Sermon

Our Risen King: “Do As I Have Done For You”

Christ Church Blackpool

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  1. We are. Kicking off this week.

  2. A new series, an Easter Series, A three-week Easter series where

  3. we're going to be looking through taking things that Jesus

  4. said in the Gospel of John Key life changing things that Jesus.

  5. Said over the Easter. Period.

  6. I'm redoing this week where we're going to be looking at the

  7. Last Supper. Where Jesus?

  8. Says to his disciples. Do as I have.

  9. Done for you next. Week Julian's going to be

  10. looking at the cross and Jesus, saying it is finished and then

  11. culminating on Easter Sunday. Where we're going to be looking

  12. at. Jesus words to.

  13. Mary in the garden. As she, as he says to her, Who?

  14. Are you looking for and? I want to.

  15. Encourage you for Easter Sunday it it will just it will be a a

  16. unapologetic gospel message. So if you've got friends.

  17. If you know people. Who are interested in coming to

  18. church who aren't Christians or maybe they're they're on the

  19. edge or whatever. Invite.

  20. Them along invite them along we go we.

  21. I was hoping to have some leaflets here today, but

  22. unfortunately the printer. That we used was moving house

  23. this week so wasn't able to help but.

  24. For home groups on Wednesday. I'm going to I'll.

  25. Make sure that there are a. Stack of leaflets for you to

  26. give out during where you live or where you work, wherever so

  27. there's. Things you can invite.

  28. People and in a couple weeks time we will we will leaflet the

  29. local area just inviting people to our Easter, Easter service.

  30. Like I said, we were preaching the gospel, me and Elsie Grace

  31. yesterday. Packed up a load.

  32. Of mini eggs to give out to all the children.

  33. And it's going to be a. Great, great Sunday, but let's

  34. get into this week's message. So if.

  35. Was that about me? Hurrying up or was that Zabe?

  36. I wasn't sure whether that was great about Easter or great

  37. about Easter is actually. Getting on with it.

  38. Right. So we're going to be in John 13

  39. today, so. If you want to find that in your

  40. Bibles, I'm going to read the first few lines and then we will

  41. get into it. It was just.

  42. Before the Passover festival, Jesus knew that the hour had

  43. come to him to leave this world and go to the Father.

  44. Having loved his own who were in the world, He loved them to the

  45. end. The evening.

  46. Meal was in process, and the devil had already prompted

  47. Judas. Son of Iscariot to.

  48. Betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had

  49. put all things under his power. And that he.

  50. Had come from God. And was.

  51. Returning to God. So he got up from the meal, took

  52. off his outer clothing, wrapped and wrapping a towel around his

  53. waist. After that he poured water into

  54. a basin and began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with

  55. the towel that was wrapped around him.

  56. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, we thank you for

  57. being with us so powerfully already in our time of worship

  58. and I just want to invite you again to come and mould us and

  59. change us and speak to us. I pray that you would give us

  60. soft, not hard hearts. Soft hearts that can receive.

  61. Your word that can, that makes us more and more like Jesus.

  62. Amen. Amen.

  63. So the context here, it says John writes, Jesus knew exactly

  64. who he was. He knew that he was God.

  65. He knew that he was the king of kings.

  66. That he was the. Lord of Lords, he knew that's

  67. where he had come from and he knew that is where he was going

  68. very shortly. So therefore he decided to

  69. display his might and power. Don't know, It says so,

  70. therefore being King. Being the.

  71. King of Kings being the Lord of Lords, he decided to take off

  72. his outer garment, wrap a towel. Around his waist.

  73. And start. Washing his disciples feet.

  74. I mean, we've sung. About it already but.

  75. What do you think of when when we say imagine, imagine Jesus?

  76. What do you think? What goes through?

  77. Your mind's eye. I mean do.

  78. You do, you do. You see, baby Jesus, just this.

  79. Little baby in a Manger. Do you see this?

  80. Kind of Carpenter. Do you see this kind of

  81. Hollywood's blue eyed, beautiful hair, wonderful beard, perfect

  82. teeth. Jesus, maybe you see a broken.

