John Chapter 13:4-10

Midstream slices can you be a Christian and do this. Can you be a Christian and go out to a bar. Can you be a Christian and drink a 12 pack. Can you be a Christian.

Smoke can you be a Christian and in the whole philosophy behind the question disturbs me to be on it's not can. What can you get away with. Now that your Christian I should turn I got what Jesus incident you forgave me of all my sins. What can I do for you. Welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee.

David is the senior pastor of the bridge, Kernersville, North Carolina today. The studio we have one of David McGee's associate pastors DA Brown with DA have you ever watched anybody else's feet. Actually, I have all thoughts about one more ways than one, practically serving others in their place of need for the glory of Jesus is washing your feet doesn't mean just literally always washing someone's seeing in me that they have meeting that need so that in return may be that person again. Apologies if Jesus is your Lord then you allow him to tell you what to do, not the other way around. Today pastor David helps explain the importance of obedience as he continues in the Gospel of John chapter 13 is a special teaching from David McGee is part two of his teaching a servants heart John chapter 13 verse four he rose from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded and he came to Simon Peter. And Peter sent him glory to you washing my feet Jesus answered and said and what I meant what I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this now understand something they at that time they had these leather flip-flop kind of things are much more simpler than what we have now, but their feet got dirty as they traveled and what would happen is they would have people who worked in the house and it was always the lowest servant. The new guy if you will. Who would need to clean the feet of the people. It was not a position of honor. It was a place of servitude of servant, but that's the place of Jesus placed himself since he came to be a servant.

The Greek word Dick O'Neill's where we get our word for deacon from and to be give his life a ransom for many. Now Jesus placed himself. Look at the contrast look at the contrast between Judas who is doing what he wanted to do and Jesus, who was serving others. I'm asking question who do you want to be like you want to be like Judas who does whatever he wants to do. Some people this way they define their Christianity. Are you want to be like Jesus who serves others how to be like Jesus. Jesus modeled servant hood for us beautifully in this chapter and the next life lesson is when we serve others were acting like Jesus. When we serve others we are acting like Jesus. Let me ask you question and this might be a cutting question for some of you, but what is in your service, what would this church be like if everyone served like you do well in this church be like maybe some of you got all praise God rock on man we would just be happening, or know they probably wouldn't have people to greet her help in the parking lot or helping children spend what would this church be like if everyone gave like you do with the church be able to find more missionaries with the church be able to do more things. What would this church be like if everyone attended like you do what we need more room or could we just keep that rotational kind of thing going on Jesus. As you know, you really don't know what I'm doing, but you will after this class encouraging to me in a one because sometimes Jesus will do something I don't understand and I go way don't wearing and sometimes it don't answer I need to be okay with that because what happens is after a while after season, I become aware of what he was doing and see.

It encourages me that the distant slow down Jesus. Jesus didn't say you know what you guys are going to get it.

So just forget the whole foot washing thing you guys are just a going confusion. Somebody said he's look, I'm going to do this and at some point in your life, you'll understand what this is about, and I guarantee you everyone of these disciples look back and remembered and remembered what was about serving others is a beautiful beautiful picture beautiful model verse eight Peter said to him, you shall never wash my feet Jesus answered and if I do not wash you, you have no part with me last year and I think we all identify a lot with Peter not refer to Peter is is is ready fire aim Peter Keener because Peter a lot of times is saying things when it's going all point wasn't really thinking about that before. He said this is one of those times anything you it's a mystery to Mr. here please call him Lord and he tells them what he can't do that just me or is that a little so the Lord, O Lord. Okay, let's whiskers if he's Lord. He tells you what to do, is not backwards when he's Lord's on the time what to do cool. He's Lord so he instructs us. You see, it's interesting. I went through and this was before computers welcoming. They had computers but I didn't have Bible software. I went to the Strong's concordance because I was curious about something, it refers to Jesus in the New Testament as Savior 24 times is pretty. Many times, but he refers to Ms. Lord 714 times it's important. It's important for him to be Lord and when he becomes Lord he tells us what to do. The next life lesson is Jesus is your Lord then you allow him to tell you what to do, not the other way around. See that's that's one of the signs of a maturing Christian. Jesus wants me to do this so great now to explain I'm there, man. I want to do it will know have to just a mystery, some ices, can you be a Christian and do this.

Can you be a Christian and you go out to bar can you be a Christian and drink a 12 pack. Can you be a Christian smoke though. Can you be a Christian and in the whole philosophy behind the question disturbs me to be honest because it's not king what can you get away with.

Now that your Christian you asked the Lord to forgive your sins that you turn I got what Jesus and sent you for gave me of all my sins. What can I do for you because you died for me.

What can I do for you because when I understand that when I understand what Jesus is done for me.

There should be nothing I wouldn't do for nothing that shouldn't do for he says in, and I'm laden in the new King James a study in the King James look at all sorts amplified new living translation but it's as if in the new King James is if I do not wash you, you have no part with me. The new living translation says, but if I don't wash you, you won't belong to me while for strong words and pretty strong words. If I don't wash you won't belong to me to take a deeper look at this, because see there is a misconception in our society today and I am and I'll admit it. I am getting ready to be politically incorrect in what I'm about to say but I am going to be scripturally accurate. We have this concept and I've heard people say or all children of God.

This sounds nice warm fuzzy done but it's unscriptural if you remember John eight.

The exchange Jesus had after the encounter with the forgiven woman. Some people call it the adulterous woman we call her the forgiven of the saphenous exchange with the leadership and he says to them you are of your father the devil, so evidently there are some people who are children of God. As a matter fact I wondered this Scripture point out to us who are children of God, and who are not all you betcha you batch it tells us in John chapter 1 verse 12. It tells us, who can become children of God. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name all claimant so this is saying you need to receive them, and believe in him to become his child.

These are my words, guys, this what the Bible says if you disagree with this concept. Your disagreement Jesus you disagree with me in your will be fine probably, but that you disagree with Jesus is not good. This is what Jesus said.

There's no way that we can be children of God, because we have a problem there's no way we can will ourselves to be children of God, because we have something we cannot overcome in and of ourselves. There's no way there's no way there's a problem there in the relationship and the problem is sin.

Now, no matter how nice you act how good you act that still a problem, even if from this point forward, you never send again.

He still has the past.

That's a problem that's a problem.

Imagine if you will, the Grand Canyon is huge. What if you stood on one side of the Grand Canyon and I said look I need to do some forming yes or we will me to do.

I want you to jump over the Grand Canyon. What would you be thinking everything will either drink that you're crazy but you would know you can't do that right. The canyon that exists between us and God is bigger than the Grand Canyon is bigger than a grant. It's not something in human effort we can cross that goals this is where some people really get confused on the basics of Christianity the basics of Christianity. It's not like we don't. Maybe if you got a big running start. You could make it over the Grand Canyon because some of us look well maybe if we try hard enough we can do away with this thing called said Santa friend is if you could do that if you could live a sinless life understand you would have changed history itself to see if somebody could live a sinless life that would mean that it could be done.

God would've looked down and thought well you know Chad, and Kernersville. He's pulled off the whole sinless thing on and I was doing 30s don't you know so that other people can do it. Not snow. What happened Jesus without sitting on it. There's no way there's no way there is no way these guys can cross that golf because there is no bridge from one side to the other. So I'm going to die to be that bridge to fill that golf between them and God.

There's no other way, not our goodness is not going to do it not our works nicely work summing your own good efforts. That's not going to do it.

It's only through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ that we can cross that golf that bridges Jesus and I'm not gonna complain that there's only one bridge and say will that's narrowminded that there's only one bridge on I'm grateful there's a branch I'm thankful that that bridge exist in the form of Jesus Christ.

