89 - The Service of the Great King#
89 - The Service of the Great King
(JP Literature Group - Organized by Yun Dan Feng Qing)
John 13:1-17
1 Before the Passover, Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean. 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.
14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you for your grace. Your children gather together in your temple, coming here to seek Jesus Christ. It is you who serve us, it is you who give us strength. We need your strength and help, and we need your reminders of righteousness.
As this week begins, may we receive provision from you, receive your love to love others, and completely dedicate this time to you. May the Holy Spirit touch each person's heart, let us see the great service of Jesus Christ, and follow Jesus Christ as our example. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!
Our sharing topic is: The Service of the Great King
Why does Jesus serve us? He is the Son of God, the King of kings and Lord of lords. What does such a Lord lack? Why does He serve us? Last week someone asked me, why did God create us? Some say the Bible tells us that God created us for His glory, to proclaim His virtues... as if God treats us as free promotional tools, creating us just to show how good He is, just to let you see how powerful He is... No.
God created us because He loves us. Why does Jesus serve you? Because He loves you.
In the past, some people were sold into wealthy households to serve their masters because they had no way out, or they owed money to their masters in the Old Testament and could not repay it. This person would say, "Come and be my servant to pay off the debt." In today's society, slavery has been abolished. What is our purpose in serving others? Some say it is to make money. Indeed, under what circumstances would you serve without complaint? Even relatives often complain. If you are given a lot of money, if someone works as a nanny for a monthly salary of 20,000, with the condition that not only must they mop the floor but also the yard, and the ceiling must not have a speck of dust, this person would say 20,000 is not enough. The master says, "Then it will be 30,000 a month." Would this person complain while doing this work? No, because the reward is substantial. Conversely, if the master says the salary is 500 a month, with the same workload, would you be willing to do it? Many employees complain about their bosses for this reason. It is because they feel they receive too little.
But what can Jesus gain from serving us? What He often receives from us is complaints and doubts. If Jesus were serving us to gain something from us, He would have stopped long ago. Today, Jesus continues to serve us. He does not need status or money because everything belongs to Him. He serves us for one reason only: because He loves us.
The first point of sharing is: Because Jesus loves us, He serves us.
As we read in John 13, before the Passover, Jesus knew that the hour had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. Are you sure you belong to Jesus? If you are sure you belong to Jesus Christ, congratulations! Jesus will love you and love you to the end! The meaning of "to the end" is that while you are still alive, Jesus will love you without ceasing, until you die, and even after you go to heaven, He still loves you. This is what it means to love them to the end.
Remember, when you perform well, Jesus loves you; when you do not perform well, Jesus still loves you. When you do things to glorify God, He loves you; when you sin, He still loves you. His love for you is everlasting. This is the Jesus Christ you believe in!
Do not judge God's love by the world's standards. A child listens to their parents and does many things that make their parents proud, and the parents say, "I love you very much." But once the child misbehaves, the parents become unhappy. The love of Jesus Christ is a love that loves us to the end, regardless of your circumstances. Even if you say, "Lord, I feel you are unfair..." He still loves you, and His grace is always with you.
If God treated us according to our actions, how many people would die? Some say, "Why is it raining when it should be snowing?" and curse the heavens... Those who belong to Jesus Christ, God will love you to the end. His love for you means that He is still serving you today! Those who believe in Jesus Christ are those who belong to Jesus Christ. Jesus will love them to the end. Jesus knows who He is, knows where He came from, and knows where He is going. Do you know where you came from and where you are going?
Verse 3: Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God.
You come from God and one day will return to God. Knowing this and understanding this truth, at any time, you will not be intimidated by difficulties, nor will you be weak in the face of illness. This statement has another meaning:
Verse 2: The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
Without such insight, you cannot eat with someone who betrays you. It is impossible to calmly treat someone who betrays you or humiliates you. Can we calmly eat at the same table with our enemies? No, because you see how this person has treated you unfairly in the past. Seeing all this makes it impossible to eat at the same table with them. But why could Jesus eat with Judas? And do so very calmly? This is Jesus' secret: because He does not look at Judas; He looks at the Father. If you understand this truth, in life, you can overcome all difficulties and everything that disturbs you. When you sit before your enemy and see this person, if your gaze is fixed on them, the more you look, the angrier you become.
