DIRTY FEET, DIRTY HANDS, AND DIRTY MOUTH

Sermon of the Week - January 7, 2005

          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, He loved them into the end.

Jesus loved His own. He owns somebody. Whoever it is that He owns He loves. A great many people claim at their baptism that they are the ones Jesus owns. They sing:

Now I belong to Jesus, Jesus belongs to me.

Not for the years of time along, but for eternity.

The Apostle Paul put it this way, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are Gods.”

But not only does it say He loved them, but He loved them unto the end. He knew all of the Apostles would forsake Him yet He loved them unto the end. He knew Peter would deny Him yet He love him unto the end. He knew all of the Apostles would forsake Him yet He loved them unto the end. He knew Judas would betray Him yet He loved him unto the very end. The fact that He loved Judas did not keep him from going to Hell. Some say that God's love is so great that He will not damn anybody. That is the human concept of God's love; it is not God's concept. The Lord will love you as a Christian even though He knows you will be indifferent and deny Him many times, and He will love you unto the end. The biggest mistake a Christian/non Christian can make is to be presumptuous about that great Jesus. The difference between Judas and Peter should serve as a reminder. He loved them both unto the end, but Judas became the son of perdition in spite of the love of Jesus.

The life of Judas should make many of us ponder the seriousness of the influence of the gospel. There are many like Judas who hear the words of Jesus. Many who live in close proximity with the Bible and God's people. They have access to the Bible and yet it makes no impression on them.

On the occasion of the washing of the feet of the Apostles remember, He knew His time had come to depart out of THIS WORLD. It is very suggestive when we think of the times that Jesus referred to THIS WORLD. He seems to always be aware of another world. Remember how he said to Pilate in John, “My kingdom is not of THIS world. if my kingdom were of THIS world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” And then again among other places, He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in THIS WORLD shall keep it unto life eternal. Continually He referred to THIS WORLD. Make no mistake about it, THIS WORLD is not the only world there is. There is another world.

Those of you who are listening to this broadcast are still in THIS WORLD so listen to the story of the Dirty Feet, The Dirty Hands, and The Dirty Mouth.

THE DIRTY FEET

He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took 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. Then cometh he to Simon Peter; and Peter saith unto him, “Lord, dost thou wash my feet?”

We can identify with the Apostles as self‑centered as most of us. At this point their feet needed to be washed, so who would do it? Andrew could say since he was the first to be called it would be beneath his dignity. Peter could say that since he was the one who made the good confession and did not the Lord say, "Blessed art thou Simon Bar‑Jona" surely such a one as I could not stoop to such a menial task. John could say that since he was the Lord's favorite certainly the Lord would not expect him to stoop to such a task. James might beg off since he also was one of the big three. Had he not been present at the Transfiguration? Judas could offer the excuse that he was a ranking officer being the treasurer of the group. one by one all could have found some way to escape this undignified detail. Since they were all too good for the job, let Jesus do it. So Jesus riseth from supper to wash their feet. If the Lord had been like us He might have washed thier feet in ice water to teach them a lesson. After all they did need to be taught a lesson.

The truly amazing thing is not that He riseth from supper, but that he descended to earth. The amazing thing is not that He laid aside His garments, but that he laid aside His glory. The amazing thing is not that He poured water into the basin, but that He took the cup in the Garden of Gesemanee and drank it. The amazing thing is not that He took a towel and girded Himself, but that He took the cross and was nailed to it. He took a towel when He could have taken a. star.

In answer to Peter's question, "Dost thou wash my feet?" Jesus said,”What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.”  This is a statement that has more to it than meet the eye. It is the answer to many a mystery in life. When we say, "Why Lord?' it is good to remember that there is a hereafter. The hereafter may be in a few moments or a few years, but we will understand all mysteries of life hereafter.Not now, but in the coming years, it may be in the better land, We'll read the meaning of our tears and there sometime we'll understand.

Peter saith unto him, “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” This is another statement that has more than meets the eye. If I wash thee not. Think of what Paul told the Corinthians. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”  The central meaning of our being a part of Christ is in the washing. We don't wash ourselves, He is the one who washes us when we are immersed. Paul tells us in Titus, “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”

To have a part in Christ is to have a part in the Second Coming. To have a part in Christ is to have a part of the Heavenly home. He Himself has said we have no part with Him if He is not allowed to wash us. Luke reminds in second chapter of Acts, “They then that gladly received his word baptized and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls.”

When Peter heard this he said,”Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head.” Peter changed his mind fast when the Lord said, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.”  He said, “Lord, if that is the way it is go ahead, not my feet only but my hands and my head.”

Others need to learn the same lesson. I know a lady one time who said, "I will go to hell before I'll be immersed." I can oniy hope that like Peter she will change her mind.

            After the washing of the feet Jesus told them, an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Example for us. I wish I could be as much. I like to sing the chorus.

            Be like Jesus is my song. In the home or in the throng.

            Be like Jesus all day long, I would be like Jesus.

More could be said about the dirty feet but let us hasten on to the dirty hands.

THE DIRTY HANDS

Judas was one of the Apostles of Jesus. When the Lord called him, Judas was as qualified and as good a man as any of the other Apostles. It is a mistake to say he was never sincere. Peter in the Book of Acts in speaking of the successor of Judas referred to Judas in this manner. “That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” Judas fell by transgression‑‑he was disobedient.He was as close to the Lord as anyone could be, he fell by his decision;

When the Lord told Judas what thou doest do quickly the other Apostles were not aware that he was the betrayer. For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, “But those things that we have need of for the feast or, that he should give something to the poor.”

