This Way Up is Down
-
Greg Waybright
- John 13:1-17
- Knocked Down But Not Out
- 38 mins 4 secs
- Views: 1570
Pastor's Note
When you prepare for a long trip, what is the first thing you tell your loved ones? This weekend we will look at Jesus' example in his farewell discourse. He shows his disciples how to live a joy-filled (or meaningful) life.
Study Notes
The Way Up Is Down - Week 1 - Study Notes
The Way Up is down
John 13:1-17
Today, we begin to look at the actions and words of Jesus as he began his last full day among them before his death. Jesus knew he was going to die and he wanted to prepare his disciples for life without him being physically present. In fact, the opening words of Jn 13:1 is like a banner that will fly over the next five chapters of John’s Gospel: “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father…”
I have had the rather ironic experience of beginning to prepare this first sermon in our series from what is called “Jesus’ Farewell Discourse” while my own father was in hospital telling me, “Greg, I don’t think I’m going to make it this time.” I then completed my preparation after his death. I have little doubt about the likelihood that this experience has shaped this message a great deal.
For those who are newer to church or who haven’t read John for a while, a disciple Jesus loved named John, summarized the powerful three-year ministry of Jesus in 12 beautifully written chapters. It all culminated with Jesus’ declaration that he had come into the world to save people: 12:46: I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
Jesus had told his disciples repeatedly that, for him to save them, he would have to die in their place for their sins. But John does not tell us about Jesus’ path toward the cross until John 18. So, for five chapters we have a detailed account of Jesus’ actions and words with his disciples before going to the cross. We are going to go through that section carefully at the beginning of 2015. These are five chapters of the most personal and profound teaching found in Scripture. In them, Jesus personally teaches his disciples – and us – how to live after he is gone and before he returns. What he says is as relevant to us as it was to them.
The Setting
What we read in these five chapters all takes place in the famous “upper room” where Jesus and his disciples had their last Passover meal. The food was prepared but all of them had filthy feet. In more affluent Jewish homes, there would have been a servant there to wash feet – though not a Jewish servant because foot washing was considered to demeaning for a Jewish family to ask a Jewish servant to do it.
With the disciples stretched out on their “pallets” (something like a reclining chair) around the low eating table, Jesus’ probably offered a prayer of thanksgiving. Then, Jesus stood up and took off his cloak leaving on his inner garments – something only a slave would do in a public place -- and picked up a towel. I am sure the disciples were shocked as Jesus then located a large water container and moved to the nearest disciple to wash his feet.
As I imagine it, I envision a stunned silence -- an embarrassment about this person they considered to be their lord and master washing their feet. Finally, it was Peter who broke the silence: “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
So, here we are at Lake Avenue Church 2,000 years later. Do you understand what Jesus was doing? On one level, this act was one of simply getting some filth off their dirty feet so that they could eat. But, as I’m sure you all know, this physical act was pointing to something much, much bigger. In these 17 verses, John, one of the disciples who was there when it happened, seeks to explain it to us. What he explains is at the heart of what it means to live as a follower of Jesus. As D.A. Carson has put it: “Jesus act of humility is… simultaneously 1) a display of love (v. 1), 2) a symbol of salvation (vv. 6-9), and a model of Christian conduct (vv. 12-17).”
So, what is Jesus teaching us about living in this imperfect world while he is away from us?
#1: Never forget that, whatever happens to you, Jesus loves you (13:1).
There is one phrase in v. 1 that, though it is brief, is placed where it is at the very beginning of this farewell discourse to declare something to us all that we must hold onto: “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”
So, as the Apostle John looked back on Jesus’ life, he said that Jesus had always shown forgiving, patient, and guiding love to his followers. Based on that, John looked forward with confidence that, when we have experienced the love of Jesus in the past, we should know that Jesus’ love for us will never end.