For example, the Bible says: you must love one another and love your enemies. We also say in church that you should love your husband and children. You give a lot for your children, but sometimes they do not listen and even scold you. Although you give a lot for your husband, he does not understand you and scolds you... In the church, we say to love your husband because Jesus said to love your enemies. But when you walk in the door and see your husband and children, you find it hard to love them because as soon as you see them, they keep talking, what should you do?
Jesus could calmly eat with Judas because He was not looking at Himself or at what Judas was going to do; He was looking at the Father. Because Jesus' gaze was always on the Father, He thought: I know the Father has put all things under my power. Brothers and sisters, do you know this? When problems arise before you, do you know that God has put all things under your power? This is authority. When business is bad, when illness arises, when relationships break down, do not look at these problems; look at the fact that God has put all things under your power. Because God has given all authority to Jesus, and Jesus has given it to you. This is the important principle for overcoming your problems, overcoming your bad habits in life, and overcoming sin.
Do not look at your problems; the more you look, the bigger they become, just like a magnifying glass, the more you look, the more afraid you become. But if you keep your eyes on the Father, you will understand that this problem is nothing to God. Jesus knows that the Father has put all things under His power. Although the devil wants to use Judas to kill Him, He is not afraid because He knows He will die and rise again. People have many fears, and the greatest fear is death. Unbelievers fear death because they do not know where they will go after they die. Why are Christians not afraid of death? Because we know that when this life ends, we will be with God, and there is a first fruit, Jesus Christ! He rose from the dead and became the first fruit of those who have died and risen again.
When Jesus resurrected, Mary saw Him, and Jesus said: "Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father." After we die and rise again, we will also go to meet our Father. Are you like Jesus? When we die and rise again, Jesus will go to meet our Father. If you understand this, you will not fear the attacks of the enemy, because you know that God has put all things under your power. You will be able to say like Paul: if I am to live in this world, I will continue to bear witness for you; if you let me go home, I am very willing, because the place I am going to is better than this one.
Paul could face all circumstances without fear, whether in poverty, wealth, or fullness. He passed through them all peacefully. This is a method. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords, but He took off His robe to wash the feet of His disciples. He is the Son of God, the King! The King gave up His identity to become a servant, and willingly washed the feet of His disciples. He is the Son of the Most High God, yet He humbly serves us. Jesus demonstrated the nobility of service through His actions.
Why wash the feet of the disciples?
In biblical interpretation, there is an important point to consider the background of the Bible. In our culture, we do not have the habit of washing feet when we eat. Chinese people do not have this tradition; at most, we wash our hands. But in Israel, washing feet is customary. Some people insist on saying that we must follow everything the Bible says... For example, women must cover their heads; otherwise, they are unclean and not pleasing to God...
I want to ask, why do you not wash your feet before eating? When Israelis meet, they greet each other with a kiss. Why do you not do that? If you want to keep the law, keep all of it; do not just pick one to follow.
You must know that this is a traditional custom in the Palestinian region. In their hot climate, there is a lot of dust. When going out, they wear sandals. In television and movies, you see them going out dressed in cloaks, with only their eyes exposed, whether riding camels, horses, or donkeys. When they get home, although their heads are clean, they take off their cloaks, and their inner clothes may be clean, but their sandals are covered in dust. So the first thing to do is wash their feet.
When Jesus performed His first miracle, there were six large jars very clean at the door of that house. In the Palestinian region, there is a lot of dust, and when you go out and come back, your feet will be covered in dust. Whether rich or poor, the first thing to do when you get home is to wash your feet. Poor people have large jars at their door to wash their own feet when they get home, while rich people have servants to wash their feet. Today, it is the same. Some people receive treatment as masters; who are they? The disciples, Amen. At this time, dinner is about to be served, but the feet have not been washed. Water, basins, and towels are all available, but no one is doing it.
