Happy Are Ye If You Do Them

by Richard St.James

Happy Are Ye If You Do Them

John 13:11 “For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 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?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 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.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”

1. Friend or Foe?
2. The Servant Master
3. It Is All About Others
4. The Greater Is Greater
5. The Promise of Happiness

1. Friend or Foe?

Verse eleven: “For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.”

In the book of Proverbs there is a particular truth we all need to fasten onto in order to understand the betrayal that Jesus Christ experienced in verse eleven.

Are you ready? In Proverbs chapter eighteen, verse twenty-four we will find this: “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” [Proverbs 18:24]

Did you get that? There is a friend that “sticks closer” than a brother! This is a big lesson for us all to learn. There are those who will be closer to you [a friend] than your own blood relations [mother, father, brothers and sisters].

Now, a man ought to make it a priority in life to recognize a true friend. A true friend is rare thing in our day. A true friend is in deed a wonderful find. I am sure you know this to be true if you have spent very much time on this earth. A true friend will stick with you “through thick or thin”.

These twelve disciples had “stuck it out” with Jesus for all these forty-two months of His ministry on this earth. In the beginning of their journey [their discipleship] things had gone pretty well. These twelve disciples had seen things that no man had ever seen before. They had seen the LORD heal the sick, raise the dead, and feed the thousands with a few fishes and loaves of bread. They, indeed, had seen it all!

These twelve men were drawn to the Son of God and HE called them friends. [John 15:15] “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

Imagine it brethren! GOD [Who came in flesh] called these men … FRIENDS! Isn’t that something? But there it is … in your Bible. All you have to do is believe it!

Now, let’s go further here, by taking a look at verses thirteen and fourteen. Let me read them to you. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” [John 15:13-14] God calls us [Christians] FRIENDS! Amen!

2. The Servant Master

Verses twelve and thirteen: “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.”

It is time now for an observation to be made concerning the institution of human government. In the first six thousand years of human history, the best form of human government that has ever been demonstrated on the face of this earth has been those governments that governed [or ruled] as a SERVANT-MASTER.

Now what do I mean by this term: servant-master? Let me explain. Our beginning as a nation [The United States] was characterized with just such leadership [the servant-master leadership]. George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson were servant-masters. Amen! That was true then [when our leaders were servant-masters] in our beginning as a nation.

We began well. We are not ending well. We used to have public servants, but now, we have self-serving leaders who are "politicians", which is to our hurt and sadness as a people. But what is coming up next will be different.

Are you ready for this? In the seventh millennium the best form of government will not be of the servant-master form. It will be the MASTER [The SON of GOD] ruling in an absolute monarchy over all the nations the earth from Mount Zion [Jerusalem, Israel].

While men are ruling [the times of the gentiles] the servant-master form of leadership is the best that man can hope to obtain in a government, but when Jesus Christ shows up [soon] to establish the Kingdom of Heaven here on this earth ... for a thousands years, the best form of government will finally be made known to men. It will be a MONARCHY. The nations will SERVE the MASTER. Amen!

There is something else we need to see here. Until Jesus Christ shows up in the millennium, our present pattern of servant-master leadership, whether a monarchy, or it be a representative form of government, is under the authority of GOD.

These men who have been placed into positions of leadership by God will lead their nations best by sERVICE [by serving others]. We need to see GOD in our human governments!

Romans chapter thirteen is our primer from the Spirit of God on human government. Let me read to verse one: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

So here we are in summary. When Jesus Christ came to this earth the first time [The First Advent] HE came to serve [or minister] to men [to us].
When Jesus Christ comes to this earth SOON [the second time]

HE will rule in an absolute monarchy with the nations serving Him [in the Kingdom of Heaven]. Amen!

But, brethren, until the Church is translated out of the earth, we ought to serve one and another till He comes, just as HE showed us here in John thirteen.

3. It Is All About Others

Verses fourteen and fifteen: “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.”

Do you see that word? I am talking about that word: “example”. This means we need to repeat, literally and also figuratively, by following HIS example, the washing of one another’s feet in this age of GRACE till He comes for us.

Now, I have to admit I never have seen foot washing practiced in any modern day local independent Baptist church, and this may be to our own shame and hurt. Now there are those who do. The Brethren for one [and other Anabaptists] have retained this practice within their local assemblies down through the years. That is why I have in the past washed your feet in order to provide for you this example “that ye should do as I have done to you.”

I want to serve you even though I am your leader. Leading is not about the leader. Leading is all about others [YOU]. Do you remember our study in John chapter three about John the Baptist? Here is the spirit of John the Baptist. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” [John 3:30]

Now that ought to be “the bent” of the New Testament local independent Baptist church. It is all about preaching Christ to others, and ministering to them in this example. The New Testament Baptist church ought to be like a hospital where those in need are saved and built up in the faith. We can see this building up process going on in [Ephesians 4:12-13]. “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

Do you see it? It is all about others!

If we have the same “spirit” that the John the Baptist had, we can serve one and another in this example that the SON of GOD has shown us here.

4. The Greater Is Greater

Verse sixteen: “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.”

This verse shows the proper order in the matter of WHO is the GREATER. Now the Jews failed to see this order. Therefore, it behooves us not fail in this same manner as the Jews did.

The GREATER does the sending. God, the Father, sent the Messiah to them [Israel], and they failed to see WHO HE really was. The Messiah [Jesus Christ] came to save that which was lost. The Greater had sent HIS SERVANT. This SERVANT is revealed in Isaiah chapter forty-nine, verse five. [If only Israel believed what the BOOK had said about the SERVANT.]

Let us now read the verse. Are you ready? “And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.”

If the Jews knew THE GREATER then they would have recognized HIS SERVANT whom HE sent to them and would have RECEIVED HIM.

What about you? Have you received HIM?

5. The Promise of Happiness

Verse seventeen: “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”

This is a mighty big “IF” for us all to take notice. Jesus Christ has laid it out, in no uncertain terms, that this particular promise for happiness is a conditional promise. This happiness is predicated on us DOING something first [or while we are in the act of DOING something]. Here it is.

The promise of happiness can come to those who:

1. “Know these things.” [Condition No. 1]
2. Then “doing those things.” [Condition No. 2]
3. “Happy are ye.” [THE PROMISE]

This true happiness can only be realized by the true believer in Jesus Christ [The Christian]. Amen!

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The Gospel According To John

John 13:1 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.

John 13:2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

John 13:3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

John 13:4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

John 13:5 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.

John 13:6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

John 13:7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

John 13:8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

John 13:9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

John 13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash hisfeet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

John 13:11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not
all clean.

John 13:12 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?

John 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

John 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

John 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

John 13:16 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.

John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

John 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

John 13:19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

John 13:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

John 13:21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

John 13:22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

John 13:24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.

John 13:25 He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

John 13:26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the
son of Simon.

John 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

John 13:28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

John 13:29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast;
or, that he should give something to the poor.

John 13:30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.

John 13:31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

John 13:32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

John 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to
you.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

John 13:36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt
ollow me afterwards.

John 13:37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

John 13:38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

Happy Are Ye If You Do Them