Thank you.
I'm not as tall as Jonathan.
And secondly, I'm seeing less and less well, so I have to put my stuff further and further away from me before I can read it.
So that's why I have to kind of lower the stand a bit.
Brilliant to be with you guys today.
It's a strange day for you.
Sunday afternoon service during midterm.
Quite odd.
Hammering down rain sometimes.
It might happen again.
Who knows?
But I just want to bring greetings and love from Douglas Baptist Church, your sister church.
We are truly sister churches because we actually came from the same mothership.
If you go far enough back, few enough here I suppose remember it, but Kergoline Baptist was planted out of Cork Baptist somewhere in the 80s.
87, 86, somewhere there.
And then Douglas Baptist was planted out of Cork Baptist Church in 2006.
And so we're delighted with the fellowship we share, the fact that we share in the love of the Lord together, the ways that we're part of the Cork-Carrie project together and are able to share in the work of the Lord in various ways.
And so I just want to bring greetings from Douglas to all of you.
And it is just great to be here today unexpectedly.
Johnny wasn't expecting me to be here.
I wasn't expecting to be here.
But sad that Johnny's not well at the moment and happy that I can stand in, I suppose, this morning.
So John chapter 13, verses 1 to 17, we're going to look at today.
Now today we're going to be looking and seeing a towel.
And we're also going to be looking and seeing a basin.
Now, seeing the towel and the basin, which we must see in the passage, makes me kind of terrified.
And here's why.
Because in John's Gospel, which we've been working through in Douglas,
throughout John's Gospel, people see physical realities but miss the spiritual and eternal realities behind them.
So what do I mean?
Jesus speaks about being born again.
You must be born again.
And you must be born of the Spirit.
And a man starts thinking about, do I have to go back into my mother's womb then?
Is that what has to happen?
Jesus speaks about the temple being torn down.
And what he's really speaking about is not the temple built by Herod.
He's speaking about his own body.
The disciples think Jesus is talking about lunch,
when in reality Jesus is talking about the thing that feeds and energizes me is doing my Father's will.
And so throughout John's Gospel, we have again and again these physical realities that point us to something much deeper,
more eternal and spiritual.
And so we need to see the towel and the basin today because they're here.
But we need to look through them at what Jesus is really teaching to us in this passage.
And I'm a bit terrified that in my teaching or that in your listening we might only see towels and basins
and go out and say, okay, everybody get a towel and a basin.
That's all that needs to happen this morning.
And I hope that we can look past that as we look into John chapter 13.
So John 13 verses 1 to 17 is a passage that's brimming with implications,
brimming with applications, too many for us to talk about today.
But what I want us to think about today is this.
I want us to see here the love of Jesus.
See his love.
That's what I think this passage is really all about.
If you look at verse 1, it says,
What's going on in John 17?
Jesus is trying to show his own people the full extent of his love.
Now as we think about this passage,
I want us to be clear that the scriptures teach that we live out of our hearts.
We live out of our hearts.
We don't just live on the outside.
So as we speak today about servanthood,
there will be no one serving consistently
unless that comes from a heart that wants to serve.
You know, you can whomp it up for a day,
but if you want to serve ongoing, it's got to come from your heart.
You know, you think about fitness training or strength training
or things like this.
I tried some of that strength training with some of my friends in school.
They had hearts for it and they kept it up.
I went and said,
Man, I'm a wreck.
And that was it for me.
You know, I didn't have a heart for it.
Unless you have a heart for something,
you don't carry on doing it.
We live out of our hearts.
And in the Bible, when it speaks of our hearts,
it's actually really speaking about
basically the engine that drives us forward in life.
It's the energy that we live from.
Our hearts are the reason we do what we do.
They are the compelling purpose behind the things we do in life.
And so when the Bible speaks of our heart,
it speaks of our desires,
our will,
our choices.
It speaks of our motivation.
It speaks of our emotions.
It speaks of our thoughts,
our devotions,
our cravings,
our worship.
The whole inner man,
in reality,
the whole you that I can't see today.