  83. Man blooded and beaten. Hanging up on a cross.

  84. Well. About 60 years after Jesus went

  85. to the cross, after Jesus does this amazing, this amazing act

  86. of. Service for his disciples.

  87. We're told that John sees him in all his glory.

  88. He joins with Ezekiel and Isaiah and Daniel.

  89. At seeing Jesus and I've just asked.

  90. Two people to read. 2 chapters. Of our of our Bibles.

  91. That display, that describe Jesus in all.

  92. His glory. So, Pete, I've asked you to.

  93. You can stay where you are. I'll just give you the mic if

  94. you want. Pete's going to read.

  95. Psalm 90. 7 for us. The Lord rings, let the earth be

  96. glad that the distant shores rejoice. 1000 thick gardens

  97. surrounded him. Righteousness and justice are

  98. the foundation of his brother. Fire goes for him.

  99. It's intruded both on every side.

  100. His lightning lights up the world, the earth seas, and

  101. humbles the mountain of melt like wax before the Lord, before

  102. the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His

  103. righteousness, and all the people see His glory.

  104. All who worship images are put to shame.

  105. Those who boast in idols worship Him.

  106. Were you Lords Zion hears and rejoicings, and the villages of

  107. Judah of the land, because of your judgments, Lord.

  108. For you, Lord, are most high over all the earth.

  109. You are exhausted far above all gods, that those who love the

  110. Lord make evil, for he guards the lives of the faithful ones

  111. and delivers them from the hands of the wicked.

  112. Light shines on the righteous, joy on the upright and heart.

  113. Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and pray before we

  114. go. Can you give her the mic she's

  115. going to read Revelation 4 to? Us After this I looked and there

  116. before me was a door standing open in heaven, and the voice I

  117. had Hearst first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, Come

  118. up here and I will show you what must take place after this.

  119. At once I was in the spirit and there before me was a throne in

  120. heaven with someone sitting on it, and the one who sat there

  121. had the appearance of Jasper and Ruby.

  122. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.

  123. Surrounding the throne were 24 other Thrones and seated on them

  124. were 24 elders. They were dressed in white and

  125. had crowns of gold on their head.

  126. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals

  127. of Thunder. In front of the throne 7 lamps

  128. were blazing. These are the seven spirits of

  129. God. Also in front of the throne

  130. there was what looked like the sea of glass, clear as crystal.

  131. In the centre around the throne were four living creatures, and

  132. they were covered with eyes in front and in back.

  133. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like

  134. an ox. The third had a face like a man,

  135. The 4th was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living

  136. creatures had 6 wings and was covered with eyes all around,

  137. even under its wings. Day and night they never stopped

  138. saying Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is

  139. and is to come whenever the living creatures give glory,

  140. honour and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives

  141. forever and ever. The 24 elders fall down before

  142. him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever

  143. and ever. They lay their crowns before the

  144. throne and say you are worthy our Lord and God to receive

  145. glory and honour and power. For you created all things, and

  146. by your will they were created and have their being.

  147. Amen. Thank you.

  148. Thank you. I just want to encourage you

  149. that was. Psalm 97 and Revelation 4

  150. meditate on chapters like these. Even this week rereads those

  151. chapters because they. They give us an image.

  152. They give us a picture of who? Our God.

  153. Really is. You see, it is.

  154. So. Good, and I encourage.

  155. You to meditate. On who God truly is, because we

  156. we know that in this moment, God has.

  157. Become a man. He is Jesus, he is Yahweh, but

  158. Yahweh become a man and we can we can overlook how amazing

  159. that. Statement is.

  160. We can overlook how how amazing that is because we fail to see

  161. how big a step it was for him to go.

  162. Down from heaven to earth. But when we meditate on

  163. scriptures like this, we see how how amazing he is in all his

  164. glory, all his splendour, that he is surrounded in

  165. unapproachable light that that we can't we.

