[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. This is the next message in our series on the book of John entitled, Jesus is God.
[0:15] I hope that's true about you. I hope that you know all your sins have been washed away by the precious blood of Jesus. I hope that's true. If it's not true, it can be today. Jesus paid the price for your salvation.
[0:26] You can accept the free gift of grace that he has for us. What a privilege it is. We had to be saved. We're saved not by what we do, but by what he did. What a wonderful, wonderful story of grace that we get to tell.
[0:38] Turn to John chapter 13, if you would. John chapter 13. I'm excited every time I get to open the Bible and to tell you what it says. But today's message is just especially sweet and special for us.
[0:51] Jesus knew. Look, if you would, at John chapter 13 and read with me verse 1 again. The Bible says, Father, there's no way I can express your wonderful, sweet, deep love for your people.
[1:17] There's no way I can help them understand today what a great Savior you are. Holy Spirit, I ask you to speak to hearts. I ask you to bring the words to life. I ask you to do a work in hearts and lives knowing that I am useless to do that.
[1:32] And I pray, God, that you would help the Word of God speak to the children of God. And then I pray, God, that you would even speak to those that do not know you that today they might place their faith and trust in you and be born again.
[1:43] I pray, God, that you would bring glory to your name and glory to your word. And I'll give you praise in Jesus' precious name. Amen. Amen. Jesus knew. When I read that, it really gets a hold of my heart.
[1:57] He knew. If I knew that I was about to get in trouble, if I knew that I was about to suffer, I would probably turn and run. It's a lot easier for me not to know and be surprised.
[2:12] I prefer when a nurse is going to give me a shot not to be watching. It doesn't hurt as bad if I don't see it coming. How many of you say amen right there? I like to turn away. But Jesus knew.
[2:24] That's beautiful. That's powerful. He knew. One Friday afternoon, I had done something wrong at the school. I don't remember what. I only got one paddling, I think, the whole time I was in school that I remember.
[2:38] But on Friday afternoon, the principal said, they sent word to me that on Monday morning, I was to report to his office as soon as my bus arrived at the school.
[2:48] Can I just tell you that those were some of the most agonizing days of my life? I knew that in those days, you were to bend over and grab your ankles. And he was to practice his baseball swing.
[3:01] That's the way it used to work in school. And so on Friday, I sweat the whole time. I was like, Lord, am I going to be able to take it? I do not want to come out crying. Everybody in school will know I'm a crybaby.
[3:13] I got to be tough. And all day Saturday, I was nervous. And all day Sunday, I was nervous. And I wouldn't have gone to school on Monday, but there was no way out of it. And when I got there, he yelled at me a little bit. And I left and went to the back of the room.
[3:24] And I was like, phew, hell, not as bad as I thought it was going to be. But just knowing was enough to kill me. You ever been there? You know, you just knowing is enough to kill you. And I mean, going to the dentist is the same thing.
[3:34] They said they're going to give me a laughing gas. They need to give it to me when I make the appointment. Amen? Amen? Just knowing is enough to hurt. But Jesus knew. He knew what was going to happen.
[3:46] Look at the verse again. He knew that his hour was come. He knew that he was going to die. He knew all that was going to happen. In chapter 12 and verse 27, I know that his heart cried out.
[3:58] You remember what he said in chapter 12, 27? He said, now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came unto this hour.
[4:10] Jesus knew what was going to happen. He knew what he was going to suffer. He knew that he was going to be mocked. He knew they were going to pluck his beard. I mean, he's going into the city of Jerusalem.
[4:20] They're honoring him and singing praises to him. But he knows what's about to happen. He knows and he loves us so much. I want you to notice, though, he viewed what was going to happen to him very differently.
[4:34] Would you look at the verse again, John 13, 1? Now, before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of this world unto the Father.
[4:48] He said, I know what's going to happen. And here's what he looked at. He said, I'm fixing to leave this world and go back to my Father. His view of what was about to happen was radically different than mine would be.
[4:59] When it comes time to die, you know, I've sat beside people as they were dying. And very few people can deal with the fact, I'm about to die. They don't look past death and to what's going to happen. They're looking at what they're about to suffer.