I'm looking at your physical bodies,
but the whole you that I cannot see today
is really the heart.
It's this kind of wrapped up term
of everything that has to do with the heart.
We live out of our hearts.
It is the engine that drives us
in what we do in life.
And Jesus, here,
is living out of his heart.
And we want to see in this passage
the very heart of Jesus.
I think of in another place
in Matthew 11, verse 29,
where it speaks very similarly.
Jesus says,
I am gentle and lowly in heart.
My very heart is that I am gentle and lowly.
And here Jesus,
the lowly and gentle master,
is showing this heart of love
which drives him
in everything he does.
So we want to see that today.
He loves.
And here in verse 1,
we see that he loves his own
to the end.
It says,
having loved his own
who were in the world,
verse 1,
he now showed them
the full extent of his love.
I really hope that today
we will get to see
something more
of the love of Jesus.
He would love them
to the death.
He would make a display
of the ultimate form of love.
Jesus, actually,
if we were to look back
into chapter 12,
he says,
now my soul
is troubled within me.
He is in the most troubling
personal circumstances
anyone could imagine.
No matter how troubled yours are,
you cannot imagine
how troubled Jesus are
in this moment.
And yet,
in this time,
when he is facing
all these troubling circumstances,
his heart is troubled
within him.
He loves
and he serves
his own.
That's very telling,
isn't it?
He loved,
it says,
his own.
Now,
back in John chapter 1,
at the beginning
of John's gospel,
it says,
Jesus came to his own,
but his own
did not receive him.
There it's speaking
of the Jewish people.
He came to his own
Jewish people.
They did not receive him.
And so,
in a way,
what we see here
is that
his own,
in this passage,
are no longer
the old covenant community
of genetic people
coming from Abraham,
the children of Abraham,
genetically.
His own
are now
a new covenant community
of all
who did receive him.
John chapter 1,
verse 12.
To all who did receive him,
who believed on his name,
he gave the right
to become
children of God.
Children
born
of God.
John 1,
12,
and 13.
His own.
It says here
that his own
were
in
the world.
We really
want to look at it,
what it is,
is his own
are those
who he has called
out
of the world.
They are no longer
those of the world.
He has called them
out of the world,
but here they are
in the world.
A very important word
in John's gospel.
The word world here
is the word
cosmos.
And wherever it is used
in John's gospel
and throughout
much of the New Testament,
I think it is used
186 times
in the New Testament,
this word cosmos,
it refers to
humans
living
opposed
to God.
Humanity
in opposition
to God
is what this word
world
brings to mind.
Think of this.
John 3,
16.
Probably the most
well-known verse
in maybe the Bible.
For God
so
loved
the world.
Really?
The cosmos?
Humans
in opposition
to him?
He so loved
them?
For real?
Yes.
He did.
Think of
this love.
He so
loved
that he loved
those who were
completely
opposed to him.
He loved
those
who were
his enemies.
He loved
those
who lived
in direct
rebellion
against him.
He loves
those
who have
done
their worst
and most
harmful evil
to himself
and to
his son.
God
so
loved
the world.
But now
we read
here
that not
only does
he so
love the
world,
he loves
his own.
Nevertheless,
can I just
point out
this love
where God
so loved
the world,
this love
for his
enemies,
for those
who are
against him,
you have
never
experienced
love
from anyone
else like
that.
In fact,
I would
dare say,
you and
I have
never
loved
like that,
have we?
That is
an incredibly
remarkable
love,
to love
in that
way.
And yet
here we
find that
Jesus wants
to go beyond
that love
of God
so loved
the world
to show
the full
extent of
his love
for
his
own.
His
own.
He loved
his own
and showed
them the
full extent
of his
love.
About 10
days ago,
we have
some friends
in Germany,
their names
are Sam
and Jesse.
And Sam
and Jesse
had their
first child
10 days
ago.
His name
is James.
And Sam
and Jesse
for years
have been
involved in
a ministry
where they
are ministering
to students,
they spiritually
care for
many young
people and
help them
towards the
Lord.
