Well, if you would, please take your Bibles and open them up to John chapter 13.
John chapter 13. If you did not bring your own Bible with you, that's okay.
There's no excuse. We got one in the seat back in front of you.
So if you would take that Bible from the seat in front of you,
I think you can find this passage around page 843 or 844.
In that range, if you go to the 840s, you'll find John chapter 13.
Our text this morning is John 13, 1 through 17.
So when you've found it in your Bible, let's stand up together if you're physically able
in honor of the reading of the Word of God.
Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come
to depart out of this world to the Father,
having loved His own who were in the world,
He loved them to the end.
During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot,
Simon's son, to betray Him,
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands
and that He had come from God and was going back to God,
rose from supper.
He laid aside His outer garments
and taking a towel, tied it around His waist.
Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet
and to wipe them with a towel that was wrapped around Him.
He came to Simon Peter who said to Him,
Lord, do you wash my feet?
Jesus answered him,
What I am doing you do not understand now,
but afterward you will understand.
Peter said to Him,
You shall never wash my feet.
Jesus answered him,
If I do not wash you,
you have no share with me.
Simon Peter said to Him,
Lord, not my feet only,
but also my hands and my head.
Jesus said to Him,
The one who has bathed does not need to wash except for His feet,
but is completely clean.
And you are clean,
but not every one of you.
For He knew who was to betray Him.
That was why He said,
Not all of you are clean.
When He had washed their feet and put on His outer garments
and resumed His place,
He said to them,
Do you understand what I have done to you?
You call Me teacher and Lord,
and you are right, for so I am.
If I then, your Lord and teacher,
have washed your feet,
you also ought to wash one another's feet.
For I have given you an example
that you also should do just as I have done to you.
Truly, truly, I say to you,
a servant is not greater than his master,
nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you know these things,
blessed are you if you do them.
This is God's holy word.
Please be seated.
Lord, we pray once more
that as we look to Christ who served us,
we pray that You would stir our hearts
with love for Him
and that You would push us out of this place
to serve one another.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, this passage presents us
with an unthinkable reversal.
The master, Jesus,
becomes the servant.
And the one who is worthy
stoops down to serve
those who are unworthy.
You may be familiar with the TV show,
Undercover Boss.
Has any of you seen that TV show?
The top-level boss of the company
goes undercover,
hence the name,
and he goes to work
amongst the common people.
The boss cleans toilets,
drives buses,
these high-level executives.
They enter into the world
of blue-collar service
and they get their hands dirty.
Every episode is pretty much
the same thing
over and over and over again.
You'd think that people would
be tired of that same story
over and over by now,
but they've had 11 seasons
of this,
Undercover Boss.
Apparently,
the first episode aired
right after the Super Bowl
in 2010.
They had 38.6 million viewers
stick around after the Super Bowl
to watch Undercover Boss.
There's something
about this strange reversal
of roles that piques our interest.
It is fascinating to us
to see the owner
become the servant.
Well, here in John chapter 13,
we see Jesus,
the King of kings,
the boss of bosses,
stooped down as a servant.
This passage,
it teaches us
the incredible truth
that the sovereign King
of all the universe
has stooped down
to serve sinners.
The one who is worthy
of all praise and honor
has humbled himself
to honor those
who are unworthy.
And what we learn here
in John 13
is that if he has served you,
if you have received
what he has done,
if you have been washed clean
by this suffering servant,
then guess what?
Now you are called
to go and do
just as he has done.
The king has stooped
to serve.
And the question
that I want us to ask
this morning
from John chapter 13
is this,
how should we respond
to the service
of King Jesus?
How should we respond
to the service
of King Jesus?
And I want us to see
two ways
we respond
to his service.
Number one,
let him serve you.
And number two,
let him show you
how to serve one another.
First,
how do we respond
to King Jesus?
First,
let him serve you.
Verse one,
it tells us
that this meal
happened before
the feast
of the Passover.
This was the last Passover
of Jesus' life.
Don't miss
the connotations here.
