Let us turn to the word of God
and I will direct your attention to John chapter 13 the chapter
that we read and verses 3 to 5. John 13 verses 3 to 5. Jesus knowing that the father
had given all things into his hands and that he was come from
God and went to God He riseth from supper, and laid aside his
garments, and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he
poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples'
feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. It's principally from verses
4 and 5 that I would preach this morning. I trust with the Lord's
help and with his blessing. Verses 4 and 5. He riseth from supper, and laid
aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into
a basin, and began to wash his disciples' feet, and to wipe
them with the towel wherewith he was girded. We have here,
in this narrative, the washing of the disciples' feet, which
is not found in the synoptic Gospels, the Gospels of Matthew,
Mark, and Luke. John, it seems, records things
which the other evangelists did not record. and he omits some
things which the other three evangelists have recorded. For
example, the institution of the Lord's Supper. Matthew, Mark,
and Luke all record the institution of the Lord's Supper. but it
was not recorded by John. Now, I believe there is a reason
for that, and J.C. Ryle, the first Protestant bishop
of Liverpool, suggests a reason, too, a possible reason why the
Spirit of God inspired the fourth evangelist not to write of the
Lord's Supper. He says, I think it was generally
intended to be a witness forever against the growing tendency
of Christians, now I would say professed Christians, to make
an idol of the sacraments. Even from the beginning there
seems to have been a disposition in the church to make Christianity
a religion of forms and ceremonies rather than of heart, and to
exalt outward ordinances to a place which God never meant them to
fill. Now I do think even amongst our
chapels there are there are those who exhort the ordinances to
such a place and to such a degree as to put them all together out
of reach. Oh they're so holy and I am so
unworthy. And so they are never baptized,
and they never join the church, and they never take the bread
and the wine of the Lord's Supper, which Christ has commanded His
people to keep in remembrance of Him. Such a view of the ordinances
is, I believe, almost idolatrous, as idolatrous as the Mass itself,
the Roman Catholic Mass, It's certainly dangerously close to
it. It's interesting that John does not record the institution
of the Lord's Supper, nor the name of the mother of Jesus. He refers to Jesus' mother, but
never by name. And again, there is a reason
for that. It's as if he was sounding an
alarm, isn't it? regarding the superstitious idolatry
which the Church of Rome would introduce into the professing
Church. He seems to be anticipating,
as it were, the rise of Romanism. He certainly does do that, doesn't
he, in the Revelation. Think of Revelation chapter 7, the
Whore of Babylon, which is the Roman Catholic Church. John does
not mention the Lord's Supper But it does tell us of the washing
of the feet of the disciples by the Lord Jesus. And again,
there are those who would even make this an ordinance in the
church. You may be aware that Antichrist
himself holds a foot washing ceremony every year in the Vatican. There will always be those who
would make Christianity a religion of forms and ceremonies rather
than of the heart. Now what the Holy Spirit gives
us here, in the words which we have before us, the inspired
words which the Apostle John wrote, what the Holy Spirit has
given us here is an object lesson. Now the dictionary definition
of object lesson is, and I quote, a striking practical example
of some principle. And that's what we have here,
a striking practical example of some principle. Here is a
striking practical example of the love and humility of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Here is a striking practical
example of what Christ requires of those who are His disciples
and of those who profess His name. And so I would suggest these
two headings this morning as we consider the words of our
text. Firstly, a striking practical example of the love and humility
of Christ. And then secondly, a striking
practical example of what the Lord Jesus requires of his people. He riseth from supper, and laid
aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself.
After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the
disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith
he was girded." So firstly then, we see here a striking practical
example of the love and humility of the Lord Jesus Christ. We
read in verse 1 of the love that the Lord Jesus Christ had, having
loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the
end and here in the words of our text this morning and in
this striking practical example this object lesson the Lord shows
us he shows us exactly how he has loved his own here is a striking
practical demonstration as it were of that which Christ has
done for his people Now, if I was to suggest a parallel passage,
it would be Philippians chapter 2, verses 6 to 8, who, being
in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with
God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of
a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being found
in fashion as a man, he humbled himself. and became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross. Now Paul speaking of Christ as
being in the form of God, he is obviously declaring the
deity of Christ, that Christ is God. He thought it not robbery
to be equal with God because he is God. See verse 19 of this
chapter, John 13. Now I tell you before it come
that... Now I tell you before it come
that when it is come to pass ye may believe that I am. The he is in italics. The word he has been supplied
by the translators. It's not there in the original.