And they
love those
young people
they work
with.
But I
can tell
you that
Sam
and Jesse
are experiencing
love to
a new
extent.
Love of
their own.
His little
James,
their own
son.
And if
you're a
parent,
I think
you know
what I'm
now talking
about.
There's
this love
to a
greater
extent.
And here
Jesus is
showing his
love for
his own.
Now in
John's
Gospel,
see if I can
get some of
this going
here.
Sorry,
I should
have had
that up
ages ago.
But in
John's
Gospel,
there's a
bigger picture
and I'd
like to
just point
this out
briefly so
we can see
what's happening
with the love
in this
passage.
But really
throughout the
scriptures we're
shown this
love that is
in the God
of Trinity,
Father,
Son,
and Holy
Spirit.
And what's
described for
us is this
fellowship of
divine love,
the love of
the Father for
the Son,
Spirit,
Father,
Son,
in this
divine fellowship
of love.
we read in
1 John 1
verse 3,
we proclaim
to you what
we have
seen and
what we
have heard
so that
you may
have
fellowship
with us
and our
fellowship is
with the
Father and
with his
Son,
Jesus Christ.
And so what
we have is
this picture
throughout
scripture of
this fellowship
of divine love
and it's being
brought out in
a unique way
here in
John chapters
13 to
17,
where there
is this
unfailing,
eternal,
perfect love
on display
between the
Father and
the Son and
the Holy Spirit.
There is no
love like it.
It's a love of
delight and we're
told that in that
fellowship of
divine love there
is fullness
of joy.
But there's a
problem.
The world
is the problem.
Sinners living
in rebellion
against God.
Sinners that
cannot enter
the presence
of God
because they
are condemned
sinners
opposed
to God.
And so we
have this
fellowship of
divine love
but we have
this separation
from fellowship.
But the story
doesn't stop
there.
The good news
goes on and
this,
in love the
Father sends
his one and
only Son
into this
world of
rebels against
him.
but not
only that,
the Son,
we know,
died,
rose again,
returned to
the Father
and in love
the Father
and the Son
send the
Spirit
into the
world as
Jesus ascends
to heaven.
We learn a lot
about this in
John 14 to
16.
But it
doesn't only
stop there.
It's that in
love the
Spirit draws
rebels to
be God's
own.
He draws
rebels to
be his own
children, to
belong to
Jesus.
And through
repentance and
through faith,
these rebels
turn to him.
They become
those who are
Jesus' own
people.
Their lives
are joined to
him in this
unique way.
And those
who the
Spirit draws
to repentance
and faith,
they themselves
enter into
the very
same fellowship
of divine
love shared
between the
Father, the
Son, and the
Spirit.
Those who
become Jesus'
own enter
the same
fellowship
where there
is fullness
of joy and
delight in
God's presence.
Do you know
what it is to
be called into
that same
fellowship of
divine love?
So that's a
bigger picture
of what's
going on
here.
But the
disciples are
thinking about
external realities.
They're thinking
about slaves,
servants,
towels,
basins,
smelly feet,
water,
Passover
feasts,
lambs,
things like
this.
This is what
they have in
mind.
And Jesus
says, you
actually don't
understand what
I'm doing
for you now.
Later on,
you will
understand.
Verse 7.
Jesus is
about to
show the
ultimate
in servanthood,
the ultimate
lowering.
He will
wash his
disciples,
but the
primary way
he will
wash his
disciples is
not by
washing their
feet.
It is by
shedding his
own blood
for them.
later on,
you will
understand what
I'm really
doing for
you.
The washing
he's speaking
of, the
washing he's
really trying
to demonstrate
for them,
is a
washing by
his own
blood.
24 hours
later,
Jesus will
go to
the cross.
Let's look
at this.
First of
all, in
our passage
we see that
the master
knows how
low he
must go.
If you look
at verses
2 to 3,
the evening
meal was
being served
and the
devil had
already prompted
Judas Iscariot,
son of
Simon, to
betray Jesus.