[5:10] You're going through problems today. And you're going through misery. And you're going through agony. And you've got things going on in your life. And you focus on that and not on the promises of God. You don't see beyond that. But when Jesus is dying and Jesus knows in just a few minutes all this is going to start, here's what he said.
[5:25] Hey, I'm about to die. No. I'm about to be crucified. No. I'm about to depart and go home and be with the Father. What a beautiful way he had.
[5:35] He saw it as leaving this world and arriving in heaven. That's basically what Hebrews 12.2 says. Have you ever looked at Hebrews 12.2? Look at what the Bible says there. He looked past the suffering. In Hebrews 12.2 it says.
[5:46] Looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith. Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame. And is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. You ought to get that in your Bible.
[5:57] That is some of the most beautiful verses. Look what he did. When he went to the cross. Who for the joy that was set before him. Do you understand what was happening? As he is being crucified.
[6:08] He's looking past the cross. Past the nails. Past the cat and eye and tails. Past the crown on his head. Past the mockery. Past all that's going on. And saying. Boy. There's joy set before me.
[6:20] God has great things for me. And so he endured the cross. He despised the shame. And he is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. There's a lesson for us here.
[6:32] We must by faith know what's going to happen also in death. And even in troubles. God is going to get us through it. I wish you'd stop just a second. I think there's a big lesson here.
[6:43] I think that you ought to realize. That when you're standing in front of the Red Sea. Or the Jordan River. Or dying. Or a financial crisis.
[6:54] Or family problems. If you got a hold of the promises of God. You could look at the obstacles that come in your life. With a different attitude. When Jesus looks at the cross. He says. I'm fixing to go be with my father.
[7:05] When Jesus looks at the cross. He says. He sees the joy set before him. He sees around the cross. He sees through the cross. He sees over the cross. And he sees all that God has out there for him. And he's like.
[7:16] Hey. The joy that's set before me. Could I just tell you. God's brought you through it before. And God's going to bring you through it again. Could I just tell you. That if you were on your deathbed right now.
[7:26] And you could look past the fact. That you're leaving your family. Past the fact. That you're having some pains and aches. What the Bible would say to me right here is. I look past what's going on. And I realize. I'm going to heaven.
[7:36] To be with the father. I'm going to spend all of glory in heaven. Amen. You know. The country gospel singers. They sing that. But we don't really believe it. Or practice it. But the Bible says.
[7:47] That to be absent from the body. Is to be present with the Lord. Look at 2 Corinthians 5. He said. We are confident I say. And willing rather to be absent from the body. And to be present with the Lord. I know that when I die.
[7:57] I'm going to heaven. Same like Jesus said. I know that because I'm born again. I like this verse also. How many of you are dealing with issues. And dealing with problems. And there's junk going on in your life. And you're wondering. Is it worth it?
[8:08] Am I going to get through? If you can look up and see the father. If you can look up and see the God. If you can look up and see his word. If you can look up and see his promises. You know you're coming out on the other side of this. Look if you would in the Bible.
[8:19] Look if you would in the Bible. 1 Peter 1. 7. That the trial of your faith. Being much more precious than gold. Of gold that perisheth. Though it be tried with fire. Might be found under praise.
[8:30] And honor. And glory. At the appearing of Jesus Christ. God has a purpose. And what he's allowing to take place in your life. God is going to bring you through it.
[8:41] God is going to let your goal. Your faith come forth. Pure and stronger than it was before. God is at work in your life. You got to get your eyes off of your problem. And get your eyes onto our Lord.
[8:52] That's what Jesus did. Could you say amen right there? There was a guy named Paul. An apostle. He didn't. He knew how to look past that. And when he got put in prison. When he got put in prison.
[9:04] And he's locked in prison. He started writing scripture. And he was writing down scripture. And we all stand outside the prison gate. As he's in agony. As he's waiting to die. He's writing down beautiful scripture.
[9:15] We still read and pray about today. And we preach it. And we teach it. And we believe it. But in the middle of all of his storm. He saw beyond what was happening to him. And realized God had a purpose for him. It was a guy named John Bunyan.
[9:25] Who was placed in prison for what 12 years. Or 15 years. Or something like that. And when he was placed in prison. And often lacked food. Or a lot of things that were going his way. And he could have easily complained.
