A Last Meal With Friends

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>A Last Meal With Friends</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="21"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id409.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Priority of Christian Love"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>"Lessons From A Last Meal With Friends," </B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=John+13:1-17" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>John 13:1-17</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, August 3, 2003am</B></div> <div> <I>Note: This series will be once a month on the first Sunday </I></div> <div> <I>in celebration of the Lord's Table in our church.</I></div> <bR> <div>      Max Lucado, who is a pastor in San Antonio, TX wrote, "Some years ago, David Robinson, who plays basketball in San Antonio, visited our church. He's not a member of our church, but he shows up occasionally. You can imagine the stir that occurred when that seven-foot striking fellow walked into the auditorium. We have two worship services, and he came to the first one. At the end of it, people mobbed him. Kids all wanted his autograph. Dads lined up, allegedly to get things signed for their kids, but we all knew the truth. The brouhaha finally settled down and David went his way, and we began the second service. In the second service that day, I was standing to do the announcements when something happened that has never happened since. A homeless person walked in the back of the auditorium, came down the center aisle with his backpack, ratty jeans, torn T-shirt, unshaven face, and distinct odor. He walked down to the front, and he sat down. The contrast struck me. When David Robinson entered, he was immediately swarmed. People wanted to touch him and be close to him, be next to him. However, I'm sad to say that nobody jumped up to run and sit next to the homeless man. After two or three awkward minutes during which I was trying to act like nothing was happening, one of our elders got up from his seat and sat by the man and touched him. I was struck. Wouldn't you have been as well? The message that I received in my heart that morning was: Which of these men do you think touched Jesus? If you want to touch Jesus, whom do you touch? Jesus said, `Whatever you've done for the least of these, my brethren, you've done also to me.'" </div> <div>      We understand why we gravitate toward some people and separate ourselves from others. But Jesus turned this kind of "discrimination" on its head. Jesus would not discriminate between the famous and the poor on that basis alone. Jesus served people in the humblest of ways. If our Master Jesus served with humility, how much more should we serve people with humility.</div> <div>      What Jesus has to say in John 13-17 are important final words in a time of change, of crisis and of heartache. Jesus revealed what was deepest in his heart to his closest friends. These chapters reveal many of Jesus' words at the Passover meal the night before he died (this meal is the background behind the church's celebration of the Lord's Supper, also known as Communion or the Eucharist).</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. Jesus, knowing the hour of his death had arrived, got up to serve (</B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=John+13:1-5" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>John 13:1-5</B></U></A><B>).</B></div> <div>      Verse one is the introduction to chapters 13-17. Jesus knew that his hour of death and sacrifice had come. Verses 2-5 tell us that Jesus served in a very humble act. He even served Judas Iscariot, whom he knew would soon sell him out. The act of washing feet was necessary because people wore sandals and the roads were dusty. This was the responsibility of the lowest servant. Since they did not have servants at this private gathering of friends, the job was not getting done until Jesus, the Master, got up to do it. </div> <bR> <div> <B>II. Two Key Lessons (</B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=John+13:6-17" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>John 13:6-17</B></U></A><B>).</B></div> <div>      In the process of washing their feet, he gives the disciples two key lessons.</div> <div> A. Stay relationally connected to Jesus through confession and cleansing. </div> <div>      <A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=John+13:6-11" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>John 13:6-11</U></A>tell us about Jesus' conversation with Peter. Jesus talks about more than physical washing. For we who have believed in Jesus for forgiveness of sins, even we they are clean before God (declared righteous), we still struggle with temptation and sin, and we need periodic cleansing through confession of sin. If you are spiritually dirty as a Christian, a follower of Christ, make sure you regularly let Jesus cleanse you by admitting your sins to him. Allowing that dirt to stay in your life will damage the close relationship Jesus wants to have with you.</div> <div> B. Serve others the way Jesus serves us (<A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=John+13:12-17" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>John 13:12-17</U></A>).</div> <div>      A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, 5, and Ryan, 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, `Let my brother have the first pancake; I can wait." Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!" Most of us find a way to say, "let somebody else serve."</div> <div>      Luke 22:24-27 (talking about the same occasion) tells us, "Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves." The disciples would have done well in American culture. Even in Christianity, we have distinctions between who is served and who serves them. George Barna tells about a Christian executive vice-president who refused to be mentored in church leadership by a younger auto mechanic who had been leading in the church for several years. </div> <div>      So here the disciples are, arguing about who is the greatest, and Jesus takes up the role of a servant by washing their feet. If our Master serves others, we who [claim to] serve the Master should serve others also. We are not somehow greater than he is (vss. 13-16), that we are above lowly servanthood. Humility must replace pride and service must replace selfishness. If you struggle with pride, admit it, find the humblest way to serve that you possibly can, serve that way for three months, and ask God to use it to deal with your pride.</div> <div>      Do you own a basin and a towel? You don't need to - everything you have can <I>become</I> the basin and the towel.</div> <div> <B>     </B>What are some humble ways you can serve others? You will be blessed if you do (vs. 17). Be kind, not rude. Give a smile and an encouraging word. Help financially or materially. Help with a project. Be there in a time of need.</div> <div>      I read of man who was the only survivor (of two people) of a sunken boat in the Gulf of Mexico. He was billed as a hero until it was discovered that he murdered the other occupant of the boat to take the one life jacket. The murdered man's family said he was a strong swimmer, and he was a Christian, and he would have gladly given the life-jacket to the killer, knowing they both could survive. Jesus would have given you the life-jacket so that you could live. Jesus served with a basin and towel to wash the feet of the disciples. But the basin would become his body, and the water in it would become his blood, which he would sacrifice so that his followers, those who trust in him, could have life and forgiveness of sins. You see, Jesus served in this: Luke 22:19-20 tells us that, "He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, `This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, `This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'" Accept the free gift of salvation and forgiveness of sins that Jesus offers to you. And then go and serve him by serving others.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2003, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>