I'll be reading from John chapter 13 verses 1 through 17.
This is our sermon text for today.
And as I read this and as you follow along,
remember that this is God's inspired, inerrant, infallible, clear and sufficient word.
After I'm done reading, I'll say this is the word of the Lord.
You can respond, thanks be to 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,
he 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 the 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 only my feet,
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 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 the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
And you may be seated.
Would you pray with me?
Lord, please open the eyes of our mind
open the eyes of our hearts
to behold Jesus.
Help us to see
our Lord Jesus Christ
in the upper room
serving
those you gave him.
And help us to see
Christ exalted,
having cleansed
all those you sent him
into the world
so that he would show
that you are love.
press home
this gospel truth
on our lives
and change us
as a result we ask
for Christ's sake.
Amen.
Beloved congregation
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
you need
the heavenly
servant's love.
love.
When you get home
later on,
you try to remember
what was the point
of the sermon today?
It's that you and I,
we need
the heavenly
servant's
love.
Let me read this
statement
and
decide if
you agree
or disagree
so your options
are true,
false,
or need more information.
You got those three options.
If I made you all stand up
and vote with your feet,
where would you go?
Here's the statement.
Ready?
I'm going to tell you
who it's from
in just a moment.
Quote,
Christianity has not been
tried
and found wanting.
Christianity has been
found difficult
and left
untried.
True,
false,
or need more information.
Do you want me to read it
one more time?
Christianity
has not been tried
and found wanting.
Christianity has been
found difficult
and left
untried.
This quote is by
G.K. Chesterton.
He was
English parliamentarian
at the time of
World War I.
There's a lot of
interesting facts
about this man.
He was also
a fiction writer.
He was also
Roman Catholic.
And I think that
he's writing this
in a way that
I would say
is mostly true.
It's mostly true
as an apologist
for,
you know,
arguing with
the atheists
of his day
that what we receive,
we receive by faith.
And you can say
from a rational,
humanistic,
secular standpoint,
it's difficult.
But
the Lord Jesus
reveals himself
and when you
behold him,
it's not difficult.
It's the most
natural response
is to obey
and believe him
and follow him.
Now,
the reality though
is when you believe
in Jesus Christ
and he says,
look to me,
look to this example,
you'll be blessed
if you do
as I have done.
That's how our
sermon text ended.
We look at
any story
of our Lord Jesus
in the Bible
and then I look
at my life
and it's not only
difficult,
it's impossible
by my own strength.
We just read this
in our catechism.
It is impossible
for me to present
anything to God
as a good work
that's not blemished
by my own
remaining sin.
I look to Jesus
and I see
my conscience
convicts me
and those
who are not
yet saved,
their conscience
convicts them
by looking at Jesus.
We are earthly,
we are proud,
we are selfish.
You know,
the term Christian
means little Christ,
a smaller or lesser
version of Christ.
And I cannot
imitate Christ
by my own strength,
can you?
Christianity
in that sense
is the most difficult.
It's impossible
to imitate Christ
by your own strength.
Adam could not
stand righteous
before God.
And we all
inherited that
sinful bent,
that inclination
of the will,
that bondage
of the will
to sin from Adam.
So it's even harder
for us than it was
for Adam.
I can't even love
my wife
or my kids
like Christ
would have me
love them
without the love
of Christ
loving them
through me.
Is that true
for you as well?
We need
the love
of heaven's
servant
inside of us,
don't we?
That's what
this scene
is about,
these first 17
verses.
And I want
to try to
develop this
theme that we
need the heavenly
servant's love
with five observations.
The first one
is this.
From just
verse 1,
the heavenly
servant came
into the world
because God
is love.
The heavenly
servant came
into the world
because God
is love.
Look at verse 1.
Before the feast
of the Passover,
when Jesus knew
that his hour
had come to
depart out
of the world,
to be,
depart out
of this world,
to return
to the Father,
notice what it
says next
in verse 1.
Having loved
his own
who were in
the world,
he loved them
to the end.
Sinclair Ferguson
said this first
verse is like a
prologue to this
whole second book.
The second book
is about the hour
of Christ.
It's about the
passion,
the death of
Christ.
And what you
need to remember
is that this
entire hour,
everything that
will take place,
Christ did.
Why?
For love.
His motive is
to reveal the
love that God
is to the world.
In Luke 22,
we get further
insights.
Luke 22 says
that they then
came the day
of unleavened bread.
