Learning to Love

Introduction

John 13:34–35

John chapter 13:34–35 says: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another as I have loved you— Now they’ve been told to love before but it’s a new commandment because they’ve never been told to love this way before. They’re to love one another as I have loved you—that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

You don’t need a lapel pin. You don’t need a bumper sticker. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). I’m not against a lapel pin. I’m not against a bumper sticker. But dear friend the proof and the sign of love that we are disciples is that we love one another in the Lord Jesus Christ.

About 200 years ago an encyclopedia wrote an article on love, it took 5 pages. That same encyclopedia attempted to describe the atom and they took about four lines. Recently, in a recent addition of that encyclopedia they left love out altogether and took five pages to explain the atom.

You know Jesus said: “because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12). We live in a day of abounding iniquity and dwindling love. And, a psychiatrist said what people in this world need more than anything else is the ability to love and to be loved. We are sick. And, somebody said what the world needs now is love, love, love. That’s true. Love doesn’t make the world go round but it makes the trip worthwhile. It really does. We need to love one another. And, there’s a great need for just old-fashioned Bible love.

Now, love is very hard to explain and it’s very hard to express, even romantic love. I remember when I fell in love with Joyce. I couldn’t explain it but I felt like a grasshopper or roller skates. I’ll tell you it’s just so exciting to be in love. I remember when I kissed her the first time. We were grade school sweethearts and I felt those cold chills going down my back. Her popsicle was melting. Somebody said that love is an inward expressability of an outward “all-overishness.” Or love is that feeling you get when you feel a feeling you’ve never felt before. It’s hard to express love isn’t it?

I’m talking about romantic love. How much more is it hard to express the love of God When Jesus said: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34). An example is what we need. And, in the 13th chapter of John we have an example of love worth finding. We have an example of love worth sharing. We have an example of love worth sending. The title of our message is Learning to Love. Now in this 13th chapter of the Gospel of John is the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. Go back to the beginning of that chapter and look at it with me for just a moment. You are going to find out why I call it such a wonderful lesson on love. “Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world—just underscore that, having loved His own who were in the world—he loved them unto the end” (John 13:1). And, now he’s giving an example of this love, watch it. “And supper being ended, the devil having now put 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 was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:1-17).

You want to be happy. Pay attention because Jesus said, if you know this, and if you do it, that is the way to joy. Now, Jesus here has given us an example and there are four things I want you to see in this love that Jesus practiced. It’s all about love. The Bible says He loved His on right up until the end of His sojourn here on earth. He is still loving us. And, then He gives them a commandment that they are to love one another even as He has loved them.

Now, sandwiched in between those things is the washing of the disciple’s feet, which is the great illustration of the kind of love that I am talking about today.

I. Real Love Is Selfless Love

The very first thing I want you to notice about this love is that it is selfless love. Look if you will look at John 13:4-5: “He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.”

Now in Bible times they did something called foot washing. Now, they wore open sandals. The streets were dusty and if you came into a home, especially if it was a well-to-do tome, there would be a slave there to meet you at the door. There would be a vessel, a basin of water. The slave would wear a certain kind of apron that was the mark of a slave like a towel wrapped around him and tied there in the back. And, when you would come in you would slip off your sandals and this slave would get down on his knees. He would take that cool water and he would begin to wash and massage your feet and just rub them gently and then take that fluffy towel and dry them off.

Can you imagine what that would feel like? I think that’s a custom, we ought to reinstate that custom. You see, it was meant not only to cleanse but refresh, relax, renew, restore and get a foot massage. You know, if your feet hurt you then you hurt all over, don’t you. And, you ladies would like that. My goodness, think how clean it would keep the house. Maybe we haven’t made as much progress as we think we’ve made. And, so that’s what they would do.

But, in this particular instance there was no slave there and the disciples had not even begun to think about washing one another’s feet. And, after supper Jesus “laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself” (John 13:4). That is the apron that a slave would wear. That’s what the very word here means, the apron of a slave. He is dressed now as a slave. I Mean the Lord of glory, the Lord who made everything is down on His knees washing fishermen’s feet.

Now, it would be one thing if a fisherman was washing another fisherman’s feet or a slave was washing a fisherman’s feet. But here’s the Lord, the Master, who is washing their feet. Now, it’s not just by happenstance that the Bible says He laid aside His garment. You see there’s a glorious lesson there. It’s a picture of the Lord Jesus. Do you remember reading in Philippians 2:5-8: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death.”

