Man.
4. The gravity of his own situation, about to die.
In this time, what did disciples do? They argued…
They never deserved Jesus’ love, but he loved them to the end, to the full.
By nature, we are not better than the disciples, than Peter, than Judas.
We were dead, and Christ died for us.
Romans 8:35? What can separate us from the love of Christ – nothing in ALL creation!
Remember the ground, the foundation of our salvation, our assurance = the love of Christ in death for us.
“A new command I give you, ‘Love one another’ as I have loved you.”
Paul: “The love of Christ compels me.”
Love of Christ should be the strong, forcing drive for each of us.
1 Corinthians 13 – “If I speak with the tongues of angels, but have not love, I am a [meaningless noise]. If I have faith that can move mountains, but not love, I have nothing. If I give all I have, even my body to the fire, but not love, I give nothing.”
We must be serious about this.
EVERYTHING done without love = NOTHING in God’s eyes.
1 John 1 “Perfect love casts out fear.”
Do you have fear in your life?
Love is the power to drive out all fears.
May God bless us all to be a person of love. God can do even if we cannot do.
#3: Jesus is a person of true humility and meekness (not weakness)
Jesus is very true GOD, yet he kneeled down and served and washed their feet.
In his earthly life, he did not quarrel, did not shout on the street, did not have a place to lay his head. He emptied himself totally, humbled himself totally. “He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped…”
The same Peter here (proud), later in 1 Peter admonishes us to “clothe yourselves with humility, for God gives grace to the humble, but opposes the proud.”
Humility is going down to the bottom to SUPPORT others.
We become poor of our own accord to MAKE others rich.
Meekness is NOT weakness.
See the ball pen – hear the sound.
The podium is not meek.
The cloth is meek. (no sound)
Meekness is the power to accept, maturity not to be hurt, state of being tamed all the time, completely in being used by the Lord.
Would Jesus feel comfortable, convenient in using you? If Jesus would feel that way, you are meek. If Jesus would not feel comfortable, convenient to use you, you are not meek. Consider.
God bless us to be meek.
#4: Jesus is a person of the Father’s job.
For one person to prepare water and wash 12 men’s dirty feet and dry them with a towel at one time is not a small job – it’s a BIG job.
He was a faithful, hard, passionate worker. But his job was not his, but his Father’s
John 5:17
John 9:4 – As long as it is day, do the work of the Father.
Yes, Jesus saved the lost, preached, healed, opened eyes, raised the dead, calmed storms, fed the hungry, trained workers. Sometimes he didn’t even eat or rest because he was so busy. But ALL that work was the Father’s work.
Romans 12:11 – “Never be lacking in zeal. Continue in spiritual passion.”
1 Corinthians 15 – Therefore my brothers, let nothing move you,
Colossians 3 – Do all you do with your whole heart as working for God, not for men.
Teaching English is not YOUR work, it is the Lord’s work! If you think it’s YOUR work, then it is a source of stress and tiredness. If you think it’s GOD’S work, it is a source of rest and peace.
To the slave, there is not his own work, it is all his master’s work.
#5: Jesus is a person of full prayer
He closes this goodbye message with prayer in chp. 17. He prayed often, for everyone, habitually, regularly.
In Luke, there are at least 11 occasions that Jesus prayed. Sometimes ALL night, sometimes dawn prayer (dawn prayer started with Jesus), prayed before mission, prayed before Calvary, even after his greatest successes.
Jesus prayed for killers, for enemies, earnestly, honestly, patiently, believingly, submissively.
Luke – Jesus prayed SO honestly, he sweat drops of blood
Hebrews 5:7 – He offered up LOUD cries and tears
On the cross, he finished his life on earth with prayers for his killers. “Forgive them.”
Still now, Jesus is STILL praying for us.
Romans – “He is at the right hand of God and INTERCEDING for us!”
In heaven.
He is in his nature GOD.
If he needed to pray, how much more do we need to pray?
Not to pray = arrogance, unbelief, against God. “God, you do your thing, I’ll do mine.”
The more we surrender before God, kneel before God, the more we can stand in this world.
“Get on your knees and fight like a man!”
God is very happy to hear your living voice. “God, help me, make me a person of holiness, love, humility, your work, a person of prayer.”
Let’s pray.