That's how John
says before the
feast of the
Passover,
on which the
Passover lamb
had to be
sacrificed.
That's how Luke
told it.
And Luke tells
us it was Peter
and John.
So the author
of our gospel
here, Peter
and John,
they found a
man carrying a
jar of water
just as Christ
had instructed.
They followed
him there and
they prepared
the last supper.
That's what Luke
tells us.
Now John and
Peter, we get
wonderful insights
from these two
who prepared
this very feast,
prepared the
upper room in
which this all
takes place.
The Passover,
as we've seen,
is the day of
independence for
all of Israel.
It's July 4th.
It's a day of
patriotism.
It's a day of
revolution.
and taking
political control.
The blood of
Passover lambs
has already begun
flowing.
We have no
reason to
imagine anyone
else in this
upper room.
It seems like
Christ has
intentionally
prepared a
private place
where he's
going to give
us some very
insightful and
intimate details
into the
Father, Son,
and Spirit
in this upper
room.
So we can
picture a
quiet upper
room.
There's the
Passover table
set prepared
by John
and Peter.
There's a
jar of water
and there's
a towel.
There's the
Lord Jesus
Christ and
there's the
twelve
disciples.
The other
gospels,
Matthew,
Mark,
and Luke,
they describe
this final
hour of
Christ,
this final
passion from
the outside,
but it's the
fourth gospel
which was
written much
later by the
apostle John
that describes
this last
hour more
from the
inside.
And that's
what we get
from this
wonderful
account.
And John
wants you to
know that
the mind of
Christ was set.
He knew he
was going to
be departing
out of this
world and
returning to
the Father.
And having
loved the
ones God
gave him,
he loved
them to
the very
end.
That's the
impression John
has of this
whole account.
love.
It's God
himself who
shows this
love.
We started
this wonderful
gospel in
John 1.14
that the
word,
the word
became flesh
and dwelt
among us.
We have
seen his
glory,
glory as
of the
only son
from the
father,
full of
grace and
truth.
And he
knows he
will be
returning to
the father
very soon.
His hour
to depart
has arrived.
And that
phrase,
to depart
out of
this world,
is a
Jewish way
of saying
they're
going to
die.
Listen to
how Paul
used this
same phrase
in Philippians
1.
Paul said,
remember he
said,
I'm caught
between two
things.
Paul said,
my desire
is to
depart
and be
with Christ.
There's
that phrase.
For that
is far
better.
In Hebrews
12,
it tells
us that
it was
for the
joy set
before him.
The joy.
That's why
Christ would
endure the
cross and
its shame.
So that's
the hour
and that's
the love
that's now
overflowing
from Christ
unto these
disciples.
The Son
of God,
God himself
in the flesh,
would be
returning to
the Father.
He would be
returning
victorious.
John 1.1,
in the beginning
was the Word
and the Word
was with God
and the Word
was God.
See,
it's God
himself who
is love
and who
would love
to the end.
John 10.30,
we saw,
I and
the Father
are one,
Jesus says.
And we'll
see in
chapter 17,
verse 1,
Jesus
prays,
You,
Father,
are in
me and
I in
you,
that they
also may
be in
us.
To show
the love
of God,
Jesus took
on flesh.
To show
the love
of God,
Jesus would
love them
to the end.
And to show
the love
of God,
he would
unite his
own with
him.
As he
prepares to
return to
the Father,
he is
returning as
one who
has showed
God's
perfect love
fully,
completely,
to the very
end.
I want to
drive that
home,
it's because
God is
love.
The Nicene
Creed says
that the
Son of
God,
begotten of
the Father,
only begotten,
that is,
of the substance
of the Father,
God of God,
light of light,
true God of
true God,
begotten,
not made,
of one
substance
with the
Father.
He had
come into
the world
to show
God his
love.
Now his
hour had
come to
depart out
of the
world.
Having loved
his own
who were
in the
world,
he loved
them to
the end.
You see
how John
keeps saying
God is
love.
He
loves,
he came
to show
the love,
he loved
to the
end.
39
times John
talks about
the love
of God
in Christ,
more than
any other
book in
the New
Testament.
So church,
it's because
God loved
the world,
it's because
God loved
you,
that he
sent his
only begotten
son,
that whosoever
believes in
him will
not perish,
but will
have everlasting
life in
him.
It's because
God is
love.
John 3
16 says,
without the
love of
heaven's
servant,
you perish.
Without his
love,
you perish.
perish.