  166. Can't in in our own. In our own selves, we can't look

  167. upon him. You know the Old Testament

  168. Saints. That God would say say they

  169. would say to him, God, let us see your.

  170. Glory and God would say no, I can't.

  171. Show you all my. Glory because you're just you'll

  172. just evaporate, you'll die instantly.

  173. But when we when we gaze upon him, when we when we meditate on

  174. heaven, on heaven's throne room, we start to see how.

  175. Big a step. Down it was.

  176. I mean, every single time, any one of us.

  177. Steps down we do. Something that we.

  178. Feel is beneath us or below us. It is nothing compared.

  179. To what Jesus did. By leaving.

  180. Heaven to come down to earth. He is in approach.

  181. He is in unapproachable light, surrounded.

  182. By thick darkness. He is he, he's, he's.

  183. Described John. He describes him.

  184. He he can't. Even look upon him, but so he

  185. describes him as as emeralds, as jewels, as Jasper, as as Ruby,

  186. as rubies. He is the most beautiful as

  187. we've. Been talking about in the past

  188. few. Weeks that he is the most

  189. amazing. Wonderful, brilliant, a treasure

  190. it describes. It describes.

  191. Rainbows this, everything that he.

  192. Does is beautiful? It says that he is.

  193. Surrounded in all. Power that everywhere.

  194. He is there is lightning. The psalmist writes this

  195. lightning and. Thick.

  196. Thick darkness around him. Showing that he has all.

  197. Power. This isn't just just atmospheric

  198. music that goes everywhere that. Jesus does like a spill film.

  199. You know you have. You have the accent of the

  200. character they walk on stage and you have the accent of that

  201. music behind him. You know, God walks on stage.

  202. No, that's that's not what this is about.

  203. This is this is this is just displaying his pure.

  204. Power. The the the.

  205. Around him it says that there are there are these these

  206. lights, these lamp stands and they're displaying his presence.

  207. And seven is the is the. Number of perfection.

  208. It's the number of. Wholeness and what's his?

  209. Saying is that he is omnipresent.

  210. He is the only. Being in the universe that is

  211. everywhere at once, he knows everything.

  212. He knows what's happening in Australia right now.

  213. He's. There, he's with people right

  214. now, with us. Here he is.

  215. Everywhere it says that he is. They're surrounding him is.

  216. Something that's like a. Sea of glass and now what?

  217. What that is? It's not just meant to be.

  218. Beautiful to to the eye, but actually the the the sea, the

  219. oceans to the ancient mindset was seen as a a place of chaos,

  220. a place of evil. And it's a.

  221. Picture of Jesus, he calms like Jesus on the boat.

  222. In the storm. The winds are raging.

  223. The storms are raging. The ancient mind would have seen

  224. that as as kind of the. The evil, the chaos.

  225. Trying to prevail against gods and.

  226. What does Jesus do? He doesn't wrestle.

  227. He doesn't. Fight, he just says.

  228. Shut up, it goes. It stops.

  229. It just stops. Think of him walking on the

  230. water. We think that's amazing.

  231. You know, I'd love to be able. To walk on water but but it

  232. goes. Up another level.

  233. Because the the imagery for the ancient mind is that the.

  234. Chaos the. Evil that is surrounding us.

  235. Jesus just walks. Upon it.

  236. He just crushes it under his feet.

  237. Doesn't matter how. Big the waves are, how loud it

  238. screams. He just walks upon it.

  239. Is he? He is the.

  240. One who all? Creation worships.

  241. We are told in. Jesus tells us himself in the

  242. Gospels. The if the if you stopped these

  243. these. I think it's talking about the

  244. children. At the time you stop them

  245. worshipping me. The rocks will.

  246. Cry out. Because.

  247. Everything has been created. To worship me and we see this

  248. image of him. Surrounded by these weird

  249. descriptive creatures with different.

  250. Heads. That, that, that cherubim,

  251. they're, they're thrown guardians.