In Luke 22, there is an important segment where the disciples were discussing who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus told them the very important principle of the kingdom of heaven, which is completely different from the principles of the world: if you want to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, you must humble yourself and become a servant to serve others. This is the important principle of being "first" in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus not only spoke but also acted. When Jesus saw this group of disciples arguing, He told them: if you want to be first, you must become the servant of all. Jesus got up, left the meal, took off His clothes, wrapped a towel around His waist, poured water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of His disciples. This is true service. Jesus is the Son of the Most High God. Why can He sit in the highest position? Because He humbled Himself to become a servant. People in the world are different; they try every means to elevate themselves, striving to rise through their own efforts. But in Christ, the more you humble yourself, the more God will lift you up. The devil wants to elevate himself, to be equal to the Most High, to sit on the mountain of assembly and have angels worship him.
"I will..." This is Lucifer's testimony. God said, "I will cast you into the abyss, and you will keep falling without reaching the bottom." This is God's method. Brothers and sisters, do not be proud; humble yourselves. Like Jesus, when we humble ourselves to serve God, God will lift you up. When God lifts you up, no one can bring you down.
We must understand that the path to nobility is service; the path to greatness is ministry. The path to having power is humility. If a person thinks they are strong and remarkable, they do not need God. They think they can do anything and do not need God; they think they are God. Similarly, the path to having a high position is to serve. Jesus can have the highest position because He has always served these disciples. Moreover, the principle of loving management is giving.
We are different from companies; whether in the church or at home, we need loving management. You cannot manage a family with three rules and eight points of attention; that is useless. No matter what position you hold, when you get home, you are just a husband. No matter how high your position is, when you get home, you are just a father. A family does not need your position; a family only needs a loving father. The principle of loving management is giving. The management of the church is also based on love; this is the method of church management. Jesus left the meal, wrapped a towel around His waist, and the original text refers to a fine linen towel, which symbolizes the righteousness of the saints.
Revelation 19:7-8:
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
Jesus placed His righteousness around His waist, and after washing the feet of the disciples, He dried them with fine linen. This is also one of the important contents we want to share. If you have dust on you, you need to wash with water. No one soaks themselves in vinegar; they wash with clean water. Brothers and sisters, when we are dirty, the method of cleansing is to wash with water. After washing, you dry with a towel. What do you need when you come to church? As mentioned earlier, when there is dust on you, you can wash it away with clean water. But when your heart and thoughts are dirty, you need to wash with the Holy Spirit. Specifically, how do you wash? Many people know it is through the washing of the Holy Spirit, but how does the Holy Spirit wash? God washes your feet with His word and dries you with the righteousness of Christ.
The second point of sharing is: Partaking in Service with Christ.
As we just talked about, Jesus got up to wash the feet of the disciples. When He came to Simon Peter, Peter said to Him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand. Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Many people briefly understand this passage to mean that Jesus is telling us to wash one another's feet. I do not deny that this is true; indeed, some churches, on a specific day, take basins and wash each other's feet. Many have told me about this, saying that the pastor in the church said to wash each other's feet, and while washing, they began to point out each other's weaknesses and mistakes, and while washing, they ended up fighting... This is completely different from Jesus washing feet. Jesus' washing was so harmonious. Why does it become like this in the church? This shows that Jesus is not merely referring to the act of washing feet.
Peter said, “Lord, you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” The meaning of "no part" does not refer to being unsaved. Let me make a simple inference for everyone: if Jesus said, "If I do not wash your feet, you will not be saved," then washing your feet means you are saved. May I ask: Did Judas Iscariot have his feet washed by Jesus? But he was not saved!
What is being talked about here is not related to salvation; it refers to service. A person must be cleansed by Jesus in order to serve the children of God. Peter thought that Jesus washing his feet was a disgrace to Jesus' identity, so he opposed Jesus washing his feet. How are we cleansed by Jesus? What did Jesus say afterward? Peter did not understand.