It's so
that you
will not
perish,
but you
will have
everlasting
life that
Christ took
on the
flesh and
did his
work.
You need
his love
to not
perish.
God took
on the
flesh.
He
accomplished
his mission
because you
and I
need the
love of
heaven's
servant.
Second
observation,
this heavenly
servant,
God himself,
is the
seed of
Eve.
It is
the
son and
the
triune
God.
The heavenly
servant is
the seed of
Eve and
the son of
God himself.
Look at
verse 2,
3,
and 4.
Why do I
say that
this servant
from heaven,
it's also
important that
this is the
seed of
Eve?
Look at
the battle
that's going
on in
verse 2.
During
supper,
when the
devil,
when Satan
had already
put it into
the heart
of Judas,
Iscariot,
Simon's son,
to betray
Jesus.
This great
battle has
been raging
on since
the garden.
The devil
put it in
Eve's heart
and in
Adam's heart
to break
the covenant
with God.
the devil
put it in
their son,
Cain,
in his
heart to
slay his
brother and
murder.
Satan had
put it in
Pharaoh's
heart to
kill all
those who
might be a
threat to
Satan,
the seed,
the promised
seed in the
covenant of
grace.
Satan put
it in
Haman's
heart to
wipe out
all the
Jews in
the story
with Esther.
You
remember
that?
Satan
had put
it in
Herod's
heart to
kill all
the baby
boys because
the seed
is coming
that will
crush his
head.
Satan had
put it in
Peter's
heart to
detour
Christ from
the cross.
Jesus saw
Satan lurking
behind even
Peter and
said,
get behind
me,
Satan.
There's a
great battle
that's been
going on
between the
serpent,
Satan,
the devil,
and Jesus
Christ,
the seed of
the woman
who would
crush the
devil's
head.
We saw
last week
how Jesus
said,
by my
work I
will cast
down
Satan.
Satan
is not
bound for
eternity in
the chains
of hell
yet.
He still
tries to
cause
destruction.
Now God
is victorious.
Have you
ever wondered,
I'm not even
going to ask you
if you've had
a dark
thought.
Every sinner
has,
which we all
are.
Have you
ever wondered
though,
how could
such a
dark
thought
come into
you?
Satan wants
to do
that.
He wants
to
pollute
our
thinking.
He wants
to corrupt
our minds.
And he
wants to
accuse us
against one
another and
against God.
The devil
put it in
Judas'
heart to
betray
Jesus.
I was
encouraged
just to
hear,
I'll say
he's one
of my
favorite
Jedis,
and it's
a Scottish
Reformed
Baptist
pastor.
It's
Alistair
Begg.
He said,
if you
knew,
congregation,
if you
knew,
the darkest
thoughts,
something like
this,
if the darkest
thoughts that
have passed
through my
mind,
you would
not want
to be
in this
church.
And then
he said,
if I knew
the darkest
thoughts that
have come
into your
hearts,
I would
not want
to be
in your
church.
That's
what God
does.
He takes
these
disciples
like Peter,
like everyone
in the Bible
that we've
seen,
and there's
that battle
and Christ
says,
no,
Satan,
you don't
get this
one.
This one
is mine.
You get
out of
here.
You get
behind
with Judas,
not as
Peter being
the perfect
sinless
man,
no,
the opposite.
Both
men standing
in need
of grace.
So pay
attention to
that contrast
which has
begun right
now.
Church,
I want to
encourage you
as well.
When Satan
does put it
in your
heart to
despair and
tells you
of the guilt
within,
what does
the hymn
say?
Upward I
look and
see him
there who
made an
end to
all my
sin because
these
sinless
Savior
died.
My
sinful
soul
is
counted
free.
For
God
the
just
is
satisfied
to
look
on
him
and
pardon
me.
Look
to
Christ.
Satan
has no
power
over you.
Not
only was
Jesus
Christ
the
seed
of
Eve,
he was
also
the
son
of
God,
God
himself.
Look
at
verse
3.
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.
This
is
Trinitarian
language.
The
Holy Spirit
inspired
John
and
showed
him
and
gave
him
the
words
to
write
it
exactly
this
way.
The
Father
had
given
all
things
into
the
hands
of
the
Son.
God
the
Father
into
the
hands
of
God
the
Son
on
earth,
who
had
come
from
God
and
was
going
back
to
God.
His
union
with
God
is
never
broken,
but
God
the
Son
took
on
a
mission
on
the
earth.