  252. But what? We need to get is that they?

  253. Never, ever stop worshipping. Him.

  254. They. Never run out of things to say.

  255. You know one of those songs? That we sung earlier was that

  256. we? You know, we could never, I

  257. can't remember the words, but basically we could never, we can

  258. never fully describe, never give enough superbatives about how

  259. amazing our God is. But if you're in Christ, you've

  260. got. Eternity to try you.

  261. Know we will never stop and. They just surround the throne

  262. saying holy, holy, holy. That he is completely separate,

  263. set apart. He is above everything in all

  264. things that He is. He is the He is the eternal

  265. architect. He's the creator of all things.

  266. See it? Shows in Revelation that the

  267. elders they cast their crowns before him.

  268. The psalmist ends his Psalm saying that everyone.

  269. Praise the name of. The Lord ultimately they're.

  270. Saying is that. Everything we have is rubbish

  271. compared to you. Nothing compares to your

  272. greatness. For you created all things, and

  273. by your will they were created and have their being.

  274. See, God isn't just great. Because he is strong, God is

  275. great. He is.

  276. Master over all things. Nothing exists without him.

  277. He is over and in all. Things.

  278. And this is who Jesus is. And he laid.

  279. Aside that, it wasn't. Taken from him, he chose to lay

  280. it down to. Lay aside, His Majesty.

  281. To wash, to serve, to take. On the role.

  282. Of the lowliest servant. You see, as Jesus.

  283. Walked into this room, this this room where they'd be having this

  284. last of meal, this passive, a meal.

  285. There should have been hues of people around the whole of.

  286. Jerusalem, waiting, lining up to serve him to do everything.

  287. That he he needed doing because he is the King.

  288. He's the King of Kings instead as his his disciples.

  289. Sit down to eat. He gets down on his knees and

  290. starts washing their dirty, dusty, filthy feet.

  291. Now allow you to imagine this for a second.

  292. You're at a dinner table and the most important person in the

  293. room starts taking your shoes off and washing your feet.

  294. A bit uncomfortable. I think.

  295. Slightly awkward, I. Mean, if you've seen the the

  296. latest series of the chosen, I think they do it really well.

  297. How how they're all just kind of looking at each other.

  298. What, what is going on? What is he doing?

  299. What, what, what? What is Jesus doing?

  300. You know they're all getting. More and more.

  301. Uncomfortable with the idea? That Jesus is.

  302. Washing their feet because because they're uncomfortable.

  303. Not because they don't like their feet.

  304. Getting touched. You know that that that is an

  305. uncomfortable. Thing they're they're

  306. uncomfortable because Jesus. They know is their Messiah.

  307. He is the king of kings. He's the one.

  308. He's the true son who's going to sit upon.

  309. David's throne, who is going to wipe out, you know?

  310. Who's going to who they believe is going to?

  311. Remove the Romans, who's going to rule over the entire world?

  312. And this king is washing their feet.

  313. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Jesus.

  314. Kings have servants to do that. Actually, kings have servants.

  315. Who have? Servants to do that.

  316. It and but Jesus with one. Action he turns their.

  317. Way of thinking completely. Upside down.

  318. See their way of. Thinking is important.

  319. People do important things and they do not.

  320. Do menial tasks. The more important you are, the

  321. less menial tasks you do, and the more.

  322. Important things you do, the more people who do stuff for

  323. you. And Jesus turns that completely.

  324. On its head and Peter can't. Stand it anymore?

  325. You know, we get round and and I love it.

  326. I love, I love it. It's.

  327. Peter says it says. It comes to Peter and next verse

  328. and it says. He came to Simon.

  329. Peter who said to him, Lord, are you?

  330. Going to wash my feet. Jesus replied.

  331. You do not. Realise now what I'm doing, but

  332. later you will understand, no? No, Jesus and Peter said you

  333. shall never wash my. Feet.

  334. What would your response be? Would you stay quiet?

  335. Would you be uncomfortable or would you like Pete to go?

  336. Jesus, this isn't happening. You, you should not be touching

  337. my feet. Do you know where they've?