The Bible is not denying that Jesus loves the world. In Jn 3:16, we find Jesus’ own majestic declaration that he does. But John is talking here about his unique and special love Jesus has for those who follow him by faith. I cannot fully explain it though I am quite sure I know what this is about. My father is a man who loved people – all people. He loved to engage in relationship with people regardless of wealth, status, education, ethnicity, etc. But I know this too: He had a special love for me and my sister – and my Mom and brother too while they were alive. I’m convinced that what v. 1 is saying is something like that. Jesus loves the people of the world. But, once we have entered into a relationship with him by faith, he has a special love for us.
And when we know that, it makes a difference all our lives – especially in times of difficulty or doubt. These disciples would soon have to experience times when they could not understand that what Jesus was doing was a part of his love for them. He would soon be leaving them – by choice. That made no sense to them. He would leave them in a very humiliating situation (as the world sees things): They would soon see the man they had given up everything to follow hanging on a cross. They would feel like fools. Their families would scoff at them for this kind of crazy religious fervor. They would have to believe that he was doing what he was doing – out of love for them.
“He loved them to the end.” What a phrase! That meant he would love them even to the end of this journey to Jerusalem. At the cross, they would see his love for them – even if they did not yet understand it. It meant that he would continue to love them until the very end – all the way to the day when they were complete in Christ with all things made new.
And let me tell you this, my beloved family at LAC: You and I need to know this too, i.e., that Jesus loves us to the end. Do you believe it? There will be things that happen in your life that make no sense to you. They are not outside his control. He loves you to the end. And even when you walk away from him or reject him, as Peter would do, when you come back to him he will forgive you and receive you. He will love you to the end. I never want you to come to LAC without your pastor telling you that Jesus loves you and will love you to the end.
#2: Always know that the One who loves you most will not leave you broken (13:6-11).
Jesus’ encounter with Peter in vv. 6-11 is profound. It shows us that Jesus intends to have this physical act of washing his followers’ feet serve as a sign pointing to the fact that he will have to become a slave in order to wash us of sin and to make us whole. This foot washing is pointing us to the cross. Within a day of this act, Jesus would have to become a slave in a different way: taking our place as the sinless one, bearing our sins upon himself and asking us to allow him to make us right and clean with God through faith. But Peter struggles with Jesus serving him this way – just as many still do. Think about it. To be saved:
1. You have to admit that you cannot make yourself clean – V. 8a: Peter said to Jesus, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus could have kept things simple by saying, “Peter, this is just an object lesson. So, pay attention.” But that’s not what he said. Instead he astounds us with these words: “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
In other words, if I don’t wash your feet, you are in the same class with Judas. You are not mine. This is mind-boggling that Jesus would raise the stakes so high over a mere foot-washing. Well of course he’s not. The foot-washing stands for something much bigger.
It is clear that unless we all humble ourselves and admit that apart from Jesus serving us by dying for us, we would have no hope. That’s hard for our human pride. But note this: If we do not humble ourselves and fall upon Jesus in repentance and faith, we have no hope. Peter didn’t and we won’t either.
2. You need to grasp that when Jesus makes you clean through faith in him, you remain clean.
Peter says in v. 9 — as we can imagine he would! — “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” To which Jesus responds in v.10: “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him. That was why he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.
So Judas was not clean according to Jesus. But the eleven are clean. That is, they had believed on Jesus and were right with God. They had passed from death to life. And that included Peter. Only Judas is excluded in v. 10. When you place your faith in Jesus you are completely cleansed. We are right before God. Jesus says in v. 10: “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean.”
It’s all grace. You do not earn it – nor could you. You are made right with God when you trust Jesus.
3. You still need to turn from and be cleansed from daily sin.
This point about the feet still being dirty has confused many churchgoers so let me try to clear it up. The repeated washing of the feet that Jesus calls for represents our daily confession of sin and turning to Jesus for ongoing application of what he accomplished at the cross, i.e., our cleansing and forgiveness.
This is exactly what John taught in 1 Jn 1:8-9: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” What Peter failed to realize was that even though he was “completely clean” (v 10), i.e., even though he was right with God, there are sins that need daily confession and forgiveness. We need daily “spiritual foot-washings”. The once-for-all gift of God’s forgiveness needs daily application.