It's
God
himself.
It's
God
himself
who
entered
this
last
hour.
The
three
times
holy
God,
holy,
Father,
Son,
and
Spirit.
This
is
important.
He
lost
nothing
taking
on
the
flesh
to
walk
this
earth.
God
lost
nothing.
Adonis
Vidu,
a Presbyterian
professor at
Gordon
Conwell,
he put
it this
way,
all
three
persons
of the
Holy
Trinity
are
at
work
in
every
action
outside
the
Trinity's
life.
That's
why John
said God
dwelt
with us,
God
tabernacled.
God
himself
in the
flesh
was
really
shooting
us from
the glory
of the
triune
God,
Father,
Son,
and Spirit.
He
gave us
Christ
so we
could
look at
the
face
of
Christ
and
see
the
full
God
head.
I
think
this
is
important
that
God
put
on
a
human
nature
to
shield
us
from
God's
glory.
He
took
on
flesh
not
subtracting
anything
from
his
essence
or
who
God
is,
but
he
added
onto
it
this
human
nature.
Illustration
from
this
same
professor
Vidu
is
that
like a
great
magnet,
if you
picture a
great
magnet
and it
has that
power to
attract a
little
paperclip,
the
paperclip
is like
the
flesh.
Nothing
is lost
of God
by taking
on the
flesh,
just like
nothing
is lost
of a
great
magnet
that
draws a
little
paperclip
onto it.
That's
what it
is,
that
Jesus
Christ
in
verse
3,
he
had
everything
from
the
Father.
God
has
not
lost
anything
and
he
would
be
returning
to
God
the
Father,
going
back
having
accomplished
his
mission.
The
Father
has
given
all
things
into
his
hands.
He
is
Lord
of
all.
He
is
God
the
creator
supreme
over
all.
And
when you
hear
this
description
of
Jesus
Christ
picturing
him
in
this
upper
power,
that's
his
majesty,
his
sovereign.
What
do you
picture
he
would
do
next?
It's
Independence
Day.
What
would he
do
next
for
Israel,
for
his
beloved
people?
Look
what he
does
in
actuality
and
history.
Look
at
verse
4.
He
rose
from
that
meal.
He
laid
aside
his
outer
garments
in
verse
4.
Took
off
his
outer
garments,
laid
them
aside,
set
them
down,
and
taking
a
tower,
he
tied
it
around
his
waist.
Now,
Luke
22
gives
us
a
context
of
what
was
going
on
with
the
disciples.
Luke
tells,
based
on his
interviews,
that there
was a
dispute
that
had
arose
between
the
disciples.
This
is
Luke
22
verse
24.
What
were
they
disputing
about?
They're
talking
about
who
is
the
greatest
among
them.
Jesus
said,
the kings
of this
world,
they
lord it
over.
over those
that they're
leading.
Jesus
says,
I am
among you
as one
who serves.
The king
of heaven
took off
his outer
garments.
He took
a servant's
rag,
and he took
that rag and
wrapped it
around himself,
on his
person.
I am
among you
as one
who serves.
He laid
aside his
outer
garments
so that
he would
wash
the dirt
off of
the lowest
part
of his
disciples.
He's
fulfilling
what Isaiah
prophesied.
Isaiah 42,
behold my
servant,
says God,
whom I
uphold,
my chosen,
and whom
my soul
delights.
I have
put my
spirit upon
him.
He will
bring forth
justice to
the nations.
He will
faithfully
bring forth
justice.
How will
he do
this?
By obeying
as a
servant
on the
cross,
showing God's
love to the
very end,
by loving
his own,
and serving
them with
the love
of God
himself.
See,
Jesus Christ,
in his
work and
taking on
the flesh
and dying
on the
cross,
he had
laid aside
his royal
robe as
the prince
of heaven.
He did
that for
love and
he stepped
down from
his throne
in heaven
and he
became a
lowly
shepherd to
disciple those
who would
hear his
voice and
he did
that because
God is
love.
This
phrase here
that he
laid aside
his outer
garments,
it's the
same thing
he said
back in
John 10
verse 10.
A good
shepherd lays
down,
lays aside
his own
life.
What did
Jesus say
in John 10?
The good
shepherd lays
down his
life so
that he
may take
it up
again.
See,
Jesus lays
aside his
outer
garments,
washes
them as
a servant,
and he
takes up
his outer
garments again
and resumes
his spot
as Lord
over the
feast.