Jesus knew
that the
father had
put all
things under
his power
and that he
had come
from God
and was
returning to
God.
And so he
got up from
the meal,
took off his
outer clothing
and wrapped
a towel
around his
waist.
Jesus knew.
There's this
early emphasis
in the first
four verses
of what Jesus
knows.
Verse 1,
Jesus knows
that his
hour has
come to
return to
the father.
Jesus knows
throughout
John's gospel
that his
hour had
not yet
come.
His hour
had not
yet come.
And Jesus
knows his
hour has
come.
He is
going to
the cross.
The time
to go to
the cross
has now
come.
It's a
matter of
timing.
His time
to return
to the
father.
Many
people call
these chapters
of John
Jesus'
farewell
discourse.
That's
kind of
a fancy
way of
putting it.
It's a
farewell
message that
he gives
to the
disciples.
It is
the time
that Jesus
will go
for his
own
to the
cross in
love.
But also,
it's not only
that he knows
his time has
come,
the hour has
come,
but verse 2,
he knows
who will
betray him.
And we read
later on,
actually,
as well,
throughout,
that Jesus
knew that
it would
be Judas
Iscariot
who would
betray him.
He knows
who will
betray him.
Then verse 3,
we see that
Jesus knows
that the
father has
placed all
things under
his power.
He knows
that he has
come from
God,
and that he
is the
eternal son,
that he is
returning to
God with
all power,
all authority,
and he is
exalted to
the highest
position.
And this is
what it means
that Jesus
has ascended
on high.
He rules
over all.
And he is
sat down,
having finished
the work as
our great
high priest.
So knowing
all this,
it says in
our passage,
Jesus got
up from
dinner.
He takes
off his
outer garment,
he takes
up the
towel,
and he
begins to
wash his
disciples'
feet.
Jesus is
doing the
unthinkable.
Think of
how much
he is
lowering
himself.
a writer
you may
have heard
of from
a few
hundred
years ago
named
John
Flavel.
He gave
this
illustration.
He said
if the
sun was
reduced to
a tiny
wandering
atom in
space,
that would
be a
remarkable
and
unimaginable
degrading,
wouldn't
it?
If a
mighty
angel
was
lowered and
transformed
into a
tiny little
fruit fly,
that would
be a
tremendous
lowering and
degrade,
wouldn't
it?
And yet,
from the
sun to
an atom,
from the
mighty angel
to a
fruit fly,
is still a
finite distance,
because they're
all created
things.
But for the
almighty
creator,
our Lord
Jesus Christ,
who is
God himself,
the one who
made all
things,
for the
creator of
all things,
to lower
himself to
the place
of a
servant.
Not only
to lower
himself to
a place
of the
servant,
but to
lower
himself to
disgrace,
to
rejection,
to
torture,
on a
cross,
crucifixion,
the ultimate
lowering.
This is
an infinite
distance,
which we
can't even
fathom.
The lowering
of our
savior in
love for
us.
Jesus'
time has
come.
He knows
Golgotha
is clearly
in view,
and there
he will
show his
love for
his own.
We see
in verse
five,
where it
says,
after that
he poured
water into
the basin
and began
to wash
his disciples'
feet,
drying them
with a
towel that
was wrapped
around him.
We see
this,
that the
master lowers
himself to
wash filthy
feet.
Now,
we do
need to
see this
foot washing
for what
it actually
is,
so that we
can see
through it
to what
Jesus is
actually
showing to
his disciples.
Without
getting into
all the
jigs and
reels of
foot washing
in the
tradition,
can we
just say
this?
People had
very smelly
and dirty
feet in
those days,
and the
washing of
feet was
the job
of a
slave.
It was a
lowly job.
I get
the sense
that if
you were
a free
person in
the Roman
Empire,
you had
never
experienced
the washing
of someone
else's
feet.
Jesus is
doing this
unthinkable
thing and
lowering
himself to
this position.
He is,
in a sense,
lowering himself.
He's demoting
himself to the
place of a
slave.
Have you ever
been demoted?
