Washed by the Blood | John 13:1-8

Awesome song service.

Awesome song service.

Matt done a great job picking those songs that goes right with the message.

So if you would turn to John chapter 13, I pray you brought your Bible.

John 13 · chapter mention

If you don't have your Bible with you, you can probably find one in the pew.

There should be one in each end of the pew.

And I pray you you'll find John.

And look at John chapter 13.

John 13 · chapter mention

It's an amazing story.

And it's just such an example for us as a followers of Christ.

And again, it's just an amazing story that Christ demonstrates for us.

In John chapter 13, we're going to read verse 1.

John 13 · chapter mention

It says, Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew this hour was come that he should depart out of the world unto the Father, having loved his own much around the world, he loved them unto the end.

And supper being ended, the devil having now put in his heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him.

Then verse 3 of John 13 says, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things to his hand, that he was come from God, he went to God, he rise up from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself.

Look at verse five.

After he had poured water into the basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel wherein he was girded.

Let's go to the Lord in a word of prayer.

Heavenly Father, we just hung the Bible for you.

Again, Lord, just thank you for the day, and again for the opportunity, the freedoms we enjoy to come here today, to assemble together and just worship you in spirit and in truth and sing praises to you and to open a portion of your word.

And Lord, we're so thankful for your word.

We're so thankful for your Holy Spirit to teach us your word, uh, to guide us, to lead us, to understand that we are all sinners needing to be saved.

And the Holy Spirit teaches us the message of the cross through your word, and we understand how much we're loved and that Christ died so that all could be saved.

And Lord, we're so very thankful for that.

And Lord, we just we just pray, Lord, that that your will is done and uh you're we sing praises to you and we look at your word, that you receive all the honor, the glory, and the praise that you deserve.

And uh, Lord, I do ask you for your preaching grace this morning, that you would have me behind the cross and and that we would hear your word and read your word and with the Holy Spirit know that uh you're speaking to each and every heart.

That's how you reveal yourself to us is through your word and through your spirit.

And uh, we do pray, Lord, for the lost that may be among us.

If there's one lost person among us, Lord, we pray that they'd be saved today before it's eternally too late, or any other decision that needs to be made, uh, Lord, we pray it be made all in accordance to your will.

And again, Lord, we just thank you for watching this with your word.

We love and we praise you, and we ask it's all in Jesus' name.

Amen.

So that's what I titled this message, Washed by the Word.

And it's such an amazing story because who's doing the washing of the disciples' feet?

Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, humbled himself enough to wash dirty, stinky disciples' feet.

And it's such an example for us.

Uh, we're going to see this.

And you know, you think about Christ's life and how how really how brief it was.

33 years, and he started his ministry at 30, and for three years before he went to the cross.

And you think about John, the book of the gospel according to John, from verse from chapter 13 to chapter 19, it's between 15 and 18 hours.

That's all it is.

He's going to start, he's going to institute the Lord's Supper, which we have here at Union Grove once a year, four times a year.

Because the Passover is about to be the last Passover.

He's going to be the Passover lamb.

So if you think about John chapter 13 through John chapter 19, it's one, about three-quarters of a day.

John 13 · chapter mention John 19 · chapter mention

Just a few hours, really, 15 to 18 hours.

Christ is going to be betrayed, be crucified.

And so you really think about and you see that at the very end of his life and his ministry, what was he showing his church, his disciples?

It was showing humility.

He was showing humility.

And uh it's it's such an amazing story for us.

Uh you think about the Jewish, the Jewish day is kind of strange to me, uh, but really it's it's godly.

Uh there the Jewish day starts at like sundown and then it ends at sunrise or sunset the next day.

We know ours, of course, it's midnight, but if in Genesis 1.5, it says the evening and the evening and the morning are the first day.

So they basically basically based on what God says in Genesis.

The evening and the morning, God says is the first day.

So that's really, and that's how people get so messed up on the times, on the resurrection, the different things about the days and different things.

But but it's very interesting we see what Jesus is doing.

And of course, the title I use is a play on words being washed by the disciples' feet.