[9:36] Instead he wrote stories. Pilgrim's Progress being the main one. The most famous one. And he wrote a story. That we still read. Hundreds of years later. We still read that. He used the problem.
[9:48] To look past it. And in the story here. Jesus said. I know what's going to happen. And here's what's going to happen. I'm fixing to leave here. And go be with my father. What a beautiful way to know.
[9:59] What God was going to do in his life. Something else in that verse. That we should look at with me. If you would. Look at John chapter 13. And verse 1. One more time. The Bible says. Now before the feast. Of the Passover.
[10:10] And Jesus knew that his hours come. That he should depart out of this world. Unto the father. Having loved his own. Which were in the world. He loved them. Until the end. But this is beautiful. Look at this.
[10:21] He knew. What was going to happen. But notice what's put there. He says. He loved his own. All the time that he was on the earth. And he loved his own. Until the end.
[10:32] He loved his own. To the end. I wish you'd circle in your Bible. His own. How many of you are his own? Raise your hand. How many of you belong? I'm his. I'm his. I bear in my body.
[10:43] The marks of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not in. Not in persecutions. Or problems I face. Necessarily. But I know I belong to him. And here's what he said. He said. Jesus is about ready to die on the cross. It's about over for Jesus.
[10:54] And as far as in physical human terms. It looks like the bleakest day of his life. But he says. I love all of mine. And I've always loved them. And I'll keep on loving them. That is a wonderful truth.
[11:06] No. Hey. I know I'm going to hurt. It's time for me to snap. It's time for me to bite back. It's time for me to be ugly. It's time for me to strike out at others. It's time for me to defend myself. But Jesus is loving his own.
[11:17] And he loved them all the way. He loved them while he was living. And he cared for them. He met their needs. He answered their prayers. He taught them. He preached to them. And he did all kinds of things in their life. He cared for them. Until the very end of his earthly life.
[11:29] He cared for them. Even when he was dying. And he paid on the cross of Calvary. Their debt. He paid for. He cared for them. When he should have been thinking about himself. He loves us.
[11:39] And always will love us. Because with him. There really is no end. And what it really is saying in chapter 13 and verse 1. Is he loved them while he was. He loved them while they were his. And while he was living. He loved them all to the end.
[11:50] He loved them completely and fully. Always. What a wonderful savior. Do you realize he loves us? Can you say amen right there? You're right now in the middle of junk. And the devil's lying to you.
[12:01] And he's telling you. That your father doesn't care anything about you. He's telling you that Christianity doesn't really have the answer. And the devil's throwing fiery darts at you. And you're beginning. You're hurt. And you're in despair. And you're angry.
[12:12] And you're bitter a little bit about some things. Because you're looking at the wrong thing. Can I just tell you. Verse 1 says this. He loves us. He loves us. Even dying on the cross.
[12:22] He loves us. Even facing the week of horrible treatment. He loved his own. And he loved them to the very end. Second thing I wish you'd look at in the passage. If you would. Verse 2. Verse 2 if you would.
[12:34] Realize that Satan can put things into your heart. Into your head. Verse 2. And supper being ended. The devil having now. Put into the heart of Judas Iscariot. Son of. Son of. Son.
[12:46] Simon's son. To betray him. Satan was at work in Judas's life. Just like he is in your life. Judas is not a believer. So he has no defense against the attacks of Satan.
[12:58] But you have a shield of faith. You have a shield of faith. And you must realize that every thought. That's not in agreement with the word of God. Is not from God. And you must reject those thoughts.
[13:09] Judas is a helpless pawn of the devil. It was not a helpless pawn. He had rejected the truth. He had shown rebellion towards Jesus all the way through. He made his own decision to reject Christ.
[13:22] He made his own decision to reject the Lord. He had known and experienced the love of Jesus just like others. But he rejected that love. How are you responding to the love of Jesus this morning?
[13:32] And before I leave that point, I just want to say this to you. Would you please listen to this? As a pastor and as a man, it really does try to pray for you and love you and care about you. And I really do. I just want you to know that the biggest battlefield we all face is right here in our heads and our hearts.
[13:47] And it's all the thoughts that the devil would throw at us. Listen, let me just say to you, it's not, when a thought comes to your mind about how the Lord's not with you, how the Lord hasn't taken care of you, how the Lord doesn't love you, how the Lord has some better things for other people, how the Lord's mistreated you.