Have you ever
had your grades
knocked back?
Yeah, I have.
I deserved it.
Have you ever
lost your
position or
lost a job
or had your
pay cut or
had a position
lowered at
work?
I remember
one time I
was on a
baseball team
when I was
17.
It was my
second last
year of
school and
I went on
the team and
I had a good
year and I
was in the
starting lineup
every game
all season.
It was great.
Next year I
decided I
needed some
friends on
the team so
I invited
some friends
and two of
my friends
ended up
playing the
two positions
I played.
And we
got a new
coach.
And I
spent the
whole year
playing only
off the
substitutes
bench.
I never
once was in
the starting
lineup.
It was
humiliating.
Beyond that
when I did
get out there
I had a
humiliating
injury.
I got
smashed in
the face
with a
ball and
bled
everywhere.
But anyway
lowering
demotion.
Jesus is
giving this
incredible,
it's like a
living parable
about a
demonstration
of the
full extent
of his
love.
Washing
feet is a
humble
servant's
role.
You know,
we don't
expect to
go to
the headquarters
of Tesla
and find
Elon Musk
pushing around
a mop and
a pail,
do we?
We don't
expect to
find Vladimir
Putin
volunteering
for the
most toxic
radioactive
cleanup at
Chernobyl.
people.
But we
can expect
Jesus,
the Master
and Lord
who created
all things,
the sovereign
ruler of
the universe,
the King of
all kings,
we can expect
him to be
found lowering
himself to
the place of
a slave,
humbling
himself to
wash dirty
feet.
But we can
also expect
Jesus to
lower himself
far, far
more than
this, to
lower himself
to the
degraded
and disgraced
position of
going to
the cross,
suffering wrath
that was
ours.
He did
it in
love for
his own.
See his
love here
in John
13.
Carrying on
we see that
the Master
not only lowers
himself to
wash filthy
feet, he
lowers himself
to wash
filthy
sinners.
even in
the presence
of evil.
Looking there
at verses
6 to 10,
he came to
Simon Peter
who said to
him, Lord,
are you going
to wash
my feet?
Jesus replied,
you do not
realize now
what I'm doing,
but later you
will understand.
No,
said Peter,
you shall
never wash
my feet.
Jesus answered,
unless I
wash you,
you have
no part
with me.
Then Lord
Simon Peter
replied,
not just
my feet,
but my
hands and
my head
as well.
Jesus
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.
Sorry.
Peter,
don't you
love Peter?
Straight out
with him.
He has
these objections,
these protests,
verses 6 to 8,
the disciples
are basically
clueless of
what's happening,
it says in
verse 7.
Peter then
has the
complete opposite
reaction within
seconds,
okay,
hold back
please,
and then
Jesus points
out in
verse 9,
or verses
10 and 11,
sorry,
one of them
is actually
not clean.
He knows
who his
betrayer is.
He knows
one of them
is not clean.
Jesus says
in verse 8,
unless I
wash you,
you have
no part
with me,
Peter.
And Jesus'
words to
Peter
weren't about
his feet,
were they?
Jesus'
words to
Peter
were about
more than
just Peter
too,
they were
about you
and me.
Unless
Jesus
washes
us,
we can
have
no part
with Jesus.
In fact,
the reality
is that
only Jesus
can wash
us.
Oh,
thank you
very much,
you're very
kind.
I actually
have water
up here and
here,
I'm ignoring it.
thank you.
Thank you.
Jesus is
saying,
you can
have no part
with me
unless I
wash you.
There is no
one else
that can
wash us.
We can't
go anywhere
else for
washing.
You can
try any
substitute you
want,
unless Jesus
washes you.
you will
never be
washed.
That is
the point
Jesus is
clearly making
to Peter
here.
Only he
is able
to wash
us.
And it's
a far,
far greater
issue
than smelly
and dusty
feet.
He's
pointing
to the
washing
he will
provide
for sinners
less than
24 hours
later
at Golgotha
at the
cross.
Jesus
hasn't come
to only
take up
a towel.