Because what does John chapter 1 tell us?

John 1 · chapter mention

The word became flesh and dwelt among us.

So who is the word?

It's Jesus.

And what was he doing?

He's washing the disciples' feet.

And so I want us to understand that to know that you uh you know that we can never be washed by the blood of Christ until we understand what the word of God tells us.

We have to read the word and understand God's word.

Then we're washed by the blood.

I pray that you are, you're saved, you're born again, because Romans 10, 17 tells us, so it says, so then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

It is the word of God and the Holy Spirit that does the work.

We must hear the word, be convicted by the Holy Spirit, believing that God's word is real and it's true and it's alive, as Hebrews 4, 12 and 13 tells us.

Because if you just open this Bible and say, well, it's just a bunch of history about a man named Jesus and a person or a being called God, and you know, it's just it is what it is, it will have no effect on your life.

Because you have to believe it as it is, being inspired from God, and believe it as God speaking to you, and because it is alive.

And how do we know it's alive?

Because it convicts what the Holy Spirit is.

So people are convicted, they want to close it and never read it because it brings conviction.

But because it's because it's real and it's true, and that we have to read it as God's speaking to us.

So I encourage you as you understand this and look at this story.

I always try to say this too, for myself.

Put yourself in this story.

Put yourself in this story.

As you're sitting there with Christ, the first church, he has begun his church, he's taught them, and now he's gonna show them an example of what he expects from his church after he's gone.

And so put yourself in it.

Think about it just for a few minutes.

What would you be thinking as we look at these verses?

Because it's an amazing story.

It's an amazing story.

But first we gotta we'll hear the word, we're convicted by the Holy Ghost and we're saved, but we still need to be washed daily.

Washed daily because it's like the proverbs says that the dog will return to its vomit or a pig, you can wash a pig up, but guess what?

The moment you let him loose, he's gonna try to go out and find the nastiest mud hole he can find.

Guess what?

We're like that if we're honest, because we're in this flesh.

We're in this flesh.

And the flesh loves to sin.

Because what the flesh has done, and what it's always done, even before you were saved.

But once we're saved, we are to be spirit-led, to be, to be, to walk in newness of life, as Romans 6 tells us, after baptism and living a life for the Lord.

But understanding, though, we are we are washed once by the blood of Christ for salvation.

But we are washed daily by the word when we yield and obey the word and do the things we'd have for what?

For fellowship.

For fellowship with Christ.

So we're gonna look at this story.

I don't have three points.

We're gonna look at this verse by verse, and let me be thinking about what Jesus is doing, you know, right before he went to the cross and died for all of our sins.

And you know, we really need to ask ourselves uh, are we doing all that God's commanded us to do?

And think about it.

Look at verse 1.

Now, before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own, which were in the world, I love what it says at the end.

He loved them unto the end.

He proved it.

He proved his love for us.

And so what's the question for us?

Are we proving our love to him?

Or is it just lip service?

We just go through the motions.

Or do you talk to him daily?

Are you in a relationship?

Are you in fellowship with him?

And understanding when we make when we sin and and have difficulties and struggle and do things that disappoint him, do we are we quick to repent and continue in fellowship?

Because God is a, he's faithful, he'll forgive us.

He forgives us.

But we are we are we faithful to him until the end?

It's sad.

It's so sad to see so many people.

They start out good, start out great, and they just at the end they just fall apart.

Finish strong.

Finish strong for the Lord.

What he says in verse 2.

He knew his hour was come, but he loved them to the very end.

And in verse 2, he says, Supper now, supper being ended, the devil having now put in his heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him.

Sad, sad verse, isn't it?

So I want to ask you a question.

Who does the devil love to use the most in hindering the Lord's word?

The church.

Those inside the church.

Don't think for a second there's not a church around that doesn't have someone working for the devil.

It's true.

It's true.

To sow discord, to do whatever, discourage, whatever it might be, the devil will he that's his his that's his greatest asset.

If we can have a mole, or you know, call it that, inside the church to cause division.