And then
Jesus says,
do you
understand
what I
have done?
They
said,
no.
He says,
you will
understand.
Church,
do you
understand
what Jesus
has done
by washing
their feet?
Third
observation,
the love
of heaven's
servant is
experienced
before it's
understood.
If you're
not understanding
the gospel
in this
picture,
maybe God
wants you
to experience
it by
faith.
And the
understanding
will grow.
It'll grow
from there.
The love
of heaven's
servant is
experienced
before it's
understood.
Now,
remember,
what he's
about to
do here
is wash
their dirty
feet.
Parents,
have you
ever had to
wash your
kids' feet
after they've
gone and
played outside?
Well,
our children
are cute
and they
don't smell
too bad.
But these
are stinking
men.
These are
fishermen
and they're
walking around
the streets
of Jerusalem.
There's no
pavement.
It's going
to get a
little bit
gross.
There's no
sewage.
There's a
lot of
animals
everywhere.
There's no
codes.
And they're
walking around
not with
rubber boots
up to their
knees.
They're walking
around in
sandals.
It would be
disgusting to
have to touch
those men's
feet.
In verse 5,
Jesus poured
water into a
basin and he
began to do
just that.
He washed
the disciples'
feet and
he wiped
them with
the towel
that was
around him.
In verse 6,
he came to
Simon Peter
who said to
him,
Lord,
do you
wash my
feet?
And Jesus
answered him,
what I am
doing,
you do not
understand now,
but afterward
you will
understand.
Do you
think Peter
would understand?
They did
not understand
that they
needed to be
cleansed by
heaven's
servant.
them.
They would
understand later
that this
act of,
as they're
reclining at
the table and
their feet are
all outward,
they're all
leaning on
their left
arm like
this with
their feet
on the
outside.
Jesus is
down low
on the
ground and
this filth and
stinky dirt that
was on these
men's feet,
where is the
towel on
Christ?
Where is it?
He's got it
wrapped around
him.
Do you
see the
picture?
He washes
them with
his hands.
He takes
their dirt on
the servant's
towel wrapped
around his
own body.
What was
their dirt is
now on
Jesus Christ.
Heaven's
servant is
washing them.
They have to
experience this.
Later they'll
understand,
my sin was
put onto the
body of God
himself in
the person of
Jesus Christ.
We need a
righteousness that
can pass God's
scrutiny.
We just read
this.
We cannot
produce the
righteousness we
need.
Our catechism we
just read, a
righteousness we
need is one that
is entirely
perfect.
It must in
every way
measure up to
the divine
law.
Even the very
best we do in
this life is
imperfect and it
is stained with
sin.
But you can
experience the
love of God.
You can
experience Christ
washing you.
And when you
experience that,
when you see he
took my dirt on
his person, your
walk changes.
Doesn't it?
What do you do
with clean feet?
You just took a
shower and you
got to go for
somewhere to walk
around.
You want to keep
these feet clean.
I just got done
washing my feet.
You want to
watch your walk
and keep those
feet clean once
you've just been
cleaned, right?
Now, he says you
will understand
this.
Let's start with
John, the
apostle John.
Do you think
John understood
this?
Let me read to
you what John,
as an elder, an
old man to a
church writing to
them as his
little children.
Listen to what
John taught the
church in 1
John 1, 7
through 10.
John said,
if we walk,
there it is,
you're walking
with these clean
feet.
If we walk in
the light as he,
Jesus Christ, is
in the light,
we have
fellowship with
one another,
and the blood of
Jesus, God's
son, cleanses us
from all sin.
Do you think
John got it?
Did he understand?
If we confess our
sins, he is
faithful and just
to forgive us our
sins and to
cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
God's sins and
love.
Have you experienced
the washing of
Jesus?
Have you experienced
his love as God's
heavenly servant?
If you have been
cleansed by the
blood of Jesus,
then we take care.
We take care with
the help of the
Holy Spirit as best
we can, not to
keep getting dirty
over and over
again.
You remember that
you were cleaned
out of love by
heaven's servant
himself.
The fourth
observation is
that God must
apply inwardly the
work of heaven's
servant in order
for you to be
truly cleansed.
You might be
thinking, I
understand this
maybe partially,
but I want to
understand more.
And even what I
don't understand,
I do want to
experience.
How do I
experience this
type of cleansing?
What Jesus
says, you
may notice the
disciples part in
experiencing this,
it's to let
Jesus wash them.