[14:02] Mark this down. That came from the devil. That came from the devil. Your God loves you. The Bible is full of promises to you and about you and for you.
[14:12] And you're believing a lie and just as bad as you have got to realize you will not win the spiritual battle until you lift the shield of faith. I don't have time to preach that today, but you got to lift the shield of faith and say, I'm going to believe God.
[14:26] You got to lift the shield of faith and say, I'm going to believe the truth that our God teaches. I'm not going to accept that God doesn't love me. There have been times in my life when I got so lonely, I wanted to end my life.
[14:37] There have been times in my life when my problems got so heavy, I just knew that God didn't care and God wasn't there. And in those moments, I had two choices. And the way I got through those was in the darkest moment, the Holy Spirit reminded me, that's not true.
[14:51] Don't believe it. That's not true. Don't believe it. That's a lie. Don't believe it. Know your God is real. Know your God is powerful. Verse 1, he loved his own and he loved him to the end.
[15:01] Verse 2, the devil's working on old Judas. The sad truth is you're not Judas and you're born again. You're on your way to heaven. But you have lived believing lies so long it's affecting the way you act and think.
[15:12] You believe lies. You believe lies. Satan has put into your heart to believe things that aren't true. That make you mad at me? It's the truth though, isn't it?
[15:24] How much of you believe lies? Third thing, go to verse 3 with me if you would. Jesus knew what was happening. We should write that down. He knew. Jesus knew.
[15:35] Verse 3, Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and he was come from God and went to God. That's a message. Every one of these are messages all by themselves. Look at this.
[15:47] He knew. Notice what he knew in the verse. Notice what he knew in the verse. He knew that the Father had given all things into his hands. He knew that he was come from God and he knew that he was going back to God.
[15:59] He knew. He knew. Write this down. He was not a victim. Jesus was not a victim. He knew that his hour had come and he knew what he was going to suffer.
[16:11] He knew that Judas was going to betray him. But he knew. But he knew. And he was voluntarily giving his life because his Father had given him all things.
[16:21] Do you understand what's happening in verse 3? Jesus says, I know that the Father's put everything in my hands. I mean, it's his decision now. It's your decision. And Jesus willingly, on purpose, laid down his life.
[16:35] You remember John chapter 10? Jesus said this. No man takes my life. I lay it down of myself. And I take it again. This the Father has given to me.
[16:46] You understand what's happening? Jesus loves us. Jesus knows. Jesus fully knows. I mean, he was born in the shadow of a cross. He lived in the shadow of a cross.
[16:57] And now he's hours from the cross. Now he's hours from being mocked. Now he's hours from having his beard plucked. And people bowing down before him with blindfolding him and punching him and saying, Since you're such a great prophet, why don't you tell us who hit you?
[17:11] And they're bowing down and they're spitting in his face. And he's hanging naked on a cross. And people are walking by and mocking him. He knows it all. He knows it all. But he willingly, on purpose, laid down his life.
[17:24] Here's a beautiful thing. He knew who he was that day. He knew that after he finished his work, he was going to the Father. He knew that he was laying down his life just like he had promised.
[17:35] I wish you'd look at the verse with me one more time. Verse 3. Can I just remind you? This is a... Man, I'm feeling really bad about this sermon outline. I should have broken it up into 15 messages.
[17:46] But just listen to this one. Are you ready? Are you ready for this? Jesus knew who he was. Look in verse 3. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God and went to God.
[17:59] He knew. He knew. Do you know how he could face... Listen to me. Please, you've got to listen to me. Do you know how he could face all that's about to happen to him? Because he knew. Not only did he know what was going to happen to him, but he knew who he was going in.
[18:15] And he knew who he would be coming out. And he knew who he'd be in the middle of it. He knew. He said, I know that everything I'm fixing to do, God gave it to me. He said, I know where I came from. I came from the Father. He said, I know.
[18:25] I know where I'm going. And can I just stop and say that you ought today to know some things? You ought to know that you're a born-again child of God. You ought to know that you're going to go to heaven when you die.
