Lessings from Washing Feet
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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 bason, 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. 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.
The question has been asked before, “If you had only a short time left to live and could do anything, what would you do?”
The truth is, Jesus knew, and He washed feet.
This seems strange today, in a world of self-serving, that One so great would stoop to something meant for a slave or servant. But I believe Jesus was trying to show us something much more profound than simply washing feet. It was both a picture of something greater and a pattern for us to follow.
What kind of picture did Christ show?
The Picture
The Picture
Peter’s refusal and the conversation that follows sheds light on our fellowship with God.
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. 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.
Bathe = salvation
Bathe = salvation
John 13:10 (KJV 1900)
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed (bathed) needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit
We come to God filthy, as black as the muck of sin that we have wallowed in. We come like the Prodigal Son, still smelling of the swine which we have been forced to feed by our own foolishness. Even our righteousness reeks of the filth of sinfulness.
6 But we are all as an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; And we all do fade as a leaf; And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
But the filthiest soul, when born again, is washed, he is cleansed from every sin, and made a new creature in Jesus Christ.
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
What characterized you in the days before salvation have no place in your life as a believer. And such WERE some of you, but ye are washed!
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot
Beware, not all that claim fellowship with Jesus have been cleansed. Perhaps Judas was moved by Christ stooping to wash His feet, be he was not changed. He had never received the first washing of regeneration.
11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
What a tragedy for Judas to eat bread with the Bread of Life and remain unchanged.
dirt = contact with the unclean, contact with sin, sinners, and the results of sin
dirt = contact with the unclean, contact with sin, sinners, and the results of sin
Illustration:
In that day, people wore sandals as they walked through the street, many of which were simply dirt paths. Not only this but animals used these same roads and where animals are, thing do not stay clean for long.
The streets of the cities were likely to be riddled with garbage, which was thrown out into the street.
After walking through this, when a man came home or entered another’s house, the first thing needed was for him to take off his sandals and wash his feet.
For us, this is a beautiful picture of what we call sanctification.
We practice sanctification all the time. It is setting apart something to be used for a purpose.
Illustration:
At my house growing up, we had a very special sign on a magnet. It went on the dishwasher and said, “CLEAN.” Now, if I knew what was good for me, I learned not to ignore that sign. If I took a used, dirty dish that I’ve been eating on and placed into that dishwasher, bad things would happen.
Why? Because the dishes on the inside of that dishwasher were clean, but they weren’t completely sanctified yet. We completed that process when we placed the clean dishes in the cabinets where they belonged.
Now what would you think of me, if I took a dirty, used plate, and instead of cleaning it or placing it with other dirty dishes, I placed it back in the cabinet with the other clean ones? That would be crazy!
It is just as crazy for a born-again Christian, to allow the filth of sin back into his life and forget that he is sanctified, set apart to Jesus Christ. Or for a Christian to fellowship with what he no longer belongs to, this world.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Not of this world
Not of this world
Nevertheless, let us never forget that while we are not of this world, we still walk in this world and while we do not love this world, we do indeed come into contact with this world. It is inevitable that while walking through this world, we rub shoulders with sin and sinners.
Jesus Christ Himself talked with, healed, forgave, touched, and even dined with sinners. (DON’T FORGET THAT HE DID THIS NOT TO SIMPLY BEFRIEND THEM BUT TO CHANGE THEM.) Jesus Christ, at the same time, is separate from sinners. He is sanctified from sinners.
These two truths are difficult to reconcile in our lives. How can we be of this world, and yet not defiled by this world.
And not only this, but besides the world around us, we battle the flesh within us which still desires the old way of life. How can we become more like Jesus?
We find the answer in John 13.
Washing feet = cleansing for fellowship
Washing feet = cleansing for fellowship
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.
No part means no fellowship. Fellowship means a partnership, but not just a business partnership. Fellowship means a relationship, but not just a friendship. Fellowship means likeness of thought and purpose. It means having an intimate, growing connection with someone. Fellowship with Jesus Christ is the highest priority for you and me as Christians.
All else must flow out of our fellowship with Christ.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
As I fellowship with Christ, I set aside my own preferences for what is acceptable to Him. I set aside anything that would diminish the light that He shines through His spirit.
As I fellowship with Christ, that light reveals in me the darkest corners of my heart. Fellowship is not for the faint of heart. It is not for those who refuse to change. It is for those who long to know God.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Have you asked Jesus Christ to show you who you really are? Only then will you be ready for fellowship.
Turn to 1 John 1
Fellowship requires candor (honesty)
Fellowship requires candor (honesty)
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Fellowship requires a choice
Fellowship requires a choice
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Fellowship requires confession
Fellowship requires confession
Water = the Word of God
6 The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
John 13:10 (KJV 1900)
John 13:10 (KJV 1900)
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit:
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.
The Pattern
The Pattern
Jesus Christ our Example
He took the role of a servant.
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.
Lest we become proud of who we are in Jesus Christ, let us remember who it is that is washing our feet.
28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Let Christ wash your sin with His blood.
Let Christ cleanse you for fellowship.
Let Christ clothe you with humility.
Then let us serve others
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
INVITATION:
Have you received Jesus Christ to be your Savior, wash away your sins, forgive you, and make you a child of God?
Christian, your walking through the world every day, are your feet dirty? Have you been regularly cleansing your mind through the Word of God?
One final challenge, Jesus, the Almighty, washed feet. Are you puffed up with pride? Confess it to Christ