Let him take
their dirt and
put it on him.
It's to be
cleansed by him.
It's not go out
and try to be
super clean on
your own.
No, let him
wash you.
How does God
do this?
He does this by
inwardly applying
to you, your
inner being, your
inner man, the
finished work of
Jesus Christ,
heaven's servant.
The Holy Spirit
does it inside
of you.
God's servant.
This is the
contrast between
Peter and
Judas.
Look at verse
8.
Peter said to
Jesus, 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.
And Jesus
said to him,
the one who
has bathed
does not need
to wash except
for his feet,
but is completely
clean.
And you, I
mean, picture
being Peter
sitting there,
the servant
just washed
your feet,
Jesus Christ,
and he says,
and you are
clean.
Peter is the
one who has
just been
working, setting
up this Passover.
Maybe he smells
like smoke from
roasting the lamb
and he's probably,
I don't know if
they had deodorant
back then.
So Peter is
saying, I could
use a whole
bath because I
know I'm dirty.
And Jesus
says, yes, you
need to be
cleaned.
But Peter, it's
not your outside,
it's your inside.
It's your inner
man that needs
to be clean.
And Peter, you've
confessed, you
Lord have the
words of life.
You are my
Lord and my
God.
And Jesus
says, my spirit
through that
faith, through
that belief, my
spirit has made
you clean, Peter.
And you are
clean.
You're
clean not by
water or by an
outward act.
It's nothing that
we do that causes
us to be born
again.
The Holy Spirit
regenerates your
soul.
God says, I
breathe life into
you, just like I
breathe life into
Adam.
You're now part of
the new creation.
My spirit moves
with power.
My word goes
forth and it
creates life into
a dead soul.
You are
clean by faith
in the work
that I will
do for you on
the cross.
And church, you
believe this good
news.
If Christ has
breathed his
work of cleansing
into your heart by
the power of his
spirit, he says
those same words
to you.
You are
completely
clean.
You are
clean.
Believe this
good news.
The righteousness
of God himself in
the flesh, Jesus
Christ, is yours.
In Orthodox
Catechism, this is
from what we read
last week, even
though my conscience
accuses me of
having grievously
sinned against all
of God's
commandments and of
having never kept
any of them, and
even though I am
still inclined toward
all evil, nevertheless
without my deserving
it at all, out of
sheer grace, God
grants and
credits to me
the perfect
satisfaction,
righteousness, and
holiness of Christ,
as if I had
never sinned
or been a
sinner, as if I
had been as
perfectly obedient as
Christ was
obedient for me.
All I need to do
is accept this gift
of God with a
believing heart.
Isn't that good
news?
Well, that's
Peter, but there's
a contrast at the
end of verse 10.
The contrast is
Judas.
Notice what Jesus
says.
After having said,
you are clean, he
says, but not
every one of you.
Verse 11, for he
knew who was to
betray him.
That was why he
said, not all of
you are clean.
See, even though he
washed Judas' feet
on the outside,
Judas had a hard
heart, an
unrepenting heart,
which made him
unclean.
So even there in
that upper room, as
the glory of God is
shining through this
heavenly servant,
giving them a
picture lesson of
his glorious work
on the cross, in
this bright, glorious
light of the room,
the dark shadow
of Satan lurks
over Judas with a
hard heart of
unbelief.
John Gill commented
that among the
purest of churches,
there are unclean
persons.
There are chaff among
the wheat, goats
among the sheep.
So may this be a
caution to all of us.
We are so close.
Judas was so close
to Christ.
He had heard the
teaching.
He had the gospel
presented as clearly,
as could be.
And yet he was
unclean because his
heart was not owned
by God himself.
And if you have
understood the
gospel, if you're
understanding more
and desiring more,
take heed the words
of a Puritan,
John Flabel.
He said,
the greatest
difficulty after
conversion is to
keep the heart
with God,
to keep trusting
God,
to keep repenting
and trusting
that Christ
is the one
who washes you
and presents you
righteous in Christ
alone.
It's God who must
apply inwardly
the work of
heaven's servant
in order for you
to be truly
cleansed.
Ask him to do that,
maybe for the first
time,
and ask him to do it
again and again
and again.
my fifth observation
is that the
heavenly servant's
love is an act
for us and it's
also in Christ's
own words,
it is also an
example for us
who belong to
him.
But my caution is
that we need the
heavenly servant's
love even to
follow his example.