Verse 9: Simon Peter said, “Not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”
Everyone can understand this passage. Jesus said, “You are clean, but not all of you are clean,” referring to Judas Iscariot, who was not clean. The other disciples were clean. This point is understandable. The problem is: "Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet." "Having had a bath" refers to: being reborn and saved. When you take a bath, you wash your feet as well. Is there anyone who has taken a bath and then washed their feet separately? When you take a bath, you wash from head to toe. Therefore, those who have had a bath prove that we have all been cleansed and are all reborn and saved people, relying on the blood of Jesus Christ for cleansing.
Hebrews 9:13-15:
13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 15 For this reason, Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
Here is a comparison between the cleansing methods of the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament used the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer. These three things can make a person clean, but their effect lasts for one year. Every year in Israel, in the seventh month, there is the Day of Atonement, which is their day of atonement. The blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer can make a person clean for one year. Later it says, "How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse your consciences from acts that lead to death?"
These two matters are in strong contrast. The blood of bulls and goats can make the Israelites clean, but today you are not using the blood of bulls and goats; you are using the blood of Jesus Christ! The effect of His blood is once and for all! Do not say that the blood of Jesus has not cleansed you. Pray, "Lord, may your precious blood flow out and cleanse me again..." Jesus cleanses you; it only takes once and lasts forever. If you carefully read Hebrews chapters 9 and 10, you will understand this. This is the effect of the blood of Jesus. It is equivalent to taking a bath.
Do not misunderstand this. Many people have unclear understanding in this area, even towards God. They think that Jesus has not completely cleansed their sins and that they still need to remove their sins in other ways. But Jesus said: He has become the mediator of the new covenant, and since He died to redeem the sins committed under the first covenant, you must know that Jesus Christ has already cleansed all your sins.
Hebrews 1:3: The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
This is very clear. He has provided purification for sins. Has He cleansed them? Just like taking a bath, since taking a bath can cleanse you, Jesus' cleansing of you is complete. After He finished, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Why did Jesus sit down? Because His work was finished. When He said, "It is finished" on the cross, He was not saying He was tired after more than thirty years of work and needed a break. He was saying that His work was complete, so He sat down and rested.
God created the heavens and the earth in six days, and on the seventh day, God entered rest. Why did God enter rest? It was not because He was tired, but because His work of creation was complete. Jesus cleansed your sins and sat at the right hand of the Father. Today, He is still sitting there, proving that Jesus has completely resolved the issue of your sins.
Those who have had a bath refer to those who have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Are you one of those people? Believe that Jesus has cleansed your sins. Jesus says you are the one who has had a bath. Those who have had a bath are already clean. There is another statement that says: you are clean, though not all of you are clean.
After washing the feet, Jesus said to the disciples, "What I have done for you, you do not understand now, but you will understand later." Think about it: if it were merely to have us take basins and wash each other's feet, could we understand this? It is too simple. Jesus could have just said, "From now on, you can take basins and wash each other's feet." If that were the case, Jesus would not need to say this: "What I have done for you, you do not understand now, but you will understand later." But what is Jesus referring to here? Here, Jesus is referring to service! You must rise up to serve me. In the future, those whom I love must allow me to wash your feet, and then you can serve. If I do not wash your feet, you will not have the ability to serve. This also refers to God. As mentioned earlier, we are all people who have been washed by Jesus and are already clean. But why do we still get dirty?
This is also a question we often ask. Having believed in Jesus, and since Jesus has already cleansed us, will we still sin? Yes! Just like after taking a bath, if you walk on the ground, your feet will get dirty. Do you need to go back and take another bath? No, you only need to wash your feet. It does not mean that after believing in Jesus, you will no longer sin. After sinning, what you need is to let Jesus wash your feet. Then you can serve others.
Think about it: if you have sinned and serve others with a sinful heart, you will not be able to do it because the devil will not let you go. For example, if you had an argument with your husband at home and then come to church to lead worship, the devil will say, "How can you sing here? What did you just do at home? Do you have the right to praise?"
