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00:00:01 It is interesting that Peter gives counsel 00:00:04 about cultivating humility. 00:00:06 Let’s turn the clock back 00:00:08 and learn why the quality of humility 00:00:10 was indelibly etched 00:00:12 in the mind and heart of Peter. 00:00:14 Let’s open our Bibles to Luke chapter 22. 00:00:18 In Luke chapter 22, 00:00:20 we’ll find Jesus getting ready for that final Passover in 33 C.E. 00:00:24 And in Luke 22, starting in verse 8, 00:00:28 it is Thursday afternoon, Nisan 13, and what happens? 00:00:33 Verse 8: “Jesus sent Peter [there he is] 00:00:37 “and John, saying: ‘Go and get 00:00:40 the Passover ready for us to eat.’” 00:00:43 ‘Get it ready, Peter and John.’ 00:00:45 Verse 9: “They said to him: ‘Where do you want us to get it ready?’” 00:00:50 They understood the instructions: Get it ready. 00:00:53 Jesus said to go into Jerusalem, 00:00:55 and you’ll find the man with the earthenware jar. 00:00:58 Verse 12: “And that man 00:01:01 “will show you a large, furnished upper room. 00:01:04 Get it ready there.” 00:01:07 Verse 13: “So they left and found it just as he had told them, 00:01:11 and they prepared for the Passover.” 00:01:16 Get it ready; prepare the Passover. 00:01:20 What would that include? 00:01:22 Bread, wine, oil for the lamps, 00:01:27 lamb, a towel, a basin, water. 00:01:32 Basin and water 00:01:35 —they knew how important washing feet was. 00:01:38 They witnessed when Jesus reproved Simon the Pharisee 00:01:42 with the statement: Simon, “you gave me no water for my feet.” 00:01:46 ‘Simon, you gave me no water. 00:01:49 You missed the mark on this one.’ 00:01:52 So as they stared at that basin and water, 00:01:56 as they prepared and got the room ready, 00:02:00 did they look at each other and wonder: 00:02:03 ‘Who’s going to wash the feet? 00:02:05 Who’s going to do it?’ 00:02:07 They had a golden opportunity to apply all the things that Jesus 00:02:11 had been teaching them for three and a half years on humility. 00:02:14 This was the time. 00:02:16 After three and a half years, conduct yourself as a lesser one. 00:02:19 Don’t lord it over others. 00:02:21 You want to serve others and not be served. 00:02:23 This was it; this was the time. 00:02:25 They could have showed Jesus that they got the point; they got it. 00:02:29 They had time to think about it and time to pray about it. 00:02:32 It was Thursday afternoon, 00:02:35 but now we progress and let’s see what happens. 00:02:39 Let’s now progress to the evening, and it’s Nisan 14. 00:02:42 Let’s pick up the account in John chapter 13. 00:02:47 They got the room ready, they followed the instructions, 00:02:51 and now let’s go to John 13 and get John’s vantage point from this. 00:02:54 He was there; he was with Peter getting it ready. 00:02:58 So now it’s 98 C.E., and John is writing this information. 00:03:04 He had time to reflect and to think about this for years, 00:03:08 and now look what he says in verse 3: 00:03:11 “So Jesus, 00:03:14 “knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands 00:03:18 and that he came from God and was going to God.” 00:03:21 Knowing these things —he understood that. 00:03:25 He sat back and said: ‘Jesus knew who he was; he knew all things. 00:03:30 ‘He had the full understanding of his dignity. 00:03:33 ‘He knew that he had been entrusted with all things. 00:03:35 ‘He knew. 00:03:37 ‘He knew he was the second greatest personage in the universe. 00:03:40 ‘He knew he was “the firstborn of all creation.” 00:03:43 ‘He knew he had shared with his Father in creating all things. 00:03:46 He had knowledge of all this —knowing all these things.’ 00:03:50 John sits back; he writes this. 00:03:53 And then knowing this, 00:03:55 verse 4 is the contrast: 00:03:59 ‘He got up from the evening meal and laid aside his outer garments. 