the towel
TRANSCRIPT
The TowelJohn 13:1-17
2015
Year of Breakthrough
WHOLESOME
LIVING
“The Yoke” by Robin Liew
22 March 2015
“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:30
The call “Come to Me”The call “Take My Yoke”The call “Learn from Me”
2015
Year of Breakthrough
WHOLESOME
LIVING
The TowelJohn 13:1-17
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ FeetJohn 13:1-17
The Towel
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ FeetJohn 13:1-17
3 “W”s:
1. When?
2. What?
3. Why?
WHEN?• The Season: v1: … just before the
Passover Feast• Feast of Unleavened
Bread• One of 3 great feasts• 15th day of Nisan
(Babylonian) or Abib(Hebrew)
• March or April
V1: It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew….
• His origin & destiny (v3)• His betrayer (v11), His
deny-er, His reject-ers• His unlimited power (v3)• His eminent departure (v3)
OMNISCIENT – ALL KNOWINGPs 139:1-4
He loved them to the end… (KJV / NKJV / RSV / ASV / ESV)
He showed them the full extent of His love. (NIV)
Length / breadth / depth / height
Romans 8:35, 38-39
He showed them the full extent of His love...
• Unlimited love• He loves you no matter what• Tough love• Brings you from where you are
and leads you to where He wants you to be
Unlimited Power & Unlimited Love:• Love without Power Sympathy• Power without Love Selfishness• Power + Love Service
He showed them the full extent of His love...
David Pawson
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• German Lutheran pastor, theologian, writer (born: 1906)
• Anti-Nazi dissident• 1930 – taught theology in NY• 1931 – returned to Germany• June 1939, left for Union
Theological Seminary in NY
"I have come to the conclusion that I made a mistake in coming to America. I must live through this difficult period in our national history with the people of
Germany. I will have no right to participate in the reconstruction of Christian life in Germany after the war if I do not share the trials of this time with my people... Christians in Germany will have to face the terrible alternative of either willing the defeat of their nation in order that Christian civilization may survive or willing the victory of their nation and thereby destroying civilization. I know which of these alternatives I must choose but I cannot make that choice from security."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• German Lutheran pastor, theologian, writer (born: 1906)
• Anti-Nazi dissident• 1930 – taught theology in NY• 1931 – returned to Germany• June 1939, left for Union
Theological Seminary in NY• Returned to Germany• Arrested in April 1943, sent to
prison, then Concentration Camp, executed by hanging on 9 April 1945, 2 weeks before liberation
Adam Adli
“I am willing to be sacked, to be jailed, in order to make Malaysia a better place….” .. Fahmi Zainol(7th time in 3 years)
WHEN?• The Moment: v2: … the evening
meal was being served
Passover Meal
WHAT?V4-5 – Foot Washing
Jesus Fully Clothed…
… took off his outing clothing, wrapped a towel around his waist…
WHAT?V4-5 – Foot Washing
Foot Washing:
1. An ordinary sign of common courtesy.
2. Dirty, smelly and humiliating task, reserved for slaves.
3. 2nd lowest slave take off sandals, lowest slave to wash the feet.
4. No free person would wash the feet of another free person.
Encounter with Simon Peter (v6-10)
Encounter with Simon Peter (v6-10)
Total Bath vs Daily Wash
•Salvation•Justification
• One-off experience
•Daily Repentance •Keep short account
•Sanctification
Encounter with Simon Peter (v6-10)
Total Bath vs Daily Wash
•Salvation•Justification
• One-off experience
•Daily Repentance •Keep short account
•Sanctification
Encounter with Simon Peter (v6-10)
WHY?V12-17 – Example on SERVANTHOOD
V14: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another’s feet.”
V16: “I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the One who sent him…”
How much more….??
Example on SERVANTHOOD
Foot-Washing – HOW?
The Church of God in Christ (COGIC)
• Largest Pentecostal Denomination in the USA
• Membership: more than 6 million, mainly African-American
• Congregations in 63 countries
Ordinance of COGIC• Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion)• Feet Washing• Water baptism by immersion
Foot-Washing – HOW?
Part of Wedding Ceremony
Foot-Washing – HOW?
Public Foot-Washing in China
• May 6, 2011
• Mingde Elementary School
• Jiangxi Province, China
• 100 students
• Celebrate Mother’s Day
• Demonstrate filial piety
3 Areas:
Foot Washing – SERVANTHOOD
Physical Service
Foot Washing – SERVANTHOOD
• Gal 6:9-10 – do good to all people...• Gal 5:13 – serve one another in love• Matt 25:40 – JC: “whatever you did to
one of the least of these brothers of min… you did for Me”
Physical Service
Foot Washing – SERVANTHOOD
Strategic Hospitality
1. Invite each other home
2. Greet and welcome people John Piper
Nov 20, 2011 – “Secret Recipe”
(PWHR: Post-Worship Hospitality Radar)
Emotional Service
Foot Washing – SERVANTHOOD
• 1 Pet 4:8 – love each other deeply
• Col 3:13 – bear with each other
Spiritual Service
Foot Washing – SERVANTHOOD
• Jude 23 – snatch others from the fire
• James 5:19 – bring him back
Spiritual Service
Foot Washing – SERVANTHOOD
• Intentional Discipleship
• Mentoring
ChildrenYouth
Foot Washing – SERVANTHOOD
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and cancelling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions. We may pass them by, preoccupied with our more important tasks, as the priest passed by the man who had fallen among thieves, perhaps -- readingthe Bible. . . . . it is part of the discipline of humility that we must not spare our hand where it can perform a service and we do not assume that our schedule is our own to manage, but allow it to be arranged by God." -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together
Foot Washing – SERVANTHOOD
Sagano Bamboo Forest
Foot Washing – SERVANTHOOD