  338. Been Jesus. Last week I challenged you.

  339. I challenged you to build a habit of spending time gazing

  340. upon Christ, upon gazing upon His beauty.

  341. And I hope that you did, because the reality is.

  342. When we don't do. That it's usually down to the

  343. fact. That we don't believe Jesus is

  344. important enough to spend time with?

  345. We don't really. See him as the.

  346. King that he truly is. This is why Peter was

  347. uncomfortable with it and. You would be saying no, no, no,

  348. no. It's because I didn't have

  349. enough time. Well, just to push.

  350. Back on that. I really don't have time.

  351. To take the car to have an MOT but I do it because it needs to

  352. be done. Not a fan of doing laundry?

  353. But I also like clean clothes. Don't like food shopping?

  354. But. I like to have food in the

  355. fridge. How much?

  356. More when we're talking. About spending time.

  357. With the king of the universe. See, if we're not making a habit

  358. of spending time with Him when He has, He has opened the doors

  359. for us to walk into His freedom. We're saying that God, you're

  360. not important enough to spend. Time with.

  361. Well, either that or we haven't. Truly.

  362. Believed that we're worthy. And let me say, you will never.

  363. Be worthy of his affection. None of us are worthy of His

  364. affection, but He has chosen to make Himself available to you.

  365. He has chosen to wash you in His blood so that you can come into

  366. His presence By faith and faith alone you can come into His

  367. presence. Just put up the next.

  368. Few verses it says. Romans 5 says But God

  369. demonstrated this that his own. Love for us in this while.

  370. We were still sinners. Not when you became perfect,

  371. Not. When you did enough good.

  372. Stuff. No, no, no.

  373. When you were an awful person. When you were at your worst.

  374. Christ died for us. Ephesians tells us.

  375. But because of his great love for us, God, who was rich in

  376. mercy, made us alive with Christ.

  377. Even when we were dead. So don't say he's saying that we

  378. were dead. We were so far.

  379. Away from Christ, that we were dead in our sins.

  380. In our In the things that were against gods.

  381. But it is by grace. You have been saved.

  382. Not by what you. Do good or bad?

  383. Psalm 103 says he does not treat.

  384. Us as our sins deserve, or repay us according to our iniquities.

  385. See, the problem is, is that too often our focus is upon

  386. ourselves. We're looking at ourselves.

  387. We're looking at how good. Or bad that we.

  388. Are I've been good? Surely Jesus should do this for

  389. me. I've been bad.

  390. There's no point even trying to come to him today if he knew.

  391. Who I was, he does. But he still wants to come into.

  392. He wants you to come into his presence.

  393. He desires, you see, And if we're not taking that up, that

  394. opportunity, we're saying to God, you're not important

  395. enough. Or we're saying I don't believe.

  396. That you're powerful enough that you would forgive.

  397. Me because my. Sin You can forgive everyone

  398. else's sins but my. Sin will be a barrier for your

  399. love. And every.

  400. Single one of those things is rubbish and so.

  401. Peter continues. It says.

  402. Jesus answered. Remember, Peter has just said

  403. no, you're not doing this. And Jesus answered, Unless I

  404. wash you, you. Have no part with me.

  405. Then Lords, Peter replied. Not just my feet.

  406. But my hands and my head as well, Jesus answered.

  407. Those who have a bath need only to.

  408. Wash their feet. There the whole body is clean

  409. and you. Are clean, though not everyone

  410. of you. For he knew who.

  411. Was going to betray. Him and he that.

  412. Was why he said. Not everyone of you is clean,

  413. you see. Jesus speaks to him and then all

  414. of a sudden Peter gets it. Well, he kind of gets.

  415. It he doesn't really get it. But what he really gets is I

  416. want you, Jesus. I want you, Jesus.

  417. And if if if by you washing my. Feet.

  418. Is going to get. A bit of you.

  419. Wash the whole of me, I'll take a shower, right?

  420. Now at this dinner table. In front of everyone, if that's

  421. going to get me closer to you see that, that's the kind of

  422. inhibition that he's got. So do you want to get close?