Literally it is... Now I tell you before it come
that when it is come to pass ye may believe that I am. He
is declaring his deity. And John, at the commencement
of this, his gospel, says, doesn't he, in the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same
was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him,
and without him was not anything made that was made. He is God, but there is a distinction
of persons in the Godhead, and we must bear this in mind. It
was the Father who sent the Son. It was the Son who was made flesh
and dwelt among us. It is He, Christ, who is the
only begotten of the Father. And it is the Holy Ghost who
eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son. It is the Holy Spirit
who was sent by the Father and the Son at Pentecost. And these
three persons are one eternal God, co-equal in power and glory. 1 John 5, 7. And if your Bible
does not have this verse in it, or if it's reduced to a footnote,
or it's got a question mark in the margin, then you have not
got the Word of God, you have got a satanic counterfeit. 1
John 5, 7. For there are three that bear
record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost,
and these three are one. Paul speaks of the mystery of
godliness in 1 Timothy chapter 3. And without controversy, great
is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.
Now again, some of the modern versions will have, He was manifest
in the flesh. Oh, we can't have the deity of
Christ, can we? Not in these modern Bibles. No. It's a satanic
instrument, these new versions of the Bible. Beware of them.
We thank God for the authorised version, which is based on uncorrupted
texts. God was manifest in the flesh.
That's what the Word of God says. It was not the Father or the
Son who were manifested in the flesh, it was the Son. It was
not the Father or the Spirit who was manifested in the flesh,
it was the Son. We must ever bear that in mind.
And so we read in verse 3 of this chapter, Jesus knowing that
the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was
come from God and went to God. He who is God came from God. There's a mystery here. The mystery
of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. And this, I believe, is dramatically,
as it were, set before our eyes in this part of the Gospel of
John. Here we have a striking practical example of that which
Christ has done for his people. He riseth from supper. He riseth
from supper. the heavenly state. Heaven itself
is often compared in the scriptures to a supper in several places
in the Word of God. For example, in Luke's gospel,
the Lord himself compares the kingdom of God to a supper. Luke 14, verse 16. then said he unto him a certain
man made a great supper and made many and then in verse 24 of
that chapter for I say unto you that none of those men which
were bidden shall taste of my supper this is the heavenly state
compared to a supper and in the revelation we read blessed are
they which are called unto the marriage supper of the lamb Well,
here in John 13, we read of Christ rising from supper. And is there
not here a practical demonstration of the work which Christ had
engaged to do for his people? Christ rose from his throne in
glory. He condescended to come into
this world to save sinners. He rised from supper and laid
aside his garments, we read. What were those garments with
which he was arrayed before his incarnation? Well, we're told
in Psalm 93. The Lord reigneth. He is clothed
with majesty. The Lord is clothed with strength
wherewith he hath girded himself. These were the garments which
he laid aside when he came in the likeness of sinful flesh.
He laid aside his majesty and he laid aside his strength. See
him there in Bethlehem, a helpless infant lying in a manger, an
animal's feeding trough. No strength, no majesty to be
seen there. It's laid aside. He laid aside
his garments of majesty and strength when he came into this world.
He had no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there
is no beauty. we should desire him the prophet Isaiah he rises from
supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself
When Christ rose from his throne in glory, when he left his heavenly
seat and laid aside his garments of majesty and strength, he took
upon him a human nature. He wrapped himself, as it were,
in our humanity, dressed in feeble flesh, as we just sang in the
hymn. And might not this human nature
be fitly described as a towel compared with the garments with
which he was gloriously clothed in heaven. And it was with that
towel, the towel of his human nature, that Christ made his
people clean. Now, if a towel is to be used
for cleaning, it must itself be clean, of course. And so it
was with the human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was
not conceived after the usual manner of men. He was born of
a virgin. His human nature was not defiled by Adam's transgression. He is holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sinners. And that by the virgin birth.
