John 13:2-17

Introduction

     Do you remember the TV sitcom “Gulligan’s Island.” It was the tale of a fateful trip that ended with 7 people stranded on a deserted island. The story was about their attempts to survive. What is interesting about this group is that they were very different from each other. Gulligan was always getting into trouble, the skipper was trying to keep things under control, the professor was always inventing things, the Howatt’s continued to want to experience country club living and Ginger continued to want to live like a movie star. A number of the stories deal with the issue of how they got along, but in the end, they had to treat each other well because if they didn’t, they would not survive. They needed to get along in order to survive even though they were a very diverse group of people.

     Look around you, do you like these people? If you were stranded on a deserted island, who would you wish would be there with you? Who would you wish would not be there?

     We are not stranded on a deserted island, and we may think that it doesn’t matter how we treat each other because our survival doesn’t depend on it but the truth of the matter is that we have a much more important reason for treating each other well even those we would rather not be on a deserted island with. We not only have to survive, but we must be ambassadors for Christ. We are called to be the people of God and through our love for each other we must demonstrate the love of God. We don’t only have to get along for the sake of our survival, but more than that for the furtherance of the kingdom of God!

     Do we realize the importance of how we treat each other? Do we treat each other right? How can we treat each other in the right way?

I.                  Jesus’ Gentle Forbearance

     Jesus had finished supper with his disciples and he was nearing the time of his betrayal and death. He got up from reclining at table and got a basin of water, put a towel around his waist and began to wash his disciples feet. Can you imagine what it must have been like? It would not be unlikely that the first set of feet he washed were the feet of a fishermen. They may have been scarred from cuts from the rocks in the lake. It was not a pretty sight but Jesus took those scarred feet and washed them gently and tenderly, accepting their deformities. The next person could have had smelly feet. No “Odor Eaters” in those days and no matter what he did, his feet always were stinky. Jesus, the holy one, took them, accepted their odour and lovingly washed them.  Perhaps he came to one disciple and took hold of  feet that were callused, and had bunions and warts - truly ugly feet. The creator of the universe took those imperfect feet and washed them.

     As he went around, he encountered all kinds of feet - disfigured, deformed, smelly, and all of them dirty. He accepted each persons feet and gently washed them.

     When he came to Peter, we realize that this was not only about feet. We read the conversation in John 13:8 - 10.

     As we hear this conversation, we realize that this was not only about servanthood and washing feet, but also about holiness, about acceptance of those who have imperfections. Peter watched as Jesus washed the deformed feet. He watched as Jesus washed the caloused and wart covered feet. He watched as he washed the smelly feet. He knew that not only was Jesus washing feet, he was cleansing people. He was symbolically declaring acceptance of the imperfections - not only on their feet, but in their person. Peter knew that in his case, just washing feet was not enough. He needed a body wash, his imperfections were everywhere. Jesus, however, indicated that the body wash was in essence already completed because of the work about to be accomplished on the cross and what was needed was a cleansing of the feet - those parts of the body that came most into contact with the things of the earth. It was a symbol of Jesus’ willingness to continue to accept and cleanse people who would not remain clean.

     Listen to the words of Charles Spurgeon on this theme. Taken from October 24, in the devotional book “Morning and Evening.”

     “The Lord Jesus loves his people so much, that every day he is still doing for them much that is analogous to washing their soiled feet. Their poorest actions he accepts; their deepest sorrow he feels; their slenderest wish he hears, and their every transgression he forgives. He is still their servant as well as their Friend and Master. He not only performs majestic deeds for them, as wearing the mitre on his brow, and the precious jewels glittering on his breastplate, and standing up to plead for them, but humbly, patiently, he yet goes about among his people with the basin and the towel. He does this when he puts away from us day by day our constant infirmities and sins. Last night, when you bowed the knee, you mournfully confessed that much of your conduct was not worthy of your profession; and even tonight, you must mourn afresh that you have fallen again into the selfsame folly and sin from which special grace delivered you long ago; and yet Jesus will have great patience with you; he will hear your confession of sin; he will say, “I will, be thou clean”; he will again apply the blood of sprinkling, and speak peace to your conscience, and remove every spot. It is a great act of eternal love when Christ once for all absolves the sinner, and puts him into the family of God; but what condescending patience there is when the Saviour with much long-suffering bears the oft recurring follies of his wayward disciple; day by day, and hour by hour, washing away the multiplied transgressions of his erring but yet beloved child! ...”