We need his love,
not just a one-time
washing,
we need his love
to be the force
that energizes us
and that carries
us as we seek
to follow this
example he's laid
down for us.
Look at verse 13,
Jesus said,
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.
Remember,
they were arguing
about who is
the greatest.
He says,
this is how
my kingdom
will be defined.
verse 15,
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 a messenger
greater than
the one who
sent him.
If you know
these things,
blessed are you
if you do
them.
He says,
the messenger
is not
greater than
the master.
The word
messenger here
is a sent
one,
a one who
has been
sent,
and it's
the word
for apostle.
So for his
disciples,
he says,
you are my
apostles,
you are my
sent ones.
Now remember,
Jesus has
taken on
the role
of being a
servant,
being obedient
to his
father.
All the
servant passages
of Isaiah,
Christ fulfills
as the
sent one
of God.
Remember,
for love,
God sent
his only
begotten
one.
Jesus was
the sent
one.
Now he
says,
I was
sent by
the father
on this
mission,
and in
the same
way I
was sent,
disciples,
I am
sending
you into
the world.
Luke 22
sheds more
light on
this.
Luke 22
verse 26,
you shall
not be
like the
world,
but he
that is
greatest
among
you,
let him
be as
the
younger,
and he
that is
chief,
as he
that
serves.
I am
among
you as
he that
serves.
Now listen
to this
part of
the covenant
that Christ
was
covenanted
a kingdom
from the
father,
and he
turns around
and covenants
this to
the apostles
in the
church.
Luke 22
verse 28
says,
you have
continued
with me
through trials,
verse 29,
and I
appoint,
I covenant
unto you
a kingdom,
as my
father has
appointed
or covenanted
a kingdom
unto me,
that you
may eat
and drink
at my
table,
and rule
in my
kingdom.
So it's
Independence
Day,
they have
thoughts of
a revolution,
of taking
over political
power,
of toppling
over the
Roman Empire,
and Jesus
says,
I have
a kingdom,
my kingdom
is a kingdom
of heaven,
and it
turns the
values of
the world
upside down.
In the
kingdom of
heaven,
my people
will be
like me.
They will
make themselves
lowly,
and they
will serve.
They will
exhibit the
glorious character
and compassion
of God
to this world
and to one
another.
That's my
kingdom.
You want to
have a part
of my
kingdom,
I give
it to you.
I covenant
my kingdom
with you.
Just as the
Father sent
me,
I send you
into the
world.
Do as I
have done.
Do you
belong to
my kingdom?
It will
be evident.
It will
be evident
whether you
do or
whether you're
outside of
my kingdom.
If Christ
is your
king too,
church,
if you are
so filled
with his
love and
he rules
over you
as your
lord,
as your
king,
it will
be his
energy that
sustains
you.
You will
desire to
serve him.
You will
desire to
serve those
he has
given you.
your energy
to serve
will not
be something
you've
manufactured.
It will
be energy
from heaven
itself,
implanted
within you.
It will
be a
joy.
You will
be ruled
by a
law,
but it
will be
the law
of Christ.
The perfect
God who
is love
puts his
life and
his law
inside your
heart and
your mind
if you
belong to
his kingdom.
Remember that
quote I
started with?
I want you
to think back
on that
quote now
that we've
seen what
Christ has
taught in
these verses.
G.K.
Chesterton,
Christianity
has not been
tried and
found wanting.
Christianity
has been
found difficult
and left
untried.
It's difficult
if you try to
do it on
your own
strength.
It's
impossible.
But you
need the
heavenly
servant's
love to
even obey
what he
calls you
to do.
And if
you belong
to his
kingdom,
you have
his power
and his
energy
working in
you.
Jesus knew
that the
father had
given all
things into
his hand.
The father
had promised
him,
the son,
a people
and a
kingdom
upon the
condition of
his work
as heaven's
servant.
And he
promised this
to reveal
God is
love.
So when you
think of your
salvation,
you think of
God's glorious
foreknowledge and
predestination and
how he's elected a
people and
given that
people to
his son,
think of
one word.
Think of
God's love.
It's love.
John Fesco
said,
it was
Trinitarian
love.
Trinitarian
love overflowed
at the
father's
command.
It was
Trinitarian
love that
overflows in
the son's
obedience.
It was
Trinitarian
love in
the spirit's
outpouring to
redeem fallen
sinners.
It's far
from a
piece of
cold business
of moving
numbers from
one side of
a ledger to
the other.
