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insure fellowship w ith the F ather. (1 John 1 :9 ). . ‘‘If we co nf e ss o u r sins, h e is a n d j us t to f o r g a v e us o u r sin s cl ea nse u s fr o m a ll un righteou s Notice th a t Jesus said, “ If I wash thee not, thou h ast no p art w ith me,” not “ no p art in me.” They had a p art in Him, as all believers have, bu t it is only as we are cleansed from the defilement of our daily walk in a sinful world, th a t we can have a p art (or fellowship) w ith Him. (Heb. 10 :22 ). “ L e t u s d ra w n e a r , w it h a tru I n f u l l assur an ce o f fa ith, havi hearts sprin kle d f r o m a n ev il co a n d o u r b o d i es wash ed w it h p u Jesus was preparing them for com munion. Our salvation rests upon the finished work of Jesus Christ; our Communion, upon confessed and for saken sin. Blood and w ater flowed from His broken h eart (John 19:34) — blood for the sinner, w ater for the saint. (1 Pet. 1:18, 19). (3 ) THE SUPREME SERVICE— FOLLOWING HIS EXAMPLE (Jesus Seen as a K ing). “ I f I , th en , y o u r L o r d a n d M a s wash ed y ou r f e e t ” , ( v . 1 4 ) . He had set them a pattern. “ I a m a m o n g y o u as o n e t ha t The highest place He will occupy is to be a servant forever (Luke 12 :37 ). “ B lessed a re those se rv ant s w L o r d , wh en H e c o m et h , sha ll f i ing; ve rily , I s a y u n to yo u, th a t gir d himself, a n d m ak e th em s it mea t, a n d w i l l c o m e for th a n th em .” This is one of the most remarkable revelations of Scripture—-God serving His own in th e glory! Happiness in the Christian life de pends upon obedience to the law of Christ. We must “tru st and obey.” Topics fo r Study (1) Was he fact th a t Jesus knew
“He riseth from supper” (v. 4). Jesus is about to preach a g reat sermon to H is disciples. They have been dis puting among themselves as to which should be accounted the greatest (Luke 22 :24 ). Our Lord wanted to teach them— and us— by an unforgettable object lesson. He laid aside His garments, girded H imself w ith an apron, thu s ta k ing the servan t’s place (Phil. 2:6, 8). “ W h o , b e in g : in the They had walked through th e dusty road to the house. Their sandals had been removed. Their feet were soiled. There was no servant present; per haps th e house was too poor to afford one. The disciples were arguing as to who should be the greatest, and none of them though t of th e Lord’s feet. Jesus does not proclaim beforehand w hat He is about to do, bu t silent, ma jestic, modest, self-forgetful, He gives Himself to th e task before Him. W hat a contrast between the self-seeking dis ciples and the self-hum iliated Saviour! In the church th e most sacred service is often m arred by strife. We have an example in Luke 10:38-42 of striving vs. serving; self-seeking vs. self-forget fulness. T radition says our Lord began w ith th e feet of Judas. W hat a reach— from glory to the feet of Judas! P e te r’s p r o t e s t was not as sumed, but made in real hum ility. P eter was impetuous; he was ignorant; but he loved his Lord (vs. 9, 10).
fo rm o f G o d , tho ug ht i t not ro b b e r y to b e eq u a l w it h G o d ; Bu t m a d e Hi m se lf o f n o repu tat io n, a n d to ok u p o n h im the fo r m o f a serv an t, a n d w as m a d e in the li k e n e ss o f m e n ; A n d b e in g : fo u n d i n fa shion a s a m a n , h e h u m b l e d him self, a n d b e c a m e o b e d i e n t u nt o d ea th , ev en the d ea th o f the cro ss.”
“ S im o n Pete r s ai th u n to h im , L o r d ,' n ot m y f e e t on ly , b u t al so m y h a n d s a n d m y b e a d .” Je sú s sa it h to h im , H e th a t is w a s h ed need eth no t sa v e to wa sh his f e e t , b u t is clean ev e r y w hi t. ”
His hour was come a proof of His Deity? (v. 3; John 7: 6-30; 8:20; 12 :23 ). (2) Will th ere ever be any change in the love of Jesus Christ for His own? (Heb. 13 :8 ).
Believers need but one washing by the blood of Jesus, b u t th e daily sins need to be confessed and put away to
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