  423. To Jesus. Do you want him in your?

  424. Life. I want that inhibition that's

  425. Peter's got. That just says, OK, OK, you

  426. know, you're talking about feet, but I really want you, Jesus.

  427. I want you more than anyone else in this room.

  428. Just wash the whole of me right now.

  429. I want that. But Jesus says Jesus.

  430. And I imagine him saying this with a massive smile on his

  431. face. Yeah, Peter, you.

  432. Don't need a full. Wash I've given you a bath

  433. already and what he's saying is that the bath is is is that he

  434. has been purified from his sins purified because his faith in

  435. Jesus that he believes that Jesus as as.

  436. As he did. At the foot of Mount Hermon, as

  437. he declares You are the Christ, you are the saving 1.

  438. He says that declaration of faith, that was your bath.

  439. You have been washed clean and you don't.

  440. Need to be saved again. That that was it.

  441. You, you are saved. You are.

  442. You are. Living.

  443. You are mine. I I belong?

  444. To you, you belong to me, he said.

  445. This is why. Baptism is so important.

  446. You know, we we believe that you have you put your.

  447. Faith in Jesus. You repent, you turn.

  448. To him. And then you are.

  449. Baptised. Baptised baptism doesn't.

  450. Doesn't wash you. It doesn't clean you.

  451. Spiritually it's a symbol that we died to our own life, our old

  452. life, our old self, the old us is dead.

  453. And then we have been a made we're made alive.

  454. We're being washed by the blood of Jesus, symbolised by the

  455. water as we come out and we're a new creation.

  456. I just want to ask you, have you put your faith in Jesus?

  457. Jesus Very. Clearly in the statement says

  458. you are clean. But not everyone of you, and I

  459. don't want to. Assume just because you're in

  460. this. Hall this morning that you have

  461. been saved. That you've been.

  462. Washed in the. Blood of.

  463. Christ that you have put your faith in Jesus and said you are

  464. my Lord and Saviour. I am living.

  465. For you. If you haven't.

  466. You can do that. Today, you don't need to do

  467. anything special. Which is between you.

  468. And God say Jesus, I want to. Follow you.

  469. I'm sorry for the way I've. Lived my life ignoring you up to

  470. this point and I want you in my life.

  471. And then go and tell someone and if you've done that and you

  472. haven't been baptised. Maybe you you had?

  473. Sprinkling as a child that that, that's great, but that's not

  474. biblical. Biblical is.

  475. You repent and be. Baptised you.

  476. Fully go under the water as a believing child of God and if

  477. you haven't done that, speak to us, Jesus.

  478. Jesus commands us to do it. So if you haven't, we'd love to

  479. baptise you. We love baptism Sundays.

  480. It's a lot of work to fill up a paddling pole in here and get it

  481. warm, but we love it. Because it's a demonstration.

  482. What Christ has done in our lives.

  483. See if you if you. Have been saved.

  484. He says to Peter, you just need your feet washed, which again,

  485. it's a symbol, it's a symbol of just daily repentance.

  486. Because we are if you have trusted in.

  487. Jesus for your salvation. If you follow him as your Lord

  488. and Saviour, you are saved. But we live in a grimy, dirty

  489. world as we walk through this. Grimy.

  490. Dirty. World we will make.

  491. Mistakes. We will say things, think

  492. things, do things. That God didn't want us to do.

  493. We will not do things. God will ask us to do something.

  494. We'll ask us to say something and we'll.

  495. Not do it. And so he says, you don't need a

  496. bath, you're saved, but you just need to.

  497. Wash that grime off and come to me in repentance.

  498. Say I'm sorry. I'm going to live.

  499. Differently, and the reason why we do that is we wash that grime

  500. off, that sin off, so that our relationship with God isn't

  501. hindered. You're saved.

  502. But if we don't? If we let.

  503. Sin build up. We let that stench.

  504. Build up. We get stinky feet that our

  505. relationship. With God is hindered.