He was in all points tempted, like as we are, yet without sin. He did no sin, neither was guile
found in his mouth. John says in his first epistle,
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in
him is no sin. No sin in him. This was the towel
with which the Son of God wiped his people clean, even his own
sinless human nature. After that he poureth water into
a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe
them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Here is the king
performing the work of a servant, and Peter doesn't understand
it, does he? Then cometh he to Simon Peter, and Peter saith
unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said
unto him, What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know
hereafter. Peter refuses to have his feet
washed by the Lord Jesus. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt
never wash my feet. Now mark the answer of the Lord
Jesus Christ to Peter. Jesus saith unto him, If I wash
thee not thou hast no part with me. If I wash thee not thou hast
no part with me. Now is not Christ here speaking
of the need to be cleansed from the sin and guilt of a fallen
human nature? If I wash thee not thou has no
part with me. Calvin says there is also a general
doctrine contained in this statement that we are all filthy and abominable
in the sight of God until Christ wash away our stains. How true
that is. We are all filthy and abominable
in the sight of God. until Christ wash away our stains. Yes, the Lord Jesus came into
the world to wash and to cleanse his people from the defilement
of sin. For even the Son of Man came
not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life
a ransom for many. It was in the nature of man that
Christ took away the sins of men. He made himself of no reputation
and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the
likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross. It was there at the cross that
the Lord Jesus Christ washed away and dealt with all the sins
of all his people. Behold the Lamb of God which
taketh away the sin of the world. It was by the shedding of His
blood that all the sins of all the elect, the elect of every
nation were forever removed as far as the East is from the West. And so we read in the book of
the Revelation unto Him that loved us and washed us from our
sins in his own blood. Peter felt the need of that cleansing. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord,
not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Oh, he knew that he was totally
defiled by sin. Lord, not my feet only, but also
my hands and my head. Now, have you been brought to
that? Lord, not my feet only. Yes, my feet need cleansing,
for I have walked in the counsel and in the imagination of my
evil heart. But not my feet only, but also
my hands. With my hands I have wrought
wickedness in the sight of the Lord my God in transgressing
His covenant. And what of my head? What of
my head with my ears? I have listened to the devil's
lies and perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute
of the truth. Have I not sinned with my eyes
and with my tongue? Lord, not my feet only, but also
my hands and my head. Now if you are brought to that,
to beg of the Lord that he might cleanse you from all your sin,
then you are brought to the same place that Simon Peter was brought
to. And the word of the Lord Jesus
Christ to Peter applies to you as well. Jesus saith unto him,
He that is washed, neither is not saved to wash his feet, but
is clean every week, and ye are clean. Yes, you are clean, clean every
wit, completely clean by the washing of regeneration and renewing
of the Holy Ghost and by the blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, which cleanseth us from all sin. Ah, but you will daily need to
wash your feet in the basin of His blood. As you walk through
the wilderness of this world to your home above, you will
find that sin still defiles. Sin cleaves to you, as the dust
of the desert would cleave to the feet of the weary traveller
in those Middle Eastern countries. Those who walked on those dusty
roads would often need to wash their feet. And so it is with
us who are pilgrims, who have set out from the city of destruction
to go to the celestial city. We daily, we hourly need to confess
our sins and to repent of our sins and to seek that cleansing
by the blood of Jesus Christ. And we have this promise in the
Word of God. If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. Well, here then, in the words
of our text, we see this striking practical example of the love
and humility of the Lord Jesus Christ, that he should leave
his throne in glory, lay aside his garments of majesty and strength,
and take to himself a clean human nature, and as a man to die that
sinners might be washed from their sins in his own blood.
That's what Christ has done for his people. But you know, he
rose again. That wasn't the end of it. I
detest that abominable film and play, that Jesus Christ Superstar. I once saw it and it disgusted
me. It ends with the crucifixion
and the words come up, the end. How blasphemous is that? That
was not the end. That was the beginning of the
new creation. It was the beginning. After he died he rose again.