The Passover meal,
you remember,
it celebrated,
it remembered,
it looked back
to when God's wrath
passed over
the houses
whose door
was covered
by the blood
of the Lamb.
Those who were
covered by the blood
of the Lamb
were spared
the wrath of God.
Those doors
who were not
covered by the blood
of the Lamb,
not washed
by the blood,
so to speak,
were judged.
And here,
John tells us
that Jesus,
the Lamb of God
who takes away
the sins of the world,
this Lamb
who is preparing
to go to the slaughter
to cover the sins
of His people,
He's spending
some of His last moments,
His final hours,
eating with His disciples.
Picture the scene
with me.
They would have been
lying down,
reclining at table
is the term
that's often used.
They didn't sit
in high chairs
at a raised table
as we do.
We're about to have
Thanksgiving meal
here in a couple of days.
I can't imagine
sometimes I have
a hard time
getting out of my seat
after I eat a big meal.
Imagine lying down
on the ground
and having to get up
after you finish
your dinner.
They reclined.
They laid down
in mats on the ground
and their feet
were laid out
behind them
away from the table.
And John tells us
that Jesus,
knowing that His time
had come,
knowing that His hour
was finally here,
knowing that the Father
had given all things
into His hands,
knowing that He had come
from the Father
and was going back
to the Father,
knowing even,
in verse 11,
it tells us,
knowing even those
who were preparing
to betray Him,
did something
completely unexpected.
Verse 4,
it tells us,
Jesus rose from supper,
laid aside His outer garments,
took a towel,
tied it around His waist.
You can imagine
the disciples' confusion.
Jesus had done
some strange things
up to this point,
but what in the world
is He doing here?
He is putting on
the apparel
of a servant.
He took the form
of a servant,
and then He did
the work
of a servant.
John tells us
He poured water
out into a basin,
and He began
to wash
the disciples' feet
and to wipe them
with a towel
that was wrapped
around Him.
This was
servants' work.
Washing someone's feet
in this culture,
we have to understand,
in this culture,
washing someone's feet
was some of the lowest,
dirtiest work imaginable.
It was reserved
for the lowest
of the lowest
of servants.
In fact,
many of the Jews
in this day,
they said Jewish servants
weren't even allowed
to wash Jewish people's feet.
That was reserved
for the Gentile servants,
if that.
And again,
you might think back
to John the Baptist
in John chapter 1.
Do you remember
what he said?
He said he wasn't
even worthy
to untie Jesus' sandals.
He's not even worthy
to be the lowest
of the lowest
of Jesus' servants.
That's how wonderful,
how worthy
he viewed Jesus.
But here,
everything is reversed.
It's not the disciples
washing Jesus' feet.
It's Jesus
who gets out the bucket.
It's Jesus
who wraps a towel
around His waist,
and it's Jesus
who stoops down
to serve.
This is a spectacular display
of the heart of Jesus.
I want you to think with me
here for a moment
about what this shows us,
what this teaches us
about who Jesus is
and what He's come to do.
And this is, of course,
it's a spectacular display
of humility.
It's a spectacular display
of humility.
Mark 10, verse 45,
tells us,
The Son of Man
came not to be served,
but to serve
and to give His life
as a ransom for many.
That's a verse worthy
of our meditation, isn't it?
Think about that.
The Son of Man,
the one who is worthy
of all worship,
worthy of all praise,
worthy of all adoration,
worthy of all service,
came not to be served,
but to serve
and to give His life
as a ransom for many.
See, humility is at the very core
of the person
and the mission of Jesus.
The incarnation itself,
God becoming man,
is a spectacular display
of divine humility.
I heard Christmas music
on the radio this week,
so I think I'm safe
to make this illustration,
this reference.
One of my favorites,
one of my absolute favorite
Christmas hymns,
is Thou who wast rich
beyond all splendor.
Do you know that one?
Thou who wast rich
beyond all splendor,
all for love's sake
becameest poor.
Thrones for a manger
did surrender,
sapphire courts
for stable floor.
