PRIORITIZE PUSHING AWAY FROM THE TABLE
Text: John 13:1-17
1Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
1. Jesus Pushed Away From The Table (vv. 1-10)
Why did He push away from the table and serve?
1) He was
- Phil 2:6 – “form of God” – outward expression of the inward nature. Jesus is truly God.
Phil 2:7 – “form of a servant” – outward expression of the inward nature. Jesus didn’t play, act, or imitate. He was a servant.
Why did Jesus disrobe and don the garb of servant and wash feet? Because He is a servant. Jesus’ inward nature is that of a servant.
2) He
- Humility is not simply an attitude; it is an attitude that shows up in our actions.
2. Jesus Invites Us To Push Away From The Table (vv. 12-17)
- What did Jesus do when he washed their feet? He not only met a need out of love, but He taught a lesson about meeting needs out of love.
- Jesus asks us (commands us) to
Did you notice that? Jesus didn’t say, “I have given you an example. I have served you, so now you serve Me.” He didn’t say that. Jesus didn’t teach that we should reciprocate His serving us, but that we should replicate His serving
Jesus invites us to push away from the table and serve for at least two reasons.
1) When we serve, the
- When you show up to serve in and through the church, Jesus shows up too.
2) When we serve, we live a better
- Our sacrifice (service) leads to satisfaction. (cf. John 13:17)
- Serving people in and/or through the church will cost you. And it is the cost that keeps many people from getting into the game. But, hear what Jesus says, “…happy are you, blessed are you, if you follow my example.”
A
One of our main motivating factors for serving God by serving others is that when we sacrifice to serve we experience a better life lived.
- When we serve, we find a richer, fuller, deeper, more meaningful life experience. We find joy. We find community. We find significance. And we also find intimacy.
- When God shows up in us and through us, we experience God more deeply relationally. When we meet God in the lowly trenches of service, we find a whole new level of closeness with Him.