See it’s a picture of Jesus laying aside His robes of glory. You see, Jesus laid aside His dignity but He didn’t lay aside His deity. He laid aside all of that splendor, glory and majesty and He came to this earth to serve us. He didn’t come to be served but to serve. Matthew 20:28 says: “To give his life a ransom for many.” And, what we’re talking about here is selfless love. Now, we live in a society that puts so much emphasis upon self.

And, the Louisville lip, Mohammed Ali say, “I am the greatest.” And, he set the pattern for a great number of people today, We love to talk this me-ism, self-ism. “I’m the biggest and the best, I am the greatest.” I’m the best.” Self-fulfillment. Selfaggrandizement. Self-glory. Self, self—that’s the age in which we live. But Jesus, Jesus said no to self. Jesus laid aside that self-ism that He might serve others. Now Jesus said let a man deny Himself and take up His cross and follow Me.”

Now, let me tell you something about humility here friend. And, I hope you’ll learn this today what real humility is because you can’t have genuine love without genuine humility. The Bible says real love “seeketh not her own” (1 Corinthians 13:5). You cannot have love unless you suffer. Now, real humility is not thinking lowly about yourself.

If you think that real humility is just going around saying, “I’m no good.” Well friend you’ve got it 180% wrong. Real humility is realizing that you are really special. You are somebody. And, and when you just go around saying, “Well I just know I’m no good.” Well number one that an insult to God because God made you. And, number two He redeemed you and the Bible says you’re the righteousness of God in Christ. You’re a child of God, a royal blue blood, a son of Heaven. You need to understand who you are.

You notice what this passage says: “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet” (John 13:3-5). You see dear friend, you cannot have real humility until you know who you are. I’m not talking about being an egotist. The Bible says: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3). You see, how am I to think of myself? Not in sinful exaggeration and false humiliation but in sober estimation. I am what I am by the grace of God. Jesus knowing that He came from God and is going to God. Do you know what I know? I know I’m born of God and I’m going to God. I know who I am.

You see it’s not until I know who I am that I no longer feel threatened and afraid to act humble and to be humble. If I don’t know who I am, if I don’t have my self- assurance in Christ then it’s hard for me to humble myself because I’m afraid I’m going to lose something. But, if I know I have something and it’s of God then I can’t lose it and I’m not at risk. I’m not jeopardizing myself to serve you. I don’t have to grasp. I don’t have to be greedy. Real humility is not thinking lowly of yourself. Real humility is understanding what you are in Christ and therefore being free to serve one another. “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God” (John 13:3). You see I gave you this awhile back but I want you to remember this. Listen, the Bible says in Ephesians 1:6: “he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Who is the beloved? The Lord Jesus. I’m accepted in Him. Now, let me tell you how. Here’s the mark of real humility and here’s the mark of real service. First of all we need to understand that God has accepted you. Not because of anything good in you. He has accepted you because of His grace. We are made accepted in the beloved. We’re not valuable. God doesn’t love us because we’re valuable, we’re valuable because He loves us. He just accepts us. Praise God for that. Can you accept that He accepts you? That’s wonderful. Not because of you but because of His. He hath made us accepted.

God accepts us and that is grace. We accept that God accepts us, that is faith. Do you know what faith is? Faith is my acceptance of God’s acceptance of me. In spite of all of my sin and my failure—bless God, hallelujah—He loves me and accepts me. That is faith.

All right now look, Grace! He accepts me. Faith, I accept that He accepts me. Peace, now I accept me. I’m at peace with God, others and with myself because for the first time have accepted me. I know who I am. I know I’m the righteousness of God in Christ. I know I’ve been saved. I know I’ve been redeemed—Hallelujah—I can finally accept me. That doesn’t mean that I accept my faults, failures and foibles. But I know beyond that, beneath that, through that, over that and around that is the grace of God. I know who I am in Jesus Christ. I accept me. Now, when I accept me for the very first time I am free to accept you. You see until I am no longer threatened I can’t really accept you. I want to use you, abuse you, misuse you, categorize you, manipulate you and merchandize you because I’m not sure of myself. And, so therefore I have to be grasping and greedy. I have to put you down in order to try and push myself up. But, when God accepts me and I accept that God accepts me, then I accept me and for the first time I’m free to accept you.

