DIGGING DEEP NO. 899 – September 7th, 2021 HUMILTY, HOLINESS AND HAPPINESS Jh.13: 6- 17

As Peter watched the Lord washed his friends’ feet, he became more and more disturbed and could not understand what the Lord was doing. When the sinner trusts the Savior, he is cleansed all over and his sins are washed away and forgiven 1Cor.6: 9- 11; Tit.3: 3- 7; Rev.1: 5. However, as the believer walks in this world, it is easy to become defiled. He does not need to be bathed all over again; he simply needs to have that defilement cleansed away. God promises to cleanse us when we confess our sins to Him 1Jh.1: 9.

But why is it so important that we keep ourselves clean? Because if we are defiled, we cannot have communion with our Lord Jh.13: 8. This basic truth of Christian living is beautifully illustrated in the Old Testament priesthood. When the priest was consecrated, he was bathed all over, and it was a one-time experience Ex.29: 4. However, during his daily ministry, he became defiled, so it was necessary that he wash his hands and feet at the brass laver in the courtyard Ex.30: 18- 21. Only then could he enter the holy place and trim the lamps, eat the holy bread, or burn the incense.

How does the Lord cleanse us today? The Lord cleanses us through the blood of Christ, that is, His work on the cross 1Jh.1: 5- 10; and through the application of His Word to our lives Ps.119: 9; Jh.15: 3; Ephe.5: 25- 27. The “water of the Word” can keep our hearts and minds clean so that we will avoid the pollutions of this world. But if we do sin, we have a loving advocate in glory who will hear our prayers of confession and forgive us 1Jh.2: 1- 2.  Peter did not understand what His Lord was doing when he said “You shall never wash my feet”. Then when he discovered that to refuse the Lord would mean to lose the Lord’s fellowship, he asked for a complete bath. Jesus washed Judas’s feet, but it did Judas no good because his heart was not right with the Lord from the beginning Jh.6: 64- 71. The important thing is, to be honest with the Lord and with ourselves and keep our feet clean.

Jh.13: 12- 17 “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them”.  Humbleness, holiness, then happiness; the sequence is important. Happiness is the byproduct of a life that is lived in the will of God. When we humbly serve others, walk in God’s path of holiness, and do what He tells us, then we will enjoy happiness. Jesus asked the disciples if they understood what He had done. The world thinks that happiness is the result of others serving us, but the real joy comes when we serve others in the name of Christ. Jesus was their Master, so He had every right to command their service. Instead, He served them; He gave them an example of true Christian ministry. Perhaps the disciples remembered His lesson about the child Matt.18: 1- 4, or the rebuke He gave James and John when they asked for thrones Matt.20: 20- 28. Now it was all starting to fall into place. The servant is not greater than his master; so if the master becomes a servant, where does that put the servant? On the same level as the master. What Jesus is doing is to dignify sacrifice and service. The world asks, “how many people work for you?” But the Lord asks, “for how many people do you work?” A really great man is one who makes others feel great and Jesus did this with His disciples by teaching them to serve.

However, it is not enough just to know this truth; we must put it into practice Jam.1: 22- 25.

In Conclusion – submit to the Father, keep your life clean, and serve others; this is God’s formula for true spiritual joy.