Thou who art God
beyond all praising,
all for love's sake
becameest man.
Stooping so low,
but sinners raising,
heavenwards,
by thine eternal plan.
This is a radical,
spectacular humility.
And you ask,
well, what could motivate
such humble service?
Well, this service,
John tells us,
is motivated by love.
All for love's sake
becameest man,
the hymn says.
All for love's sake
becameest poor.
This is a spectacular display
of love.
Look again to verse 1.
John told us,
when Jesus knew
that His hour had come
to depart out of this world
to the Father,
having loved His own
who were in the world,
He loved them
to the end.
John is remembering
the spectacular love of Jesus,
not only in this moment,
but throughout His entire life,
but exemplified here
in this moment.
This is a display
of selfless,
humble love.
And not for those
who have earned it.
Pay attention to this here.
This is not love
for those who are worthy of it.
Far from it.
This is love for those
not who have it all together.
This is love for sinners.
You remember what Jesus knows
about His disciples here.
What does He know
about His disciples?
Those whose feet He's washing.
He knows everything
about them.
He has perfect knowledge
of what Judas is about to do.
Sell them off
for 30 pieces of silver.
We'll deal with him next week.
He had perfect knowledge
of what Peter was about to do.
Deny Him three times.
I don't know Him.
He knows their sin
backwards and forwards,
inside and out,
and yet here He is
with a towel around His waist,
stooping down to serve
those who are unworthy
of His love.
This is good news
for sinners like us,
isn't it church?
And what does this tell us?
It tells us His love
is not based on our worthiness.
He doesn't love us
because we are good.
He loves us because
He is good
and gracious
towards sinners like us
and merciful
towards sinners like us.
Jesus knows all
about your sin.
He doesn't love you
because you're clean.
His love
makes us clean.
This is what we learn
from His interaction
with Peter,
isn't it?
Look there with me.
Peter,
as he usually does,
he has something to say
about this.
There in verse 6,
He said,
Lord,
do you wash my feet?
Jesus answered him,
what I am doing now
you do not understand,
but afterward
you will understand.
But Peter wouldn't have it,
would he?
He said,
you shall never
wash my feet.
And look at what He said
here in verse 8.
And Jesus answered him,
if I do not wash you,
Peter,
you have no share
with me.
So what did Peter do?
He did a full 180,
didn't he?
Lord,
don't only wash my feet,
wash my hands,
wash my head,
wash me completely,
Lord,
whatever it's going to take.
Which, of course,
this points us
towards what we already know,
which is that this act
of washing feet
is actually
a spectacular display
of a greater,
more humble,
loving service
to come.
This act of washing feet
is a small picture
of the love of Christ
who came to live
and to die
and to rise
for sinners like us.
John's telling us,
if it's shocking to you
that Jesus would stoop down
and wash your feet,
just you wait.
The King has come to die
for His people.
And where do we see
the love
and the humility
and the service
of Jesus
more clearly
than on the cross?
Where are sinners
like us
cleansed completely
of our sin?
Totally cleansed,
but at the cross.
Romans 5.8
God shows His love
for us
in this.
That while we were
still sinners,
Christ died
for us.
Why?
For what purpose?
Paul tells us
in Ephesians 5.
Christ loved the church
and gave Himself
up for her.
Why?
That He might
sanctify her,
having cleansed her
with the washing
of water
with the Word
so that He might
present the church
to Himself
in splendor
without spot
or wrinkle
or any such thing
that she might be
holy
and without blemish.
This passage
isn't about
our feet.
Jesus here
in washing
His disciples' feet,
He was pointing
them forward
towards a greater
cleansing to come
not just of our
stinky feet,
church,
but of our
sin-stained soul.
And when we realize
this,
don't we want to
cry out like Peter,
Lord,
wash me.
Lord,
wash me clean.
Whatever it takes,
Lord,
wash me.
And Jesus said to Him
in verse 10,
The one who has bathed
does not need to wash
except for his feet
but is completely
clean.
