Shepherds Conference 2018 Session 2 Notes

H. B. Charles

The Life of the Church

John 13

 

The church should be a community of foot-washers.

Passover was the setting and background for the washing of the disciples’ feet.

Jesus sets an example for his disciples to follow.

 

Servanthood is essential to Christianity.

Those who would follow Christ must follow his example of servanthood.

 

Point 1: The motivation for service is love.

Verse 1

 

Jesus’ hour had come.

Even at death, Jesus has everything under control.

He loved his disciples to the end.

He is driven by love for his own.

God has common grace on all, but special love for his own.

 

He loved  them to the end.

This is not timing of love but extent of his love.

 

1 Peter 1:22-25

Love one another earnestly from a pure heart.

 

We are called to love one another.

But this is not natural to us.

As sinners, we love self instead of God.

But, since we are born again, we are to love one another.

Love is the birthmark of Christian discipleship, and it moves us to serve one another.

 

Point 2: The model of service is Jesus.

Verses 2-11

 

Luke 22:24, there is a dispute among the disciples.

The disciples are arguing about who will be in charge.

They will not give up leverage by lowering themselves to wash feet.

Conflict in the church is rooted here: when we have an attitude of lording over others.

When our authority is more important than serving like Christ, division arises, Christ is dishonored, and the gospel is muted.

 

These events are happening after the devil had already given Judas the heart to betray Jesus.

Judas is unregenerate.

The devil had free reign in his heart.

Jesus already knew.

Judas was in the room when Jesus began to wash feet.

Would you have washed Judas’ feet?

 

We are called to be servants.

Pastors are to be servant-leaders.

We do not have the right to determine who deserves our service if we follow Jesus’ example.

 

Jesus is fully aware of who he is and what he is doing.

It is with that perfect knowledge that Jesus moves to serve.

The worth of your service is not determined by the prominence of your role.

The first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Philippians’ 2:6-7

 

Peter speaks up.

Do you wash my feet?

Peter is distressed.

Jesus tells Peter that he will understand later.

How true is that of life and ministry?

We have to trust and obey the Lord, even when he is up to something we do not understand.

 

Peter is not satisfied with Jesus’ answer to him.

You shall never wash my feet.

This is both pride and humility.

He is too humble to let Jesus wash his feet.

But he is not so humble that he will not tell Jesus what he is not allowed to do.

 

If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.

We are now not just talking about feet.

1 John 1:7 has washing, cleansing language for salvation.

Salvation is not about what we do for the Lord, it is about what he does for us.

Ephesians 2:8-9, when we are saved, we have nothing we can boast about.

 

Peter questioned Jesus’ service, he rejected Jesus’ service, then he tried to correct Jesus’ service.

Jesus told Peter that the one who has bathed need only wash his feet.

All of the 12 are clean, except for one.

And Jesus knew who that was.

 

 

This is about saving faith.

When he cleanses you, you are cleansed forever.

2 Corinthians 5:17

  Christ makes us clean through is cross and resurrection.

 

Point 3: The mandate of service is inescapable.

Verses 12-ff

 

Jesus is both teacher and Lord.

If I washed your feet, you should wash one another’s feet.

This is not the institution of a new ordinance.

This is a metaphor for Christian service.

Be willing to do whatever it takes to serve one another.

Do not battle to get the best spots.

 

This is totally distinct from how the world thinks.

The world thinks that greatness is to have others serve you.

Jesus shows that we descend to greatness.

 

Is there anything I can do for you?

That is a dangerous question.

This should mark the lives of those who are marked by being washed by Jesus.

Jesus calls on us to let his life be our example of service.

 

If Jesus can wash feet…

We can serve even when we do not feel like it.

we can serve even when it costs us.

we can serve even when it is not appreciated.

 

If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Knowing you should serve is not where the blessing comes from.

Serving is where the blessing begins.

 

We are not home yet.

We are called to serve, suffer, and sacrifice.

In the Lord, your labor is not in vain.