Know this: Jesus loves you too much to leave you living in sin. And if you keep on saying you don’t need to be cleansed of our daily sins or don’t want it, then you show that you have not been saved -- that you have not been “completely cleansed.” One mark of completely clean disciples is that we hate our daily shortcomings. Do you feel this way? Do you know you need to come to Christ for daily cleansing (spiritual foot-washing)? When you do, “if you confess your sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive and cleanse.”
When you discover that Jesus calls you away from things that are wrong, always know that Jesus loves you too much to leave you in your broken ways but is ready to cleanse you day by day by day. The love of Jesus means that he loves you too much to leave you as you are.
#3: Find your new life in Christ by serving as Jesus served (13:12-17).
V.12: When he had washed their feet… he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you”? Well, I don’t think they had. And, I must tell you, that when I read about the history of the church, I find that many who claim to be Christians have not understood what Jesus did and what his action that evening in the “Upper Room” should mean to our own lives as his followers.
Do you realize that just before this foot-washing demonstration took place, a fight had broken out among the disciples about which of them would be the greatest in Jesus’ new kingdom? They could not separate themselves from the world’s view of importance, power, influence and significance. But Jesus, though, as he was truly their Lord and Master was about to ascend to the heights of influence by descending to the depths of what the world valued. By doing that, he was going to demonstrate that the greatest victory in the history of the world would be achieved through serving others. He changes our lives through serving!
And, this is the heart of what life should look like when we follow Jesus – doing everything to serve others. But, that is so topsy-turvy in the eyes of our world. No other religion, no ideology, no self-help book has ever accepted Jesus’ teaching here. Do you? They way up is down. The way to influence is to serve. The way to be happy is to seek the happiness of others. The way to worship is to look to the interests of your brothers and sisters as being greater than your own.
The concept of service to all, especially to those who are socially beneath oneself, is foreign to Africa. A chief serving his subjects would be unheard of. Yet that is what Jesus is telling us to do. If we would learn to do this, it would take away half the pain the African continent experiences from day to day.
Dr. Samuel Ngewa, Africa International University
I tell you that this is not just the case in Africa. Never miss this: On the day before he would die in service to us, we find Jesus declaring, “This is what life is about! This is what I’m about! This is what I live for! This is where I find my joy! In serving you.” He’s saying thereby that you’re not going to find life through the way the world tells you that you will find it. This doesn’t mean that we do not become leaders, people with PhDs, business professionals, etc. But, in whatever place God has put us, we look each day to serve. We serve by using whatever God entrusts to us and we are to use that position, that resource, to make life better for others – as Jesus did. The disciples struggled with that call of Jesus because their whole world – and their human flesh – told them otherwise. And I think that we, in our consumerist world, struggle with it at least as much as they did.
Jesus is saying to us that there are going to be many things wrong in our world until he returns and makes everything right. He sends us into the world the further his kingdom of peace and justice. How do we go about it? The world as a whole takes on the philosophy of the elementary playground. One child calls another a name. The other uses a worse name. The first child hits. The second hits harder. The first gets his friends to fight. The second gets more friends.” Each one blames the other. We’re seeing this play out throughout our world today. (Use an illustration from the newpaper.) Evil escalates through this ongoing and growing retaliation.
What do we need? We need someone to step in, love the enemy, absorb the anger and offer back forgiveness. That’s what Jesus did on the cross. He was the moral shock absorber who served a sinful world he loves, bore the impact of sin and offers back to all who trust him forgiveness and new life.
So, God has placed you and me into this particular part of his broken world. And there is a whole lot that is broken. All of us know this: People shouldn’t be starving. Kids shouldn’t be shot. Police officers shouldn’t be spat on and hit.
