62. Washing Feet: How to be like Jesus - John 13a

G'day, Dave here.

Welcome to Stories of a Faithful God for Kids.

If you had all the power in the world, what would you do with it?

If you could do anything, make anything happen, control everything, what would you do?

Would you be really nasty and make donkeys crawl out of the ears of your brother or sister?

Seriously, that's really mean.

I mean, those poor donkeys.

Would you make all the gold in the world suddenly all rush into your pockets?

Would you give yourself the coolest hairstyle in the universe?

What would you do if you had all the power in the world?

In John's Gospel, we've been learning about Jesus and how he has all the power in the world.

He can walk on water, heal the sick, even raise the dead to life.

So what's he going to do with all that power?

It turns out it's something that no one expects.

Get ready for our next episode of Stories of a Faithful God for Kids.

At the end of our last episode, Jesus knew that his time had come.

It was time for him to suffer and die to save everyone who believes in him.

Lots of people didn't believe in him.

Jesus gave them one last warning and then he went into hiding.

Now he's going to spend some time with his disciples, getting them ready for when he's gone.

There are things he wants them to know and understand because he loves them very much.

In John 14:1, John says it was almost time for the Jewish Passover feast.

Jesus knew that it was time for him to leave this world and go back to the Father.

He had always loved those who were his own in the world, and he loved them all the way to the end.

Jesus sits down for the evening meal with his disciples.

Even though they don't know what's going to happen soon, Jesus does.

We're told in verse two.

The devil had already persuaded Judas Iscariot to turn against Jesus.

Judas is one of the disciples.

He was the one a couple of episodes ago who got really angry that Mary had poured all the expensive perfume on Jesus feet.

Now Jesus is eating a meal with Judas, knowing that Judas is working to kill him.

Jesus also knows that his Father has given him power over everything.

Everything.

Power over the blades of grass, power over octopuses, power over the sun and moon.

Power over every person in every part of the world.

When we're told that the devil's persuaded Judas to turn against Jesus, we shouldn't think that the devil is somehow winning.

If Jesus wanted to stop him, he could.

But he knows that going to the cross is the only way to Save people.

So he's sitting there with his disciples or he's actually lying down.

In those days they'd all lie down and rest on an elbow with their head in towards the table and their feet out towards the wall.

So Jesus is lying there with all his disciples.

He knows Judas is about to betray him.

He knows he's about to leave and go to his Father in heaven.

He knows that he has all the power in the universe.

What's he going to do?

He's going to teach his disciples something.

By doing something that no one expects him to do.

By doing something that only a servant or a slave would do.

By doing something that was considered too disgusting for someone as important as Jesus.

Jesus washes his disciples feet.

Umm, he does what now?

Verse 4 says so during the meal Jesus stood up and took off his outer clothing.

Taking a towel, he wrapped it around his waist.

Then he poured water into a bowl and began to wash the followers feet.

He dried them with a towel that was wrapped around him.

The disciples are all thinking ah Jesus what are you doing?

You might remember a couple of episodes ago when Mary washed Jesus feet.

People were shocked then because instead of using water she'd used really expensive perfume.

And instead of using a towel she'd used her hair.

But no one thought that her actually washing his feet was bad.

They all think he's the king.

So of course people would wash his feet.

But something that a king never does ever ever ever is wash other people's feet.

Important people have their feet washed, they don't do the washing.

When Jesus gets to Simon Peter, Peter actually says something.

He says in verse six, lord, are you going to wash my feet?

He's kind of saying I should be washing your feet.

Jesus knows that so much of what he does at this dinner the disciples aren't going to understand yet.

They won't really get it until after he's died and come back to life.

So he tries to get Peter to relax a bit.

He says, you don't understand what I'm doing now, but you will understand later.

But Peter doesn't relax.

He absolutely refuses to have his king serve him.

He says, no, you will never wash my feet.

Now things are getting really tense.

Peter wants Jesus as his king, but he's telling Jesus how to be king.

Jesus replies by letting Peter know that if Peter doesn't let Jesus be the king the way he wants him to be the king, then Peter can't have him as king.

In verse 8 he says if I don't wash your feet then you are not one of my people.

Peter doesn't understand any of this.

He certainly doesn't understand why Jesus is being so weird.

But if there's one thing he knows for certain, it's that he wants Jesus as his king.