That's why we ought to have unity with the Lord and have a love one for another, just understanding, no, we're not immune to it.

We're not a perfect church.

You definitely don't have a perfect pastor.

I mean, not an amen to that.

I mean, I knew you had to be some amens because it's true.

It's so true.

I'm far from perfect, far from it.

But I truly try to walk, I do try to walk daily with the Lord, do the best that I can do.

But I'm a flawed individual, saved by God's grace, thank goodness, and encouraged through his grace daily.

Because he gives grace daily and mercy daily.

And again, to understand it, yes, we're not, we're not a perfect church, but we try to do what God would have us to do.

That's how to have where he receives the honor, the glory, and the praise.

But don't don't be deceived for a minute thinking that the that there's there's moles in the camp in every church.

That's what we see here.

It's revealed for us.

It shows us.

And I think it shows us because it shows us the heart of Christ.

What was he gonna do?

He's gonna wash the disciples' feet, including who?

Judas.

And Jesus knew what Judas was doing, that he was gonna betray him with a kiss in just a few short hours.

But what's Jesus gonna do?

He was still gonna wash his feet.

Could you do that?

Could I do that?

I might have seen a big circle of guys.

So, you know why?

I'm gonna get to Peter and get to John and get to Judas?

I don't think so.

But what did Jesus do?

He washed his feet to show him love.

He loves us.

He loves us.

But look in verse 3.

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things to his hand, he was come from God and went to God.

What did Jesus know?

Jesus knew his time was at hand.

He knew after this service, after he washed their feet, instituted the Lord's Supper, that he would be betrayed in a few short hours, he would die on a cross.

He knew that his mission would be complete.

From the time of Bethlehem to the time of Golgotha, his mission would be complete.

So, of course, I'm gonna ask y'all are you complete in your mission?

Are you doing what Christ would have you to do?

Are you growing in your faith?

Are you a soldier for the Lord that the Apostle Paul would talk about so many times?

Are you doing the things that God would have you to do?

Are you finishing your mission?

Look at verse 4 and 5.

So he rises from supper, he's talking about Christ, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel and girded himself.

And after he poured water in the basin, he began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

Again, Jesus shows disciples and us what it means to be a humble servant of God.

I mean, you think about the task in Jesus' day, the tradition and customs of that day.

It was, they walked and they had sandals, it was dusty roads, and of course, as you walk to house to house or into towns, what's gonna happen?

Feet were gonna get dirty.

You know, you know, going to the beach, where it might be, going up a big creek, where it might be, you guess what?

Walk across Hayfield, whatever, your feet, your barefoot, your feet gonna get dirty.

It's just how it is.

And so the custom of the day you came into the house, the lowest of the lowest servants, one with less seniority, whatever you might want to say, or whomever it might be, that was the lowest duty of the servant, would do what?

Well, that's your job to wash everybody's feet.

I'm sure they wouldn't stand in line and say, Well, I want to be the I want to be the person that washes feet, no.

I'm sure they're like, okay, it's your turn.

It's your turn.

And so again, Jesus was showing us an amazing humility.

Because he is King of kings and Lord of lords, that's willing to humble himself, humble himself to show that he was serving them.

Serving them.

And you think about the Apostle Paul, he starts some of his letters in the New Testament by what?

He says, uh, and the Apostle Paul, a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

That's how he would describe himself.

So would you describe yourself as a servant of the Lord?

Do you come seeking to serve God?

Or do you come seeking to be served by God?

I think the church today, in general, in our nation today, people seek a church that can serve them.

And say they want to be served in means serving God.

Because you hear it all the time.

Well, they got this great youth program, they got this, that, they got this awesome building, they got this.

It's all about what they can get from it.

Instead of what you can give to it.

I've said it so many times, like JFK's famous speech about our nation.

He says, What?

What did he say?

About what he said about our country, about what you can do for our country, not what you can get from our country.

It's so, it's so, it's we're living that today.

So many people today think they're doing all these different things, getting all these benefits from the government, all these different things.

They think they're beating the system.

You're not beating the system.