00:04:04 ‘Taking a towel, he wraps it around his waist. 00:04:07 ‘After that, he puts the water into the basin 00:04:09 ‘and starts to wash the feet of the disciples 00:04:11 and dry them off with the towel that was wrapped around him.’ 00:04:14 Knowing who He was, 00:04:17 John said He did this. 00:04:20 But not only does John reflect on who Jesus was, 00:04:24 no, he reflects on why Jesus did it. 00:04:28 Why did he do it? 00:04:29 That’s what John was interested in, 00:04:31 and we get that answer back in verse 1, 00:04:36 where John says why: 00:04:38 ‘Because he loved his own that were in the world; 00:04:42 he loved them to the end.’ 00:04:45 John said He “loved them to the end.” 00:04:48 What does that mean? 00:04:49 He wanted to instill in them qualities that would help them conquer the world, 00:04:53 qualities that would strengthen the Christian congregation, 00:04:56 qualities such as unselfish love and humility. 00:05:00 He loved them to the end. 00:05:02 He never gave up on them. 00:05:04 They had their weaknesses, but he did not give up. 00:05:07 Now, for Peter, some 30 years later, 00:05:11 he’s thinking about humility. 00:05:13 John, some 60 years later, 00:05:15 after the lesson Jesus taught about humility, 00:05:18 it’s echoing loud and clear in his mind and heart. 00:05:22 However, the fact remains that neither of them 00:05:26 had the humility at the time to apply what Jesus 00:05:29 had been teaching them for three and a half years. 00:05:33 Now, after John finished his writing, he sat back; 00:05:37 he was under inspiration; he finished that writing. 00:05:40 Did he sit back, reread what he just wrote, 00:05:44 and perhaps say to himself: 00:05:46 ‘I wish I could have written 00:05:50 ‘that after Jesus washed the feet of one or two of his disciples, 00:05:55 ‘I got up and washed the feet 00:05:59 ‘of the rest of my brothers? 00:06:01 ‘I took that towel, and I imitated the Christ? 00:06:05 Or, Peter and I got up?’ 00:06:08 But the point is, they didn’t. 00:06:11 What can we learn? 00:06:13 Don’t allow valuable lessons that Jesus teaches us 00:06:17 to echo in our minds and hearts 00:06:19 only after we missed the opportunity to apply them. 00:06:24 So in a practical setting for us serving here at Bethel: 00:06:29 ‘Even though I know I have the seniority 00:06:33 ‘—I have full knowledge of my seniority— 00:06:36 ‘will I get up and fight the attitude of entitlement? 00:06:41 ‘I know I have authority entrusted to me as the overseer; 00:06:46 ‘I am the overseer; I know that. I have full knowledge of that. 00:06:50 ‘Fine, will I get up 00:06:53 ‘and roll my sleeves back and do the grunt work? 00:06:55 ‘Or do I just find pleasure in giving orders? 00:06:59 ‘I know I have a wonderful privilege of service; 00:07:02 ‘I know that; others know it too. 00:07:05 Fine, but will I get up to train others?’ 00:07:09 Brother Jackson reminded us of this at the last Gilead graduation 00:07:13 when he said to treasure your privileges, but don’t hoard them. 00:07:18 That means we have to get up. 00:07:20 It takes humility to train others to take our place. 00:07:25 ‘As a brother or a sister, 00:07:28 ‘I know I have more experience than the other person in my job. 00:07:33 ‘I know I have the experience; I know that. 00:07:36 ‘I have more experience than my workmate. 00:07:38 ‘Fine, but will I get up in all humility 00:07:43 ‘and share information that I have 00:07:46 ‘with others to make their job easier? 00:07:50 Or will I hold the knowledge I have hostage?’ 00:07:53 If we get up in all humility and do these things, 00:07:58 then we can say that Jesus’ humble act, as recorded here in John 13, 00:08:03 has made a lasting and indelible impression 00:08:06 not only on Peter and John but on me.
