This sermon delves into John chapter 13, focusing on Jesus washing the disciples' feet as an example of humility and servanthood. The importance of following Jesus' teachings and patterns, the necessity of humility, and the power of God's word in teaching and preaching are emphasized. The sermon highlights the significance of Jesus being both a teacher and Lord, the need for obedience along with knowledge, and the reminder that true happiness comes from knowing and doing God's will.

Hallelujah. Praise God. Before Christmas I looked at John chapter 13. We had looked at Jesus washing the disciples feet and then we stopped a week or two before Christmas and I want to carry on with John chapter 13 and we might get through the whole chapter. I don't know. We will see how God leads. I'm not going to recap. If you want to know, go to YouTube or the website. The messages are on there so you can you can see what we were talking about at the start of John 13. I want to start in verse 13 and finish on 17. Let's read the Holy Scriptures together. John 13 starting from verse 13. You call me teacher and Lord and you say well for so I am. 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. Most assuredly I say to you a servant is not greater than his master nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things blessed are you if you do them. Lord we thank you again for the holy presence of God. We thank you God again for the Holy Spirit of God. We thank you Lord that we are not alone. That we don't do church alone. That we don't do life alone. As we have already heard you go before us. And we thank you Lord that you are the one that walks in the midst of the candlesticks. That you are here now. Your presence, your power, your God anointing. That anointing that breaks the yoke. That anointing that binds the strongman. That anointing that that brings healing to the broken heart. That that anointing. And God without you, God it is all futile. Without you. But God we know that you are with us. And I know that you are with me. And I rest upon indeed the blessed Holy Ghost to be my help and my aid. And in Jesus name we pray. Amen. And amen. The master here says in verse 13, you call me teacher and Lord. You call me teacher. Imagine Jesus as your teacher. Imagine if the master literally, visibly, physically was Heather's teacher Sunday after Sunday. Wouldn't that be amazing? Wouldn't it be amazing if we were to sit under the teaching ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ? Because at the end of the day he was the greatest teacher ever. Amen. His teaching style, it must have been mesmerizing. The way he articulated, the tone, his manner. Everything about his teaching was overwhelming to say the least. I think about teaching awards and so often teachers can can be put forward forwards for awards Teacher of the Year by their pupils. And I read some letters or emails that pupils had sent to some particular body that awards teachers. And this lady, they wanted to say that this lady is an outstanding teacher to them. And I took a few snippets from their letters or emails. One kid says she's creative. Very creative in the way that she teaches. One kid says she is amazing. Another kid says she's awesome. But I love this little bit here. Her soul is full of happiness. That's why she should win Teacher of the Year. And when I think of that lady, teacher, and how her pupils view her, I have to think of the Lord Jesus Christ. I have to think of the great teacher. Because in Matthew 7 and verse 28, the scripture says, and when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching. John 7, 46, no one ever spoke like this man. They were mesmerized. They were astonished. They perhaps shook their heads in disbelief. We have never heard it said like this before. We have never heard these things before. Yes, the scribes speak and the Pharisees speak, but it's passionless. It's in a droll. But this man, he causes me to be amazed. He causes me to be astonished. What a ministry. What a teacher he was. People were never switching off. The common man, the common folk were never switching off when Jesus spoke. You see, a good teacher will keep your attention. Is not correct. They will stir you up to learn. Just like that lady that I spoke about. She inspires her pupils, her students. She stirs them up to truly learn by her style. You see, the great success to the master's teaching was this, I believe, his parables. That was the great success. His parables. What is a parable? Well, it's a comparison of one thing with another. It's an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. That's a parable. An earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Everybody loves a good story. If you go from country to country around this world, believe me, every country, the people love to hear a good story. And in this land, this land, we are famed for telling good stories. Isn't that correct? We have a reputation around the world as being good storytellers. You see, the Bible teacher needs to be a good storyteller. A good parable teller. Because Jesus Christ was phenomenal in his stories. Amen. In his parables. The