This person thinks, "Yes, do I deserve to praise God?" They feel condemned and cannot sing anymore. They feel that God does not love them and that because of their recent sin, how can God accept their praise? How can God possibly like this kind of worship? So the devil says, "You should go down; better not sing. With that broken voice of yours, even if you sing, God will not like it. Do not forget what you just did. What did you do to your husband? You are still a Christian." After being condemned, they cannot serve anymore.
Many people say, "My home is a mess; how can I serve?" At this time, you need to let Jesus wash your feet. When Jesus washes away the issues in your heart, you will understand that even though you just argued with your husband, I know God still loves me. No one can stop me from praising God. In God's presence, I receive His love, and when I go home, I can love my husband. I will not argue with him anymore; I will use Jesus' love to embrace him. This is using God's word to correctly guide yourself. The condemnation that you feel, Jesus uses His word to wash it away, and then you can stand here and continue to serve God. If you do not know this, you will not be able to serve God. The devil will attack you, making you feel lost and unworthy. What we truly need is to let Jesus wash our feet.
How do we wash? Ephesians 5:25-27:
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
In this passage, Paul uses the metaphor of husbands and wives to tell us about the relationship between Christ and the church. The church does not refer to a building; it refers to a group of people redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. The church refers to you; you are the church. You should say, "I am part of the church." Just as Christ loved the church, husbands love their wives, and wives love their husbands, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. Jesus gave Himself for us to wash the church with water through the word. When we have dust on our feet, we need to wash it clean with God's word. The dust refers to the negative information people give you in life, the insults, the slanders, or even the grievances you suffer for no reason, or some troubles that come upon you. All these need to be washed away. The role of the church is to wash you clean again through God's word.
Many churches teach incorrectly, saying that before you come to worship God, you must first cleanse yourself to worship God. This means: "Before you take a bath, you must clean yourself up first." If you could clean yourself up, why would you need to take a bath? In other words, if you can cleanse yourself before coming here, why would you need God? You need to bring your dirt into the bathing area and let the water cleanse you. Amen! Isn’t that simple? The water does not care how dirty you are; it can cleanse you.
No matter what burdens you carry, what worries you have, or what problems you face, come and seek Jesus. All who are weary and burdened can come to Jesus, and He will give you rest. This means to bring your burdens to Jesus, to bring your problems to Jesus, to bring your dirt to Jesus. He can cleanse you. You need to be cleansed through His word in the church.
If we have sinned again, I will tell you that even though you just had an unpleasant encounter with your husband, God still loves you. No one can stop Jesus from loving you. Even if your behavior is not good, Jesus still loves you. When you understand this, you will have the strength to renew your relationship with your husband. In the Bible, there is a parable of the prodigal son. Why did the prodigal son dare to return to his father's house? Why was he not afraid that his father would break his legs when he got home? Because he knew his father loved him. The pods that the pigs ate, the master would not even give him.
The prodigal son thought about how generous and loving his father was. It was this strength that turned him back from the evil path, not because his father threatened him, saying, "If you do not come back, I will break your legs." The prodigal son thought of his father's love and his father's generosity, so he had the strength to go home.
You often see scenes like this in some TV dramas: a wayward son who originally lived a life of comfort and ease insists on dividing the inheritance and takes the inheritance out. No matter how the father advises him, he does not listen. After going out, he is deceived and ends up penniless, like a beggar. With nowhere to turn, he finally returns home, knocks on the door, and the father glares at him, saying, "How dare you come back? Get out! You are no son of mine..." The son kneels at the door, pleading, "Father, I was wrong. Let me come home. I am starving." The father says, "You are no son of mine..."
Unconsciously, we think that the Heavenly Father is like this. When you do something wrong, you think the Heavenly Father will glare at you until you feel you are wrong and honestly confess your mistakes before God, and then the Heavenly Father will smile at you... It is not like that. The Heavenly Father is always smiling at you. No matter what wrong you have done, has the Heavenly Father suffered any loss? No, but He hopes you will live better. Amen!
