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Maundy Thursday Sermon Outline
I want to know Christ
Maundy Thursday – John 13:1-17 (Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet)
I Want To Know Christ Series
The theme for this sermon series is “I want to know Christ” and concentrates on our identification with Christ in his
death and resurrection, and in the paradox of His greatness and triumph in His self-emptying (kenosis). The outline
for the series comes from Philippians 3:8-11 with the following emphases:
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Palm Sunday – King on a Donkey
Maundy Thursday – Christ as the Lord who serves
Good Friday – Christ as King of the Jews, Son of God
Resurrection Sunday – Christ as First-fruits of the Resurrection
How to Use This Outline
The emphasis of this outline is on the exegetical material for the chosen passage. It seeks to link in with the series as
well as cover the material for Maundy Thursday. The emphasis of this sermon is on the following issues:
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The ultimate exercise of Jesus’ power is in selfless service
Jesus is our Teacher & Lord who washes feet
Identifying with Jesus through service to one another
The outline will need to be customised and contextualised by each Corps Officer for the congregation to whom the
sermon will be preached:
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Adding appropriate illustrations that will connect with the specific congregation
Modifying language to be appropriate to the socio-cultural setting of the Corps
Modifying sermon style if you prefer a topical rather than expository sermon style
You may also wish to make the application more specific to your context.
PowerPoint slides have been provided for the following:
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Theme Slide – Title Slide for this Sermon – Slide 1
Scripture Slide – John 13:1-17 (whole passage) – Slide 2-4
Scripture Slide – John 13:3-5 (highlight verse) – Slide 5
Scripture Slide – John 13:12-15 (highlight verses) – Slide 6
Blank Slide – which you can customise if you wish – Slide 7
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Maundy Thursday Sermon Outline
Maundy Thursday
Key Passage – John 13:1-17 (NIV)
1It
was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the
Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
2The
evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray
Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was
returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After
that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped
around him.
6He
came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
7Jesus
replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
8"No,"
said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
9"Then,
Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"
10Jesus
answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are
clean, though not every one of you." 11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every
one was clean.
12When
he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I
have done for you?" he asked them. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that
I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example
that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a
messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
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Maundy Thursday Sermon Outline
Sermon Outline – Jesus, The Lord who Serves
INTRODUCTION
1. We are looking at the theme “I want to know Christ”. This phrase comes from something Paul said as he was
imprisoned, not knowing what his future held. In that moment of stress and fear, Paul declared, “I want to
know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like
him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead”. This is a deeply passionate
cry, to be willing and wanting to share in Christ’s sufferings, to be like Christ in his death… but also to know
Christ’s resurrection and to share in Christ’s resurrection. What is it about Christ that made Paul desire him
that deeply, in the face of so much persecution and having lost all the advantages of his former life?
2. On Palm Sunday we started to look at this question. We read about Palm Sunday, and in it saw the paradox of
Jesus being a King unlike the kings of our world who use power and domination to rule. We saw him riding
into Jerusalem, as its rightful ruler, gentle on a donkey. Today we are fast-forwarding to the night of the Last
Supper, where again Jesus shows us who he is.
3. Read John 13:1-17
POINT 1 – The Ultimate Exercise of Jesus’ Power Is In Selfless Service
1. We need to really sit with verse 3 for a few moments and absorb what it is saying. There are three main parts
to consider:
a.
The Father has put all things under Jesus’ power. What Jesus is about to do here comes out of the
knowledge that God has put ALL THINGS under his power. This comes from an absolute certainty
and peace in knowing his position. Jesus is not insecure, he is not unsure whether his mission will
succeed or not, he is not trying to buy off his disciples.
b. Jesus knows he had come from God. Again Jesus does not doubt his mission, his calling, anything. He
is confident because he knows he has come from God. He trusts in the Father’s sending of him.
c.
Jesus knows he is returning to God. Jesus knows where he’s going. He knows and has been telling his
disciples that he will die and then rise again in three days. That’s not a surprise to him. He also knows
that once that happens he will ascend to be with the Father. So again what Jesus is about to do does
not come out of a sense of insecurity, but rather the full assurance of his position, his mission, and his
destination.
2. Verse 4 tells us that BECAUSE Jesus was sure of his position, his mission and his destination he got up, took
off his outer clothing and wrapped a towel around his waist. He poured water into a basin and began to wash
his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel around his waist.
3. Can you imagine what this would have been like? The disciples had been walking around in the dusty and hot
middle-eastern environment. They didn’t have the kind of shoes we have today. At best they would have had
sandals. Their feet would have been caked with dirt. Their feet would have stunk. They might very well have
also had various fungal issues, as there were no treatments for tinea, warts etc. We are talking seriously
disgusting here. Washing feet was hardly a glamorous job. It was normally done by slaves. And Jesus chose to
do this because he knew “that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God
and was returning to God”. Jesus’ ultimate exercise of his power and his mission is in selfless service.
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Maundy Thursday Sermon Outline
POINT 2 – This is our Teacher & Lord
1. Who can identify with Peter asking Jesus, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”? This would have been a
seriously confronting incident for Peter. A deeply uncomfortable moment. Can you feel the conflict within
Peter as all his assumptions about who Jesus is, and what Jesus’ role is, and how Jesus should be treated fly
out of the window? This is a twilight zone moment. This is a weird parallel universe where everything is
upside-down. The powerful washing the feet of the powerless? What is it with that?
2. Jesus doesn’t do anything to dispel this twilight zone moment. In fact he reinforces it, “Do you understand
what I have done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am”. The disciples’
minds would have been racing a mile a minute. It was usual for disciples to wash their rabbi’s feet, not the
other way around1. As we saw earlier, Jesus has washed their feet, not in a rejection of who he is. He is not
saying that he is powerless. He is not saying that he’s not from God. He’s not saying that he’s not going back to
God. He’s not saying he isn’t their Teacher. He’s not saying he isn’t their Lord.
3. Rather, Jesus is redefining for us what it looks like to be Teacher and Lord. The role of the Teacher in Jewish
society was to expound the will of God as laid down in scripture 2. The Teacher had a role of authority as they
helped the people understand what God required of them. Similarly, to be a Lord meant that the person had
power, control and authority3. What Jesus is doing is showing us what those who have power and authority
should do. The tendency in our world is to use the power and authority we have for our own gain. After all, it’s
a dog-eat-dog world. However, Jesus gives us a new example for how power and authority should be
exercised—in service to others, others who do not have our privileges.
Application – Identifying with Jesus through service to one another
1. Jesus is very explicit with what he wants us to do with this, He says it three times, “you should wash one
another’s feet”, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” and “Now that you know
these things, you will be blessed if you do them”. It seems he really wants us to follow his example!
2. Jesus has given us an example of the powerful, the Teacher, the Lord serving those who are powerless, the
disciple, the servant. In our world where we have so much, how much should we be directing all of our power,
our wealth, our lives towards serving those who are powerless, poor and dying?
3. Mention OWSOM and other ways your corps is serving the powerless, poor etc. that people can get involved
in.
Conclusion
1. In our quest of wanting to “know Christ” we have seen on Palm Sunday, Jesus as the King on a donkey. As the
rightful ruler, who comes gently and meekly. And tonight we have seen Jesus as Teacher and Lord who washes
his disciples’ feet, who serves those who expect to serve Him.
2. What kind of King is this? What kind of Teacher is this? What kind of Lord is this? This is Jesus Christ. This is
the one of whom Paul wrote, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and
be found in him…I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his
sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead”4.
1
TDNT Abridged. hudōr. p1203-6.
TDNT Abridged. didáskalos. p161-6.
3
TDNT Abridged. kuriŏs. p486-94.
4
Philippians 3:8-11 (NIV)
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