Even if it means letting Jesus serve him like a slave or a servant.

He can't get the words out fast enough.

He says, lord, after you wash my feet, wash my hands and my head too.

And Jesus is like, chill, Peter, don't panic.

You don't need all of that.

I'm looking after you.

You belong to me.

It's okay.

When he's finished washing everyone's feet, Jesus gets up, puts his outer clothes back on, and he lies back at the table.

Right time to explain what that was all about.

Firstly, Jesus wants them to know that he really is as important as they think he is.

It's not like they've got it wrong.

All this time they've been treating him as a king, but really he's just a servant.

In verse 12, he says, do you understand what I have just done for you?

You call me teacher and Lord, and this is right, because that is what I am.

I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, so you also should wash each other's feet.

I did this as an example for you, so you should do as I have done for you.

Umm, say what now?

Jesus wants his disciples to wash each other's feet.

Does that mean you and I?

Um, okay.

My feet are pretty stinky right now, so if you guys come over, I'll put some water out.

Maybe you should bring a knife along to scrape the green bits out from under my toenails.

Some of you will have to cross an ocean or two to get to Australia, so better pack a lunch as well.

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Let's slow down and let's think carefully about what Jesus is actually saying.

Jesus is the king of the world.

He has all the power in the world.

People who have power often don't use that power for other people.

They use it for themselves.

They make other people serve them.

They make other people do all the dirty jobs for them.

Jesus is different.

He doesn't use all his power to be really selfish.

He uses his power to take care of others.

With all the power in the world, he decides to clean their yucky, stinky feet.

But that's just a little example, because this is all happening a few hours before Jesus is going to be arrested, put on trial, and then killed.

And none of that is a mistake or an accident.

It happens because that's God's plan.

As we said before, Jesus could stop it anytime he wants, but he goes to get killed on a cross.

Not because he deserves it, but because his disciples deserve it.

Because we deserve it.

He takes our punishment for our sin so we can have eternal life.

He loves us so much that with all the power in the world, he wants to use it to care for people.

And he's saying to his disciples, you need to be like that, too.

You mustn't try and get power for yourself and make other people do everything for you.

You must be servants for each other.

You must care for other followers of Jesus, even when it means getting dirty, like in washing people's feet.

Even if it hurts, like when Jesus went to the cross.

Sometimes we can think, I shouldn't have to do that thing.

It's not nice.

I don't like it.

It's not the sort of job I do.

I certainly feel like that plenty of times.

And I have to ask myself, am I better than Jesus?

Am I more important than Jesus?

The answer's no, by the way.

In case you're wondering, I am not more important than Jesus, and neither are you.

Jesus tells his disciples in verse 16, I tell you the truth.

A servant is not greater than his master.

A messenger is not greater than the one who sent him.

And then Jesus says something really weird, really unexpected.

He says, this is the way to get really happy.

It's easy for us to think, oh, if I spend lots of time caring for other people and doing hard things for them, it's going to make me really sad all the time.

I'll just have a really hard, unhappy life.

But Jesus says, no, it's the complete opposite.

In verse 17, he says, if you know these things, you will be happy if you do them.

Do you like being happy?

I do.

And Jesus says, the way to be happy isn't to boss everyone else around.

It's to care for other followers of Jesus.

How good is it that Jesus cares for us?

How good is it that with all the power in the world, he uses it to become weak and suffer and die for us?

How cool is it that he tells us to be super kind, just like him?

So how can you care for other followers of Jesus?

Do you go to a church?

Maybe instead of rushing to get the morning tea before someone takes all the chocolate biscuits, you could take the tray of biscuits around and offer them to other people.

Do people leave things a little bit messy at the end of the church service?

Or in your Sunday school room?

Maybe you could run around and do a quick tidy up so that other people don't have to do you know anyone who's sick or sad in your church?

Why not take some time to stop?

Stop what you're doing and pray for them?

You could even ask your mum or dad or grown up to help you make a meal for them.

How about you have a think in your family about how you can serve and care for other followers of Jesus.

Think about how you can show Jesus kindness to others.

Back in Jerusalem, Jesus is still eating with his disciples and he's getting more and more sad.

He can see the man who's about to leave the dinner and arrange his murder.

The time for him to go is getting closer and closer and closer and closer.

But that's a story for next time.

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Keep trusting Jesus everyone.

Bye for now.