But, how do we get from here to the world the Bible promises in which all things will be made new? It’s not by us running away: “If it gets too bad, I’ll move to the North Pole!” And God’s main means of making things right is not simply better politics and better laws – though those things according to Rom 13 are important. What Jesus talks about here is a global group of people planted in neighborhoods who will serve. We need people with the servant heart of Jesus who will go into the world and absorb the anger and foolishness of sin and offer back love. We need people who will be transformed from self-servers to servants and who go and say, “I don’t know whose fault all this is. It’s probably the fault of us all. But, I’m willing to come and clean up as I can. I’m willing to wash some feet.”
That’s what Jesus did. Jesus said, “I love the world in spite of its sin. I’ll take the hit for the sin of the world. I’ll take the hit for your sin. And then I’ll send you out to do the same in my name.” The gospel is that Jesus absorbed the punishment for you sin and offers back forgiveness and a new life. His service on the cross makes you clean. And you are clean – when you trust him. And, when you are, you are sent out by this same Jesus to serve.
I’ll begin our series with that. Jesus’ knows how hard it is to live for him in this world without him actually being physically present. What does Jesus say to you today?
- Never forget that I love you.
- Always remember that I love you so much that I must sometimes confront you and get that dirt off your feet and out of your life.
- And, when you experience my love, you will have the privilege of serving as I have served you. You’ll find your life serving. You will be blessed when you serve. The way up is down. The way to be happy is to serve so that others will be happy.
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
John 13:14-17
To His glory,
Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor
Greg Waybright • Copyright 2015, Lake Avenue Church
Chinese Translation
The Way Up Is Down - Week 1 - Study Notes - Chinese Translation
打倒不被打敗：在上的必要在下
約翰福音13：1-17
今天我们开始来看耶稣在上十架前一整天，他说的话和做的事。耶稣知道他即将离去，他要为门徒们预备他不能亲身与他们同在的生活。事实上，约翰福音13：1開篇的句子就像一條幅，涵蓋下面五章的約翰福音的內容：“逾越節以前，耶穌知道自己離世歸父的時候到了......”
約翰福音一書是耶穌宣稱他到世界上拯救世人的總綱：12:46我到世上來，乃是光，叫凡信我的就不住在黑暗裡。
耶稣不断告诉门徒说，为了拯救他们，他必须为他们的罪，替他们而死。但是约翰直到18章前没有告诉我们耶稣上十架的路。因此，有五个篇章中，我们看到耶稣在上十架前与门徒们一起所做的事，所说的话详尽的记载。在这些记载中，耶稣亲自教导他的门徒－和我们－在他走后并再来前要如何生活。耶稣说的话对当时的门徒和今天的我们都一样实用。
背景
我們讀到這五個篇章，都是發生在著名的“大樓房”中。宴席预备好了，但是他们每个人的脚都很脏。在有名望的犹太人家中，有仆人来给人洗脚。
耶稣起身，脱下他的外衣，拿起手巾。我肯定门徒们看见耶稣往他们脚边端来一盆水，要为他们洗脚都甚为吃惊。
我可以想像這樣一個啞口無聲驚訝的場景 - 太窘迫了，他們的主為他們洗腳。最後還是彼得從一片靜默中出聲：“主呀，你給我們洗腳嗎？”耶穌回答說：“我所作的，你如今不知道，後來必明白。”
从一方面来说，洗脚就只是除去脚上的污垢，可以开始吃饭。我肯定你们都明白，这个身体上的动作其实是一个远大的喻表。耶稣在这里所要解释的中心意义乃是什么叫做跟随耶稣。如同D.A卡森這樣闡述：“耶穌謙卑的行為......同時是1）愛的表現（1節），2）救恩的記號（6-9節），基督徒行為的模範（12-17節）”
那么生活在今天这个不完美的世界中，在他离开我们的时候，耶稣教导我们怎样生活？
＃1：永遠不要忘記，不論在你身上發生什麼，耶穌愛你（13：1）
在1節中有個句子，放在告別話語開始前，他向我們聲明，“他既然愛世間屬自己的人，就愛他們到底。”
使徒保罗回头看耶稣的生平，他说耶稣从始而终给予赦免，忍耐，用爱来引导跟随他的人。就凭如此，约翰带着信心往前眺望，我们过去尝过主爱，我们应该知道耶稣爱我们到底。
约翰这里说的是耶稣对我们有着唯一特别的爱，这种爱对我们在信心中跟随他的人都是一样的。耶稣爱世人，但是当我们在信心中进入和他的关系中，他对我们有特别的爱。
我们认识这点，对生活将起到不同凡响的作用。这些门徒很快就会经历他们搞不懂耶稣在做什么，其实是耶稣对他们的爱。他很快就会离开他们－他是选择这样做的。他们很快要看到这个人要放弃一切，被挂在十架上。他们必须要相信他只所以作他所作的－乃是出于爱他们。
“他就愛他們到底”。这是何等伟大的宣称！这意味这他爱他们，甚至在往耶路撒冷的路尽之处－即使他们不明白。他永远爱他们，爱他们到底。"
耶穌愛我們到底。你相信嗎？你的生活中发生一些事对你毫无意义。他们无一不在神的掌控之内。他爱你到底。甚至你离开他，拒绝他，就像彼得一样，他开始接纳你。你爱你到底。
＃2：要知道那最愛你的獨一的主，他愛你之深，不會置你於破碎而不顧（13：6-11）
耶稣在6－11节中与彼得的对话非常深刻。他告诉我们耶稣要用给门徒洗脚的身体上的动作来指向一个事实，就是他必须为奴为我们洗脚来成全我们。洗脚为我们指向十架，得拯救：
1.你必須承任你不能叫自己潔淨- 8節一：彼得對耶穌說：“你永不可洗我的脚。"耶稣让人震惊的话说："我若不洗你，你就与我无分了。"
用另一句话说，如果我不洗你的脚，你就和犹大一类了。你就不是我的了。耶稣这令人难以置信的话，把赌注放在洗脚这样重要的位置上，当然不是了，洗脚代表着深远的意义。
很清楚的是我们若不卑微自己，承认除了耶稣服事我们，为我们死，我们就没有盼望。这对人的骄傲来说是很难的事。如果我们不谦卑自己，俯伏在耶稣的面前，在信心中悔改，我们就没有盼望。
2。你要把握一件事，耶稣叫你得洁净你就得了洁净，这是透过你在耶稣里面的信心。
彼得在9節中說：“主啊，不但我的腳，連手和頭也要洗。”為此，耶穌在10節回答說：“凡洗過澡的人，只要把腳一洗，全身就乾淨了，你們是乾淨的，然而不都是干净的。"因为他知道谁会背叛他。所以他说，'你们不都是干净的。'