Brothers and sisters, He is a loving Father. When you have problems, come before Him and let Him renew you. When you are dirty, come before Him and let Him cleanse you. Jesus is always doing the work of cleansing. The dust on the feet of the disciples is being cleansed by Jesus. Brothers and sisters, do not try to cleanse yourselves. Come to Jesus and let His word cleanse you. I will tell you that no matter what has happened before, in Christ, you are loved by God. No matter how the devil deceives you, you are righteous. You must know that the righteousness of Christ is upon you. Your identity as a child of God is bought back by the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus loves you very much. Although you have dirt, He will use water to cleanse the church through His word, making you holy, so you can be a glorious church. God has cleansed you, and when you go out, you are His glory.
It is not about you trying hard to cleanse yourself and then going out to say you are God's glory. It is Jesus who cleanses you. When you go out, everyone will see that this is God's glory. When you have problems, come to the church, and we will pray for you. When you stand up, you can testify for others that Jesus saved me. This is the glorious church. This is what Jesus wants to tell us.
Was Peter cleansed? Actually, Peter had taken a bath, but Jesus said, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." Peter did not need to take another bath; what he needed was to wash his feet. How do we wash our feet? During the six days of the week, your thoughts are constantly attacked and disturbed by the world. On the seventh day, when you come to church, I will use God's word to wash away the negative thoughts in your heart with God's words.
When you feel that no one loves you in the world, I will tell you that God still loves you. When you feel that God does not love you, I will tell you that God still loves you. When you feel that the Heavenly Father is angry with you, I will tell you that God still loves you and will love you to the end. After you hear this and understand it, your relationship with the Heavenly Father cannot be broken by anyone. Even though my behavior is not good, through God's word, I can be renewed and become His glory. When you go out, you will have strength.
Those who believe in Jesus are all people who have taken a bath, but their feet will still get dirty because their feet walk in this world and will get dust on them. Brothers and sisters, do you still remember what the devil's food is? In Genesis, God cursed the serpent, saying, "You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all your life." So the devil's food is dust. When you have dust on your feet, the devil says, "Wow, food!" and starts to run towards you. When you come to church and wash away the dust with God's word, the devil will have no way to eat. If he tries to eat, he will lose his teeth, and he will go find another target. There is a reason for this.
1 Peter 5:8: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
The scripture is very clear: the devil is prowling around. The Bible does not say that the devil prowls around and can eat anyone he wants. If that were the case, we would be in trouble. The devil prowls around looking for someone to devour. What kind of person can be devoured? Someone who is covered in dust. When you doubt God in your heart, the devil will attack you. When you feel that God does not love you, the devil will say, "Finally, I have a chance. Yes, God does not love you. God favors him and is biased against you." The more you think about it, the more wrong it feels, and your relationship with God becomes more distant. The devil prowls around looking for someone to devour. When you come to church and wash away the dirt from your feet with God's word, the devil will have no way to do anything. The devil says, "If you are the Son of God," and you say, "The devil does not need to say anything; I am the beloved child of God!" He will have no way to tempt you. We need to serve one another in the church.
John 13:14-15:
13 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 14 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
Washing one another's feet means to remind one another. The work of bathing and cleansing is done by Jesus. Through His word, Jesus will cleanse you of all your dirt. By renewing your thoughts through His word, you can be cleansed. Your bad temper and bad habits can be overcome through God's word, allowing you to correctly understand yourself.
The third point of sharing is: To understand what Jesus has done.
Jesus is not really asking us to take basins and wash each other's feet; He is referring to serving one another. We should emulate Jesus' humble service, the kingly service. Do not say, "I am a deacon; let me serve, but I cannot do it. I am a pastor; let me serve, but I cannot do it..." Do not hold onto your pride. In the kingdom of God, if you are a pastor, you should serve. Amen. I have seen a church that moved me deeply. The elders in the church were quite old. On Sundays, while the believers were worshiping God, the elder stood in the square watching over the believers' cars. At that time, I said, "Any believer could do this." He said, "I am an elder. Since God has given me this position, I will serve my brothers and sisters." Thank the Lord; this is the correct way to serve. This is mutual service.
We must understand what Jesus has done. The third point is to wash the feet of others and use the word to remove people's dirt. Amen. Our service is crucial. What kind of word you share with others has a significant impact on their lives.