You're an embarrassment to God because you're not doing what God would have you to do, and that's work and do the things that God would have you to do.

Be the spiritual leader of your home.

And be a leader in the church.

Be an example, be faithful.

And what's it start?

By being humble.

By being humble, wanting to serve God because you know what?

You realize and you understand how much God loves you and what he's given you.

It's not trying to earn anything, it's trying to, you want God to receive praise for what he has given you.

It's like a thank you, Lord, for what you've done for me.

It's like when your kids are young, you have to wear them out, just give them to clean the room or take the trash out.

But finally they get a little older and they get a little mature, you come home from work, and guess what?

They come out, they've got the room cleaned up, they've already taken the trash out.

Like, wow.

I didn't have to threaten them within an inch of their life.

They did it.

And what's that?

What do you do?

Like, wow, they're getting it.

They're understanding it, they do respect, they do love us.

And it's what it is.

God wants you to love him back.

Not just with our words, but how we serve him.

Look at verse 6.

I love this.

So then he comes to Simon Peter.

And Peter is saying to him, Lord, that's how I wash my feet.

I think Peter's saying, Lord, you really think you're going to wash my feet?

And I just love Peter.

I cannot wait to meet Peter someday.

All the disciples, I see myself be more like Peter than any of the others.

Uh quick to put my foot in my mouth, quick to say things, and I can't back up when it comes to doing things for the Lord.

But I think I believe things what Peter is saying, Lord, you really think I'm gonna I'm gonna let you wash my feet?

Look what Jesus says in verse 7.

Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou uh do thou knowest not now.

You don't understand what I'm doing, but thou shalt know hereafter.

He says, Peter, you don't really understand what I'm doing by washing all of your feet.

But when this is all over, you will understand.

And you know what?

We're so very blessed to have the completed word that we can look back and see the mistakes of others.

We can see the mistakes of David, we can see the mistakes of Solomon, we can see the mistakes of Abraham, of Moses, of Peter.

And we're able to see that's recorded in eternity for us.

But you know what?

God always forgave them.

You know what?

God always and he always used them.

It's the same for us.

Yes, we make mistakes.

But God forgives if we're if we will ask for forgiveness.

And we get to look back in our life and see how God has used us and how he has blessed us.

And look what Peter says in verse 8.

He didn't understand, that's for sure.

In verse 8 through 10, Peter said to him, Thou shalt never wash my feet.

And Jesus answered to him, If I wash not thy, wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

And Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

Of course, that's Peter.

And Jesus said to him, He that is washed findeth not, needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every wit, and ye are clean, but not all.

Jesus is saying, basically, he's saying, physically, I hope you've you've already bathed today or showered today.

I don't need to wash your whole body because but your feet are dirty because you came in here and you're here about to eat, and I'm washing your feet because your feet are dirty.

Physically.

That's what he's saying, physically.

Jesus here is speaking about what he's doing physically washing their feet.

But the next verse tells us what this is really all about.

And Jesus is talking about the flesh, and we see in verse 11, for he knew who should betray him, therefore he said, You are not all clean.

It's understanding that Jesus knows who is his and those that aren't his.

Nobody can fool God.

Uh so many people will stand up, as the Bible tells us, one day and say, God, I've done all these things in your name.

I've prophesied, I've cast out demons, I've done all these amazing things, I've done all these amazing things in your name.

What they're doing is they're laying out a resume of the things that they've done about them and for God.

But it's really, it's for them.

And what does God say?

God says, Jesus tells us there'll be a day, he'll say, Depart from me, I never knew you.

Judas looked apart, every bit of it.

And I almost said almost every time we have the Lord's Supper, when Jesus says, One of you is going to betray me, they all looked at each other and said, Is it I?

It wasn't just Peter, it wasn't just John.

They all looked at each other and said, Who is it?

That's how good Judas was at looking like a true disciple.

But he could not fool God.

Nobody can fool God.

We can fool each other, but we can never fool God.

And Jesus plainly says, For he knew who should betray him.

Therefore he said, You are not all clean.

Jesus knows who it is, he knows who's going to reject him.

But I want you to turn to John 15 real quick.

Just turn over to John 15.

Because he talks about being clean.

He's talking about being saved.

And he says, I am the true vine.

John chapter 15, verse 1.

John 15:1

He says, Jesus, as he goes on to teach, he says, I am the true vine, my father is the husband.

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away, and every branch he beareth fruit that beareth fruit, he purges, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Look what he says in verse 3.

Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Jesus is kind of encouraging them to understand, yeah, you're clean.

You belong to me.

Some don't, and I will cut that branch off and it will never grow back, and it will never produce fruit.

That's Judas.

But sometimes God will prune us.

There'll be difficulties, there'll be things in our life.

He'll cut us back.

So what?

You got little trees, little shrubs you cut back in the fall, and they grow a little better the next year.

Well, God does that to us.

So what?

That we'll produce more fruit.

That'll be more full, we'll be more useful to him.

But he says that and he understands.

That's what he's talking about when he's talking about clean and unclean.

He's talking about spiritually.

He knows who belongs to him and who doesn't.

So we're looking verse 12.

Back in John 13.

So after he washed their feet, he had taken his garments and was set down again.

He says to them, Know ye what I have done to you.

How great a question is that?

That's what Jesus is the master teacher.

And that's what great teachers do.

They ask you questions.

To do what?

Not that they don't know the answer, that make sure that you know the answer.

So ask you questions.

So any question we see in the Bible, of course, that's like that, God already knows the answer.

But Jesus wants them to know.

He says, Know ye what I have done to you.

Because some of them might have been thinking, man, that's very nice of Jesus to sit down there and wash our feet.

That was what a nice gesture.

Give the servant, girl, or guy a day off or a little break.

That was really a nice gesture.

Really a nice thing that he did.

It wasn't much more than that.

We know it was much more than that.

It was much more than that.

Look what Jesus says in verse 13.

You call me master and Lord.

So I am.

Jesus says.

He is master and he is Lord.

He's not bragging, he's not boasting.

You call me master and you call me Lord, you say welfare, so I am.

It's true.

He's saying he's making a true statement.

Yes, you call me master, you call me Lord, and you follow me.

But guess what?

Look what he says in verse 14.

If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

This is the key to the whole the whole to me, the key verse in the entire story.

Jesus is saying, There is no job too small or beneath any one of us in the Lord's work.

If we belong to Him, and understanding that uh that we are to be faithful to Him.

For he receives the honor, the glory, and the praise.

Because that's exactly what he says in the next verse in verse 15.

He says, For I have given you an example.

I've given you an example that you should do as I have done to you.

So I've asked you a few questions already this morning.

Here's the most difficult one.

They keep getting a little deeper.

God's asked me this all week.

Are you being the example?

First, are we following Christ's example?

And are we being the example that He's well pleased with?

And you know the answer.

Only you know the answer.

Jesus is our example in all areas of our life.

All areas of our life.

The Apostle Paul says that in Philippians chapter 4, verse 9.

Philippians 4:9

He says to the church in Philippi, he says, Those things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me.

The apostle Paul says, the things that you have both learned, received, and heard and seen in me, you know what the apostle Paul says?

He's not boasting.

He's not bragging.

He says, Do.

Do those things.

Do.

And the God of peace shall be with you.

And he says in 1 Corinthians chapter 11, church on Corinth 11, 1, he says, Be ye followers of me, even as I am also a follower of Christ.

1 Corinthians 11 · chapter mention

So if I if you were, would you say, would you tell people, follow me, and you'll be able to find Christ?

Follow me, and you'll realize how much I love Union Grove Mission at Baptist Church.

Or will you follow me for one service and you can follow me to the lake, or you can follow me to the ball field, you can follow me to the fishing hole?

Can they follow you and find Christ and find how much you love Him and love your church?

Look at verse 16.

He's done all this, and He really wants them to listen.

This is such a great verse.

He said, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

Jesus is not saying that he's greater than God, the Father.

And none of us are greater than the Son.

We are servants to the Lord.

And it's so important we understand that Jesus is telling us not to put ourselves ahead of him.

What is Jesus saying in Matthew 6?

Seek ye first the kingdom of God.

Seek him daily, live for him daily.

Keep your place here.

Before we finish this up, why don't you turn to 1 Peter?

1 Peter chapter 1.

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

Because Jesus says, listen, listen.

A servant is not greater than his Lord.

We're to serve the Lord out of humility and a love for him.

And then Peter at the end of his life, we have this in 1 Peter chapter 1.

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

Look in verse 13.

He says, Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind.

See, I believe there's so many here that are on the verge of doing great things for God.

I've been here going on seven years.

And I see baby steps of growth.

Spiritual growth.

But there's seasons when it's funny when it's seasons of good weather and seasons of bad weather and things that happen, there's distractions and the things of the world knocks us off course.

I was guilty of it.

I told you all so many times about hunting seed.

Hunting seed and roll in.

May I be doing good hunting seed, roll in man.

But then I gave it all to the Lord.

Because I would use that, the devil would tempt me with that hunting, and it would get in the way of my service to God.

And so we use different things in our life.

Things that are okay.

Hunting is fine.

Working is yes, a blessing.

But sometimes, you know, what are you putting first?

And that's what he says.

Make up your mind to serve me.

To serve him is what he's saying.

Peter is saying.

Be sober, which is clear-minded, and hope to the end of your of the for the grace that is brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Make up your mind to serve.

He says, What?

As obedient children.

Not fashion yourself according to the former lust and your ignorance.

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation.

That word manner of conversation means the way we live our life.

We're not to be self-righteous.

We're not to be holier than thou.

What that word holy means to be set apart for the work of the Lord.

Is your life set apart?

Are you different from people in the world?

Are you different from the people you work with?

Not better, not more self-righteous.

I'm not saying that.

But can people see Jesus in your life?

In the way you live your life?

He says, Because it is written, be holy, for I am holy, verse 16.

Then verse 17 he says, And if you call on the Father who without respect of persons judges according to every man's work, pass a time of your sojourning here in fear.

Fear of the Lord is beginning to wisdom.

For as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things of silver and gold from your vain conversation received by the position of your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ.

As of a lamb without blemish and without spot, he reminds them that they were washed in the blood.

And once we're washed in the blood and we belong to Christ, guess what?

We have freedom, yes, but we also have responsibility.

We are free in this country, yes, as American citizens.

We are free.

But guess what?

We have laws of the land and we are to respect.

We have a responsibility to what?

To the laws, to do things that are right and correct.

Well, as a child of God, yes, we're free from the burden of sin, but we also have responsibilities not to do the things of the wicked, not to be as wicked and vile as we were.

We're born again, we're different people.

That's what he's saying.

That we are bought with a price.

He says, for who in verse 20, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world was manifested his last times.

I love what it says.

These last times for who?

Look what it says.

For you.

Never forget that Jesus Christ died for you.

If it had just been one person out of the billions of people that's been born on this earth that was going to be saved, guess what?

Jesus would have came, lived a sinless life, and died on a cross, so one person would be saved.

And that might have been you.

Think about it.

That's how much he loves you.

That's how much he loves you.

He said, He's last times for you.

He says, Who by him?

Verse 21, do believe in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God.

Seeing how you have you have purified your souls by obeying the truth, through the spirit of unfeigned love of the brethren, see that you love one another with a pure heart and fertile.

That word, you know what I mean?

Unfeigned, it means real.

Not faith.

It is real, not counterfeit, it's sincere.

Then he says, Being born again, I love what it says.

Not of corruptible seed, but of uncorruptible.

How?

What's it say?

By the word of God which liveth and abideth forever.

That's the power of God's word.

That's why we're washed by the word, as we are washed from the blood by the blood.

It says, For all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man is a flower of grass, the grass witherth and the flower falleth there away.

What does it say in verse 25?

But the word of the Lord endureth forever, and this is the word by which the gospel is preached unto you.

That's what Peter says.