And so we read here in John 13 and in this object lesson. So
after he had washed their feet and had taken his garments and
was set down again. Born in Hebrew says when he had
by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the
majesty on high. He is now glorified. He is now
raised from the dead. He is ascended into heaven. He
has once again put on those garments of majesty and strength. And
it was for this that he prayed in his high priestly prayer in
John 17, before he suffered. And I have glorified thee on
the earth. I have finished the work which
thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou
me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee
before the world was. And the Father has glorified
the Son, just as the Son has glorified the Father. Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven
and things in earth and things under the earth, and that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of
God the Father. Here then is an object lesson,
a striking practical example of some principle, and what a
principle, the love and the humility of our Lord and Saviour, our
ever-blessed Redeemer, Jesus Christ. He riseth from supper,
and laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded
himself. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began
to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel
wherewith he was girded. But it is also, in the second
place, a striking practical example of what Christ requires of those
who are his people. the Lord Jesus Christ tells his
disciples that after he had done this that
he had set before them an example verse 12 So after he had washed their
feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said
unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master
and Lord, and ye say well. Now might the words ye say well,
for so I am. It's easy to say, isn't it? If I then your Lord and Master
have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
For I have given you an example that ye should do. that ye should
do as I have done to you. What an example of love. Love
is the principal grace. And now abideth faith, hope,
charity. That's love, these three. But
the greatest of these is charity, love. I have to say I prefer
Tyndale's translation of 1 Corinthians 13. He uses the word love. Love is everywhere commended
in the Holy Scriptures. God is love. And he that dwelleth
in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love
made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment,
because as he is, so are we in this world. This is our high calling as believers
in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are predestinated to be conformed
to his image. Paul says, be ye therefore followers
of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also have loved
us. and had given himself for us
an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour
what an example is set before us in the person of the Son of
God the perfect example of perfect love oh how Christ loved the
disciples having loved his own which were in the world He loved
them unto the end. And so we are to love every true
disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hereby perceive we the love of
God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to
lay down our lives for the brethren. This is no wishy-washy sentimental
love, is it? This is real love. The laying
down of our lives for the brethren. the Lord has given us an example
and he has given us a commandment and this is his commandment that
we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love
one another as he gave us commandment see verse 34 of this chapter
a new commandment I give unto you that ye love one another
as I have loved you that ye also love one another by this shall
all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another It's not just those who are strong
in the faith that we're to love. Often we're attracted, aren't
we, if we are spiritual men and women, we're attracted to those
who are deeply spiritual and who are strong Christians. But
we're not to love just those who are strong in the faith.
Think of how these disciples, they would soon desert the Lord
Jesus. Simon Peter would even deny that he knew him. Three
times he would deny his Lord and Master. And the Lord knew
all this. The Lord knew that the disciples
would desert him, that Peter would deny him and yet still
he condescends to wash their feet. Paul says, now we exhort you
brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded,
support the weak, be patient toward all men. We have before
us the perfect pattern in the person of Christ, and it is not
just his friends that he loved and served. No, think of this,
he even washed the feet of Judas Iscariot. He knew that Judas
would betray him. You see what the scripture says,
for he knew who should betray him, therefore said he, ye are
not all clean. and what a solemn word that is
Judas Iscariot was not clean mark the words he was an unregenerate
man he was not redeemed by the blood of Christ if he were redeemed
by the blood of Christ his sins would have been washed away by
that blood but he wasn't Christ had not died for that man or he may have thought himself
clean after all his feet had been washed by Jesus of Nazareth and even so now there are many
who are satisfied with a few outward religious observances
and they think they are clean but in reality they are yet in
their sins there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes
and yet is not washed from their filthiness and so it was with
Judas Iscariot and yet the Lord Jesus performs this act of kindness
towards the traitor he washed the feet of Judas Iscariot. Isn't this how we are to behave
towards our enemies? We see it in the Ceremony on
the Mount, don't we? But I say unto you, love your
enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate
you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute
you. that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven,
for he maketh his Son to rise on the evil and on the good,
and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye
love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the
publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren
only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so?