In the past, a brother had believed for several years and loved God very much. Once, while on a business trip, he stayed in a messy hotel where some inappropriate women would often call. This brother could not resist the temptation and engaged in an improper relationship. After returning, he deeply regretted, "How could I do such a thing? I am still a Christian." The devil condemned him. This is not to encourage everyone to do such things and then feel at ease; that is not the meaning. It is important to tell brothers and sisters how to overcome this sin. After returning home, he thought about this matter, and at night he could not sleep. It became a burden. "I actually did such a thing; I do not know what to do." He told the pastor about this matter. The pastor said, "You should repent well. A person like you is still a Christian? You are destined for hell. You should repent well..." After this brother went home, he thought about it more and more, becoming increasingly afraid, believing that God had abandoned him and that he was thrown into hell. So he hanged himself... Can you imagine such an outcome, brothers and sisters? In fact, comforting someone can determine a person's life or death. The kind of word you use to wash someone is very important.
1 John 5 says, if your brother sins a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray for him.
Should this brother die? But because of the pastor's words, he felt that God did not want him anymore. He felt he had no face to live anymore, so he died... The devil at that time said, "Yes, look, even the pastor said God does not want you anymore. Do you have the right to live in this world? Hurry up and die." He thought, "Yes, I should die," and then he hanged himself.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus does not want us to kill others. When others sin, Jesus does not want us to kill them; He wants us to pray for them. "If he has sinned a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray for him, and God will grant him life." God is not saying, "You pray for him, and I will take care of him and kill him." No. When your brothers and sisters sin, you should use encouraging words to pray for them, telling them that this is indeed not right and that they should return to God. God still loves you. The power of this love can make them not do such things in the future and give them strength to resist temptation. Amen.
We do not want to tell others how dirty they are, saying that even the blood of Jesus cannot cleanse them... We want to tell them to come to church, and Jesus will wash your feet, and you will be cleansed because you are a person who has taken a bath. You need to use the word to remove others' dirt. Remember, after washing, you need to dry with fine linen, which is the righteousness of Christ. You need to tell them that they are still righteous in Christ.
Brothers and sisters, you are righteous, regardless of how you behave. Your identity as a righteous person is obtained through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. When He cleanses you, you are a righteous person; you are a child of God. This identity cannot be taken away by anyone. It does not depend on your behavior. The Bible clearly states that if you believe He is the Son of God and believe that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Ephesians 1 tells us clearly that our salvation is not based on our behavior but on God's grace. When our behavior is not good, we need to let Jesus wash our feet. If you want to receive the life of Jesus, you need to let Jesus wash you. For those who have not believed, come and believe in Jesus. It is like taking a bath. Jesus will cleanse you with His blood. If you still have a bad temper, bad habits, and many sins in life, let Jesus wash your feet, and you will have the ability to overcome these problems. When you go out, you will be a glorious testimony of God. You will tell others, "In the past, I could not overcome this matter, but after returning to church, I knew God loved me and gave me strength to overcome this problem." Just like that brother, if he knew how much God loved him and the church guided him correctly, the next time he went on a business trip, he would be able to resist temptation. He would tell himself, "I am a child of God; I do not want to do such things because God is my strength." Thank the Lord!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you for your grace. Jesus serves us in this way. He is the Son of God, yet He became our servant. We are all people who have taken a bath. We have accepted Jesus, but we will still get dust and dirt on us. We need Jesus to wash our feet. Jesus is our example. Just as you have done for us, we should serve one another in Christ, washing one another's feet, reminding each other that we are loved by God and possess the righteousness of Christ. We should use God's word to wash away others' dirt and weaknesses, making them strong and courageous again, drying them with the righteousness of Christ, and telling them their correct identity as righteous people in Christ. This identity will turn them back and give them strength to overcome all obstacles in life and be renewed.
Thank you, Lord, for loving us so much. Every time I come to church, I know it is Jesus who serves me, washing away all the dirt in my heart. With God's word, I will start a new week. You are my strength and supply. May all glory be given to you. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen.