Hello friend, and welcome to Hope for Today. The program you’re listening to is produced by Heralds of Hope. We’re an international Gospel media ministry. Each week our Bible teaching broadcasts circle the globe in English and 22 other major languages. And why do we teach from the Bible? Because the Bible is the only source of lasting hope. It is God’s Holy Word.
You know as well as I do that we can’t rely on the words of men because men change. Think of all the unkept promises people make, maybe even specific promises to you personally. But God is unchanging, He keeps His promises. The Psalmist, David, said in Psalm 119:89, “Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in Heaven.” You and I can depend on God’s Word.
Because God’s Word is unchanging and reliable, we share this teaching with many people around the world in different languages in both audio and print. And we receive many testimonies of lives that have been transformed by the power of the Gospel. If this program touches your heart and life, we’d love to hear from you. Stay tuned, and I’ll give you our contact information at the close of the program.
Now, here’s Pastor J. Mark with today’s teaching.
Many years ago, an Englishman affirmed, “Love is the greatest force in the world.” But long before that, the Apostle Paul wrote what has been called the greatest dissertation on love. It is recorded in I Corinthians 13. Paul concluded his dissertation with these words, “And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
A listener once wrote to me to tell me he had discovered a whole new body of literature when he read the New Testament. As he read the Gospels, he saw that Jesus is the True Love. The great golden text of the Bible is still true, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
I want to talk to you about LOVE SYMBOLIZED from John 13:1-11. This is probably one of the most misunderstood acts of Jesus.
1. 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, he loved them unto the end.
2. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.
3. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God.
4. He riseth from supper and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
6. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7. Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10. 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.
11. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
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