Now, when I am no longer trying to manipulate you and when I can truly humble myself around you then for the first time you are free to accept me. You see God accepts me, that’s grace. I accept that He accepts me, that’s faith. I accept me, that’s peace. I accept you, that’s love. You accept me, that’s fellowship. And, it all begins with understanding who I am in the Lord Jesus. Jesus knowing that He came from God, Jesus knowing that He’s going to God, that the Father had delivered all things unto Him, He is now free to wash to wash their feet. Do you know the people who are unfree to love? They don’t know who they are in the Lord Jesus. They have not discovered the riches that they have in Christ Jesus. Friend, when you understand who you are in Christ Jesus then you’ve got love to give because you’ve got nothing to lose. Out of His infinite riches in Jesus He gives and gives and gives again. You don’t have to be afraid to share yourself any more.

Real love, listen, is selfless love. There is nothing so empty as a self-centered life. There is nothing so centered as a self-empty life. Nothing so centered as a life that says I don’t have to prove anything any more. I am free now just to serve you and to give myself to you rather than to use you. Real love is selfless love.

II. Real Love Is Steadfast Love

Secondly, I want you to see that real love is steadfast love. Look again in verse one if you will. “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world—that is, in just moments He is going to be crucified. In a few hours—unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end” (John 13:1).

I mean here most of us would have been saying, “I don’t have time to be washing anybody’s feet, I can tell you that much. I’m going to be crucified. I’ve got to be thinking about myself. In just a little while I’m going to be nailed up on that cross.” But the Bible says, “Jesus knowing” (John 13:3). I mean with full in view knowing that dark Gethsemane, bitter Calvary, the shame, the rejection, the humiliation was there He’s still loving His disciples.

Now, let me tell you something else about real love. Real love is steadfast. Oh it’s easy to love everybody when everything is lovely. I mean when they love us. But, do you know who Jesus was loving? Jesus was loving Judas. The Bible says Satan had entered into the heart of Judas and yet Jesus washed his feet. Didn’t Jesus teach us to love our enemies and to do good to those who despitefully use us? Thank God He practiced what He preached. And those disciples, do you know if you were to read in the Bible what they were talking about that same hour? They were arguing whose going to be the greatest among them. And, while they are arguing about who is going to be the greatest Jesus is washing their feet.

Now, they didn’t deserve it. And, Jesus had other things to think about. But, He kept on loving. His love was steadfast. Do you have that kind of love? Do you have love that does not change because of circumstances? I asked myself this as I prepared this message. You see, so many times we excuse ourselves don’t we? “I have a headache,” or “I’m tired,” or “I’ve been sick,” or “you don’t know the pressure I’m under.” No one was under more pressure than the Lord Jesus Christ. In a moment He is going to sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane and He is still loving. If you want to know what you are full of you see what spills out when you are jostled. Amen? That’s what you’re full of, whatever spills out. And, out of the Lord Jesus came infinite love. And do you know what this tells me. He’s never going to stop loving me. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

Actually when it says: “he loved them unto the end” (John 13:1). The Greek word is istelos. He loved them unto perfection. His perfect love never, ever stops. Out of His infinite riches in Jesus He gives and gives again. Real love worth sending is steadfast love.

III. Real Love Is Serving Love

Now, the third thing I want to say about this love is not only is it self-less and steadfast love but it was serving love. Look if you at John 13:5: “After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.” Now, listen friend, Jesus literally did something. He didn’t just talk about love, He actually showed love. The Bible says in I John chapter 3:18: “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”

Do you know what could happen this morning? This morning you could get it down in your notebook. And you could say, “Hey let’s see what the pastor said. He said first of all, of yes I remember. He said that we are to have the kind of love this to be selfless love. Oh what was the second point oh yes I remember, it’s to be steadfast love. What was the third kind of love? Yeah, I’ve got it, serving love.” And, you get that in your notebook.

Friend listen. Get it in your life. Don’t love in word but in deed and in truth. Jesus is literally doing something. Jesus gave His disciples what they needed at that moment. Do you know what they needed at that moment? They needed to be renewed, refreshed, restored, revived and reinvigorated. That’s what they needed. Now, let me tell you what love does. If you love me let me tell you what you are going to do for me. If you love me you are not going to give me what I want because many times what I want is not what I need and what I need is not what I want.