He's
also come
to take
up his
cross
and provide
washing for
sinners
by his
blood.
Quite
significantly
in these
verses,
they bring
out the
issue of
Jesus'
betrayer.
Now,
as you
move on
into John
13,
it deals
a lot
more with
this.
We won't
go too
deep into
this,
but Jesus
points out
that not
all are
clean.
Not
all are
his own.
In the
room,
only 11
of the
12 are
his own.
Evil is
at work
already.
And yet,
remarkably,
here we
find Jesus
also
washing the
feet of
Judas.
Wow.
Even then,
reaching out
to Judas,
giving him
opportunity.
Evil is
in the
room as
Jesus is
providing
washing.
But the
master,
he lowers
himself to
wash dirty
feet,
filthy feet.
He lowers
himself to
wash filthy
sinners.
But it's
also clear in
these verses,
verses 11 to
17, that the
master lowers
himself to
set a
pattern for
the servants
that he has
washed.
Looking at
verses 12
to 15,
when 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.
You call
me teacher
and lord,
and rightly
so, for that
is what I
am.
Now that I,
your lord and
teacher, have
washed your
feet, you
also should
wash one
another's
feet.
I have
set you an
example that
you should do
as I have
done for
you.
I am
your teacher,
I am
your lord,
I am
your master,
Jesus says.
Do you,
verse 11,
understand what
I have done
for you?
Do you
understand?
When we
begin to
understand what
he has done
for us in
lowering himself
to wash us
from our
filthy sins
as filthy
sinners,
and when we
understand that
Jesus lowers
himself to
become a
lowly servant,
there is an
obvious action
that we ought
to take.
But this is a
dangerous part
of the
passage,
and it is
this.
The easy
thing to
take from
this passage
is this,
go serve
like Jesus,
do better
everybody.
But going
back to the
beginning when
I talked about
the fact that
we live out
of our hearts,
Jesus isn't
just doing
this to do
better,
he is doing
this because
his very
heart is a
heart that
is lowly
and gentle
and full
of love
for his
own.
And so
just telling
you all,
go serve
better,
is not going
to sustain
this.
It must
come from
the engine
of your
hearts.
We must,
as servants,
have hearts
of servants
like Jesus
has.
And so
the easy
application is
just everybody
go serve
better,
and that's
true,
but we're
going to have
to get
deeper
than just
try harder.
We're going
to have
to look
at the
heart
that drives
this service.
Because
Jesus is
calling them,
verse 15,
do as I
have done
for you.
We are
being given
something to
do,
aren't we?
It's to
lower ourselves
as he has
lowered himself.
Verse 34,
Jesus will go
on to say,
as I have
loved you,
so you
must love
one another.
He has
lowered himself
to show
the full
extent
of his
love.
We will
never be
able to
lower
ourselves
to serve
like Jesus
serves
unless
the engine
of love
and the
love of
our master
drives
our service.
We will
never be
able to
sustain
it.
There's a
promise also
in these
verses for
those who
would lower
themselves
and become
servants of
others,
even to
serve
God's
enemies.
Promise
is found
here in
verses 16
and 17,
I think it
is.
Verses 16
and 17,
I tell you
the truth,
no servant
is greater
than his
master,
nor is a
messenger
greater than
the one
who sent
him.
Now that
you know
these things,
you will
be blessed
if you
do them.
There's a
promise here
for anyone
listening.
if they
are Jesus
own,
if they
have been
washed
by Jesus,
and I
must be
clear about
this,
you cannot
truly serve
unless you've
already been
washed by
him.
It starts
there.
But if you
have been
washed by
Jesus,
here's the
promise.
You will
be blessed
if you do
as I've
done.
Blessed
you will
be.
The word
blessed
means,
or blessed
means,
happy you
will be.
happy you
will be if
you lower
yourself to
serve others
like I
have done.
Happy you
will be if
you take
the more
degraded
position in
order to
serve others
in love.
Promise.
Happy you
will be.
Blessed.