00:00:01 It is interesting that Peter gives counsel 00:00:04 about cultivating humility. 00:00:06 Let’s turn the clock back 00:00:08 and learn why the quality of humility 00:00:10 was indelibly etched 00:00:12 in the mind and heart of Peter. 00:00:14 Let’s open our Bibles to Luke chapter 22. 00:00:18 In Luke chapter 22, 00:00:20 we’ll find Jesus getting ready for that final Passover in 33 C.E. 00:00:24 And in Luke 22, starting in verse 8, 00:00:28 it is Thursday afternoon, Nisan 13, and what happens? 00:00:33 Verse 8: “Jesus sent Peter [there he is] 00:00:37 “and John, saying: ‘Go and get 00:00:40 the Passover ready for us to eat.’” 00:00:43 ‘Get it ready, Peter and John.’ 00:00:45 Verse 9: “They said to him: ‘Where do you want us to get it ready?’” 00:00:50 They understood the instructions: Get it ready. 00:00:53 Jesus said to go into Jerusalem, 00:00:55 and you’ll find the man with the earthenware jar. 00:00:58 Verse 12: “And that man 00:01:01 “will show you a large, furnished upper room. 00:01:04 Get it ready there.” 00:01:07 Verse 13: “So they left and found it just as he had told them, 00:01:11 and they prepared for the Passover.” 00:01:16 Get it ready; prepare the Passover. 00:01:20 What would that include? 00:01:22 Bread, wine, oil for the lamps, 00:01:27 lamb, a towel, a basin, water. 00:01:32 Basin and water 00:01:35 —they knew how important washing feet was. 00:01:38 They witnessed when Jesus reproved Simon the Pharisee 00:01:42 with the statement: Simon, “you gave me no water for my feet.” 00:01:46 ‘Simon, you gave me no water. 00:01:49 You missed the mark on this one.’ 00:01:52 So as they stared at that basin and water, 00:01:56 as they prepared and got the room ready, 00:02:00 did they look at each other and wonder: 00:02:03 ‘Who’s going to wash the feet? 00:02:05 Who’s going to do it?’ 00:02:07 They had a golden opportunity to apply all the things that Jesus 00:02:11 had been teaching them for three and a half years on humility. 00:02:14 This was the time. 00:02:16 After three and a half years, conduct yourself as a lesser one. 00:02:19 Don’t lord it over others. 00:02:21 You want to serve others and not be served. 00:02:23 This was it; this was the time. 00:02:25 They could have showed Jesus that they got the point; they got it. 00:02:29 They had time to think about it and time to pray about it. 00:02:32 It was Thursday afternoon, 00:02:35 but now we progress and let’s see what happens. 00:02:39 Let’s now progress to the evening, and it’s Nisan 14. 00:02:42 Let’s pick up the account in John chapter 13. 00:02:47 They got the room ready, they followed the instructions, 00:02:51 and now let’s go to John 13 and get John’s vantage point from this. 00:02:54 He was there; he was with Peter getting it ready. 00:02:58 So now it’s 98 C.E., and John is writing this information. 00:03:04 He had time to reflect and to think about this for years, 00:03:08 and now look what he says in verse 3: 00:03:11 “So Jesus, 00:03:14 “knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands 00:03:18 and that he came from God and was going to God.” 00:03:21 Knowing these things —he understood that. 00:03:25 He sat back and said: ‘Jesus knew who he was; he knew all things. 00:03:30 ‘He had the full understanding of his dignity. 00:03:33 ‘He knew that he had been entrusted with all things. 00:03:35 ‘He knew. 00:03:37 ‘He knew he was the second greatest personage in the universe. 00:03:40 ‘He knew he was “the firstborn of all creation.” 00:03:43 ‘He knew he had shared with his Father in creating all things. 00:03:46 He had knowledge of all this —knowing all these things.’ 00:03:50 John sits back; he writes this. 00:03:53 And then knowing this, 00:03:55 verse 4 is the contrast: 00:03:59 ‘He got up from the evening meal and laid aside his outer garments. 