The Final Hours: Jesus Washes Feet

We turn our attention to one of the most profound and tender passages in all of Scripture, John chapter 13, where our Lord Jesus Christ, knowing His hour had come, demonstrated the very heart of His kingdom. In these sacred moments, just before His ultimate sacrifice, Jesus gave His disciples, and by extension us, a living sermon on what it truly means to follow Him. We will explore three vital truths from this chapter: the humility of Christ, the call to be washed, and the new commandment to love.

I. The Humility of Christ: Jesus Serves His Disciples, Modeling True Greatness (John 13:3-5)

In these verses, we witness an astonishing scene. Jesus, fully aware of who He was—God incarnate, come from God, and returning to God, with all authority given to Him by the Father (John 13:3)—humbled Himself to perform the task of a household servant. He laid aside His outer garments, took a towel, and began to wash His disciples' feet (John 13:4-5). This was not a perfunctory act; it was a profound declaration. In that culture, feet were dusty from travel, and washing them was a task reserved for the lowest of servants. Yet, the Lord of Glory, the Creator of the universe, knelt before His followers.

This act speaks volumes about true greatness in God’s kingdom. It is not found in being served, but in serving. It is not in exalting oneself, but in humbling oneself.

Charles Spurgeon once said, "Humility is to make a right estimate of oneself." Jesus, in His perfect understanding of Himself as God, made the right estimate, and it led Him to the towel and basin.

A.W. Tozer reminds us, "The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with an inferiority complex, but rather he is one who has made a discovery about himself." Jesus had discovered the divine path to true greatness, which is the path of selfless service.

Illustration: 

Imagine a CEO of a massive global corporation, a person whose decisions impact thousands, walking into the company cafeteria during lunchtime. Instead of sitting at the executive table, this CEO picks up a tray, rolls up their sleeves, and starts washing dishes alongside the lowest-paid kitchen staff. The shock, the questions, the quiet awe – it would be palpable. Why would someone with such power and authority stoop to such a menial task? Yet, this is precisely what Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, did for His followers. He showed us that true leadership, true greatness, is found not in demanding service but in giving it.

Application: 

How often do we seek recognition or positions of power? Do we look for opportunities to serve others, especially those tasks considered lowly or unpleasant? True greatness, as modeled by Christ, is found in the humble act of serving our brothers and sisters, just as He served us.

II. The Call to Be Washed: The Necessity of Spiritual Cleansing (John 13:6-11)

When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter, with characteristic impulsiveness, objected, "Lord, do You wash my feet?" (John 13:6 CSB). He couldn't reconcile his master, his Lord, performing such a menial task. But Jesus’ response cuts to the heart of the matter: "What I’m doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will know" (John 13:7 CSB). Then came the piercing declaration: "If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me" (John 13:8 CSB).

This "washing" is more than just physical. It points to the spiritual cleansing from sin that only Christ can provide. Peter, fearing separation from Jesus, then asked for a complete bath (John 13:9). Jesus clarified, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you" (John 13:10 CSB). This teaches us a profound truth: we receive a complete spiritual bath, a full cleansing from sin, when we first trust in Christ for salvation. We are made entirely clean in His blood. Yet, as we walk through this world, our "feet" get dirty with daily sins, requiring ongoing confession and cleansing (1 John 1:9). The phrase "not every one of you" is a sorrowful reference to Judas, who, despite being physically present, was not spiritually clean.

Illustration: 

Imagine you've just come home from a long, dusty journey. You're completely caked in dirt. Your first need is a full bath to become truly clean. But then, if you just walk across your clean floor to get a drink, your feet might pick up a little dust again. You don't need another full bath; you just need to rinse your feet. This is a picture of our spiritual lives. When we first come to Christ, He gives us a complete "bath," cleansing us entirely from the guilt and penalty of sin. We are made new. But as we live in a fallen world, our "feet"—our daily walk—can still pick up the dust of sin. For that, we need the ongoing "foot washing" of confession and repentance, allowing Jesus to continually cleanse us and restore our fellowship with Him.