My dad use to say, “You need a spanking.” He was right. But, I sure didn’t want one. Amen. If you love me you’re not going to give me what I want. And, you’re certainly not going to give me what I deserve if you love me. What did Judas deserve? He didn’t deserve to have his feet washed. What did those disciples deserve? They didn’t deserve to have their feet washed. They were arguing about who’s going to be the greatest. Jesus did not give them what they desired nor what they deserved, but he gave them what they needed.

And, that’s what love does. Love gives what is. It is serving love. Jack Hyles is one of my favorite preachers. He’s pastor of the First Baptist church of Hammond, Indiana. He is a great soul-winner. I heard Jack one time speak and he said he went into an airport restaurant there to eat breakfast. And the lady there said, “Would you like a menu?” He said, “Yes ma’am.” “You like some coffee.” “Yes ma’am.” You ready to order.” “Yes madam.” She said, “Yes ma’am, yes ma’am, yes ma’am. Is that all you can say is yes ma’am?” He said, “Yes ma’am.” And, she was very snippity to him. He went ahead and ordered and she just kind of slung the food in front of him. He ate it and she had a scowl on her face. And, when he got up to leave he put something like a 10-dollar bill, a very large bill, by the plate and walked out. She said, “Hey, you left some money on the table.” He said, “Don’t people tip around here. She said, “You mean that’s for me?” He said, “Yes ma’am.” She said, “You would give me a tip like that after the way I’ve treated you?” “Yes ma’am.” She said, “I don’t understand it. Why?” He said, “I looked at you. I could tell you were hurting.” He said, “I knew you must have some kind of problem. I just felt maybe this would make your day a little better.” She started to cry. She said, “Mister you don’t know the problems I’ve got. I got up this morning with a child that was sick and I had to go to work. This is the only joy that I have. I don’t have anybody else. I don’t have a husband. And, I couldn’t get a babysitter and I had to leave that sick child alone at home to take care of himself.” And then on the way here to work my car broke down and I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t have the money to have it fixed. I was late to work and the boss chewed me out.” He said, “I knew you were hurting.” And he told her about Jesus. Right there through tears she gave her heart to Christ. And, she was wonderfully saved. Now most of us would have said, “She doesn’t deserve a tip.” And, she didn’t. He didn’t give her what she deserved. He gave her what she needed. Isn’t that right?

You see, that’s what love is. Real love doesn’t give people what they deserve. Judas didn’t deserve that. The disciples didn’t deserve that. But, Jesus knew at that moment that was the thing that they needed. And that’s what Jesus did.

And, it was a small thing, in a way, washing feet. It was a humble thing. An insignificant kind of a thing that only a slave would do. Do you know something folks? We’ve got a lot of those kinds of jobs around this church. We need nursery workers. It would be nice if some of you were to lay aside your Sunday finery as Jesus laid aside His garments and go work in the nursery. We need people to work on the parking lots. We need people to work in the -kitchen. We need people to do some of the jobs that are not really glamorous jobs. Not necessarily the thing that is glamorous but the thing that is needed. Real love is serving love. Not just in word but in deed and in truth. Not just giving people what they deserve or what they desire but what they need.

IV. Real Love Is Sanctifying Love

Now the last thing, real love is sanctifying love. I want you to look now as we continue to read here in this Word of God. John 13:6 says: “Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said unto him: Jesus “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter” (John 13:7).

That is Peter, there’s something deeper than this, you don’t see the whole thing. I’m doing something highly symbolic. “Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (John 13:8). The word “no part” here literally means “you have no fellowship with me.” “Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean” (John 13:9-11).

Now, what’s Jesus talking about now? The figure is moved. He is no longer talking about physical dirt on physical feet. Now, he is talking about spiritual dirt. Now, He is talking about forgiveness when He said to Peter: “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter” (John 13:7). Because Peter cursed and swore and denied Christ and Christ forgave Peter He said, “You’ll understand it later on, what I’m talking about.”

You see, just as a person has a bath, so we get saved and we’re cleansed from our sins. But, just as a person who has had a bath goes out to walk through dusty feet, he gets his feet dirty. Those of us who have been saved, still we live in a world that is polluted with sin. And, as it were, we get our spiritual feet defiled. And, we need to come to Jesus, not to get bathed again but we come to get out feel washed. We’ve already been saved and once you’re saved you’re always saved.

