Wednesday, February 22, 2017

You Should Not Stumble (LS56)

        'Last Sermon of Jesus'

John 16:1 "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble."
    Our Lord knew that His time to complete His mission on earth was near, and before His crucifixion, He taught His disciples in this final or last sermon. He loved them very much and summarized for them how they will not stumble or sin. This sermon will also help us not to stumble or sin if we carefully observe His teachings and words.
John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

  First and most important lesson
John 13:5-7 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, "Lord, are You washing my feet?" Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this."

Have you ever wash your staff or servant's feet?
    Because our Lord loved His disciples, He humbled Himself to be their servant and cleansed their dirty feet. If God can do this humiliating job, then why can't we? He gave up His heavenly glory and came to earth as a servant to man to show His love for us sinful and wicked men.
    Only our parents will wash our dirty feet, and from this significant gesture our Lord had revealed Himself as our loving Father, Who will give us everything to help us to obtain salvation, holiness and perfection.
Phil 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

  Allow our Lord Jesus to help us
John 13:8 Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."
    Let our Lord Jesus, help us in all our weaknesses, sins, needs, problems, sicknesses, worries, etc. for only He alone can set us free.
John 8:36 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

   Wash our brethren's feet
John 13:14 "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you."
    Brethren, If we can wash our brethren's feet, then we can forgive him of all his debts, hatred and wicked deeds against us. This is the sign of our love for one another.
John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Brethren, this is true Christianity and the only command of our Lord Jesus Christ that we love one another as He had loved us and by this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (1John 3:16)