Greeneville Seventh-day Adventist Church: Well, Pastor Kent put some Greek in his sermon title a couple weeks ago, and I figured I could do the same thing. So my sermon title today is called Kynosis, if you wanted to know how to pronounce that word. Kynosis, the core of communion. And before we get into it, I'm gonna have a brief word of prayer, and we will dig right in. Let's pray. Father, Lord God, we just want to ask in a special way, Lord, that your word. would go forth with power as you've promised it will, Lord, that you would hide me behind the cross that we would see Jesus. And not only that we would see Jesus, Lord, but that Jesus may come and abide in our hearts this day and make a impression and greater change in our lives. ⁓ We this in Jesus' name, amen. So we're start in John chapter 13 today, John 13. This is one of my favorite verses for communion. I actually, I if you guys remember, I six months ago, last time I did communion, I actually used this verse as well. But I focused on a different part of it. This is John 13, starting in verse one. Before the feast of Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of this world unto the Father. Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, devil having put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, ⁓ that he was come from God ⁓ went to God, ⁓ rised from supper, laid aside his garments, took a towel, and girded himself. After that, he pours water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. I think this in scripture is ⁓ profound because it's ⁓ ⁓ much ⁓ of what's happening. ⁓ saying Jesus knew ⁓ his hour was come. Jesus knew that he was about to die for sins of the world, that that time had come. So that's on his mind, right? That he's about to give his life for the sins of the world. He's about to be separated, torn apart from the Father. Just like, this is a little insight actually I hadn't seen before a couple of weeks ago. When Abraham made the covenant with God, the covenant in those days, what you did is you took an animal and you cut it in half, right? And you put the two halves of the animal. on either side of you and you walked through that animal together saying basically, either of us are to break this covenant, ⁓ ⁓ unto me what happened to this animal. And yet when Abraham was ready to make this covenant with God, the says that a deep sleep fell on Abraham. And in his dream he saw this fire this lamp walk through, ⁓ a burning furnace and a lamp walk through ⁓ the two together. And so God made the covenant with God, not Abraham and God. And I think it's so profound because Abraham had made that covenant with God, he couldn't have kept it. It was just a couple chapters later when he forgot, right, the promise and the power of God and decided to listen to his wife ⁓ go, ⁓ know, ⁓ own route and the child with Hagar, right, ⁓ and Ishmael. right after he made this covenant with God, that God, I'm gonna be faithful to you, I'm gonna believe your word. God said, ⁓ will give you a son. And yet ⁓ chose his own way. But God in that symbolism showed us the is between father and the son, not between ⁓ God and in the sense of where I have to fulfill the obligations of the covenant and if not, I will be torn in half like that animal. But the father and the son made the covenant. And that's what Abraham saw in his dream. And so, ⁓ ⁓ took the place of man ⁓ the covenant. And man the covenant with God. We sinned, Adam and Eve sinned against God. And in terms that covenant, ⁓ the one sinned would be put to death, ripped apart. ⁓ And this what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane. We see Jesus, who is with Father, torn apart from the Father sin. and that's what happened to the animal, it's cut in half. And imagine, you say something is one, the only way to separate something that is one is to tear it apart, right? To cut it in half. ⁓ just like what happened to the animal, that's what Jesus ⁓ about to go through for us. To torn apart from the Father because ⁓ had ⁓ the everlasting ⁓ and sinned our Maker. And so this on his mind. But it says, having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them to the end. Even with this in mind that ⁓ about to be ripped apart by the sins of the world. He's saying, it's worth it. You are worth it. I love you enough to go through this. Even to the end. Even to the end. And supper being ended, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas to betray him. So not only does he know that he's about to be torn apart by sin, not only does he say, I still love you enough to do it, even the one, of his own disciples ⁓ already got it set in his heart that he's gonna betray his master, he still goes forward with it. He still continues this path, even though Judas was going to betray him, he was willing to die for Judas. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hand, and that he was come from God and went to God. So this is all building on each other, right? He knows he's about to die for the sins of the world. He loves us so much. He knows that Judas is about to betray him. He knows that he comes from God and is going to God. He knows he's divine. He knows where he's from. And he knows that everything is given into his hands already. He has all power. He knows he is the son of God. And yet how does Jesus, all of this knowledge, act? This is what's so powerful to me. John deliberately says these things. Before anything has happened, he's saying Jesus knows that he's about to depart from the world. Jesus knows that Judas is about to betray him. Jesus knows that he is God in the flesh, that all things are his, yet he rises ⁓ supper, lays aside his garments, takes a towel, ⁓ himself, pours into a basin, and begins to wash feet. That's The God of the universe took form of a to wash feet of these disciples who were about to all run from him and disown him, deny him, him, and he, ⁓ knowing his ⁓ that he all things, knowing ⁓ that he's to to die for them, lays aside his garments and washes them. This makes me think of Philippians, if you want to turn with me. You know, we've been going over Philippians in the quarterly. And this verse, I think, gains so much more ⁓ light of communion and in light of what Jesus has done. Philippians 2, 5 through 8, our scripture reading today. Let this mind be you which was in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not ⁓ to be equal God. Did not think it's something to be grasped or held on to. but made himself of no reputation and took upon himself the form of a servant was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and ⁓ obedient death, even the death of the cross. The word there in verse seven, he made himself no ⁓ That's the word kenosis. The word in the Greek means ⁓ pouring out of to empty oneself of all titles, all privileges, all rights. And this what Jesus did for us. He gave up his privileges, he gave up his rights, he gave up omniscience, his omnipresence. to take on not only the form of a man, but the form of a servant. And the word there the Greek is doulos. It's no different from a slave. And the idea was, this is the word used for a Roman slave, one who was in servitude to another, who was owned ⁓ someone else, someone else's property. A slave had no rights of their own. A slave had no property of their own. Nothing. their own. simply ⁓ their master and the master's interest. And the Bible tells us that Jesus who was God took on the of a slave for us. And in order to do that, he had to empty himself, to pour it all out. And so I want to focus on this today. The Bible, what do call it, concordance? It ⁓ this kenosis, means to completely remove ⁓ or ⁓ the of high status or rank by eliminating every privilege or prerogative ⁓ that associated with that status or rank, to divest oneself of position. This verb regularly means to be powerless or emptied of significance. And I think when we see the life of Jesus throughout the gospels, we can testify that this is the case. That this Jesus thought it above himself to one in need, to turn to help someone who was and calling upon him, to take children in his arms and pray for them minister to them. This had a lowliness of heart and mind. that though he was God, he did not think it above himself to serve and to give his life as a sacrifice. And a slave, a slave has no rights. A slave's outstanding characteristic is that of unquestioning obedience to the master, right? A slave's only prerogative is well-being of the master, obedience to his orders. And that's what we see. ⁓ a man, the son undertook to render unquestioning obedience to the Father. He did not grasp at his divine sovereignty or exercise his rights, but as a servant, became one ruling passion in life was to suffering humanity and to obey the will of God. His entire life was subordinated to this will ⁓ of the as ours should be. He came to us an example that the only way of this mess is kinesis. The only way for us get out the sin problem that we struggle with is to empty ourselves ⁓ He and take on form of a servant as He did. It shows us, the service shows us this means to pour ourselves out for another and what Jesus has done for us. Jesus became a servant for us. had nothing in it for him become a servant. There was nothing like gonna get ⁓ extra points ⁓ in because he came and suffered and died for us. It's not like we even appreciate it the time, ⁓ right? ⁓ majority the people that he was gonna die for ⁓ didn't care. yet, something him to this. what was that? My wife says it was love. says, having loved his own which were in the world, loved them to the end. And his love compelled to give to pour out all of heaven, to redeem you me. And that looked like we see ⁓ in communion service. So gonna go ⁓ back John. John 13 and see what exactly. Jesus did. It says, after he washed them and everything, he says, you call me master lord, and say well, ⁓ for am. If I then your lord and master have washed your feet, you also ⁓ ought wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done. Truly I tell you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. Neither is the one sent greater than the one that sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. So I want to focus on this today. As we take it part of the communion. Think about foot washing service, especially today. Foot washing is symbol of ⁓ servitude. this culture, it was the servant, the slave ⁓ of household that would wash ⁓ the of the house owner before they went inside. And the disciples ⁓ in communion service, in this upper room ⁓ for Last Supper, ⁓ the all knew someone needed to wash the feet. ⁓ There wasn't slave there. There wasn't a servant. Someone needed to wash each other's feet, and none of them were willing to do it. Each one of them was preoccupied about their own status, going to be greatest in the kingdom, what's going to happen, ⁓ is acting different, things are changing, but none of them were willing to serve, to themselves, to empty themselves, ⁓ to kenosis, to wash. the feet of their fellow disciples. And so Jesus, this, doesn't rebuke them, doesn't them to do it. He simply does it himself. He takes on this form a servant, and he pours out his life for them, washes their feet, ⁓ and it's rebuke to them. Lord, you shouldn't be doing this. And that's what Peter says, Lord, you shall never my feet. How can you my feet? But Jesus said, if I do not wash you, have no. you have no part. And so I want to encourage us as we partake of this divine service today. Don't let it just be round of ceremony. I want you to intentionally go those whose feet need to wash. You know who they are. ⁓ I don't. that's a spouse ⁓ that you to reconcile with, whether that's a member that there's something ⁓ going on between guys. Whoever that may be, there is someone that you need reconciliation with, now is the time to do it. is the time to with our fellow men. When we wash someone's feet, it's a symbol of being willing to humble ourselves and serve them, to bring reconciliation. And it's that that prepared the hearts of the disciples to receive what Jesus was wanting to show them in the Last Supper. To show him that he was about to go to the cross for them, and ⁓ this be the last time that he was able to have a meal with them. And he wanted to impart to them ⁓ this of love and truth. And before this service, they were unready to receive it. They were too preoccupied. But when they saw him them, it broke down all these prejudices, all this pride, ⁓ I might be the greatest in the kingdom. No, ⁓ greatest in the kingdom just washed your feet. can you top that? The best thing that we can do is to be like our master. ⁓ servant is not above his master. And so we too need to pursue this reconciliation ⁓ prepare our hearts for the service that we have the to receive what Jesus has to give us. Because he wants to bless us today. He has blessing for us today in this service to show us more deeply what his sacrifice for us individually. And yet if there's something against us and a brother or a sister or a family, we're hindering the Lord's ability to give us that blessing. so now's the time to do that. Now's the time ⁓ ⁓ kenosis, to pour out ourselves for our fellow servants, our and sisters in Christ, to give up our personal rights ⁓ instead saying, they need to come to me first because they wronged me. No. If you find that your brother has something against you, you go and be reconciled. Go to them. And so I want you to reflect on the kenosis of Jesus today we celebrate communion service because it's all about kenosis, the out of his life for us. ⁓ His body was broken for us. blood was for us. He washed ⁓ our for us. of it to reveal us ⁓ his love to save us from sins. to bridge the gap that we had caused by our own sins. it's just, it's mockery of communion try to the sacrifice of one who freed us from our sins while clinging to sins. And so I want to encourage each of us to take that time now. we're about to go out for fellowship and for washing, now's the to search our hearts and say, God, do I need to give you? Where do I need to make things right? What sins do I need to confess and forsake right now? So as we get for that, we're going to head that way. There's ⁓ the ⁓ places here. think have men's and women's. I don't know if we have family. have family today as well, so if you'd like to do that with your family, then can do that. ⁓ Let's a quick word of prayer as we separate. Father God, I thank that you are willing pour yourself out for us. Lord, if we don't deserve it, not even a bit, but love us ⁓ so And Father, I pray you would each one of us to receive what you have poured out for us. Lord, us to receive your body, your blood. For you say, Lord, unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, have no part of me. You not have eternal life unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man. And Father, pray that we would not only receive of this and remember what have done for us, Lord, but that we also would follow your example kenosis, ⁓ of pouring ourselves out each other. Please rid every division, every strife, Let there be no cliques, no hierarchies. ⁓ nothing but love fellowship with one another. ⁓ John says, ⁓ our fellowship is with the Father and his Son. And we have written this message for you, that you have fellowship with us. I pray that be ⁓ our desire today. Jesus' Amen.