  506. He goes on. And he says in.

  507. Verse 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on

  508. his clothes, returned to his place and said, Do you

  509. understand what I have done for you?

  510. You call me teacher and Lord, and rightly so.

  511. For that is what I am now that I.

  512. Lord not I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet.

  513. You also should wash one another's feet.

  514. And here's our quote for the day.

  515. I have set. You as an.

  516. Example I have set. An example for you.

  517. You should do. As I have done for you.

  518. Very. Truly, I tell you, no servant is

  519. greater than his master. Nor a.

  520. Messenger greater than the one who sent him.

  521. Not now that you know these things.

  522. You will be blessed. If you do them, the king of

  523. glory. Stepped.

  524. Down from heaven, not to be served, but to serve you and I.

  525. And he says his Kingdom is an upside.

  526. Down Kingdom. And to be members of his Kingdom

  527. means that we adopt an attitude of the king, the king.

  528. Who is a server? Who loves to serve a king?

  529. Who rather than asking others to.

  530. Do what he what what he didn't. Want to do a king who got down

  531. on his knees? With a.

  532. Towel and a. And a bowl.

  533. And started washing people. 'S feet and he says do the same.

  534. So I've got a. Bucket over here.

  535. No, we're not going to wash any of those beats.

  536. We're not going to do that. We're not.

  537. We're really not we. Would I would feel awkward?

  538. You'd feel awkward. No one wants to take their shoes

  539. off. Yeah, and actually many you may

  540. have been in. Services where people have done

  541. this and you know. Well, let's be honest, we would

  542. all not like it. Guests who are here for the

  543. first. Time you think I'm never going

  544. back to that church. They're the weird foot washing

  545. church. So we're just not doing that.

  546. OK, but actually. Seriously, the reason why we're

  547. not doing that is. Because we can miss the point,

  548. we can miss the point of what Jesus saying.

  549. He says do. As I have done for you.

  550. And that's he's not talking about wash, he's not talking

  551. about washing feet. He's talking about serving one

  552. another so that we can spur each other on into faith and good

  553. works. He washed AFI, it was a.

  554. Symbol of enabling us to come in repentance and and push on in

  555. our relationship with God so we serve one another in that same

  556. way, he says in Philippians 2. I've just got it in your

  557. relationships with one another have the same mindset as Christ

  558. Jesus who? Being in the very nature.

  559. Of God did not consider equality with God something to be used to

  560. his own advantage. Rather, he made himself nothing.

  561. Taking the very nature of a. Servant being made in human

  562. likeness. And being found in.

  563. Appearance as a man. He humbled himself.

  564. And became obedient to death, even death on a cross.

  565. Jesus. Loved us.

  566. He loves you so much. He didn't just get down and.

  567. Wash our feet. But actually he was.

  568. He was let. He let himself be nailed naked

  569. to a cross in all humiliation. Church he laid aside, he lay,

  570. said he laid aside his godhood. He, he, he, he, he, he.

  571. He didn't consider. He was God, but he didn't

  572. consider. That something.

  573. To grasp at he. Laid aside His Majesty for you

  574. and. Me.

  575. Surely we. Can lay aside our selfishness,

  576. our self centeredness, our ambition, our pride to serve one

  577. another. See service serving one another.

  578. For the Christian, it's the litmus.

  579. Test of how? How well you're.

  580. Going in your. To walk with Christ.

  581. Because when we see. How great he is and how far he

  582. stepped down. How?

  583. Can we ever say? No, I I don't do that.

  584. And. Surely we go, I don't know how

  585. to do that, but I love Jesus and I'm going to learn.

  586. That's that's the. Heart of Christ.

  587. Is our our? Response should be as Christ I

  588. want to wash the feet of. Of Christ's bride.

  589. I want to wash her feet. I want to serve her.

  590. I want to create an environment that enables them to draw closer

  591. and closer to Jesus. And you may think that that's

  592. only. Done by these guys when they

  593. sing. Or by by by.