Think of that, they thought Judas was going to buy something for the poor. That says something about the giving of the Apostles. It seems to be a custom they had, to give something to the poor. Judas had the bag. How much money did he have in the bag? According to most television preachers he must have had at least a couple mil dollars in the sack. Evidentally there was not too much in the bag, but Jesus shared even that little with the poor.

He could have rationalized and said I am ready to give My life on the cross, so I don't need to give any money. Think of that again. They thought that Jesus said that he should give somthing to the poor.

Judas went out not to give, but to sell. not to give to the poor but to sell Jesus. He sold the Lord for thirty. If we did not know what the thirty was we might guess he sold Him for thirty centuries of life on this planet. Perhaps he sold Him for thirty stars. How about thirty worlds? Maybe he sold Him for thirty billion dollars. No none of these. He sold out for thirty pieces.  I’ve seen several estimates of how much this is—usually about fifteen to seventeen dollars—less  than twenty pieces of silver. Why not more? Maybe Judas thought they would not pay a higher price. He said just give me a twenty and I'll give you some change.

Have you ever wondered why some things cost $9.98 instead o$10.00 or $19.99 instead of $20.00? One promoter explained it this way to his salesmen‑‑always give the suckers some change. So Judas told the Chief Priests‑‑just give me a twenty and I'll give you suckers some change. Judas sold out too cheaply. No matter what your asking price is you always sell out too cheaply when you sell out the Lord.

Early in the Lord's ministry He had said that a man’s foes shall be those of his own household. This was true in the case of Judas that eateth my bread lifted up his heel against Me. It is still today. Some of the greatest foes of the Lord are apparently engagea in the Lord's work. Many a preacher has sold out the Lord for popularity and a bigger salary.

He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. It says he went out. That is the story of all who turn against the Lord. They always go out.  After their sin Adam and Eve went out from the garden of Eden.

Of Peter after his denial went out and wept bitterly. Judas went out. It is always out, out, out. After Cain killed Abel he went out from the presence of the Lord. Many today go out from the presence of the Lord to a ball game. Have you noticed that many times people who want to live their own life style after they become Christians will go out, they go out from the Church. The man in the story Jesus told who came without the wedding garment heard Jesus say, “Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness, there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”

The reason he went out is indicated in the statement, “And after the sop Satan entered into him.” Then said Jesus unto him,”What doest, do quickly. Satan entered into him.” When the Devil got Judas it was not long until he split him open. The Devil got into him and he spilt him open. Peter said later in Acts, “Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.”

When the Devil got into Judas he split him wide open. The Devil splits wide opne anything he can get into. He split open the Garden of Eden when he got into it. He will split your family open if he can get into it. If he can get into you, he will split you open.  Look at the abortion clinics, the Devil has gotten into our Churches  and hundreds are split open every day. Churches are being split open. one of the devices the Devil uses on the Church is to split it open with the use of denominational names. Show me a person who drinks booze and drives and I will show you a person who may get split, open. The ultimate of course is the person who rejscts God's Son. That person will split hell wide open. John chapter thirteen is the story of Dirty Feet, Dirty Hands, and now for the Dirty Mouth.

DIRTY MOUTH

Jesus answered him, “Wilt thou lay.down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow, till thou has denied me thrice.”  I pass no judgement on the great Apostle other than what the scripture tells us. All four of the gospel writers record the sad story of the denial of Christ by the Apostle Peter. At that time Peter did not love the Lord as much as he thought he did. I don't love the Lord as much as I think I do. Most of us are the same. Do you love the Lord as much as you think?

Jesus said that he would deny Him three times. That is why I call this point the Dirty Mouth. However there are many who deny the Lord. The Apostle John refers to this in his first epistle. “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God, and this is that spirit of Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already  it is in the world.  Every person who says that Jesus is not the Son of God is the spirit of the Antichrist and is a denial of Jesus.”   If you are one of these and listening at this moment I wish you would shut your dirty mouth. Some say that the Bible is not inspired of God and they deny Christ‑‑shut your dirty mouth.

When the Devil tempts us he seems to take peculiar delight tempting us where we are the strongest. Think of the Apostle Peter, he was a brave man‑‑a natural leader‑‑he feared nothing. Look at him in the Garden of Gethsemanee. He pulls out a sword and attacks a whole mob. Look at him as he tries to walk on the water. Now watch him when he makes his first denial of the Lord. When he came into the court of the High Priest that night, did they have a bazooka aimed at him when he was asked art thou also one of this man's disciples? Did someone have a double barreled shot gun cocked and aimed at him when they asked him that question? It was nothing like that.   All that was aimed at him was the finger of a girl. The place he was the strongest was the place where he fell.

Where did the Devil tempt Judas? At the place where he was the most gifted. He was treasurer. The Lord recognized his talent and put him in that position and that is where the Devil attacked him.

A world famous gospel quartet went into the popular music field. On a television talk show when asked why they switched from gospel to secular they said the Lord doesn't pay too well. The place where they were gifted was the place where the Devil said—GOTCHA! Now  this in Conclusion.

CONCLUSION

When the Lord told Peter he could not follow Him now, there is more to that statement than meets the eye. How could Peter or anyone else follow Jesus to the Cross. We all have our crosses and they maybe hewn from different wood, but there was only room for one person on the cross where Jesus died. It is Jesus and Jesus alone who saves. Not Jesus and Mary. Not Jesus and Peter. Not Jesus and the arch angel Michael or Gabriel.. Not Jesus and you. It is Jesus and Jesus.

Salvations comes only through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. He himself tells us about it just before He ascended back to Heaven. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. I must needs go home by the way of the cross, There is no other way but this. I shall neer get sight of the gates of light, If the way of the cross I miss.