That is day by day we come to the Lord Jesus and let Him renew us, refresh us, restore us and reinvigorate us. We need to come to Him for spiritual foot washing. That is, Jesus is now is talking about the forgiveness of sins which is daily sin, confessing our sin, and getting our sin forgiven. Peter said: “Thou shalt never wash my feet” (John 13:8). I feel like saying, “You better let Him, you’re about to put it in your mouth.” Because Jesus said: “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (John 13:8). Now, my dear friend if you don’t come to Jesus daily and let Him wash your feet you can’t fellowship with Him. Now, you are saved but you’ve got to have that fellowship with Him. And, that is daily confessing your sin and daily letting him restore you.

But, now watch it. His love was sanctifying love. And, our love is to be sanctifying love. We’re to wash one another’s feet. “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). If He forgives us, we are to forgive one another. Right? Of course. If He forgives me and I am to forgive you. What does the Bible say in Ephesians? “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). And the Bible says: “if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.” (Galatians 6:1) That’s a spirit of humility. The only way you can wash somebodies feet is in humility.

I want you to watch this. I’m not going to wash his feet. But, suppose I’m washing Bob’s feet right now. There is one thing about it. I’ll guarantee you I can’t look down on Bob while I’m washing His feet. Isn’t that true? You can’t look down on anybody when you are washing their feet. “Restore such a one in the spirit of humility, and, in the spirit of meekness.” They don’t need a lecture, they need love and they need restoration. And you know somebody—is there somebody—who has done you wrong. Listen, Judas is going to betray Christ. The disciples had mistreated and abused Christ. And, He is washing their feet. He is restoring, refreshing and renewing them.

Now, if He has done that for us don’t you think we ought to do that one for another? Do you know what real love is? Real love is sanctifying love. It makes the other person what they ought to be. And, it loves them into fellowship with one another and with the Lord. That is what real love is.

Conclusion

Now, I want you to use your imagination now. Imagination can be a very useful tool. And, please give me your total attention right now and use your imagination. I want you to imagine Jesus Christ walking in that door right over there in bodily form. Walking right in that door, Jesus. No doubt about it, we know it is Jesus. He walks in to this auditorium this morning and He dressed this way. He has a towel about His waist. And, He has in His hand a basin of water. And, you know it’s Jesus. And, let’s suppose everybody here He walks up to you and looks into your eyes, with a basin of water, looks right at you. Jesus, looking right into your face. And, you’re face to face with Jesus Christ.

And, now let’s imagine He asks you a question. He says to you, “May I wash your feet?” What if He said that to you this morning? I mean literally in a body. He came right to you and said, “May I wash your feet?” How would you feel? I mean to have the Lord—the maker of the universe, the one who died for you—ask you that question, “May I wash your feet?” At first you’d say, “oh no Lord. You can’t wash my feet.” Then you’d remember what Peter said wouldn’t you? Then you’d say with tears—hot tears coursing down our cheeks and with love inexpressible—”Yes Lord. You may wash my feet.”

Can you imagine Him untying your shoes, removing our socks, taking those nail pierced hands and bathing and massaging your feet this morning? How would you feel if He did that? And, then suppose when He finished He looked at you and He said, “Now my child will you wash my feet.” What would you say? “O Lord, O Lord that I could wash your feet.” And, you look down at those nail pierced feet—those feet that walked the dusty shores of Galilee and those feet that never walked in sin—and you would say, “Gladly Lord Jesus, gladly Lord Jesus will I wash Thy blessed feet.” And, with tears you would kneel before your Lord and lovingly you would bathe the feet of Jesus. Now, all that is imagination. Now, I want to lay the imagination aside. And, tell you ladies and gentlemen that Jesus Christ is here this morning. Jesus Christ is here this morning. And, He wants to wash your feet.

Are you willing to let him? Are you willing to let Him cleanse you and forgive you of every sin and restore you, renew you and refresh you? Are you? Now, I want to ask you another question. Are you willing to wash His feet this morning? You say, ”Well wait a minute. I can’t wash His feet.” Oh. Let me tell you something. Jesus said: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40). Now, don’t tell me that you would want to wash the feet of Jesus Christ if you don’t want to wash the feet of that brother or that sister sitting next to you this morning.

You say, “They don’t deserve it.” That my friend is the love I’m talking about. That you would wash their feet. Is there anybody that you’re holding a grudge against? Is there anybody that’s done you wrong? Are you willing to kneel before them and say, “I want to refresh you and restore you. I want to wash your feet, I want to love you and I want to forgive you as God for Christ sake hath forgiven me.” Friend, Jesus said: “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:24). That’s love worth finding. That’s love worth sharing. That’s love worth sending.