people were transfixed when he spoke. Jesus was a teacher to the disciples but also Lord. Teacher and Lord. Lord is a title of honor, expressive of respect and reverence. You see, in the eyes of the Jews, to have a double title was a place of great esteem, high esteem. To have two titles of teacher and Lord. Only a few got the double title. And that's what the Lord meant indeed to his disciples. Lord also speaks of authority. It speaks of power. We sung about it this morning. More power. Amen. Praise God. Matthew 7 and verse 29 says this, for he was teaching them as one who had authority or power and not as their scribes. When Jesus Christ spoke, when Jesus teached, when Jesus preached, there was power, hallelujah, in his words. Power. You see, that word authority comes from the Greek word accessia. Accessia, which also means power. There was power in the words of Christ and his speech. The scribes were powerless when they spoke. They were indifferent. They were cold, but not the Lord Jesus Christ. There has to be. There has to be power in the teaching of God's holy word. Amen. There has to be power in the preaching of God's holy word. Hallelujah. That when the teacher or preacher stands behind the pulpit and opens up their mouths, there has to be power. The power has to coat their words. The power has to be in the midst, injected indeed into the words that comes from the order's mouth, the teacher, the preacher. It has to be there. There has to be power in the midst. Think on this. Now, power is not just me shouting. It's not just me preaching loud. You see, think of your phone this morning, your mobile. It has a battery, and the battery powers the phone. You can't hear that battery, can you? But yet, it's power. It's silent, but it's power. It brings light to the phone. But then you think of Finbar's motorcycle out there, and when he starts it, you can hear the engine. You can hear the power. It's loud indeed. Very loud, brother. When you hear it, there's power. You see, power can be silent, and it can be loud. And when the teacher or the preacher stands behind the pulpit, there has to be power. Whatever their style, there has to be power when they open up indeed their mouths. If you don't have a battery in your phone, if you don't have a battery in your mobile, your iPhone, your Samsung, whatever, then you can't speak to someone. You can't text. You can't phone anybody. You need your battery. You need the power to be able to communicate. If you don't have an engine in the car, Finbar doesn't have an engine in his motorcycle, then he can't take anybody on a journey of the back of him. He needs it. He needs the power. And the teacher, the preacher, whatever their style, they need the power of God to take people somewhere, to cause the light to come on, to cause people to go forth indeed on God's journey. The master goes on to say in verse 13, and you say, well, for so I am. Even though Jesus just humbled himself, he was still Lord. Hallelujah. Even though the master put on the garments of a slave, a servant to wash their feet, he humbled himself. We heard about it this morning in prayer. He humbled himself. He was still Lord. He is the servant king. The prophet Isaiah talks about the servant of God. Acts talks about the servant of God. Philippians 2, 7 says this, he took upon him the form of a servant. He is a servant, but he is also Lord. Hallelujah to us this morning. Revolution 19 and 16, king of kings and Lord of lords. That's who he is. Many call Jesus different things. The Muslims call him a prophet. They revere the Lord Jesus as a prophet. That's what they say, but not the son of God that is blasphemous to Islam. They call him a prophet. I would say some historians that believe in a historical Jesus would say he, he was a good man. He did good things, said good things. Jesus is a prophet. Jesus is, you could say a good man, but he's also Lord. That's what we say this morning. He is Lord. He is king. He is everlasting father. He is prince of peace. He is Emmanuel. He is God made flesh. Hallelujah. He is God made flesh. That's what we say as a believers. The master goes on to say in verse 14, if I then your Lord and teacher, friends this morning, if he is not your Lord, then he will not be your teacher. And that's the truth of it. He must first be Lord in order for you to be taught as it were by him, through the spirit of God. Think of teachers in our time. Plenty of good teachers in Bacumbra, Bacumbra Primary School and Clowner, Clowner Junior High School, Killigan Mane Junior High School. Plenty of good teachers in Portadown College to my left here. Plenty of good teachers who are so creative and so charismatic, brilliant teaching styles. But here's the thing, for you to be taught by them, you have to be part of the school. You have to be part of the school to be taught and educated by the great teacher, whether male or female. Jesus will only teach ongoing the sheep and not the goats. It's not going to happen. Let's say for talk's sake, Portadown College to my left. And let's say the best teacher of Portadown College is ready to take the class. All the students are in their uniforms, seated, waiting