The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1891-10-07
WASHING THE DISCIPLES FEET.
John xiii: III.

Everything in the character and
life of Jesus had its lessons. There
was no time nor thing in him in
which he was not the divine teacher
of men. He taught the truth and
grace of God by words, by example,
by works of supernatural power and
by gifts Of healing and blessing.
He taught also precious truth by
significant acts. There were things
which hes did that, without words,
were object lessons, pictures Of
things he would have us to know
6 and to do. He took little children
into his arms and blessed them. He
rode into Jerusalem, like a king,
amid the Hozannas of the multi
tude. He breathed upon his disci-
pies, when he departed, saying, Gre
ceive We my Spirit" Like the low
lest servant of the household he
washed the feet of his disciples Of
this wonderful and affecting act of
humble service we are to read to-
day.
1. The Solemn Introduction, rs. 1-3.
The apostle John introduces his
narrative of the scene with re-
markable paragraph. AS he looked
back, from the later years when he
wrote this gospel, upon the wonder
full humility of his Lord, it appeared
to him in the light of great facts
that were plain to him now.
/. HIS Hour.-"Jesus knew that
his hour was come that he should
depart out of this world unto the
Father" 1t was at a time, on the
night before the passover, when Je-
sus was conscious that the hour. was
come, to meet which he had come
into the world; the hour appointed
of the Father, his hour of sacrifice
and death, the hour of his departure
unto the Father. Thirty years be-
fore he departed from the Father to
come into the world. Now CHS
hour had come to depart out of this
world unto the Father" What a
glorious meeting he looked forward
tol
2. HIS Love.-"Having loved his
own which were in the world" His
disciples he called "his own"
Chime they were and thou gavest
them me-" They and all that be-
lieve on him are Ellis own" by COW
enant gift from the Father, by his
own redemption purchase, by the
grace of the Holy Spirit, and by
their own choice and faith. Loving
them in eternity, in his coming into
the world, through all the days of
his ministry, she loved them to the
end" "unto the uttermost" In
their sin and ignorance and unbe-
lief, and man> things that grieved
him, he had loved them, and he now
loved them without measure.
3. AT such a supreme hour as
this, when his heart was fill d to
OVERLOOKING with love to his disci-
pies, how dark is the contrast of the
treacbery Of Judas. 1.-The Devil hav-
ing now put into the heart of Judas
Iscariot to betray him" Satan
threw the evil thought into the
heart of Judas. Even when his
heart was Overlooking with love, one
of his own disciples accepted the
suggestion of the Devil, and formed
the purpose of betrayal. How bit
ter the knowledge to the loving Sa-
viour! How terrible the choice of
Judas, accepting, consenting to, de-
termining his will to the wicked,
devilish temptation.
4. John tells that all this was in
the full consciousness of Jesus of
his divine mission chat the Father
had given all things into his hands,
and that he was come from God and
went to God" At time when the
sense of his true divinity was in full
possession of his mind. when he
knew that only for a little time he
had dwelt on earth, and was about
to return to his place with God, at
such lofty time as this, he gave to
his disciples this lowly service,
washing their feet.
III. The LoWly SeUice, rs. 10
Rising from the table, he took the
place of the lowliest servant. He
laid aside the loose-hanging outer
garment she took towel and grid
ed himself" and pouring water into
a basin, she began to wash the dis
ciples' feet" What lofty height of
humility is this Gle made him
self of no reputation, and took upon
him the form of servant Ole
came not to be ministered unto, but
to minister" It was the greatness
and royalty of service he would