Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet
Notes
Transcript
Intro: Have you ever heard the phrase “Foot Washing Baptist?
Even a reference to them in book “To Kill a Mockingbird”
AKA Hardshell Baptist or Primitive Baptist. They are a conservative Baptist denomination that practice foot washing. They do so as a part of The Lord’s Supper. They see these verses as a command to do so.
Most others see Jesus’ command to wash one another’s feet as symbolic of serving one another in love. What can we learn from Jesus washing the disciples feet?
1. Jesus washed the disciple’s feet because He loved them (1-3).
A. Jesus spent His last hours of freedom with those closest to Him.
The setting is the Passover meal. This meal was celebrated annually by Jewish people. It was a time of close fellowship for family and friends. Jesus doesn’t skip the Passover meal. He celebrates it early with His disciples.
Notice two times in verse 1 “having loved His own” and “He loved them to the end.”
As far as the world is concerned this is a collection of nobodies. But we are reminded that Christ loves them.
Remind yourself often that Christ loves you.
Never doubt it.
He loves you now and He will love you till the end.
Remind yourself when you are:
Sick
Poor
Lonely
Hurting
Say with Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:14 “the love of Christ compels us!”
Say with John in 1 John 3:1 “Behold what manner of the love the Father hath bestowed up on us that we should be called the children of God.”
B. Jesus had perfect knowledge of the future.
Notice the words “knew” (1) and “knowing (3).
What did He know?
His hour had come- the cross. John’s gospel calls the cross Jesus hour. The hour refers to His death.
“To depart out of this world” to return to heaven with the Father.
What would we do if we knew it was our last day to live?
I don’t think we’d show up to work.
I don’t think we would be washing anyone’s feet.
We may expect some sympathy.
We may want our feet washed.
Think about Jesus.
He had come from God.
He was returning to God.
He had been treated shamefully and would be treated worse.
He is the King of Kings & Lord of Lords.
He is worthy of all praise.
There is only one person in the universe too good to wash someone’s feet and His name is Jesus. He is the only one that foot washing is beneath.
The King of Kings, after being treated shamefully for 33 years decides on His last day to live to wash feet.
C. Jesus’ love is contrasted with Judas’ hate (2).
“the devil having put into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Him”
In verse 18 Jesus makes it clear that He knows Judas hates Him.
Illustration: In Greek Mythology there was a bandit named Scirion. He lived on a cliff overlooking the seas. When travelers passed through, he would rob them. Then he would stretch his foot out and make them wash his feet. When they finished he would kick them over the cliff and they would fall to their death into the sea.
That’s what Judas is doing to Jesus. He is allowing Jesus to wash his feet knowing his actions are about to send Jesus to His death. Jesus knows this.
Jesus’ love is greater than Judas hate. The common grace of God that rests upon Judas is greater than the hate Judas has for Jesus.
What a beautiful illustration of loving your enemies!
I can imagine if it were our last day to live we would do good things for those who love us.
What would we do for those who hate us?
That is how we measure our love!
2. Jesus washing the disciple’s feet was symbolic of His redemptive work (4-5,7).
A. There is beautiful imagery we cannot afford to miss. Notice how detailed John is in explaining Jesus actions:
He rose from supper.
He laid aside His outer garment.
He took a towel and tied it around Himself.
He poured water into a basin.
He washed the disciples feet.
He rose from supper- Left His throne in heaven
He laid aside His garment- The incarnation
He took a towel and girded Himself- Became a servant
He poured water into a basin- He poured out His blood for us.
He washed the disciples feet- He removes our sins through His sacrifice.
B. The disciples would not understand this until after Jesus rose from the dead (7).
It is true that anyone can wash another’s feet. But no one can atone for another’s sins. In fact, we can’t even atone for our own.
When you see Jesus washing the feet of these men remember He did something far greater for you.
These were grown men and grown men are known to have some pitiful feet.
They lived in a culture of sandals and no socks.
They walked everywhere they went.
There was very little pavement.
Those men had some dirty feet.
Do you know what is dirtier than their feet?
Our sin.
Our filthy souls.
When Jesus stooped down to become a man
Clothed Himself in the weakness of our humanity
Became a servant
Bled and died for us
Washed our filthy sins away with his precious blood
It was far worse for Him than washing the filthy feet of twelve self-centered men!
Thank God He did it!
Thank God He stooped!
Thank God He served us!
Thank God He washed us in His precious blood!
3. Jesus washed their feet one by one (5-11).
A. He washed them well.
He assumed the role of a servant.
He undressed- removing His upper garments.
He tied a towel around Himself like an apron.
He went and filled a basin with water.
Understand that in Jesus’ culture a special meal was eaten while reclining (23). It’s not like the painting of the Lord’s Supper.
Everyone wasn’t sitting on the same side of the table.
It was a very short table.
The guests would lean on their left side and eat with their right hand. Their legs would be stretched out behind them.
What’s the point?
The feet aren’t under the table. They are exposed for everyone to see and smell. This is also taking place in an enclosed room.
Everyone’s feet are essentially eye level so everyone can see clearly what Jesus is doing.
Notice how detailed this is.
He washed the foot and then wiped it with a towel (5).
He’s not just getting these things wet. He cleans them very well.
Imagine the scrubbing. The separating of the toes.
Do you think Jesus does anything half-heartedly?
Does He leave a job half done?
Those were probably the cleanest feet in Jerusalem when Jesus finished.
He did this 24 times y’all. 24 times!
This took a long time!