At our house,
we got three boys,
right?
The effects of a good
bath do not last long.
And it has happened
often.
They will get cleaned up,
they'll get themselves
a bath,
we think all is good,
next thing you know,
you look out the window
and they're running
in the yard barefoot.
Their body may be clean
but as soon as those feet
hit the bare ground,
guess what happens?
They're dirty.
And of course,
the same is true
in this culture,
probably even more so.
You can get a bath,
you can get yourself
cleaned up
but once your feet
hit that dirty,
dusty ground
with bare feet
or open sandals
at best,
well now,
guess what?
Your feet are dirty.
So let me ask you
this question,
I want to see what you think.
If you have bathed yourself
totally clean
and yet you have
dirty feet,
are you completely,
absolutely,
totally clean
or are you dirty?
It depends on if you ask
mom or dad,
doesn't it?
Dad might be inclined
to say it's clean enough,
come on in,
you're fine,
come on in the house.
Mom doesn't say that,
does she?
Mom says,
no, you're filthy,
get inside,
you need to wash up,
come on,
you're dirty,
go wash up.
Church,
unfortunately for us,
I'm afraid God
takes mom's side
on this one
because even
the tiniest
speck
of sin,
even the tiniest
stain
of sin
makes you
totally,
completely
unclean,
which is a problem
for us
because you must be
totally clean,
totally pure,
or you must be
totally innocent
to be in right relationship
with a totally
holy God.
God is
holy,
holy.
He does not
tolerate clean
enough.
You must be
perfect
to enter into
the kingdom of heaven.
This is a problem
for us.
Who can enter
into his presence?
Who can be
accepted
in the sight of God?
Who among us
can be accepted?
Who among us
is qualified?
Jesus tells
us here
in this passage,
only he
who has been
washed clean
by the Lord
Jesus Christ.
If you would
have a share
in me,
Peter,
you must
let me
wash
you.
It's the bad
news.
All of us
are unclean.
But the good
news of the
gospel,
Jesus says,
I will
wash you
clean.
I
will
serve
you.
I
will
love
you.
I
will
bring
you to
God.
I
will
wash
you.
If I
don't,
you have
no part
in me.
But if I
do,
you are
totally
clean now
and forever.
Isn't this
wonderful news
for sinners
like us?
It's
wonderful news.
And it is
so upside
down from the
way we think,
isn't it?
You see,
the way into
the kingdom
of God is
not by
serving God.
It's by
being served.
The way we
get a share
of the king
is not by
doing,
it's not by
giving,
it's not by
earning,
it's by
receiving.
We don't
clean ourselves
up and then
come to God.
God comes
down to us
to wash
us clean.
Every other
religion in the
world,
is asking
the question,
what must
I do
to earn
my place?
What must
I do
to earn
a good
standing with
God,
to get right
with God,
to earn
my way
to God?
You know,
Christianity,
the gospel,
is the only
message in
the world
that says
you don't
have to do
anything
to be made
right with
God.
If you
would be
made right
with God,
there is
one way
and one
way only.
You receive
the finished
work of
Christ by
faith alone.
Did you
pay attention
to the words
we just
sang?
A rock
of ages
cleft for
me.
Nothing in
my hand I
bring,
simply to
the cross
I cling.
Naked
come to
thee for
dress,
helpless
look to
thee for
grace,
foul eye
to the
fountain
fly,
wash me
savior,
or I
die.
Church,
the first
way we
respond to
the work
of King
Jesus is
to receive
what he
has done.
Let this
humble God
serve you
and wash
you completely
clean from
all your
sins.
Trust his
word that
he alone
can make
you clean.
Let him
serve you.
Then,
then,
let him
show you
how to
serve one
another.
Look there
to verse
12 with
me.
Jesus makes
a transition
here in
verse 12
from serving
to sending.
Those who
have been
served now
are sent
to go out
and to
serve one
another.
Look at what
he says in
verse 12.