Fesco wrote,
the father
sends the
son in
love.
The son
obeys the
father in
love.
And the
spirit applies
the son's
work in
love.
God
loves you.
And Jesus,
his hour had
come to
depart out of
this world
and having
loved his
own who
were in
the world.
He loved
them to
the end.
For love,
the father
sent his
only begotten
son.
The son
would not
come up
short in
his mission.
It would
be that
same love
that sent
him that
would sustain
him to
the very
last day.
If you
feel like
you're running
low on
love,
it's the
same love
that will
sustain you
to the
end.
I need
more of
God's love
in my
heart.
For love,
Christ would
be lifted
up.
It was
for love
that he
set his
face like
flint to
the cross.
It was
for love
that the
son,
Jesus,
served his
own and
washed their
feet.
For love,
he took
your sin,
if you're a
believer,
onto himself.
For love,
he bore
your sin
and mine
on the
tree.
God's
love,
it's by
God's
love that
he rules
over his
church today.
It's
because God
is love
overflowing
that he
fills the
hearts and
souls of
his own
people with
God's
love.
So when
it's hard,
when you're
running with
the tank on
empty,
it's hard to
love your
family to
the end.
Ask for
more of
God's love
to sustain
you to
show God's
love to
your family.
When it's
hard to
love your
spouse with
Christ's
love to
the end,
ask for
more of
his love
so you
can love
your spouse
or your
loved one
with Christ's
love to
the very
end.
If you
have kids
and it's
hard to
love your
kids in
the moment,
ask for
more of
God's
love to
fill you
that it
will overflow
it's
Christ,
it's
not you,
onto your
kids,
your children
to the
very end.
If it's
hard for
you to
love even
this small
little church
family with
Christ's
love,
ask for
more of
God's
love to
fill you
that it
will overflow
onto one
another within
this church
family to
the very
end.
One more,
okay?
If it's
hard for
you to
love this
pastor,
church
officers,
or a
fellow
Christian who
has deeply
hurt you,
ask for
God's
love,
that the
love of
Christ would
fill you
to serve
those he
loves until
the very
end.
We need
that.
Well, we
saw that
John learned
Christ's
lesson.
I want to
finish off
with Peter.
Did Peter
understand this
lesson
eventually?
Listen to
his words,
Peter's words
to the church
in 1 Peter
4.9.
He instructs
the church,
show hospitality
to one another
without grumbling.
So that means
it's hard
because the
tendency will
be to
grumble.
But if it's
Christ's love
in you,
not only will
you do it,
you'll do it
without grumbling.
Peter wrote,
as each has
received a
gift,
use it to
serve one
another as
good stewards
of God's
varied graces.
Now listen
to this,
serve as
one who
serves by
the strength
that God
supplies.
Do you
think Peter
understood the
lesson?
church,
serve one
another,
but serve
with the
strength that
God himself
supplies.
Why?
Peter writes,
in order that
in everything
God may be
glorified through
Jesus Christ.
It should be
obvious to you,
to me,
and to one
another,
and to the
world,
that this is
a special
people,
not because
they are
special,
but because
it's God's
strength
overflowing
in them.
The way
they're showing
the love
of Christ
is otherworldly,
there's no
explanation for
it,
and that
way God
is glorified.
God gets
all the glory,
never man,
through Jesus
Christ,
to whom
belong all
glory and
dominion
forever and
ever.
You and I,
we need
the love of
the heavenly
servant.
If you're
clean,
if you've
been cleaned
and washed
by Jesus,
then walk,
walk with
him in his
light,
and serve
with the
love of
Christ himself
overflowing
in all that
you do.
Let's
pray.
From
Ephesians
chapter 1.
Blessed be
the God
and Father
of our
Lord Jesus
Christ,
who has
blessed us
in Christ
with every
spiritual blessing
in the heavenly
places,
even as he
chose us in
him before
the foundation
of the world,
that we
should be
holy and
blameless
before him.
In love,
he predestined
us for
adoption to
himself as
sons through
Jesus Christ,
according to
the purpose
of his
will,
to the praise
of his
glorious grace,
with which he
has blessed us
in the beloved.
In him we
have redemption
through his
blood,
the forgiveness
of our
trespasses,
according to
the riches
of his
grace.
So we
ask,
Lord,
for your
glory.
In love,
clean us
again.
In love,
teach us
to serve.
Amen.
Take a moment
and pray.