Introduction

Good morning, beloved family of God. Today, we gather here, not as strangers, but as brothers and sisters united in Christ. We gather to share in the Word, to drink from the wellspring of divine wisdom, and to nourish our souls with the eternal truths of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

In the book of John, we find a moment that captures the essence of our Lord's mission, His heart, and His call for us. It is a moment that is intimate, profound, and transformative. It is a moment that paints a vivid picture of our Lord's love, humility, and servitude.

Let me read to you from the book of John, Chapter 13, verses 1 through 9: 'Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, do you wash my feet?' Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.' Peter said to him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.'

This passage, dear friends, speaks volumes about the nature of our Savior. It speaks of His sacrificial service, His call for us to surrender self, and the sanctification that comes through surrender.

As we ponder on these truths, let us remember the words of the great preacher Charles Spurgeon who once said, 'Humility is to make a right estimate of oneself.' Indeed, humility, as demonstrated by Jesus, is not about thinking less of oneself, but thinking of oneself less. It is about putting the needs of others before our own, serving with a heart of love, and surrendering our will to the Father's.

Let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this opportunity to gather in Your name and study Your Word. We ask for Your Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds to the truths You have for us today. Help us to understand the depth of Your love, the extent of Your humility, and the call You have placed on our lives to serve and surrender to You. We ask this in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Transition. Let us keep our hearts open, our minds attentive, and our spirits willing to receive the divine wisdom that comes from the Word of God. Let us seek to understand the sacrificial service of our Savior, the surrendering of self, and the sanctification that comes through surrender. And in doing so, may we draw closer to the heart of God, grow in our faith, and become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Sacrificial Service

In the heart of the passage from John, we find Jesus, the Son of God, the King of Kings, taking on the role of a servant. He removes his outer garments, wraps a towel around his waist, and begins to wash the feet of his disciples. This is a task that was typically reserved for the lowest of servants. Yet, here is Jesus, performing this humble act of service.

This act was a symbolic act, a demonstration of the kind of love that Jesus had for his disciples. It was a love that was willing to stoop down, to serve, to put the needs of others before his own. This was the kind of love that Jesus demonstrated throughout his life and ministry. This is the kind of love that we, as followers of Christ, are called to emulate. We are called to serve others, not out of obligation, but out of love. This is the kind of sacrificial service that Jesus demonstrated and that we are called to live out in our daily lives.

In the act of washing the disciples' feet, Jesus was also demonstrating the cleansing power of his sacrifice. Just as the water cleansed the feet of the disciples, so too does the blood of Jesus cleanse us from our sins. This is the ultimate act of sacrificial service - Jesus laying down his life for us, taking on our sins, and offering us forgiveness and eternal life.

Consider this: our sins have been washed away, not by our own efforts, but by the sacrificial service of Jesus. We are clean, not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus has done for us. This is the heart of the gospel, the good news that we are called to share with the world.

In the response of Peter, we see a reluctance to accept this act of service from Jesus. Peter, in his pride, could not comprehend why Jesus, his Lord and Master, would stoop down to wash his feet. He could not accept that Jesus would humble himself in this way. But Jesus responded, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.' We cannot cleanse ourselves. We cannot earn our way into God's favor. We need Jesus.

Surrendering Self

As we delve deeper into the heart of the passage, we find ourselves standing at the threshold of a profound truth - the call to surrender self ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO