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TEXT: John 13:1-17
SUBJECT: A Lesson in Humility
The Disciples needed a lesson in humility. The footwashing occurred near the end of our Savior's life. By now, therefore, you'd think the disciples would be well-versed on the subject.
1.They were devout Jews, who took in the Old Testament with their mother's milk. And what did it say about humility? This:
a."He will beautify the meek with salvation" (Psalm 149:4). "Surely, He scorns the scorners, but gives grace to the lowly" (Proverbs 3:34). "And what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).
b.Its holiest men were also its humblest. Moses was "very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3). David said this about himself: "Who am I, O LORD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?" (II Samuel 7:18). Was a man ever wiser than Solomon? But see what he thought of his great learning: "I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or to come in" (I Kings 3:7). Even Job confessed: "Behold I am vile...I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes".
c.Its arch-sinners, on the other hand, were marked by pride. Pharaoh sneering, "Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice?" Nebuchadnezzar, Haman. Even Saul was a good man...while he was "little in his own sight".
2.The disciples had the added advantage of hearing the teaching of Christ with their own ears. His greatest sermon began with these words,
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven".
3.They had seen His response to various sinners. Who had He denounced with a loud voice? Harlots? Publicans? The demon-possessed? No; He was "the friend of (this kind of) sinner". The people He chided were invariably the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees. What was their besetting sin? Pride.
4.But most of all, they had seen the Lord's example of personal humility. He had described Himself as "meek and lowly of heart"--and had lived up to His words. "When He was reviled, He did not revile".
The disciples, therefore, should have been teachers of humility. But alas! They hadn't learned their elementary lessons.
1.A short while before they were debating as to who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven! James and John went so far as to ask their mother to put in a good word for them.
2.A bit later they were all swearing their undying loyalty to Christ. He had warned them to "watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation". He had even informed them "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me". Yet they couldn't fathom the possibility of failure. Peter spoke for them all: "I will never be made to stumble...Even if I have to die with you, yet I will not deny you".
And so, the disciples needed another lesson in humility. So do you. So do I.
The Lord Jesus taught His Disciples a lesson in humility. He taught them, however, not by words, but by deeds. He taught them the meaning of humility. Humility means: "putting others first". The Lord Jesus was under no obligation to wash the dirty feet. No; the disciples were obliged to wash His feet. Yet, it is He--and not they--who wraps a towel around His waist, fills the bowl, takes off the sandals, and scrubs the stinking feet. He "esteemed others better than himself". He "preferred others to Himself". In His own words: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve..."
The Lord taught them the motive for humility. Why did He wash their feet? To win their favor? If so, He failed; the footwashing, it seems, offended them. Did He do it to "be seen of men"? There's not a hypocritical bone in His sacred body. He washed their feet because he loved them, v.1.
Christ taught them to time for humility. All of us are, at times, generous and big-hearted. When things are going well, it's fairly easy to help others. But things were emphatically not going well for the Lord Jesus at the moment. He is just hours away from the crucifixion. And He knew it. How did He feel about it? See 12:27. Compare it with Luke 22:44. Thus, it is always time to "put others first".
Our Savior taught them the blessings of humility. What does it do? Chiefly, two things: It blesses those you serve; it encourages them to "go and do likewise". Under the blessing of God, it sets in motion a chain reaction. The Lord washes the feet of eleven men. How many do they wash? Within two months, 3,000 are served by the very same men. How many feet did they wash? Who can tell? Yet even we--20 centuries removed from them--are blessed by their service.
This leaves us with one final question: Have we learned the lesson in humility? The Lord is still teaching it. And in the same way that He did so long ago. What would we think of the disciples had they not learned it? Yet the lesson is for us...as much as it was for them. Have we learned it? God help us, for Christs' sake. Amen.
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