When he
had washed
their feet
and put on
his outer
garments
and resumed
his place,
he said to
them,
do you
understand
what I
have done
to you?
You call
me teacher
and Lord
and you
are right
for so
I am.
If I
then,
your teacher
and Lord
have washed
your feet,
you also
ought to
wash one
another's
feet.
For I
have given
you an
example
that you
also should
do just
as I
have done
to you.
Truly,
truly,
I say to
you,
a servant
is not
greater than
his master,
nor is
a messenger
greater than
the one
who sent
him.
If you
know these
things,
blessed are
you if
you do
them.
The point
is,
I hope
you see,
it's not,
well,
you've seen
me wash
feet,
now you
go wash
feet.
The point,
I believe,
is that we
who have been
the recipients
of the
humble,
loving service
of Christ
ought to
be marked
by humble,
loving service
to one
another.
We're
called
believers
as we
have
opportunity
to do
good to
everyone
and especially
to those
who are
of the
household
of faith.
And so
here in the
second point,
I want to
focus on
five ways
to do
this.
Five ways
to go
and do
for one
another
just as
Jesus
has done
for us.
I want to
be very
practical
here.
And let me
say again,
just by way
of preface,
do not
jump straight
to doing
before receiving.
That's our
natural bent.
We want to
do,
we want to
do,
we want to
do.
That will
never work.
We can
only serve
one another
out of
receiving
Christ's
service to
us.
We can
only love
one another
out of
receiving
Christ's
love for
us.
Don't
pass go,
don't
skip to
step number
two,
before you
have received
the work
of Christ.
Now,
five ways.
Five ways.
Number one,
pray for
a humble
heart.
Pray
for a
humble
heart.
God,
make me
humble.
Be warned,
that is a
dangerous
prayer.
Pride is
not easily
killed,
it is often
painfully
removed from
a sinner's
heart,
but the
fact is,
you will
not genuinely
truly serve
others if
you think
you're better
than them.
If you
place your
needs above
theirs,
you will
never truly
serve others.
Pray God
would reverse
your idea of
greatness so
that it looks
less and less
like the
world's view
of greatness
and more
like his
true definition
of greatness
in the kingdom
of God.
God,
what is it?
Those who
are first
will be
last.
Those who
are last
will be
first.
The way
up is
down.
The greatest
among you
are those
who are
humble
and lowly
and gentle.
If you
have anything
to boast of
from a
worldly
perspective,
riches,
status,
influence,
position,
authority,
count it
as loss.
Lay it
aside,
humble
yourself
and become
a servant.
I will
never forget
I was a
part of a
church in
Charlotte.
I served
there as
a pastoral
assistant
and then
senior
pastoral
assistant
which was
basically
a learning,
a training
role.
I got to
have a
front row
seat to
the ins
and outs
of church
life.
I sat
in on
membership
interviews
and counseling
sessions
and elders
meetings and
I was like a
sponge just
soaking it
all up.
But I
will never
forget
one of the
elders who
was by all
worldly
standards
very extremely
successful.
He had a
successful career
as a lawyer
there in
uptown
Charlotte.
I came
back after
a service
back into
the building
to find him
all alone
sweeping up
the floors.
He never
saw me,
didn't know
I saw him
but there
he was
bending
over
cleaning
the floors
on his
hands and
feet.
And of all
the things
I learned
that was
a lesson
that stuck.
Now that
might seem
out of place
to the world
but that's
meant to be
ordinary
behavior
for Christians.
And Paul
calls us
in Philippians
chapter 2
in humility
count others
more significant
than yourselves.
How do we
do that?
have this
mind among
yourselves
which is
yours in
Christ Jesus
who though
he was in
the form
of God
did not
count
equality
with God
a thing
to be
grasped
but emptied
himself
by taking
the form
of a
servant
being born
in the
likeness
of men
and being
found in
human form
he humbled
himself
by becoming
obedient
to the
point of
death
even
death
on a
cross.
