Sermon Extras

SERMON NOTES

“How to have a meal with people you don’t like” John 13:1-17

Announce> Next Week we start Advent! Come hang out with us this evening as we decorate the church! 

INTRO> I know I must confess that the title today is a little click bait but none the less here we are. As we are in this stand alone week between sermon series, I have a desire to meet you where you are. With Thanksgiving approaching and according to US Stats: 

• 44% will spend $500 or less on the meal
• 50% will travel by car to another destination. 
• 64% anticipate some sort of conflict or argument at Thanksgiving
• The top 3 sources for the argument: Politics, COVID, Money. 

APP> So here you are, with your family, tensions are high, there is past hurt and current hurt and you are sitting down at a table to eat a meal with them… for an hour or two you are forced to deal with this situation…. How do I handle the hostility? 

CONTEXT> What if I told you that Jesus was in, literally this exact situation. I mean, the EXACT situation. The context of John 13 is known as the Last Supper, even when I say that, we have a sort of white-washed picture in our mind that looks like this (Pic of Da Vinci Last Supper) when in all reality… the meal went down like this (Pic of Ricky Bobby Meal) 

• Lukes Gospel actually tells us that the disciples are arguing at the meal, Luke 22:24 “A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.” 
• Not only that, now the chief priests are planning how to kill him, Luke 22:1-2 “Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.” 
• And that’s not all folks… one of his good friends.. one of his buddies that he stayed up all night praying for, one of the guys he has spent 3 years with everyday loving, teaching and investing in… makes a deal right before dinner to betray him… Luke 22:3-6 “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. 4 He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.” So THIS is the context for the last supper… just to recap… We have, pride, an argument, death threats, betrayal from a close friend, heart ache… Who’s ready to eat?! 

How we might handle the hostility: 

• Fight it
• Fake it 
• Flee from it 

APP> What does Jesus do? There really is one big theme in these versos…. In the midst of all that hostility.. Jesus humbles himself… he get’s glow… He doesn’t bow up he bows down.. 

Big Idea > Humility heals hostility. 

APP> Now.. what’s difficult about this message is… you don’t like that answer and neither do I. It’s like going to the doctor because you have something going on and he or she looks at you and says, “Yeah.. you need to change your diet and exercise….” Bummer! I think we are confused about what humility is: 

• Roman: “Humility is being embarrassed or being strong in your heart.” 
• Piper- “Humility is being scared and thinking your in trouble… but also trusting people… I think… maybe?” 
• Andie- “Humility means your homeless.” 

Humility is not: 

• hating yourself.  
• hiding yourself. 
• hurting yourself. 

Humility is being honest about who I am in light of who God is. 

“We are more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe, yet more loved and accepted in Jesus than we ever dared hope.” Tim Keller 

APP> I want to show you 3 quick things: How did Jesus humble himself in such hostility?

1) PERSPECTIVE- The same God that orchestrated the stars and planets in the solar system is the same God that orchestrated the very people to sit your thanksgiving table.

• v1 “Jesus Knew…” v3 “Jesus Knowing..” 
• Jesus trusted in the sovereignty of his father.

2) POSTURE- You can’t control your circumstances but you can control how you respond to your circumstances.  

• v4 “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.”

APP> 93% of all communication is nonverbal. 

APP> In any situation, your approach affects the outcome. 

APP> I know what many of us are doing in the room… we are still sort of arguing… explains in our heads how unique our situation is and hw nobody understands… And you still have many questions unanswered… 

v7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”

The question is not, “Do I understand everything that Jesus is trying to do in this situation?” 

The questions is, “Will I stand under what Jesus has commanded me to do in this situation?”

4 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.

Big Idea > Humility heals hostility.