Thursday, April 17, 2014

M Thursday

M. Thursday
17 April 2014
John 13:1-17
He loved them to the end


Jesus kept loving His disciples. He loved them. Despite their self-seeking ways. Even though He knew one of when would betray Him. Even though was conscious of soon entering the glory from which He had come. He performed for His disciples, even for His betrayer, the menial service of foot washing. In that selfless act. He showed His love in all the beauty of its perfection.

He loved them to the end.

1.       It is a love that makes us clean.
A.      The foot washing portrayed Christ’s loving work of spiritual cleaning.  . (v.10)
1.       Peter did not understand the real significance of this act of love. “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.” (Vv.6-8a.)
2.       Though justified by faith and thus purified from sin, we still daily sin much.
a.       We are still living outside of Eden.
b.      Flesh and blood led us into evil.
c.       We need daily cleansing from daily defilement.
B.      If our feet are not washed, we have no part inn Jesus.  If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” (v.8b)
1.       We confess we need to have our feet washed when we pray daily, “Forgive us our trespasses.”
2.       He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us. (1 John 1:9)
3.       We have a part in all that Jesus earned for us by His suffering and death.

We are daily made clean all over. The love Jesus showed in washing His disciples’ feet does not fail us either.

2.       It is a love that makes us humble.

A.      The foot washing provides us a pattern for humble service. “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. (Vv.12-15)
1.       Christ’s act is a picture of His voluntary humiliation whereby He stooped to save. “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,[a] 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.” (Philippians 2:6-8)
2.       But literally washing one another’s feet will not bring us any nearer to the mind of Christ. 
3.       We follow Christ’s example when we bear one another’s burdens. .” (Galatians 6:2)
a.       We are concerned for their physical comfort.
b.      We aim to secure their spiritual and moral cleansing.
B.      The love of Jesus enables us to “wash one another’s feet.”
1.       That love transforms our hearts so that we get rid of arrogance, envy, and anger.
2.       That love guides us in a spirit of lowliness and helpfulness.

Blessed are we when we let the unfailing love of Jesus move us to imitate Him. “ .” (v.17)

The love of Jesus will not fail. He who washed His disciples’ feet will cleanse us daily and empower us to humble service.
645 Words
85% Reading ease

4.7 Grade level 

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