Humble Service - John 13:1-17 - April 15, 2007

Sunday School Lesson – Humble Service – April 15, 2007

We will continue to study the Book of John for the next three (3) Sunday’s.

Our focus scripture for this Sunday is John 13:1-17.

Our emphasis for the next three (3) lessons will be on the parting instructions of JESUS to HIS disciples and how those instructions apply to us.

Let’s read John 13:1-17: (With Comments along.)

1 Before the • Passover Festival, Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.[1]

There were three (3) major religious festivals in the Jewish year for which every Jewish male was expected to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem:

Passover Festival
Festival of Weeks or Pentecost
Feasts of Booths

The festival in our lesson is the Passover Festival which lasted a week.

Keep in mind that the Apostle John did not write the account of these events until years after they took place. At the time the events were happening he did not fully comprehend them. However by the time he wrote about them, he fully understood them.

The Passover was the time when the Jews celebrated their ancestors being delivered from Egyptian slavery by GOD through Moses. It was a reminder when the Passover lamb was slain and its blood was placed over the doorposts of their home. The death angel spared the first born child in that home from death. In the homes without the blood over the doorposts, the first born male died. The lamb that was slain was the primary food in preparation for their delivery from slavery.

We see the awesomeness of GOD and HIS timing for the deliverance of mankind from the slavery of sin and death. It is during Passover that JESUS, the LAMB OF GOD, is slain to deliver mankind from the bondage of sin and death. GOD gave HIS first born and only SON that all who believe in HIM will be forgiven of their sins and escape the punishment for their sins, escape spiritual death and receive eternal life. Each believer will experience the rebirth of their spirit, be born into the family of GOD and receive the gift of eternal life.

to the end = completely or always 2 Now by the time of supper, the Devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Him.

Judas had already planned to betray JESUS. The events are set in place. JESUS knows that HIS time has come.

Notice in the next verses that GOD had placed everything into the hands of JESUS. JESUS is fully GOD and has all authority. From this point forward JESUS is GOD in the flesh and JESUS is fully flesh.

3 Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into His hands, that He had come from God, and that He was going back to God.

JESUS being fully GOD gets up and GOD washes the feet of the disciples as we see in the next verses. GOD sets the example of humility and servitude for all HIS disciples, including all believers.

4 So He got up from supper, laid aside His robe, took a towel, and tied it around Himself. 5 Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him.

It was the custom for the host to provide someone to wash the dirt or dust off the feet of their guest. Often it was the duty of a servant to wash the feet of the guests. The disciples had earlier discussed who would be the greatest in the kingdom of GOD. None of the disciples wanted to subservient to the other disciples. But CHRIST knew for them to be effective disciples they must have the heart of a servant.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t understand now, but afterwards you will know.” 8 “You will never wash my feet—ever!” Peter said. Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him. This is why He said, “You are not all clean.”

I am so thankful for the Apostle Peter. We get a deeper insight into spiritual matters because of Peter.

As we journey through life as a Christian often we become tarnished with the things of the world. As the disciples walked the dusty roads their feet got dirty. JESUS makes it clear that all but one of the disciples were secure in their salvation. They needed a lesson in humility and servitude.

When we, as Christians, journey through life it is easy for us to become tarnished by the things of the world. We must stay confessed up before the LORD. 1 John 1:9-10 is very clear that our part is to confess and JESUS does the cleansing and restoring.

1 John 1:9-10:

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Once we become a Christian and we sin there is no need for us to be saved again. But it is important for us to confess our sins as we travel the road of life. Unconfessed sin compromises our effectiveness as Christians. It stifles the HOLY SPIRIT in our lives.

The Meaning of Footwashing
12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined[2] At important meals the custom was to recline on a mat at a low table and lean on the left elbow. again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you. 16 “• I assure you: A slave is not greater than his master,[3] Or lord [4] Jn 15:20 and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

JESUS puts what HE has just done into perspective. JESUS confirms that they are correct to refer to HIM as “Teacher” and “LORD”.
Bottom line JESUS is telling them, “You will not fully comprehend this event now. But when you do fully comprehend it, you will know that GOD Himself has humbled Himself to wash your feet. GOD will perform many miracles through you, so never think you are better, mightier or greater than GOD. Your calling in life is to serve others as GOD directs your lives.”

This is the message to each believer today. The key is that we first have a loving, intimate relationship with GOD.

Why is this key? Simply, when we direct our own activity it will be a lot of busy activity that we think is important. The sad part is that our self directed activity is of little to no use to GOD and HIS plan. It is only when we are in a loving, intimate relationship with GOD that we will know what work HE is doing. When we are properly prepared, HE will invite us to join HIM in that work. Then what we do will be dead center of HIS will and plan.

When we are seeking the relationship with GOD, we are not idle. It is during the relationship building time that GOD is preparing and equipping Christians to serve HIM. Seek HIM first and then HE will use us.