08.05.2012 Ephesians 1/John 13 - Practical Service from the Example of Jesus

We begin with an appreciation for Doug and Janice Hare and their family, who are moving to Pennsylvania. Doug and Janice have been here since the beginning – and we want to take a moment to give them a time to share with us – and for us to show our appreciation for them. They have served in so many ways and capacities in the many years they have been here. When we moved up here – Doug drove a truck down and loaded a truck and moved us up here – he has helped to move more people and planned more picnics and has been our accountant and treasurer and Janice has served as book-keeper and secretary and Sunday school – and middle school group leaders.
Mike told me that I only have ten minutes – so I’ll try to be brief. My entire family came over here on Friday – so I had the house in Pennsylvania to myself – and late at night, after the Olympics, I sat down and thought about what I would say – I thought I would sit out on my deck for 15 minutes… two hours later…
Through the Bible, so many people’s stories are told of people’s life journeys – and they are asked to step out of their comfort zones – and it doesn’t always turn out how they thought. I don’t think Mary anticipated as a young girl how her life would turn out. Abraham was told to leave his country to a different one – and while it is not a different country, it is close – because it is no longer Browns country!
When I think of my journey - In 1979 I was a student at Ohio State (before it was THE Ohio State University). Very early, met Mike Marette and Cindy – and the Coopers. When I first went to the Cooper’s house, there was only one Cooper child. Spring of 1986, Dave and Dick moved to Cleveland – and asked if I would come. Eventually we moved to Kent and merged with this church.
In 1991, Mike and Cindy came up here and Janice Hare started coming – and we got married and begat Kayla, then Daniel, then Tyler.
October, 2009, my boss of 16 years came to me – the company had gone from 3 locations and 1500 employees to 2 locations and 150 employees – and he came to me in tears and told me they didn’t need as many accountants – and I started the job search. In September, 2010, I got a job in Dover which lasted about 6 months. The week before last year’s picnic – I was in a continuing education seminar – and called and talked to Tyler – and the HR rep said that he was much more professional than many of the administrative people she deals with. When I first mapquested Seneca, PA, I thought, no way. But she was so nice, I thought, what harm can a phone interview do?
She called back – you could either do a phone interview, or the preference would be - The president is willing to drive to Akron to interview you. Went to a 3+ hour lunch (He is about as quiet as I am) – “When you are willing to make the commute or move – let me know”
Renee was at the picnic last year – found out she had moved to Oil City – and now we live 2 minutes from her!
Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the assurance of things hoped for – the evidence of things unseen. God has been faithful.
God is good – our biggest prayer is that our house would close – it has been sold since Memorial Day - but the closing keeps getting delayed.
Next, that my kids would adjust well.
Third, to find a solid church home. You guys have made finding a church really hard – you set the bar high. We had a church we thought might be it – but the same person greeted us both weeks. The kids’ best friends are here. I want to thank Annette and Jemma for throwing such a good picnic.
G. Randolf – “Great friends – they are hard to find, hard to leave, impossible to forget.” This church breaks that rule, because great friends are easy to find.
We are jumping back to Ephesians – I only have one verse there to look at – and then back to John. This is about love – and John is the apostle of love.
Last time, we spoke about the first half of chapter 1 of Ephesians – the benefits and blessings – an explanation of benefits.
Ephesians 1: 15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
It is in understanding the blessings that allows us to love others. Your ability to love others is based on your understanding of what you possess in your relationship with Christ.
To the extent you have experienced Christ’s love for you – you will be free to love other people.
If you have not consistently experienced God’s love for you – your love will be limited – when God speaks to us about loving one another, it is larger, bigger, more difficult to attain than the love we normally think about. God sets an incredibly high standard for us when it comes to love.
It is critical that we maintain this high standard of love. When it is not there, it is obvious to all – and when it is there, it is obvious.
What does love look like? It is understood fully at the cross. It is not what you see on television or in the movies, it is fully demonstrated on the cross. We know God’s love for us by looking at the cross. Too often, we judge God’s love for us on the circumstances we are currently facing. If things are working out, we think God must love us. If things don’t work out – we don’t.
But God says it is demonstrated at the cross – and is the proof we need.
We will be disappointed if we don’t understand this.
Job – have you seen my servant Job? And Satan says, the only reason he loves you is because of all you do for him. And the story is a demonstration that Satan had it all wrong.
It is not just the things we get from God – but the cross.
1 John 3: 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
Love is selfless. Selfishness and love cannot exist together. When selfishness comes in, love goes out. SelfLESSness is the ability to give up ourselves completely for another.
Love – God’s love – meets tangible needs. Spiritual love meets physical needs. That is what He does here. James does the same thing in his epistle.
Love takes place and lives in community. Authentic lives – together – fully honest and truthful – in relationship.
So – the second passage in John – John 13:3
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4 *got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
Understanding all that He had from the father, Jesus is able to love and serve.
5 Then He *poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
When we have the understanding that God is fully on our sides and fully loves us – it frees us to serve and love and it moves in us – you can tell how well you understand the love of God by how much you are willing to give of yourself to others. That is the test. Jesus is making two points here – it is very symbolic – what He is doing – He knows He is going to the cross to pay for their sins – so He is acting out a living parable. He is living what is going to happen in a tangible way. As He goes to the cross – He LAID ASIDE His garments… He laid down his life… - He is the master, and yet, instead of taking that role, He lays it down – He empties Himself, Philippians 2 says. He is emptying Himself for us – and what it means to love and lay one’s life down. HE took a servant’s towel – a bondservant – even to the point of death – and that is what Jesus did for us – He laid aside His place with God – to lay down His life. He washes the disciples feet – the symbol of cleansing from sin. All that takes place at the cross is acted out in this parable. It is the explanation of the gospel. And HE is setting a practical example – go and do this…

12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord; and [b]you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
We know love by this – we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren – and serve.
Laying aside his role, is like us laying aside our privileges and rights for the benefit of others. And we are to take up the servant towel for one another. This is a really good picture when you enter fellowship, community, you are setting aside these things. When you come to church on Sunday – you set aside selfishness and put on new clothing that says, I am here to serve – to give up my self.
What we see in this passage – practical service is not just a good thing – it is a God thing. It is the way God is – He acts – physically – practically.
In closing – two simple practical applications- take some time this week – set aside 15 minutes – 30 minutes – alone with God – quiet – and think of one specific piece of garment that you need to lay down. How do you, in a specific way, need to lay down your robe? A possession? Leisure activity? Ask God what you need to lay down. The Spirit will show you what you need to lay down. What service towel do you need to pick up? Some examples – but I trust the spirit to show you – as a husband, in the home – you just need to pick up a towel – and do the dishes! But I urge you kids – maybe you need to cut the grass without being asked – and the list can go on and on. Make some time this week – and ask – what am I holding to that is important to me that I need to put down. And what has to be picked up to serve?