Victory in Humility
Victory in Jesus • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
In the earlier service, Max talked about the apparent contradiction of Jesus’ victory, and it does seem to be contradictory, doesn’t it? Remember, this is the upside-down kingdom. The way that we think of victory is not the way that God thinks of victory.
We’ve seen that in the last couple of lessons
I want to continue to focus on the upside-down aspects of this victory.
There is an old saying that goes: “It needs more skill than I can tell / To play the second fiddle well.”
Leonard Bernstein was once asked which instrument was the most difficult to play. He thought for a moment and then replied, “The second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find someone who can play the second fiddle with enthusiasm—that’s a problem. And if we have no second fiddle, we have no harmony.”
The thing is: playing second fiddle requires humility. It requires a person who will set aside their pride in order to fulfill a need.
In this lesson, I want to talk about a story where Jesus sets aside his pride. Where he is humble. John 13:1-17.
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “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.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, 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 to you. 16 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. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
In this context, we see a great display of humility. Jesus washes the disciples’ feet. For many of us, this is pretty gross, so why does Jesus do it?
He washes their feet to teach them important lessons about him and about them.
In this lesson, I want to talk about why Jesus washes their feet. I want to talk about what he’s trying to teach the disciples.
He’s trying to teach them...
About His Love (John 13:1)
About His Love (John 13:1)
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
In this verse, Jesus said that he loved the disciples to the end. In the original Greek, this language can convey two different meanings.
This language can have a temporal meaning.
This language can have an intensive meaning.
I think that it’s both. Jesus loved the disciples to his last breath, but he also loves the disciples with all of his being, and he shows his love through this great act of humility.
Remember the context of this story. This story takes place during the last supper. This means that that Jesus is going to die within the next 24 hours, and he knows it.
Typically, when people are close to death, all of the attention is on them.
In this context, Jesus is close to death, but it’s not all about him. Instead of focusing on self, he focuses on his disciples.
Jesus shows great love and compassion for his people.
This should be a comfort to us because Jesus loves us in the same way.
At times, it feels like we are going through our troubles all alone, and no one cares. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Our king loves and cares for us, and he always will.
What makes this truly powerful is that Jesus honestly understands us. Hebrews 4:14-16.
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
It’s also important to understand that Jesus will leave us. We can always trust the love that he has for us. Hebrews 7:21-25.
21 but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him:
“The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
‘You are a priest forever.’ ”
22 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.
23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
We can trust that Jesus shows us the same type of sacrificial love that he showed the disciples.
About His Cleansing (John 13:6-9)
About His Cleansing (John 13:6-9)
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”
As Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, Peter resists him, and this is understandable. But Jesus responds by saying, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
This doesn’t mean that Jesus has to come and wash all of our feet. This obviously has some symbolic meaning.
Essentially, Jesus is showing that in order to be a Christian, we must be spiritually cleansed by him.
This isn’t surprising because this was required of the Jews as well. In order to be in God’s presence, they were required to be both holy and clean.
In the book of Leviticus, God tells his people, “you must be holy for I am holy.” The idea is that nothing impure/defiled/unclean/unholy is allowed in God’s presence.
This is why the priest/Jews would need to ritually purify themselves before entering the temple. If they were unclean, then they would die.
Things haven’t changed. If we are going to be God’s new people, then we need to be cleansed. But how are we cleansed.
In John 13, the disciples were physically cleansed by Jesus sacrificial act of washing their feet.
In a similar way, we are spiritually cleansed by Jesus’ sacrificial death. We are cleansed by the blood that was shed on the cross. But how do get access to the cleansing that was offered on the cross?
It’s through baptism, isn’t it? Romans 6:1-4. We receive a new life, a cleansed life, through the cross, and through baptism.
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
So, in this humble act of foot washing we see a symbol of the cleansing that we all need. Through this humble act, we see a foreshadowing of the victory that we all hope for.
About How to Live (John 13:12-17)
About How to Live (John 13:12-17)
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, 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 to you. 16 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. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
In these verses, Jesus says, “If I washed your feet then you should do the same.” The point is that we need to show the same humility that Jesus showed towards the disciples.
Let’s remember that Jesus was going to be crucified that night. We would all understand if he spent the night focusing on himself, but he doesn’t do this. Instead he humbles himself like a servant and puts his disciples first.
This attitude of humility continued through the night as well. Instead of asserting his rights as God and King, he humbly sacrificed himself for us.
This is the attitude that we need to have towards one another and the rest of the world. If Jesus was able to set aside his rights and desires for his brethren, then we can too. What does this mean?
Instead of waiting for the brother or sister who wronged me to apologize, maybe I go and try to reconcile with them first.
Instead of trying to show everyone on Facebook that I’m right, and I have the best argument, maybe I should just not respond.
Instead of spending my weekend how I want, maybe I should spend my weekend helping another brother or sister in Christ.
Instead of having to have the newest clothes, newest phone, or newest car – maybe I can give more to the Lord and hold on to my old stuff. This is what scriptural modesty really is. 1 Timothy 2:9-10.
9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.
Instead of thinking: I’m smarter than God, so I’m going to live how I want, maybe I should submit to God because he is all wise.
This is what humility looks like. It’s about putting others, and putting God, before myself. This isn’t easy. Remember, it’s not easy to play second fiddle. The humble attitude is something that takes constant work.
Have you ever watched a cartoon where the character tried to hold on to wet soap, but it keeps slipping out of their hands?
That’s how humility can be. When we think we have it, that’s when we lose it. It’s something that takes work, but it’s worth it.
Philippians 2:1-11.
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
In this text, we see how Jesus achieved victory. He achieved victory through his humble obedience.
That’s how we achieve victory as well. We achieve victory through our humble obedience.
Jesus’ humility is a model for us.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Have you been living like Jesus?
Have you set aside your desires in order to be obedient to God?