00:04:04 ‘Taking a towel, he wraps it around his waist. 00:04:07 ‘After that, he puts the water into the basin 00:04:09 ‘and starts to wash the feet of the disciples 00:04:11 and dry them off with the towel that was wrapped around him.’ 00:04:14 Knowing who He was, 00:04:17 John said He did this. 00:04:20 But not only does John reflect on who Jesus was, 00:04:24 no, he reflects on why Jesus did it. 00:04:28 Why did he do it? 00:04:29 That’s what John was interested in, 00:04:31 and we get that answer back in verse 1, 00:04:36 where John says why: 00:04:38 ‘Because he loved his own that were in the world; 00:04:42 he loved them to the end.’ 00:04:45 John said He “loved them to the end.” 00:04:48 What does that mean? 00:04:49 He wanted to instill in them qualities that would help them conquer the world, 00:04:53 qualities that would strengthen the Christian congregation, 00:04:56 qualities such as unselfish love and humility. 00:05:00 He loved them to the end. 00:05:02 He never gave up on them. 00:05:04 They had their weaknesses, but he did not give up. 00:05:07 Now, for Peter, some 30 years later, 00:05:11 he’s thinking about humility. 00:05:13 John, some 60 years later, 00:05:15 after the lesson Jesus taught about humility, 00:05:18 it’s echoing loud and clear in his mind and heart. 00:05:22 However, the fact remains that neither of them 00:05:26 had the humility at the time to apply what Jesus 00:05:29 had been teaching them for three and a half years. 00:05:33 Now, after John finished his writing, he sat back; 00:05:37 he was under inspiration; he finished that writing. 00:05:40 Did he sit back, reread what he just wrote, 00:05:44 and perhaps say to himself: 00:05:46 ‘I wish I could have written 00:05:50 ‘that after Jesus washed the feet of one or two of his disciples, 00:05:55 ‘I got up and washed the feet 00:05:59 ‘of the rest of my brothers? 00:06:01 ‘I took that towel, and I imitated the Christ? 00:06:05 Or, Peter and I got up?’ 00:06:08 But the point is, they didn’t. 00:06:11 What can we learn? 00:06:13 Don’t allow valuable lessons that Jesus teaches us 00:06:17 to echo in our minds and hearts 00:06:19 only after we missed the opportunity to apply them. 00:06:24 So in a practical setting for us serving here at Bethel: 00:06:29 ‘Even though I know I have the seniority 00:06:33 ‘—I have full knowledge of my seniority— 00:06:36 ‘will I get up and fight the attitude of entitlement? 00:06:41 ‘I know I have authority entrusted to me as the overseer; 00:06:46 ‘I am the overseer; I know that. I have full knowledge of that. 00:06:50 ‘Fine, will I get up 00:06:53 ‘and roll my sleeves back and do the grunt work? 00:06:55 ‘Or do I just find pleasure in giving orders? 00:06:59 ‘I know I have a wonderful privilege of service; 00:07:02 ‘I know that; others know it too. 00:07:05 Fine, but will I get up to train others?’ 00:07:09 Brother Jackson reminded us of this at the last Gilead graduation 00:07:13 when he said to treasure your privileges, but don’t hoard them. 00:07:18 That means we have to get up. 00:07:20 It takes humility to train others to take our place. 00:07:25 ‘As a brother or a sister, 00:07:28 ‘I know I have more experience than the other person in my job. 00:07:33 ‘I know I have the experience; I know that. 00:07:36 ‘I have more experience than my workmate. 00:07:38 ‘Fine, but will I get up in all humility 00:07:43 ‘and share information that I have 00:07:46 ‘with others to make their job easier? 00:07:50 Or will I hold the knowledge I have hostage?’ 00:07:53 If we get up in all humility and do these things, 00:07:58 then we can say that Jesus’ humble act, as recorded here in John 13, 00:08:03 has made a lasting and indelible impression 00:08:06 not only on Peter and John but on me.