If you're
like me,
when I
read that
promise,
I had to
ask myself,
do I
actually believe
that?
Do I
actually
believe that
lowering myself
in the
service of
others is
the path
to joy
and happiness?
This is the
promise Jesus
makes.
Do we
believe him
when he
says it?
Do we
believe that
pursuing the
role of
lowly
servants is
actually the
pursuit of
our own
joy?
So what are
we going
to do
about these
verses?
Just a
couple of
quick
suggestions
as we
finish out.
Because what
we really
want to see
here is the
love of
Jesus.
First off,
you can't go
anywhere with
John 13
unless you've
been washed.
have you
been washed
through Jesus'
blood?
Are you
someone who
through repentance
and faith,
and repentance
is really quite
simple,
someone put it
quite simply
for me,
repentance is
turning away
from self
and faith is
turning to
Jesus.
Through
repentance and
faith,
have you ever
come to
Jesus to be
washed of
your sins?
Because this
passage is
showing us
we need
washed.
We need
cleansing
from sin.
If you
won't let
Jesus wash
you,
then you
can have
no part
with him.
You cannot
be his
own.
You actually
reject him.
And if you
haven't been
washed by
Jesus,
then you
will never
sustain a
heart that
truly wants
to lower
yourself in
the service
of Jesus'
people,
his own.
So would
you today
respond by
turning away
from yourself
and turning
to him
for washing?
And Jesus
asks,
this is a very
practical thing,
he says,
those who
repent and
believe the
good news
are to be
baptized.
Now,
baptism is a
little like
the basin.
It doesn't
save you,
it makes
you wetter,
it doesn't
make you
any better.
But baptism
is a sign
that you
are someone
who has
come to
associate
yourself with
Jesus,
and Jesus
associates
himself with
you.
And baptism
is a way
that you
yourself
declare,
you go
public with
the proclamation
that you
belong to
him.
So I
encourage you
to repent
and believe
the good
news,
and if you
haven't been
baptized,
if you're
someone who
has,
then you
should obey
Jesus in
that manner.
Again,
baptism does
not save
you,
it does
not make
you clean
from your
sins,
but it is
what he's
called us
to do.
Now,
for those
who belong
to Jesus,
for those
who are
his own
here today,
and many
of you
are,
I know
quite a
few of
you,
can I
give a
practical
suggestion,
and it's
this,
you're
already
doing what
I'm
going to
suggest,
I'm
just
going to
say,
keep
doing
it.
One
very
practical
thing
that you
can do
in relation
to this
passage
is
attending
your
services
consistently,
attending
your
home
groups,
as it
was
talked
about
today,
consistently.
Why do
I say
that?
Well,
what I
would say
is if
you
refuse
to turn
up
where
his
own
people
are
gathered,
how
are
you
going
to
be
one
who
humbly
lowers
yourself
to
serve
them?
And so
I would
encourage
you to
keep
doing
what
you're
doing,
but also
be
looking
around
you,
because
this
has
been
a
strange
time,
hasn't
it?
Pandemic,
odd
stuff.
It's
a time
when a
lot of
us
have
become
very
disconnected
from
many
of the
patterns
in life
we may
have
had
before.
And
some
have
become
disconnected
from
fellowship.
I'm
guessing
it's
happened
here.
It
has
in
Douglas.
It
definitely
has
happened
to
some.
And
so
maybe
some
of
us
can
even
begin
to
pursue
and
reach
out
to
and
serve
others
who
become
disconnected.
It's
true,
you
ought
to.
It's
scriptural
that you
should
gather
regularly
to meet.
Is it
so that
you
yourself
will be
encouraged
or is
it that
the music
is always
exactly
the music
you would
have
chosen
and it
really
blesses
your
heart?
That's
not
possible
in a
room
with a
bunch
of
people
in it.
There's
no
way
we're
all
going
to
like
the
same
music.
Although
those
might
be
solid
reasons,
the
reason
to
gather
is how
where
they
are
gathered
to
encourage
them,
to
help
them,
to
help
those
who
haven't
yet
found
washing
to
find
washing,
like
we're
hearing
about
the
Sunday
schools,
many
of
them
have
yet
to
put
their
trust
in
Jesus.