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven
is perfect. Isn't that what the Lord himself
did? Isn't that what Jesus did? He didn't teach one thing and
do another. He washed even the traitor's
feet. Here I say then is a practical
example of what Christ requires of us, who by his grace are called
to be his disciples, his people. He is the perfect example of
love. and he is the perfect pattern
of humility. And we are to be imitators of
Christ in this also. Mind not high things, but condescend
to men of lower states. Please feel free to join us,
sit anywhere. The Lord Jesus is the perfect
example of love and he is the perfect pattern of humility and
we are to imitate Christ in this also. Mind not high things, but
condescend to men of low estate. Again I say, is that not what
the Lord Jesus himself did? He condescended to wash the feet
of fishermen and tax collectors. J.C. Ryle again says, If he the
king of kings condescended to leave heaven to save souls, and
dwell thirty-three years in this sin-defiled world, there is nothing
that we should think too lowly to undertake. We might add, especially
in serving the Lord's people. But by love serve one another,
says the Apostle. And you know the reality of our
love to Christ is proved in this. by our serving one another. This
will prove the reality of our love. Peter, you remember, denied
the Lord three times. Three times Peter denied the
Lord. And after the Lord had risen from the dead, he restored
Peter. Three times the Lord asked him, lovest thou me? Lovest thou me? Lovest thou me? And three times Peter responded
in the affirmative. And each time the Lord said to
him, feed my lambs, feed my sheep, feed my sheep. You see, the reality
of his love for Christ would be proved in this, that he would
feed the flock of Christ. You know, the king of Zion, He
takes note of the least thing that is done to the least of
his saints. And whosoever shall give to drink
unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the
name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise
lose his reward. Remember what the Lord Jesus
said to his disciples on a previous occasion. in Matthew's Gospel,
in Matthew 20 and verse 25. But Jesus called them unto him
and said, You know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion
over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon
them. But it shall not be so among
you. But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister.
And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.
even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister and give his life a ransom for many. It was Peter who wrote to the
elect in his first epistle, yea, all of you be subject one to
another and be clothed with humility, for God resisted the proud and
giveth grace to the humble. It's interesting to note, as
we draw towards a conclusion, that in the book of the Revelation,
and I have mentioned this before, I know, but I think it bears
repeating. In Revelation chapter 14, we
see the whole company of the redeemed. In Revelation 14, and
I looked, and lo, a lamb stood on the Mount Zion, and with him
140 and 4,000. having his father's name written
in their foreheads. This is the elect of God, the
church of the living God. They are described in verse 4
of that chapter. These are they which follow the
Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among
men. And we note this, that not all
men were redeemed. These were redeemed from among
men. And again, note this, that they
are described as those who follow the Lamb. They follow the Lamb. It's not said of them that they
follow the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Christ is portrayed
like that in the Revelation, the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
But no, this church is described as those who follow the Lamb. The Lamb. The Lord Jesus Christ is to his
people the perfect pattern of love and humility. He has redeemed
them from among men by his precious blood, and by his blood he has
cleansed them. And so we read on there in Revelation
14, And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without
thought before the throne of God. Oh, would you stand without
thought before the throne of God? How can this be? Who is
able to present you thoughtless before the presence of His glory? None but Jesus. None but Jesus
can do helpless sinners good. Christ also loved the church
and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse
it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present
it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or
any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. The heavenly bridegroom says
to his bride in the Song of Solomon, There is no spot in thee. There is no spot in thee. Christ
has perfectly cleansed away all the sins of all his people, his
whole church. Remember Christ's word to Peter.
If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Are you washed
in the precious blood of the Redeemer? Is your heart sprinkled by that precious blood. Or may
we, each one of us in this place, know that cleansing in our hearts,
the application of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ to our
consciences. It must be applied. It's not
enough to know that Jesus died for sinners. We must know that
application of his blood to our own hearts, to our own consciences. David prays in Psalm 51, purge
me with hyssop. Why does he pray that? Because
the hyssop was used for the sprinkling of the blood. David wants to
know the sprinkling of the blood of the Lamb in his own heart,
in his own conscience. There must be the application
of the blood of Christ to our hearts. Or may we learn then
by the grace of God and from this striking practical example
that we have here set before us. To be true followers of the Lamb,
Jesus said, take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am
meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your
souls. This is the believer's rule of life." Well God grant then that we might
indeed learn of Christ from this striking practical example he
riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took
a towel, and girded himself. And after that he poureth water
into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe
them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Amen.