对耶稣来说犹大不洁净的。但是其他11位门徒都是洁净的。也就是他们相信耶稣，和神有着正确的关系。这包括彼得。唯有犹大在10节之外。当你将信心放在耶稣的身上的时候你就得了完全的洁净。我们与神有了正确的关系。耶稣在10节中说；"凡洗過澡的人，只要把腳一洗，全身就乾淨了“。
这全然出于恩典。不是凭你自己挣来的－你也挣不来。你信靠耶稣的时候，耶稣为你建立了和神正确的关系。
3.你還是要迴轉從每天的罪中得以潔淨
这点关于脚脏的问题对许多上教会的人都过困惑，我来澄清一下。脚要重复地洗，耶稣呼召我们的是代表着我们每天认罪，转向耶稣，不断地来运用耶稣在十架上为我们成全的洁净和赦免。
這正是約翰在約翰一書1：8-9中教導的：“我们若说自己无罪，便是自欺，真理就不在我们心里了。我们若认自己的罪，神是信实的，必要赦免我们的罪，洗净我们一切的不义。"彼得没有认识到即使他已经" 完全洁净"（10节）和神有了正确的关系，还是需要每天的忏悔，求神的赦免。我们需要每天"灵里面洗脚"。一次成就的神赦免的恩典需要每日的运用。
耶稣爱你之深切，他不要将你留在罪恶的当中。如果你继续说你不需要每天的洁净，你不要，那么你表明你还没有得救。一个得以完全洁净的门徒的标志就是恨恶每天的缺点。你知道你每天都需要来到基督的面前得洁净（靈性裡的洗腳）？你這樣做得時候，“若你承認自己的罪，神是信實的，他必赦免潔淨你的罪。”
耶稣爱你，他不会让你停留在破碎的道路中，一天又一天他来洁净你。耶稣的爱意味着他爱你之深以致不让你停留原地。
＃3：像基督一樣在服事找到基督裡的新生命（13：12-17）。
第12節，他洗過他們的腳......對他們說，“你明白我向你們所做的嗎？”看來我不認為他們明白。我讀教會的歷史，發現許多宣稱自己是基督徒的並不明白耶穌所做的事。
你有没有认识到就在洗脚的示范发生之前，门徒之间刚刚发生的一场有关在耶稣新国度中谁为最大的争斗？他们不能从世界的思想中分别出来。他从服事中改变我们的生命！
耶稣所做的就是服事别人。没有任何的宗教和思想理念接受过耶稣在这里的教导。你呢？在上的必要在下。影响人的地位就是服事。幸福的路就是寻求于别人的幸福。
"这样服事众人的概念，特别是对社会中那些比我们低下的人，对非洲人来说是很陌生的。一个首领服事他的对象是从来没有听见的事。然而耶稣告诉我们这样做。如果我们学习这样做，至少会减轻一半非洲大陆人每天经历的痛苦。"非洲国际学校Samuel Ngewa博士說。
我告诉你，这不只是在非洲的例子，不要误过这点：耶稣服事我们到死的那一天，我们发现耶稣宣称，"这就是生活的意义所在！这就是我来的原因！这就是我为之而活的！这是我找到喜乐之处！我服事你。"不论神将我们放置何处，我们每天寻求服事。我们用神托付给我们的，充分利用我们的地位，资源，让别人的日子可以更好－就像耶稣所做的一样。
耶稣这里对我们说在这个世界上会有许多错的东西，直到他再来叫万物重归正道。他派我们进入世界，拓展他和平公义的国度。我们怎样做？整个世界就像是一个孩童的游乐场，一个孩子骂一口，另一个孩子还骂更脏的一句。头一个孩子打人，另一个孩子回敬更重的一拳头。每个人都责备别人。恶在这个世界持续不停的报复中升级。
我們需要什麼？我们需要有人干预，爱你的仇敌，将愤怒吞灭，报以赦免。这是耶稣在十架上成就的。他给予罪恶的世界赦免和新生命。
但是，我们如何从这里到达圣经中应许的万物更新的世界？我们需要有耶稣服事心肠的人们，进入世界，吞灭仇恨和罪的愚蠢，给予爱的回报。我们需要人可以这样说，"我不知道究竟都是谁的错，也可能我们每个人都有错。但是我愿意来尽力清理。我愿意来给些人洗洗脚。"
這就是耶穌做的事。福音就是耶稣为你的罪吞灭了刑法，回报个你赦免和新生命。他在十架上的服事叫你得以洁净。如今你信靠他的时候就得了洁净。當你成了如此之人，同一位的耶穌再差派你出去服事人。
今天耶穌對你說什麼？
1.不要忘記我愛你
2。永远记得我爱你之深，深到我必须要你面对自己，将肮脏从你的脚，你的生命中除去。
3。而且，当你经历我的爱，你将获得服事的特权，就如同为服事你们一样，你在服事中找到生命。你在服事中蒙福。在上的必要在下。幸福的路在於事奉，好叫別人也能幸福。
我是你们的主，你们的夫子，尚且洗你们的脚，你们也当彼此洗脚。我给你们做了榜样，叫你们照着我向你们所作的去作。我实实在在告诉你们，仆人不能大于主人，差人也不能大于差他的人。你们既知道这是，若是去行就有福了。
約翰福音13：14-17
荣耀归给神，
Greg Waybright 博士
主任牧师
Greg Waybright • Copyright 2015, Lake Avenue Church