  594. People like me who? Preach, but no.

  595. You are enabling people to encounter.

  596. Jesus, when you boil hot water to make nice drinks with people.

  597. When you set out. Chairs when you.

  598. Stand at the front there and you welcome someone in when you give

  599. someone a lift who doesn't have a car when you say.

  600. When you when you say. Come back to mine.

  601. And let's eat and let's, let's, let's make, let's be friends.

  602. You are. Serving one another.

  603. You are. Washing the feet of the bride.

  604. And I think actually one of the best feet washers in here are

  605. those who. Serve our children.

  606. They are the best. Foot washers right now, those

  607. who are serving our Crest, there was a serving.

  608. Are our children so Jesus says, let the little children come to

  609. me and do not hinder. Them.

  610. See when we. Serve them, we show.

  611. That they are important. That Jesus believes they're

  612. important, we're just demonstrating to.

  613. Them. That we believe you're.

  614. Important. We're demonstrating to their

  615. families. That we believe if your children

  616. are. Important, but frustratingly.

  617. And we're not the only church. There's always, we're always

  618. lacking, we're always lacking. People to serve.

  619. So I'm just going to unashamedly.

  620. Just say, could you serve our kids OK now just to be.

  621. Clear for those of you who. Have health and safety.

  622. And and child protection. On your mind if.

  623. Someone puts their hand up and says we can serve.

  624. Kids, we don't just throw them in there, OK?

  625. We have to DBS check people we have.

  626. To we have to. Get references and all that kind

  627. of stuff and make sure that our children are safe.

  628. But. Could you serve our children?

  629. We do a a six week rota 2. Weeks on.

  630. Four weeks off. Could you commit?

  631. To being here to serve our children on two of those weeks.

  632. If you could please come and see me.

  633. Or Jen. Or Libby.

  634. Who are out there? Afterwards.

  635. Because we we want. To display how much Jesus loves

  636. our kids. To them we want to.

  637. Serve them and love. Them Could the band come back

  638. up? See.

  639. It doesn't have to be children as people of.

  640. God we are called. To serve one another, to wash

  641. each other's feet. And I'm going to ask the band

  642. just to, just to. Play you can sing.

  643. Along or you cannot. I've asked them to sing an old.

  644. Vineyard song to us, but. My my my question.

  645. For you. My my ask.

  646. For you is will. You wash feet.

  647. Will you serve the bride? Now what?

  648. I'm not asking. You to do is.

  649. Where do I feel? Called No.

  650. No, no, no, no. Jesus called you to wash

  651. fingers. So I'm asking you is where do

  652. you see a need go and serve? Where do you see?

  653. A need. And if you don't see a need,

  654. come and ask. And I've got a long.

  655. List. OK, there's plenty and it's.

  656. Not we're not just talking about Sundays here.

  657. There are lots of things that need to do Sundays, but

  658. actually. There are things that.

  659. People who need serving throughout the whole week.

  660. There are things we want to do more of as a church, but we need

  661. people. Who are?

  662. Willing to humble themselves and get down on their.

  663. Knees with a towel and a bucket and worship at God's feet.

  664. So I'm going to. Pray and I'm going to let the

  665. bands just. Lead us in worship.

  666. So Jesus, you are the great servant King.

  667. Lord God, You laid aside your entire your Majesty to serve us

  668. to wash feet. To go to the.

  669. Cross, Lord God, if you can do that from the heights of heaven,

  670. God, how? How can we not when we're?

  671. Empowered by you. To make the small step to serve

  672. others. Lord Jesus, I pray right now

  673. that you would challenge every single one of us.

  674. Lord God, I want to thank you for.

  675. Those in this room who tirelessly serve who every day.

  676. Are. Serving your your church are

  677. living for your Kingdom. Lord God and I pray for more I.

  678. Pray for more people. Like that, Lord Jesus?

  679. Lord God, I ask you, I ask you that you would make us.

  680. All into a people. Who get how great the cost that

  681. you paid and understand that. Anything we can do is a.

  682. Tiny, tiny thing. Compared to what you've done.

  683. So let's end by. Worshipping gods.