The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-11-28
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 30
JESUS TEACHES PETER TRUE
GREATNESS.

UREA NESS.
LESSON TEXT-John 1s1-16.
GOLDEN TEXT-The Son of Man came
not to be ministered unto, but to minis
ter. and to give his life ransom for
many.-Mat POPS
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL-Mark 10:
36-45; Rom. 12:9-s; Phil 25-11, Peter,
6:5-11.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Jesus Washing the
Disciples Feet
JUNIOR TOPIC - Jesus Taking the
Place of a Servant
INTERMEDIATE TOPIC-The Dignity
of Common Tasks
l. christ's Amazing Love for His
Own wv. 1-3).
Jesus was fully conscious of what
was upon him. He knew that the cross
with all its anguish was just before
him. He knew that his disciples would
shamefully forsake him in few hours.
lie knew that one of that number
would be the instrument in the hands
of the devil in his betrayal. He knew
that all things We're in his hands was
fully conscious Of his deity. Notwith-
standing all this, he displayed patient
draw his love from them because Of
their weakness and the shameful fail
ure which he knew would soon be
made manifest.
II. Christ Washing His Disciples
Feet wv. 4-11).
This act is symbolic of his amazing
love for his disciples. Jesus did not
nd II ieyh hAl do,
menial service. The true Christian
does not allow his rank in society to
keep him from acts of lowly service.
l. Steps in this service: "a He
rose from supper, (2) laid aside his
garments, (3) took towel and grid
ed himself, (D poured water into
basin, (5) washed his disciples feet,
| (6) wiped them with a towel where
with he was girded. These steps SYM
bOlize Christ's entire work of redemp
tion. His rising from supper repre-
sents his rising from his place of en-
| ioyment in the heavenly glory; his lay
| ing aside his garments, his putting
| aside his vesture of majesty Uhil. 2 -,
| 81: his girding himself, his taking the
| ter in the basin. his cleansing blood ;
| his washing of their feet, his actual
cleansing of men through his Word
| (John 81; Eph. 5 :26) his taking his
garments again. his return to his place
and position of glory.
Q. PEERS impetuous ignorance. He
goes from one extreme to another. Il
In, hfy Coil Tn m
nifieance of this service that caused
him to behave so strangely.
8. The significance of this service
to those who participate In it. G) II
is a spiritual cleansing ". 81. Fellow
ship with Jesus is only possible as we
are continually cleansed from our sins
''He that is washed needeth not save
to wash his feet. but is clean every
Whit" ". 1O). The cleansing here is
not the washing of regeneration, but
that of sanctifcation. Even regeneratt
folks need the continual cleansing OF
Christ's blood in order TO have fellow
ship with him. He that is regenerat
ed-washed in the blood of Christ
symbolized by baptism-does not neet
a repetition of the act: he only needs
the cleansing of sanctification, symbol
lied by the washing of the feet. As
we go through this world after regen
Grafton we are contaminated by it:
sins. He is willing always to cleanse
us of our sins If we allow him. ~
A badge of brotherly affection. Thl:
act showed his abandonment to tn,
service of his own. This Is lessor
that is much needed today. We neet
more and more the fulness Of broth
eriy love. This love needs to be man
ifested so that 1t may be seen and re
allied. True love can only be proved
by the service 1t renders. t3) A proc
of humility. This is a lesson mucf
needed by us all. The disciples hat
Just been disputing as to who shoult
be the greatest in the kingdom thei
selfish ambition was expressing Itself
Today, on every hand. we see expires
sions of pride. vanity, and even AFRO
gance on the part of those who are
professed followers of the lowly Jesus
II the Son of God was not ashamed tt
stoop to lowIy service his disciples
should not regard 1t beneath their dig
nifty TO follow in his steps. tD Equal
ization. AS they would thus stoop tc
serve each other in the name of Christ
there would be sure destruction OF
caste among them. The Spirit OF
Christ In this service is the great lev
eler of humanity.
III. An Example for Us WV. 12-16)
The disciples of the Lord are under
obligation to do unto each other as
he did unto them. This obligation rests
upon his Lordship ". 14). All who
call him Lord in sincerity will obey
him. To refuse to obey him is to put
nne,s self ahnye his Lord