Therefore
God
has
highly
exalted
him
and bestowed
on him
the name
that is
above
every name
so that
at the
name
of Jesus
every knee
should bow
in heaven
and on earth
and under
the earth
and every
tongue
confess
that Jesus
Christ
is Lord
to the
glory
of the
Father.
Church
pray
for
humility
like
Jesus.
Number
two
pray
for a
heart
of love
pray
for a
heart
of love
love
the Lord
your God
with all
your heart
all your
soul
all your
mind
all your
strength
and
love
your
neighbor
as
yourself
if we
could
just
get
those
two
right
we'd
be
doing
okay
pray
for a
heart
that
genuinely
loves
one
another
not
just
that
feels
love
but
that
moves
in love
not
just
that
expresses
love
verbally
but
lives
that
exemplify
love
for one
another
love
that
says
and
love
that
shows
you know
John
you might
remember
called
himself
the
disciple
whom
Jesus
what
you remember
the
disciple
whom
Jesus
loved
and
most
of his
writings
there's
no mistake
most of
his
writings
are
categorized
by
love
in fact
one of
the early
Latin
church
fathers
named
Jerome
he said
that
John
in his
old age
he lived
in Ephesus
until he
was extremely
old
his disciples
could
barely
carry him
into church
and he
couldn't
muster up
the strength
to say
much
but he
was still
asked
to speak
and to
deliver
sermons
and so
during
individual
gatherings
he usually
said
nothing
but
little
children
love
one
another
and the
church
became
annoyed
because
they always
heard the
same
sermon
over
and over
again
so finally
they said
teacher
why do
you always
say this
and he
said
because it
is the
Lord's
commandment
and if
it alone
is kept
it is
sufficient
little
children
love
one
another
why do
you think
he made
such a big
deal out
of that
command
it's
because
he heard
it
expressed
as a
command
by
Jesus
and he
experienced
it
exemplified
in the
life
of
Jesus
he was
loved
and so
he
loved
have
you been
loved
by
Christ
have
you been
loved
by
Christ
so
love
one
another
members
of
Seaweed
Bay
we
affirm
a
church
covenant
it
details
out
the
commitments
that we
make
to one
another
as members
of one
body
and in it
there's a
section
that says
this
it says
we will
walk
together
in
Christian
love
now that's
easy to
say
and then it
spells out
what that
might look
like
for us
we will
walk
together
in
Christian
love
as we
care
for
and watch
over
one
another
seeking
one
another
spiritual
good
at all
times
we will
pray
for
encourage
warn
rebuke
and admonish
one another
as occasion
may require
we will be
slow to
take offense
and will
eagerly
seek
reconciliation
without
delay
forgiving
one another
as God
in Christ
has forgiven
us
would you
pray that
God would
give us
a heart
that loves
one another
like that
pray
for a heart
that loves
like Jesus
and if you
aren't sure
where to
start
number
three
number
three
look
around
at those
who you
think
are doing
this
well
and join
them
number
three
look at
those
who
are doing
this
well
and
join
them
have you
ever
heard
of
Pareto's
law
Pareto's
law
says
80%
of the
results
are caused
by
20%
of the
causes
you apply
that to
the church
people apply
it to
the church
and say
well 80%
of the work
is done
by 20%
of the
members
that may
be true
in some
places
I want to
encourage you
actually
because I
don't think
that that's
true here
this is a
church
that serves
and so hear this
as an encouragement
to you
do so
more
and more
and if you
look around
and you see
others serving
faithfully
and you're not
sure where
to serve
you see others
in certain
service positions
and spots
please don't
interpret that
to mean
well that
spot
is taken
you ask
anyone
who serves
regularly
and faithfully
and I
promise you
they are
willing to
share
with you
jump in
ask them
how you
might join
them
have them
teach you
how to
serve
go learn
how to
run sound
so Randy
can see
what these
chairs feel
like out
here
and try
and wrestle
the hospitality
tent
the cookies
the juice
away from
Craig and
Patty
if you can
learn how
to make
a pot
of coffee
wrestle
that away
from Miss
Ann
if you
can do
it
ask Pete
men
women
even
ask Pete
if he'd
teach you
how to
work the
lawn mower
out there
he's been
trying to
teach me
since I
got here
I've kept
him at
bay
find others
who are
serving
faithfully
and join
them in
what they're
doing
but know
this
that serving
one another
it does
not have
to be part
of a
formal
ministry
in fact
often times
the way
love
happens
it's not
structured
it's not
organized
but it
is
intentional
and we
often want
to have
the church
maybe
program
just give
me an
hour a
week
where we
come
together
and do
life
and serve
one another
and that's
when we
love one
another
and then we
go home
and go
our separate
ways
and that's
it
that's
not how
this works
life is
messy
but we
want to
be in
each other's
mess
as often
as love
demands it
find a place
to serve
another way
to say this
number four
if you have
gifts
church
use them
if you have
gifts
use them
now I love
how Paul
phrases this
in Romans
chapter 12
he says
for as in
one body
we have
many members
and the members
do not all
have the same
function
so we
though many
are one
body in
Christ
and individually
are members
of one
another
having gifts
that differ
according to
the grace
given to
us
let us
use
them
did you
hear that
let us
use
them
if you
are a
Christian
and you
are doing
as Christians
do and have
joined yourself
to a body
as a
member
you know
this is where
we get
church membership
language by the
way
this isn't
membership
like
you're a
member
of a
gym
or
you're
a
member
of
Costco
or
Sam's
Club
no
we are
members
of a
body
and we
have been
gifted
individually
differently
uniquely
in ways
that are
meant to be
used
for the
building
up
and the
health
of the
body
to use
the
gifts
God
has given
you
is an
act
of love
for the
body
to withhold
the gifts
that God
has given
you
is to
withhold
love
from the
body
use
your
gifts
and last
one
here
last
one
if you
have
needs
share
them
if you
have
needs
share
them
now out
of all
of these
I think
this might
be the
most
challenging
because
we're
proud
God
it's so
much
easier
to say
let me
help
you
than it
is to
say
please
come
help
me
please
come
help
me
that
should
not
be
so
in
the
church
Jesus
knew
exactly
perfectly
exactly
what his
disciples
needed
Jesus
knew
the
best
way
to
serve
them
at
the
exact
right
time
in
the
exact
right
way
I
am
not
Jesus
and
neither
are
you
share
your
needs
so that
we can
bear
one another's
burdens
and so
fulfill
the law
of Christ
do not
keep
your needs
to yourself
I can't
promise
that we
can meet
every need
but I
can promise
you
we can't
meet
any need
that isn't
known
share
your needs
so we
can love
one another
as Christ
has loved
us
amen
church
this week
as you
go
your various
ways for
thanksgiving
would you
just
set some
time aside
this week
to remember
and to give
thanks for all
that Christ
has done
for us
to remember
how the
Lord has
served
you
would you
just by way
of application
take
one or two
of these
ways of
service to
heart
this week
just take
one or two
and commit
commit yourselves
to them
this week
this month
in response
to what
Christ
has done
for you
go
and do
likewise
and let
Jesus'
question
to his
disciples
fall on
our ears
this morning
do you
understand
what I
have done
for you
if you
do
just
as I
have done
for you
and blessed
are you
if you
do them
let's pray
Lord
Jesus
nothing
could
repay
the ways
that you
have
served
us
we
thank
you
that you
gave
your
life
for us
those
who
are not
worthy
of it
not
those
who
have
earned
it
not
because
of
our
goodness
but
out
of
a
heart
of
love
for
sinners
we
pray
father
that
if there
are
any
here
who
have
not
received
that
gift
received
that
sacrifice
by
faith
alone
would
you
give
them
a
heart
that
trusts
the
provision
of
Christ
and
Lord
for
us
who
know
you
who
have
been
served
by
our
Savior
Lord
we
pray
God
make
us
humble
make
us
loving
make
us
servants
like
Jesus
we
pray
in
Jesus
name
Amen