"The Slave’s Apron"

Jesus, their Lord and Master, took a towel, wrapped it around him, and washed his disciples’ feet. Now Peter is calling upon all of us to follow that example and understand humility. Only when you submit to God can you resist the devil.

The Slave’s Apron

(1 Pet. 5:5-11)

Intro:

A.  The Gospel of John records for us a situation that took place at the beginning of what we call The Last Supper.  It is found in John 13.  Listen to how that text begins in the first 5 verses.

B.  The God of the towel.  Why would Jesus, knowing he would soon face a horrible and humiliating trial, beating and crucifixion pick up a towel, pour water into a basin and begin to wash the feet of these men?   Why?  The text tells because he wanted to show them the full extent of his love.  The text tells us because he knew that he had come from God and was returning to God.  Jesus tells his disciples that he did it to teach them what it means to be a servant.  But it wasn’t his job.  It was the job of a slave, or at least a hired servant.  It wasn’t the job of the Son of God to wash my feet.

C.  Peter is now an old man.  He has seen the mighty church in Jerusalem that began with a sermon he helped preach on the Pentecost grow and also crumble and disperse because of persecution.  He has worked hard to share the story of Jesus as the Savior and Ruler of man’s life to many.  Now, pleading with a group of Christians who have also faced hardships, he turns to these churches and lifts up their leaders and charges them to follow the Chief Shepherd.  He calls upon the younger to submit to the elders.  But in our reading today, Peter addresses the full congregation of believers.  “All of you.”  There is not a person here today that does not need to listen to these words of God.

D.  Are you listening?  There is an enemy among us.  He is as sly as fox, as cunning as a serpent and as hungry as a lion.  He has broken into the ranks of many churches.  He has looked for the weak in the fold and pounced upon them.  What do you do under such a threat?  How do you survive?

I.  The Apron

A.  The answer will sound strange, implausible, maybe unbelievable.  It won’t work.  We are like grasshoppers in our own eyes.  You can’t fight a giant with a stone.  You can’t break a massive wall on a walk around a city.  It doesn’t make sense.

B.  All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.  I am going to fight the battle of my spiritual life by showing humility to others?  Washing feet is going to help me beat a lion? What I want you to understand is that is exactly what Peter is telling his readers.  The wording he uses is a word picture.  The NIV says, “clothe yourselves with humility” the word it translates “clothe” or others say “put on” is derived from a noun.  That word was the apron worn by a slave that was fasten to his undergarments in order to serve his master, or even wash his master’s feet.  The first weapon that Peter gives to me is a slave’s apron.

C.  This is not the first time we are told live in humility.  It was a frequent teaching of Jesus.  It was also something Paul would write about to churches, that James would say to his readers and Peter now quotes this OT verse, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  It was a mantra for the Christian.  Humility towards others was a sign of humility towards God.  It was a sign of relying upon God, trusting in God to do what logic dictates can’t be done.  Soldiers are not taught humility in human warfare.  In spiritual warfare we are taught to be humble.  So Jesus picked up an apron, wrapped it around him, poured some water in a basin and washed his disciple’s feet.

D.  John will write, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”  Who is in the world?  The spirits of the evil one, the evil one himself, Satan.  Yet with the working of the Holy Spirit of God inside of you as his child, you can cast all your cares upon him because God is bigger than even Satan.  I know, it’s strange.  Humbly serving you, humbling myself before God, relying upon the unseen prepares me for battle with a lion.

II.  The Fight Is On

A.  I remember sleeping in a platform tent on the plains of the Serengeti.  I had arrived that day to ride in a jeep and watch the animals in their own habitat.  It was incredible to see the elephants, giraffes and rhinos.  It was a beautiful.  That night as we lay in bed in our tent I heard a strange sound.  I knew it was an animal, but didn’t know what.  The next morning I mentioned it to our Massi warrior who was our driver and guide.  He just smiled.  I pushed.  He said a lion came into the camp, but it was not a problem.

B.  I was well protected by these African men, but I was still nervous.  What would you do if you were told there was a lion in your home?  Roll over and go back to sleep?  I doubt it.  The first thing would be to get everyone out of the house and into safety.  You would need to be self-controlled and alert.  You would have to pay attention to everything that was happening, watching, and being mindful of this hungry lion.  That is the picture Peter gives to us concerning Satan.  With Satan wanting to kill and destroy, we, as Christians need to be self-controlled and alert.

C.  Facing enemies and death Jesus asked Peter, James and John to stay awake and pray so they would not fall into temptation.  Why did they do?  They slept.  Now, many years later, we hear Peter telling disciples to keep awake and alert because an enemy is at hand.  Many of us fall asleep or sleep walk through this world.  We grow accustomed to the ways of the world and we don’t react with horror, but with a yawn.  Brethren, Satan is still active and desires to destroy.  Wearing the apron of humility, working together as a church family, relying upon God and casting my cares upon Him are ways in which in I can keep alert.

Conclusion:

A.  As we conclude this first letter of Peter’s next week we will also conclude this thought that God is the one who really fights our battle.  Our goal is to stay firm in his grace.

B.  Maybe humility has not been how you have practiced your Christian walk.  Maybe submission has been a word that angers you more than supports you.  Maybe you don’t even think about the apron of humility.  Brethren, there is lion out there who wants to kill you.  Will you battle him alone, or surround by fellow Christians and the grace of our God?  That is your decision to make.  People are suffering all around you, they need your support, help and love.  It is time for us to be the church which belongs to Christ.

C.  If you need to respond in humility to God and allow us to share our love and strength with you, won’t you come as we stand and sing?