to be taught. Then all of a sudden, a kid from Killigan Mane Junior High School walks in in their uniform and sits down. Do you think that teacher is going to teach that class? No. The teacher will say something like this, what are you doing here? You shouldn't be here. You have to leave. Jesus will only teach the sheep and not the goats. And that is the truth this morning, church. The master says, did you like that wee flip there? Praise God. That's the new thing for the preacher, to do the wee flip with the notes so that you're watching, to know that you're watching. Praise God. If I then, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. Jesus wants the act, the life of humility to be not forgotten. That's why he did it. That's why he took off his garment and put on the attire of a servant and washed the disciples' feet. That this act would be ingrained within their person. That they would not forget that they are to live a life of humility. That's why the Lord did it so, because humility means everything to God. Humility is paramount. Humility is so important, friends, to heaven. And how easily we can forget humility. It's very easy for us, but we cannot forget that which is important to God. Forgetting will have dire consequences. Now, there are a few this morning that can testify to this. I am always leaving my wallet behind. Always. I will go to many different places, family members' homes, and I will leave the front door after being there a while, get in my car, and I have forgotten my wallet. It's not good to forget your wallet, especially when it's at the Patterson's home. You need to count your notes when you get home. But in all seriousness, it's not good to forget your wallet. Why? For me especially. Not just money and cards and your driver's license, but my front door key is in my wallet. So, it's not good for me to forget that. It's so important. Why? Because when I get to my front door, I'm not getting through it. Forgetfulness locks me out. Forgetfulness keeps the door shut. You see, James says this, 4-6, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. And when you forget humility, doors are shut. If you're not living a life of humility, there is resistance, because God resists the proud. We cannot have resistance from God. We don't want to be a people that have resistance. We must have assistance from God, not resistance, because God gives grace to the humble. God gives grace, assistance to the man or woman who is contrite in heart. Amen. We cannot forget humility. So important. And this is in the whole lesson here of what the Lord did. It has to be ingrained within us. So, the master goes on to say in verse 15, for I have given you an example. Jesus gave them a pattern, a pattern to follow, and a pattern is to be repeated. And a pattern is a set of instructions. Think on this. Let's say I want to create a sweater. And so, I send off to a particular company somewhere for what is needed to create a sweater. So, they dispatch a bag, and I am hoping within that bag, there is wool. I've got wool there. I've got needles. I need the wool. I need the needles. But what also do I need? What's important? I need the pattern. I need a pattern. I need instructions, because friends, if I don't get the pattern, here's the thing. I've got the substance. I've got the tools. But if I don't have the pattern, what will my created jumper be like? Probably like a pair of trousers, never mind a jumper. I don't have a pattern. I don't have instructions to work from. Brothers and sisters, this morning, without his pattern, without his patterns, without his examples, when we think of Scripture, we are lost in all things. We may have what is needed this morning. We may have natural gifts. We may have supernatural gifts, but we need the patterns of the Lord. We need the examples of the Lord Jesus Christ, because without those examples, patterns, what are we building? What will it be? I tell you, friends, it will be grotesque in nature if it's not done by how Jesus did it. The master goes on to say that you should do as I have done to you. We can never deviate from his pattern and from his example. You cannot improve upon perfection. It's not correct. You can't. Think on this. Master class. Wouldn't it be great to have a master class with the Lord Jesus Christ? You can go, there's a website called Master Class, and you can, I believe, perhaps sign up and get online videos, classes, from people, professional people, from people who are the best in their field. One of those individuals is Gordon Ramsay. So, you can have a master class on cookery. You can have a master class in composing music. You can have a master class in tennis with one of the Williams sisters, I believe. You can have a master class in singing. You can have a master class in writing. And let's say for talk sake, Gordon Ramsay, he is the one that has a master class on cookery. Now, at the end of the day, if I want to learn about cookery, I am not going down to that wee lad or wee girl that works at McDonald's. I'm not. Nothing wrong with their wee job, but I'm not going to go to them to learn about cooking when I can learn from Gordon