[18:36] You ought to know that he never leaves you nor forsakes you. You ought to know that he has got your name written down in the Lamb's book of life. You ought to know a lot of things. And if you knew those things, you wouldn't believe those lies.
[18:47] We believe those lies because we forget what we know. Or we intentionally overlook what we know. Jesus is like, bring it home. Bring it on. Crucify me.
[18:58] Spit on me. Beat me. But I know who I am. I came from the Father. I'm going to the Father. I know exactly what's going to happen. I'm God in human flesh. What a beautiful thing.
[19:11] And right now you're facing difficulties in your life. Do you know who you are? You're a born-again child of God. In the middle of it all, and all the heartache, and all the problems, and all of it.
[19:23] Find Scripture and know what Scripture says. Get a hold of promises and claim them before our God. Fourth thing is he knew. So he took the place of a servant and washed their feet.
[19:35] He took the place of a servant and washed their feet. Now for the sake of time, I'm not going to read for you from verse 4 down to verse 11. But just let me remind you of what happens. In verse 4, he rises from supper and he takes off his outer garments.
[19:49] He takes off his suit and tie type thing. He puts it over to the side. And he takes a towel and he wraps it around himself. And he gets down below on his feet. Now this is a job reserved for servants.
[20:00] Did you know a Jewish slave didn't even have to wash the feet of a Gentile? I mean this was such a low job. It was such a low job. And Jesus, King of all, Lord of lords, and King of kings, God in heaven, God come to earth.
[20:14] He said, I know who I am. And he got down and he began to wash their feet. As he washes their feet, he works his way around to Peter. And Peter says, whoa, hey, you're not washing my feet.
[20:27] I know who I am. I know who you are. And you're never going to wash my feet. You're not going to lower yourself down that low. And it's like he was saying, no, sir, never, never. You are no way, never. And so Jesus looked at him and said, well, if I don't wash you, you have nothing to do with me.
[20:42] He said, oh, that being the case, I'd like you to go ahead and wash my feet and my hands and my head. Let's just give me a bath. I want to, I'm in with you. I'm with you. And Jesus said, no, you don't have to be completely washed.
[20:54] Because once you're washed, you are clean. You are clean. Jesus laid aside his garments just like he did when he humbled himself and came to earth. Can you get a hold of something today?
[21:04] The salvation that we preach has nothing to do with this pastor, has nothing to do with this church. It has all to do with God and human flesh, giving up himself and humbling himself and coming down from heaven and dying on a cross for us.
[21:18] In Philippians chapter 2, verses 5 through 8, which we won't take the time to read right now. But in Philippians chapter 2 and verses 5 through 8, Paul says, hey, guys, have the same kind of heart, the same kind of mind, the same kind of decisions that Jesus had who was in the form of God.
[21:31] He didn't think it was robbery to be equal with God. But he made himself of no reputation and he humbled himself. So when he washed feet that day, he gave us a lesson in humility. He gave us a lesson in humility.
[21:44] Did you come to church today as a consumer or as a server? Did you come to church today as a consumer or a server? You know, most of us, most of us, when we walk into a restaurant, we know the client is always right.
[21:59] The customer is always right. And we actually come to church basically with that attitude. We walk in here and our attitude is bless me if you can. You better bless me. You better be good to me.
[22:10] You better treat me right or I'm out of here. Jesus didn't come as a consumer. He came as a server. The world asks how many people work for you. But God asks how many people do you work for?
[22:22] Will you willingly lower yourself to serve others? I'd just like to real quickly say, and I'll get to it just a tad more in a minute. But in our church, there ought to be an attitude of service among us.
[22:36] There ought to be an attitude of, I care about you. I meet your needs. I care about others and I meet others' needs. There ought never be that we come in the church today and our attitude is, hey, everybody better treat me right.
[22:48] Some people easily get offended because somebody didn't shake their hand. Some people easily get offended because somebody took their seat. Some people easily because they came for themselves. And here's basically what's going on. Jesus is God and he gives us a lesson in humility.
[23:01] Christians ought to be willing to get off their high horse and get on their knees. Christians ought to get out of their big shot position and down into a serving position. But our churches and our lives have become often more concerned with who we are and what we're doing than we are with what God would have us to do.