And look back to the story of Jesus washing the disciples' feet.

In verse 17.

Look what Jesus says.

If you know these things, what things?

Everything he's illustrated.

To be a humble servant.

Not to be ahead of the that the servant is not ahead of the leader of the servant of the master.

If you do those things, what's he say?

If you know these things, happy are ye if you do them.

See, that's the application.

Jesus has has showed showed them an illustration.

Give them the lesson.

But the application is it's on our side.

Will we do those things?

Do the things, not just have good intentions.

You know, you've heard the saying, one good deed is better than a million good intentions.

Because what's a million good intentions do?

Nothing.

Nothing.

But do the things for the Lord.

Be washed by the Word, and knowing you're clean and ready for service for Him.

Really think about your life.

Think about what you're doing.

And I could explain this better, but James does a lot better.

So we're going to end in the book of James.

Why don't you turn to James chapter 1?

James 1 · chapter mention

And it's what he talks about with God's word.

Understanding God's word.

Hearing a message like this, reading God's word, understanding you putting yourself in there, and I pray you were there when Jesus was washing their feet these last few minutes.

How you respond to what Jesus is saying, that you understand it, you know these things, and you're happy.

You're happy to do them.

Well, James says in verse chapter 1, verse 22, he says, But be you doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

You might say, Man, I heard I read God's word, that's an amazing story about about Christ, how he washed the disciples' feet.

And boy, that was good.

But if that's as far as it goes goes, what was it?

What was it?

It's just words.

If you go out and you see a neighbor in need, or you see a family member in need, or you see something in need, and you have the ability to help, help them.

Help them.

And that brings honor and glory and praise to God.

And guess what?

God will bless you.

It's amazing how it works.

He says, but be a doer, and he says this in verse 2, verse 23.

He says, For if you be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass.

He's talking about a mirror.

For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

It'd be like something you've ate.

Say you've ate something for breakfast, and you go by right before you go to work, and you've got something all over your mustache or your face or whatever, and you go in the mirror and you're like, Golly, I got syrup or honey or whatever, cheese or egg, or I got something all over my face.

Golly.

Look in the mirror and you just ate.

But you wouldn't go to work.

You're gonna run to people.

And you're like, ah, that's okay.

No, it's not.

Wipe that off.

You know, he's clean that off.

That's what he's saying here.

That's what he's saying.

If just be a hearer only, you're not doing anything.

You ain't got that mess off your face.

But he says this, for he beholdeth himself and goeth his way, and straightway forget of what manner of man he was.

But he says this in verse 25.

But whoso looketh in the perfect law of liberty, he's talking about looking to God's word, and continueth therein, not just reading it once, but read it daily.

He being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Then he says, If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is in vain.

Then he says, Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

You think about, well, I struggle about what to go, what to do to help, you know, service for the Lord, you know, my neighbor may not need no help.

Well, what's it tell us right here?

We got widows in our church.

And I'm here to tell you, our widows would love for you to come by and say, Hey, how are you doing?

Anything I can do for you?

Starts right there.

Or someone you know is uh as an orphan, has lost a parent, doesn't have a mom or a dad.

Go by and say, Hey, is there anything I'll do for this kid?

Think about it.

That's what it tells us in God's Word.

And what's he say at the very end?

And to keep himself unspotted from the world.

And how do we keep ourselves unspotted from the world?

Be washed in the word daily.

If you would, please stand.

Brother Matt, Miss Michelle, come forward.

Really think about your life.

Think about your relationship with the Lord.

I pray you have a relationship with the Lord, that you have confessed of your sins, you've repented of your sins, you've told the Lord, Lord, I believe in you.

I know that I am a sinner.

I have, I understand that.

I have I'm separated from him because of my sin.

But I believe that Christ died in my place.

I believe he died, paid my sin debt, and he was killed and rose the third day and is alive today.

And Lord, I ask you to save me.

And however you word that, however you word that, as long as you're talking to God in sincerity and truth, wanting to be saved, He will save you right where you're at.

Or you can come to the altar, you can come with