Some people actually try to paint Christianity as being exclusive. That's an amazing thing because it tells me they've never read the Bible because you know what the Bible says whosoever anybody can believe that an amazing thing. God is so merciful God is so graceful there's no sin that we have committed that grace cannot cover us finally caught the good news and that's why they call it the good news. Jesus died to provide these things. He is the solution and keep in mind to. This is not a bridge that we built this a bridge is given to us while Massena because you know what you can. You can't cross the bridge and say all thank you Jesus for being that bridge and then look back go/bridge built this bridge were nice and it you can't take pride and yet some of us have driven people away from Jesus because we've taken religious pride in the fact that Jesus is turned her life over when we had control of our lives.

When I had confirming I'm getting a lot of trouble. Let me talk about was when I had control of my life. I did a lot of bad things I did a lot of stupid things and so now that Jesus is control of my life. Things are going well. It's not me, it's him that's working in me and I don't want to ever paint the picture to somebody you know if you try hard enough. If you do this long enough, then you know what you can be a godly person fact is, you gotta be forgiven to be a godly person and Jesus wants to do that. That's the amazing thing Jesus desires to do that in your life. He desires to wash and clean you up. What an amazing thing.

What an amazing thing will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now.

Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown and Bob are excited about pastor David teaching verse by verse and we want to pray for some listeners in these cities and our audience today Parsons to be good in Wichita, Kansas, Bowling Green, Covington, Glascow in Louisville, Kentucky God, we thank you for the listeners tuning in today in the cities and the surrounding areas low. We pray that they will be reminded that you can heal them if they been going to some physical stuff, or that they would put their trust in you, maybe even have communion today will we pray that those that are not saved would put their trust in you today for the forgiveness of their sins and got we pray for revival in all these churches in the surrounding areas, Lord, that the passes would stick to teaching your word, perhaps even verse by verse, line upon line chapter upon chapter and God that you would bless it. As I honor your word and your people are encouraged in their faith in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse. Now there's another washing that takes place in the Scriptures.

Here that's the washing of the word and in is referred to in several places John chapter 15 verse three says you are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. That's interesting speaks of the word cleaning or washing.

Psalm 119 nine is how can a young man cleanse his way taking heat according to your word. Ephesians 5 verse 25 says husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church ladies and put your elbows down. I'm not going there and gave himself for her verse 26 that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word to this is what Jesus wants to happen in the churches that we are watched by the word of God. That is, we hear the word of God. We are cleansed by another's. There's there's something supernaturally goes on him and and branches and they go away with were forgiven of our sins will be insane not about being in the word, yes. But you know what when you accept forgiveness when you're born again you want to be in the word and when you're in the word you want that forgiveness so the two things go hand-in-hand in an if you imagine all the input that you take into your body to television to the Internet to radio all these different things there at billboards advertising all the stuff so much of it is going against what you should behaving like as a Christian it goes against those things and what the word of God does is it focuses you back again and washes us and reminds us, and that's part of the reason that we we focus on the word of God here verse not Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only. It also my hands in my head. So Emily CI, all or none thing going on with Peter. Peter goes you don't watch me don't touch me.I want to do that. The judge that we don't do, felt like my body Lord is a heads feet everything, hands, feet, heads feet.

Those were so in verse 10 Jesus said to him, he who is Bay's needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean and you are clean, but not all of you is referring to Judas ready to get to get into that more next week, but what Jesus is saying it's interesting what is same and I like the way the new King James puts it in the bathe and wash because there's the King James he who's been washed doesn't need the Washingtons, little bit obscure in the meaning, but if you've been bathe. You just have to wash your feet was that mean a lot of people when they are born again and understand what the phrase born again. Jesus came up with that.

That's not some way and visited her some may also benefit Jesus came up with that phrase and what he means by that is when you asked the Lord for his forgiveness and you begin the following that's been born again we have that experience. I believe Scripture is very plain that you have that experience once in your life but if you only asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins one time sentence wrong sums wrong that's not that I know some would argue this is not that you're getting saved again. You're asking for forgiveness again to. There's a different there's a difference.

Every time you send, you don't need to get saved or be born again.