Ramsay, who is a three Michelin star chef, or perhaps I can learn from Stephanie, who will give her instruction for free this morning. Amen? Or think on James Patterson. Not this James Patterson, but the writer. Have we ever heard of James Patterson, the writer? A prolific writer. Well, if I want to learn about writing, I'm not going to the columnist of Portadown Times. I'm going to go to James Patterson. Jimbo. He is the one that knows what he's talking about. These are masters in their fields. And friends, anything and everything that we need, there's a master. And I want to be only in his class. Amen. Hallelujah. And when we look at the scriptures, when we look at the word of God, there is so many parables and patterns and examples and things. This Bible is full indeed of classes that the master gave and praised God this morning. It doesn't cost us anything. It's free to God be the glory. Hallelujah. Let's be queuing up. Let's be signing up for the master class from Jesus by the Holy Ghost. Amen. On humility, on giving, on treating one another. Oh, there's all sorts of classes. 16, verse 16. Most assuredly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master. The Jews have a saying, no servant is worthier than his master. There is much that awaits the redeemed of God in Christ. I mentioned this morning about our great inheritance. Romans 8, 17 says, joint heirs with Christ. What a wonderful scripture. I mean, that blows the mind that scripture. We are joint heirs with Christ. But here's the thing that we can never forget. He has the preeminence. Amen. He is the firstborn of the brethren. He is the heir of all things. The father gave him all things. Hallelujah. And we must never, ever forget that. The scripture goes on to say in verse 16, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. He can be as his Lord, but not greater. When Jesus sent the disciples, sent the apostles, they did greater things. The church does greater things. John 14, 12. Truly, truly, I say to you, to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do and greater works, greater works than these will he do because I am going to the father. Greater things were done through the apostles. Greater things are done through the church. There is no doubt about that. But let me say this, greater things done don't compare with the greatest thing won. And the greatest thing won was at the cross. The greatest thing won was at Calvary when the Lamb of God laid down his life and redeemed a broken world. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. That act, that act is greater than all of the great works of the church. That act, hallelujah. Calvary, Golgotha, he redeemed us. To God be the glory. Lastly, in verse 17, closing, if you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. It's not enough to know, you have to know and do. Amen. You see, Adam Clark says this, true happiness, blessed are you if you do them or happy are you if you do them. True happiness only consists in the knowledge of God and obedience to him. It's not just enough to know, you have to do. The Jews have a saying, quite an assertive, stern, full on statement, he that learns but not to do it would have been better for him if he had never been created. That's quite a full on statement there. Let me repeat that. He that learns but not to do it would have been better for him if he had never been created. You see, we are not called to be know-it-alls. We are called rather to be do-it-alls. Amen. Don't be a know-it-all, be a do-it-all. Hallelujah. It's not enough to know you have to do, you have to take rather the knowledge and do as the Lord commands. Hallelujah. Yes, we desire to know but let's also be doers of the word. Hallelujah. Let's pray. Father, we give you thanks this morning for the precious word of truth. We give you thanks this morning for the lessons contained God within the Holy Scripture. We thank you Lord that we are in the master class. Hallelujah. Oh God, we desire no other teacher for God is my teacher. God is my teacher. And we thank you Lord that indeed that you cause us, when you speak, to be completely transfixed and completely, God, occupied with you and with what you're saying. And God, we need you. Week in, week out, we need you. And we thank you God that you are not like mortal man, God, teachers, Lord, that fall ill and there has to be a substitute. There's never any substitute when it comes to the master in his class. Never. Never. And so Lord, we thank you that you are always, always willing and ready to teach your people. Always. And so Lord, we desire as a ministry, as a people, that we would nosh, spiritually speaking, chew on the meat and the heavy things of God this coming year. Grant us great things through the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Open up our minds, our understandings, to be able to grasp the high things of God. And so Lord, help me and help the others that would stand behind this pulpit. That as we stand, the power would be present from beginning to end. That as we stand, that there would be illumination in all within this place. And so God, we give you the glory in Jesus' name.