[23:20] Look at the second thing I want you to see in this verse. Look at verse 8. There's another lesson here and that's a lesson about sin and our relationship to sin. In verse 8, Peter said unto him, thou shalt never wash my feet.
[23:35] Jesus answered him, if I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. I want you to look this way. Just listen to this beautiful thing. You see, the only way you get clean is by what Jesus did on the cross of Calvary.
[23:51] The word for saying today, grace is coming down like rain and washed away your stains, washed in the blood. You sang song after song about that. The way we're cleansed today is not by the good things we've done, not because we quit doing other things, not because we memorized a lot of scripture, not because we did something to gain merit.
[24:11] We are cleansed today because Jesus paid it all and he cleansed us from our sin. Is that true or not? Amen. We're clean because of Jesus and what he did. But then Jesus says, if I don't wash you, then you have no part with me.
[24:26] And in verse 9, Peter answers and said, well, then don't just wash my feet. I'm in and I'm all in and I mean business. So wash my hands and my head. And Jesus says, you don't have to be washed all over.
[24:38] Once you've been washed, all you need to wash are your feet. Jesus said in verse 10, he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is every is clean. Every wit.
[24:49] Now, I just want you to realize something on May the 6th, 1962, I got cleansed. On May the 6th, 1962, that's the day I accepted Christ. That's the day I placed my faith and trust in Christ.
[25:00] That's the day I was born again. And on that day, he washed away all of my sin, my past sins, my present sins and my future sins. I didn't deserve any of that. I didn't find him. He found me.
[25:11] I love him because he first loved me. First John chapter five, I think verse 19, but God committed his love toward us. And while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He loved he, he that's Romans 5, 8.
[25:22] He loved me when I didn't deserve to be loved. And he came and he saved me. But there's a big lesson going on here. There's a big lesson going on here. If you're not washed, if you're not washed, you can't be clean.
[25:33] And to be washed, you must be washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission. Jesus died to pay our sin debt. Have you been to Calvary?
[25:45] Have you realized you were a sinner? Have you realized you were dirty? Have you realized you needed your sins forgiven? But then Judas says, well, uh, or Jesus, uh, Peter says, don't just wash my feet, wash my hands and my head.
[25:57] And he said, you don't need that because you've already been washed, but you need your feet washed. And you know what was happening? Don't you see on May the 6th, 1962, I got clean, but I live in a dirty world and I walk in a dirty world.
[26:11] And these disciples have just walked into the house and they've been walking on dusty, dirty roads. They got on, they, they, they, they have a bare feet and sandals. I mean, their, their feet are dirty.
[26:22] I lived in a place called Adikipa, as you well know. And Adikipa is a desert town, 8,000 feet above sea level. Nothing grows if you don't water it. And if you leave off watering it for a week or two, it'll die.
[26:34] There is dust everywhere. When I would go out and go sew in and go out and go visit, go out to do things. If I got anywhere outside the city where everything was pretty well watered, my hair would be full of dirt. You would stick your hand in your hair and you could feel the dirt in your hair.
[26:47] You could feel it on your face. It's all over you because it's a dusty, dirty place. You have to, you have to dust the house on a regular basis to clean it because the dust is in the air.
[26:58] You can't see it, but you'll look on the floor. You'll look on things and every day things are covered in dust. Well, that's basically what was going on. So Peter's, Peter's feet are dirty. All the apostles' feet are dirty. And Jesus cleanses them.
[27:10] Now, I want you to listen to something. If you've been born again, holiness ought to be your desire in life. You ought to say amen right there.
[27:21] If you've been born again, holiness ought to be your desire in life. The holiness you got came from Jesus. But sometimes those of us that know that we're saved by grace, we almost abuse grace.
[27:32] And we go around acting like, well, I'm saved. I can live any way I want. I can do anything I want to do. And it's not like we're conscious that we walk in a dirty world and we're getting dirty. And he said, I'm going to wash your feet.
[27:43] I'm going to cleanse you. I'm going to cleanse you. A couple of things you might make note of. This is a lesson in eternal security if there is one anywhere. This is a beautiful one. You get washed once and you are completely clean.
[27:58] That's eternal security. You have your feet washed because they become contaminated as you walk in this world. This is a daily confession of sin as a believer. Getting your feet washed did nothing for you if you had not already been washed.