Again, what you do need his forgiveness and let me ask you question how often do you stop and ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins. How often when I was a young Christian I had some really weird concepts about forgiveness and repentance in when I would mess up. I would think welders needs to be. There needs to be a season before I can ask the Lord to forgive me and I gotta feel bad enough for long enough. Some of you are probably familiar with God. I don't want to just do some wrong and then asked for forgiveness. But if you think about that. That's kinda weird in my experience over time showed me that you know what when I mess up. As time goes on. I don't get more and more likely to ask for forgiveness I get less and less likely to ask for I Skype as a matter fact I begin looking back into what you know when so bad in fact only reason I said that is. He said that not happen in an I begin to apply logic to whatever went wrong, and pretty soon Eileen see that assent anymore. I was just a little something happened, we should repent often in a while because we sin frequently. Everyone of us. I still struggle was last 24 hours somewhere I've messed up beacon coming.

I'm not sure exactly what you can ask my wife should probably tell you where I got a list or we mess up. We mess and we need to go back and asked the Lord to forgive us and we need to turn from our sin to him. That's what repentance means change in our mind change in our focus and our direction. And you know what Christians we need to repent often because too often we think we can get you know a couple weeks ago couple years ago. 20 years ago I went for NASA Lord to forgive memo since awesome, what are you doing now re-keeping the slate clean because in order to keep the slate clean. You gotta go back to Jesus again and again and again and again.

John chapter 1 verse 89 tells us if we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth.

But if we confess our sins to he is faithful and just to forgive us in the cleanse us from every wrong and understand these verses can apply to each and every person that's in here today. This morning, if only if only you'll do it. Let me encourage you in doing this, let me encourage you because at some point you will stand before the Lord, and you will give an account of your life, you better believe is a pastor that is a sobering thought to me it's a thought that guides me in decisions, things are doing things that don't this morning whether you've been born again. Whether you've never asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins, you can have a clean slate of fresh start for some people it's a second chance for other people might be 1/900 chance, but the Lord is here ready to give you that clean slate. Notice it doesn't say that. And since your faithful and just he will be faithful to forgive you of your sins, not friends, loved one, he is faithful and just and will forgive you of everything. The only sin that cannot be forgiven is the one that's not ask forgiveness for we get in of this unpardonable sin, unforgivable sin not going to get into that, but the Holy Spirit convicts us of our soon to reject that ministry of the Holy Spirit and not to ask for forgiveness of our sins. That's the sin that will not be forgiven and if you think about the people that are separated by that golf they're not necessarily just separated by what they've done there separated by what they refused to do now.

They refused asked the Lord to forgive them of their sense, and in that refusal. They look at God Almighty, a righteous God so you know what I don't want your help. Friend, I hope that doesn't describe you this morning until your story I heard years ago that I think is a beautiful representation of the gospel. This guy, this attorney came to a guy that was in jail and said you know I have looked at your case and I want to represent you and I know that if you let me represent you. You will be declared innocent.

I guess if you know what I don't. I don't want your help and I can if I can afford an attorney, yes, no, I'm willing to represent you for free yes not want your help. Day after day. This went on with the attorney coming on it. Let me represent you, you'll be declared innocent. Day after day, the guy Joseph no I don't want your help with the day of the trial came attorney got a call from the guy that was in jail and he said you know what, I've got a result this thing and actually I'm thinking that I actually want you to go in the courtroom with me today. Attorney Cito your day yesterday ask you let me represent you day after day, you refused me now. You asked me to be in the courtroom with a copy in the courtroom today, but not as your attorney. You see, I've been appointed judge in your case you get to decide if you want Jesus to stand with you and defend you where you want to stand on your own with him is me encourage you to ask him to forgive you for sins this morning, friend.

You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now own Legion. A short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. So congratulations Springer just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you.

You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much you would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out also. Thank you so much ODA before we go. What are some ways bless our listeners days you can wake up with her is Casa David with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day in the heart of David McGee. Thanks again for listening and join us next time.

As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God