As Charles Spurgeon preached, "Sin is the dare of God’s justice, the rape of His mercy, the jeer of His patience, the slight of His power, and the contempt of His love."

And A.W. Tozer added, "The cross is the place where the love of God and the wrath of God meet together." It is at the cross that our initial bath is provided, and our daily cleansing is sustained.

Application: 

Have you experienced the initial "bath" of salvation, the radical cleansing from sin that only Christ can give? If so, do you also regularly come to Him for the daily "foot washing," confessing your sins and seeking His ongoing purification? We cannot have a true "part with Him" if we cling to our sin.

III. A New Commandment: Loving Others as Christ Has Loved Us (John 13:34-35)

After Judas departed, Jesus gives His disciples a profound instruction: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34 NIV). This commandment was not entirely new in principle, as the Old Testament commanded love for one's neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). But it was "new" in its measure and model: "As I have loved you." This means a sacrificial, humble, unconditional, servant-hearted love—the very love Jesus had just demonstrated by washing their feet and would soon demonstrate on the cross.

This Christ-like love is not just a suggestion; it is the distinguishing mark of His disciples. "By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35 CSB). Our love for one another is the most powerful evangelistic tool we possess. It is through our unity and our selfless care for each other that a watching world sees the reality of Christ within us.

A.W. Tozer passionately stated, "The greatest need of the hour is a renewed discovery of the God of love." This discovery should lead to lives transformed by His love, overflowing to others.

Charles Spurgeon wisely said, "Love is the life-blood of the church. If we love one another, the world will know that we are Christ's disciples."

Illustration: 

In a small town devastated by a flood, one local church immediately opened its doors. They didn't just offer shelter; they organized teams to clean out mud-filled homes, they provided hot meals daily, they offered childcare, and they listened to the heartbreaking stories of loss. What made them different was not just their actions, but how they acted. They served tirelessly, without judgment, seeking nothing in return. People from outside the church, seeing the genuine, sacrificial love demonstrated by these believers, began to ask, "Why are you doing this?" And the answer was always the same: "Because Jesus first loved us." This humble, tireless service, born out of Christ's love, became the most powerful witness in that community, drawing many to inquire about the hope that lived within these believers.

Application: 

Does our love for fellow believers truly reflect the sacrificial, humble love of Christ? Is our church a place where outsiders can observe this unique, distinguishing mark of Christ's disciples? Let us commit to loving one another, not merely with words, but with actions of humble service, just as our Lord loved us.

Gospel Conclusion:

Jesus, on the eve of His greatest act of love, taught His disciples about the path to true greatness through humility and selfless service, the necessity of spiritual cleansing for fellowship with Him, and the new commandment to love one another with a love patterned after His own.

My friends, these truths are not just for the disciples in that upper room; they are for us today. The message of Jesus washing feet culminates in a far greater washing: His own sacrifice on the cross. We are all, every one of us, born into a state of spiritual dirtiness, stained by sin (Romans 3:23). Our sin separates us from a holy God, and we can do nothing to truly clean ourselves (Isaiah 64:6).

But God, in His incredible love, did something for us. The same Jesus who humbly washed His disciples' feet, then humbly went to the cross. He, the perfect, sinless Son of God, bore the full weight of our sin and the judgment we deserved (2 Corinthians 5:21). He died a real death, was buried, and on the third day, He rose again, conquering sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

This is the ultimate "washing" that Jesus spoke of. It's not a physical act, but a spiritual one, offered freely to anyone who believes. If you have never experienced that complete bath of salvation, if you still feel the weight of your sin, Jesus offers you cleansing today. He invites you to confess your sin, turn away from it, and place your trust entirely in Him – in His death and resurrection – as the only way to be made right with God (Romans 10:9-10). When you do, He washes you completely clean, grants you eternal life, and gives you a new heart that desires to love and serve others, just as He did.

This is the greatest act of love ever shown, and it's available to you. Will you accept His invitation today? Will you allow the humble King to wash you clean and make you His own? May these truths penetrate our hearts and transform our lives, enabling us to walk worthy of the calling we have received. Amen.