[28:10] Judas was not clean. In that verse, I skipped the last part in verse 10. Did you see it? Jesus said to him, he that is washed, he does not to say to wash his feet. He is clean every whit. And you are clean, but not all of you.
[28:21] Not all of you. Judas got his feet washed, but he had never been washed in the blood of the lamb. And he goes to hell.
[28:31] Could I quickly say there's a big lesson here about Judas for all of us? There are so many cultural Christians in America. Would you consider this?
[28:43] Judas, the lesson of Judas. You could be in a great church and attend all the services. Judas did. You could be serving in great capacities in the church and not be saved.
[28:54] Judas did. He was the treasurer. You could participate in the ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper and not be saved. You could talk to Jesus and not be saved. You could spend lots of time around other believers and see and hear it all and not be saved.
[29:09] In verse 11, it says he knew who should betray him. Therefore, he said, you are not all clean. Believers can believe you're saved. Believers can believe you're saved and trust you and love you and you not be saved.
[29:22] You could even have good motives and not be saved. Would you stop just a second and consider that? What a horrible thing to have lived all those years, three years, three and a half years in the presence of Jesus himself.
[29:37] What a horrible thing to have watched all those miracles, seen water turned to wine and Lazarus raised from the dead. What a horrible thing to have been so close. The disciples thought he was saved enough.
[29:48] They let him be the treasurer. You only let the guy you think is very trustworthy hold the bag and Judas was the man carrying the bag. What a sad thing to be at prayer with Jesus and to be in services with Jesus and to actually kiss the door of heaven and go to hell like Judas did.
[30:06] Are you sitting in church this morning and trusting what your mama told you about your salvation? Your mama told you you got saved and so you think you are? Are you trusting that somebody told you you were saved or do you know that God's done a work of grace in your life?
[30:19] I would challenge you this morning to realize Judas died and went to hell. Let me give you the last thing. God works through humble people.
[30:31] God works through humble people. Verses 12 down to 17. Verse 13, if you would, just read a brief verse.
[30:41] He said, you call me master and Lord and you say, well, what you say is right. That's true. For so I am. Verse 15, I have given you an example that you should do as I have done unto you.
[30:56] Verse 16, neither is he that sent greater than he that sent him. Watch this just a second. You know who God's going to use in our church? Can I just tell you pride is a natural thing for any human, but even more natural for an American human.
[31:11] I mean, we all came to church today in nice cars. And you say, well, my car is not that nice. I look around the parking lot and there's a lot of nicer cars than mine. Go anywhere else in the world.
[31:23] Your car is about the nicest car you're going to see. Go to Africa with me where they all walk to church. The only one that comes in the car is the missionary. In Burkina Faso. Go to Africa and go to South Africa with Kevin Hall and find out the only guy that pulled up in the car was him or his mother-in-law.
[31:38] She comes to that church. And so I'm just telling you, we are blessed and we got so many things. We got nice houses. We eat nice food. We're all fat and sassy. We don't even think of ourselves as that fat because we're always around other Americans.
[31:51] Every time I ever go to the mission field, it's like here comes a hippopotamus. I mean, you can see him looking at me like we're all of them weight 120 pounds and they haven't eaten. And here comes old Austin.
[32:02] You know, I'm just telling you, it's easy to get proud. And then we take it into our churches and we make heroes out of our pastors. We make big shots out of people.
[32:13] We give them big titles and we humble ourselves before. That guy's rich. That guy's a pastor. That guy's a deacon. And we get all this attitude. And Jesus said, you know, I am master and I am Lord that you said it right.
[32:29] And I gave you an example. Now, humble yourself and get down and serve others. You know, some of us are too proud to give out a gospel track.
[32:40] To mention Jesus where we are. To share our testimony. To serve poor people. To serve other people.
[32:51] And it's easy to fall into that error and mistake. Jesus taught them about keeping a pure, clean walk. They are saved. But sin has a way of creeping in.
[33:03] Can I just tell you? Listen to me, please, church. Just because you're saved by grace, it's not a license to sin. And some of us, it's like, well, I'm saved and I know you'll forgive me.
[33:17] There were times that some of the young Peruvians that I worked with would say this. Well, we know what we're about to do is wrong, but we'll ask forgiveness. What? Don't laugh.