B. He washed them all.
The disciples commonly argued amongst themselves who the greatest was (Luke 22:24). To take the role of the servant who washed feet would be to say, in that culture, “I am the lowest among you.” That job was reserved for the lowest ranking servant. There was no way any of them would wash feet.
James & John- they got their mom to try and secure the highest place in the kingdom for them (Matthew 20:20-28).
They wanted Jesus to call down fire on a Samaritan city (Luke 9:51-56)
Thomas- would not believe Jesus rose from the dead unless he put his hands on Him. Jesus had already done so much to prove Himself to Thomas.
Nathanael- Can anything good come out of Nazareth? (John 1:45-46)
Simon the Zealot- a terrorist before he met Jesus.
Matthew- a thief.
Judas- We’ve already mentioned him. The Bible says he was possessed by Satan. Looking out through the eyes of Judas was Satan himself. Jesus washed his feet.
Listen, there was no reason for the disciples to think Jesus would wash any of their feet much less ALL of their feet.
Jesus could have proved the point just by washing Judas feet, or any other disciple. The hands of Jesus touched the feet of every disciple there.
I bet you could hear a pin drop. It was a solemn moment.
God didn’t have to save any of us.
When He saved one He didn’t have to save another.
When He saved folks in the first century He could have stopped but He is still saving people in the 21st century!
I thank God for a Savior who keeps washing feet!
C. He washed the feet of the resistant (6-10).
He came to Peter and Peter broke the silence.
Not me Lord!
Notice Peter said “Never!”
Never say never to God.
Jesus said “Ok, then you’re not going to heaven!”
Peter changed his mind quickly!
He wanted to be extravagant, because that’s who Peter is.
He is a loud mouth.
He is a man’s man.
He is ready to fight.
He probably has dad jokes.
He tells Jesus “Give me a full bath then!” I like to think that got a chuckle out of everyone.
Jesus washes his feet. In a matter of hours Peter will tell people he doesn’t even know who Jesus is.
I can imagine Jesus saying “Peter, you don’t remember me? I just washed your feet. Who else in this world has washed your feet? In fact, you asked me to bathe you. You don’t know who I am?”
The patience of Jesus is greater than we know.
What did Jesus mean when He said “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet.”
You don’t have to get saved again. You are saved once. But there needs to be a daily cleansing of sin as we walk through this world. Christ continually cleanses us with his blood as we confess our sins to Him.
Listen- Don’t try to be something great for God. Don’t try to impress Him. Peter tried that. It didn’t work.
Jesus reached up and pulled Peter’s feet out of his mouth and washed them. Peter was resistant but Jesus prevailed.
3. Jesus taught them a lesson by washing their feet (12-20).
A. It is easier to call Christ Lord than to follow His commands (13).
Jesus told them what they got right. They called Him teacher and Lord. They had the theology down. Think of all they had seen Christ model.
Touch lepers
Pick children up in His arms
Comfort those who lost loved ones
Feed hungry people
Forgive sinners
Befriend women who had multiple failed marriages.
Allow a woman with a severe menstrual problem to touch Him.
Jesus asks, “Do you understand what I’m doing?”
He’s teaching them.
He’s saying:
Peter you should be over there washing James feet.
John you should be over their washing Andrews feet.
Philip, you should be over there washing Nathanael’s feet.
B. To refuse to serve others is to act as if we are better than Jesus.
“A servant is not greater than his master” (16)
The truth is they would have probably been willing to wash Jesus feet. But that is not what Jesus did. Jesus washed their feet. To be like Jesus is not to wash Jesus feet. To be like Jesus is to wash one another’s feet.
They were too busy comparing themselves with one another. In fact, they probably thought their feet were cleaner than others.
When we refuse to serve others not only are we saying we are better than those people. We are also saying we are better than Jesus.
I think the context is our fellow believers. We are certainly to serve a lost world as well, by sharing the gospel. But primarily our love is shown by the way we treat one another in the Body of Christ.
Listen to me:
We are called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ like Jesus does. Jesus died for them. The least we can do is serve them.
C. When we serve others in humility we are like Christ.
Do you have a Judas in your life? Backstabber, deceiver, two face. Wash his feet.
Do you have a Peter in your life? Proud, loud, obnoxious, not as good as he thinks he is? Wash his feet.
Do you have a James & John in your life? Always trying to be on top. Ready to call down the fire. Wash his feet.
Do you have a Thomas in your life? One who doubts you, questions you? Wash his feet.
It would be so easy if washing one another’s feet was something we simply did on a scheduled date inside these walls. That’d be simple.
Washing feet means in our day-to-day life we serve each other in ways the world may think is beneath us.
If you could look into that upper room that night you would easily be able to identify Jesus.
Not because He had a halo.
Not because He was the most handsome.
He was the one wearing a towel.
When you go to a restaurant there are certain people who wear an apron.
A dishwasher.
A bus boy.
A prep cook.
They wear an apron because the work they do gets them dirty.
Christians should always have their apron on. We should assume when we go into this world we are going to get dirty. We are going to do menial tasks that others don’t want to do.
How do we battle pride in ourselves and others?
Through menial service. It will humble us and it will humble others. It is humbling to both wash feet and to get your feet washed.
Peter said in 1 Peter 5:5 “be clothed with humility”.
I think he may have gotten that from Jesus washing his feet.
He saw Jesus clothe Himself with that towel and wash his feet. I think that image stuck with Peter. Years later Peter wrote “be clothed with humility.”
May that be our prayer.