Let's
help
them
and
lead
them
to
the
Savior
who
washes.
So
I
encourage
you
to
commit
yourselves
to
what
you're
already
doing
and
help
others
commit
to
that
and
to
your
midweek
meetings.
But
also
I
just
want
to
say
a
quick
word
as
I
finish
about
your
leaders
here
in
this
church.
I
know
the
leaders
here,
a lot
of
them
quite
well.
You
have
imperfect
leaders,
just
like we
have
in
Douglas.
I'm
one
of
them.
But
I
know
that
you
have
very
good
leaders
who
want
to
lead
and
help
you.
And
one
of
the
ways
that
you
can
really
serve
your
leaders
is
by
being
consistent
in
servanthood,
by
being
consistent
in
turning
up.
One
of
the
best
ways
that
you
can
serve
your
leaders
is
by
showing
up
so
that
they
can
serve
and
care
for
you.
And
so
I
want
to
encourage
you
in
relation
to
your
leaders
to
serve
them
because
you
are
blessed
with
some
very
good
leaders.
And
this
time,
these
two
years
have
been
brutally
hard
on
leaders.
I'm
sure
on
the
leaders
team
they've
not
always
agreed
on
everything
and
every
move
and
yet
they've
come
and
worked
together
I'm
thinking
likely
in
this
church
but
it's
been
hard.
I
don't
even
agree
with
myself
completely
on
the
pandemic.
Sometimes
I disagree
with
myself.
So
how am
I
meant
to
agree
with
everyone
else?
It's
a
difficult
time
and
I
would
encourage
you
to
serve
your
leaders
and
thank
God
for
them.
The
love
of
Jesus
changes
us.
It's
a hymn
that says
what kind
of love
is this
that gave
itself
for me?
I am
the guilty
one
yet I
go free.
What
kind
of man
is this
that died
in agony?
He
who had
done
no wrong
was crucified
for me.
What
kind
of man
is this
he laid
aside
his throne
so that
I
may
know
the
love
of
God
what
kind
of
man
is
this?
No
eye
has
ever
seen
no
ear
has
ever
heard
nor
has
the
heart
of
man
conceived
what
kind
of
love
is
this?
What
wondrous
love
is
this
oh
my
soul
to be
washed
by a
savior
who
lowers
himself
for
his
own
for
me
father
we
thank
you
for
the
washing
we
find
in
Jesus
please
lord
would
you
help
us
to
follow
in
his
steps
as
servants
but
help
us
to
realize
it
all
starts
with
going
to
him
to
be
washed
and
we
thank
you
for
the
washing
we
receive
at
the
cross
by
his
blood
and
we
pray
that
we
would
see
through
the
towels
and
basins
today
through
the
lambs
and
the
Passover
sacrifices
to
see
Jesus
our
Passover
lamb
the
lamb
of
God
who
takes
away
the
sins
of
the
world
thank
you
for
this
congregation
bless
and
encourage
them
we
pray
in
Jesus
name
amen
thank you
Bryson
what
wonderful
love
of
our
Savior
that
he
would
lower
himself
as
he
did
we
are
going
to
respond
in
the
singing
of
how
deep
the
father's
love
for
us
behold
a
man
upon
the
cross
Jesus
going
to
the
cross
becoming
one
like
us
going
to
the
cross
humbling
himself
as
he
did
we
are
going
to
stand
and
sing
and
then
we
are
going
to
spend
time
around
the
table
he
did
on
the
cross
his
body
broken
his
blood
shed
for
us
let's
stand
to
sing
how
deep
the
father's
love
for
us
God
how
that
beyond
whole
measure
shall
be
shook
in
his
holy
love
to
make
a
wretch
his
treasure
away
the
pain
of
feeling
none
the
thought
of
time
his
face
away
has
wounds
that
empower
the
children
bring
many
love
to
hopefully
he
es
Amen.