[33:30] Some of you are doing that. Some of us are doing that. Some of us have done that. I have done that. Oh, I can remember dating.
[33:43] It was the year 1776. That's a long time ago. You know, I would go out on a date with a girl on a Friday night and I would kiss her and do things that weren't appropriate.
[33:55] Touch her like I shouldn't have. And then I'd go home and boy, the Holy Spirit would just whip up on me. And I'd get down and I'd say, oh God, I'm sorry for being the bum I am. I know I'm born again.
[34:06] I know I'm not supposed to do that. And I'd confess my sin. But in my heart, I'd know. Next Friday night, I'd confess again. And whether you don't admit it or not, you know that's what's going on in our lives.
[34:20] Hey, we're washed and we need to come and get our feet washed. We need to have a holy life because we love Jesus. We need to be tender about sin. Is that a fair statement or not?
[34:33] Come on, be honest. Isn't it a fair statement that I ought to care what Betty thinks and I ought not say, well, Betty's been married to me for almost 40 years. And so I can take advantage of that. That's rude and crude.
[34:44] I ought to say, man, I'm in love with her. She's in love with me. So I need to be even more sweet and more tender and kinder to her than I've ever been before. Jesus uses humble people, humble people that realize that they have washed in the blood and continually go for a foot washing to cleanse themselves.
[35:04] He reminds them that he's their Lord and master and he has given them an example. They had been too conscious of who was first and who was most important. Can you not imagine in the room?
[35:15] The sons of Zebedee, they're arguing. Who gets to, the guys are all like, who gets to sit on the right hand? Hey, when you get into your kingdom, I brought my mommy to talk for me. I want to be the big shot.
[35:26] And all of them are worried about who gets the big name. All of them are worried about who is the most important. But Jesus, who is the most important, humbled himself to serve. And then he said in verse 16, none of them were better than him.
[35:41] Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. Neither is he that sent greater than he that sent him. If he would serve them, then they should learn that the key to serving God is humility and serving others.
[35:54] A battle we fight every day. Some of us are proud of our humility. I'm so proud of my humility, I've lost my humility. Verse 17 says, if you know these things, happier are you if you do them.
[36:13] Submit to God, keep your life clean, and serve others. Jesus knew who he was, and he didn't have to defend his position. He could stoop to serve.
[36:25] Jesus knew so he could face horrible pressure, persecution, death, or anything else, knowing that God would be glorified. Jesus knew. So today, I want to find out if you know.
[36:38] Do you know your sins are forgiven? Do you know that you've been to Calvary and your sins have been forgiven? I didn't ask if you got baptized. I didn't ask if you were taking the Lord's Supper. I didn't ask if you was a good person.
[36:49] Do you know that you deserve to go to hell, and you deserve not to be saved, and you had nothing good about yourself, and Jesus saved you in spite of you because he's good? Do you know that?
[37:01] If that's not the case today, you ought to get saved. And as Christians, would we admit that some of us have taken, I have taken a less than proper attitude towards sin?
[37:13] We have a flippant attitude about doing wrong. We're like, hey, I know he loves me, and he's always going to love me. I can do nothing to make him love me more, and I can do nothing to make him love me less, so I think I'll take advantage of him. Have we had that attitude?
[37:26] We need to come and say, Lord, forgive me. I want to walk in holiness before you. I know I'm made holy in position, but I want to live holy in practice. I want to be who I'm supposed to be.
[37:38] Is it possible that some of us have let our pride step in the way of our serving, our praying, our giving, our witnessing? Is it possible? Is it possible that the message was meant for you?
[37:52] And I didn't even mention anything about it, but you know God was speaking to your heart today. I challenge you to do whatever the Holy Spirit's dealt with your heart about today. Father in heaven, I love you, and I praise you, and I thank you for what you're doing.
[38:05] I pray that your name would be honored and glorified. I pray you'd save somebody today. I pray you'd help Christians today to surrender all, yield themselves to you, and let your name be honored and glorified. You have been listening to Austin Gardner, pastor of Vision Baptist Church.
[38:22] For contact information, location, service times, or more audio and video recordings, log on to www.visionbaptist.com. Thank you.