     We have been cleansed from our sins by the blood of Jesus. But from day to day, we come into contact with the world and we become dirty over and over again. The Bible tells us in James 3:2, “We all stumble in many ways.“ Although cleansed by the blood of Jesus, we continue to stumble almost daily. What does Jesus do with these wayward, weak and stumbling children of his? I John 1:7 says, “...the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” The tense is present and Jesus work is present and continuous. He continues to forgive us daily and purify us each time we confess our failures. We think a thought that pollutes our mind and we need it cleansed. When we confess our sins to him he forgives and the one who died for our sins, Jesus, is washing our feet again. When we doubt and question the goodness and power of our heavenly Father and we sigh in sorrow over our unbelief, Jesus bears with our faithlessness. When we sin in a blatant way, Jesus continues to accept us as His children waiting only for our confession. He bears with us, He loves us and He forgives us. Not only when he accepted us as His children, but daily continually. Symbolically, we could say that he continues to wash our feet daily as we come to him worn, broken and dirtied by our contact with the world in our weakness.

     What a blessing and what a comfort to know that God does not cast us out whenever we sin. Again and again he forgives us and as He does so, he bears with our weaknesses and infirmities - He washes our feet daily.

II.               The Way We Treat Each Other

     For this continuing grace of Jesus, we must be very thankful, but the message of this powerful parable of Jesus when He washed the disciples feet was not only a message of comfort and grace but a message of challenge. He said to the disciples in John 13:14, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”

     What does it mean to wash each others feet? We have understood it to mean that we should serve each other. This is true and a correct interpretation of the text and one of the primary ways in which we ought to serve each other or wash each others feet is in the same way that Jesus continues to wash our feet and that is in bearing with each other, forgiving each other and loving each other. If the Holy Lord who died for our sins is able to patiently bear with us and forgive us for the sins we commit against Him every day, how much more must we who know that we sin and know the struggle of sin, bear with and forgive each other every day.

     The Bible gives us three words about how believers should treat each other. We are to bear with each other, forgive each other and love each other. In all three words, Christ is the example.

A.                Bear With Each Other

     The need to bear with each other is based on the premise that there is something to bear. You don’t say to someone who is backpacking, “can you bear this load?” when the back packis empty! God doesn’t tell us to bear with each other when we like everyone and when everyone is growing and healthy and happy. He says it because some of us are strange, some of us have different ideas, some of us take forever to learn how to walk in Christlikeness, some of us smell bad, some of us are ugly, some of us have ideas that are so disagreeable. To that reality, Jesus does not say, “go to another church with people you like.” Jesus does not say, “ignore those people you don’t like and avoid them.” He says, “bear with one another.” Jesus bears with us and asks us to do the same.

     This is God’s command to us in Colossians 3:12, 13 where it says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other...” In a similar way Ephesians 4:2 says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

     How can we do it? We can do it if we remember that to someone else, we are not what they wish we were. We can do it if we decide that by the power of the Spirit, we will live in this way. We can do it if we put on the patience we wish others would have with us. Nobody washes another person’s feet because it is so much fun. We do it because we choose to act like Jesus. Let us bear with one another and so wash each other’s feet.

B.                Forgive Each Other

     Bearing with one another is fine when we are talking about foibles and idiosyncracies, but how do we bear with others who deliberately or inadvertantly hurt us? I know that in my goal orientation I can sometimes run over people and even though I don’t intend to do so, I hurt them. Sometimes people become so angry and bitter at other believers that they will say things or do things intended to hurt them. When that happens, more than just bearing with one another is required. Colossians 3:12, 13 says, ”Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” This too is what it means to wash each others feet.

     The call to forgiveness assumes that wrongs have been done. Forgiveness does not mean overlooking someone’s wrongs against us. We have made this mistake before and the result is that we sweep the offence under the rug instead of dealing with it as an offence and, as a result, a root of bitterness begins to grow up within us. Forgiveness begins when we recognize the wrong done, accept it as a wrong and as a painful experience.

     But forgiveness is not complete until we make a deliberate choice not to hold it against someone. To do this is costly. It means that we have to bear the cost of the offence, whether that is financial, emotional or physical, and not require an accounting. That is what Jesus did on the cross and everytime we sin, we add to the painful weight of sin He bore on the cross. Yet he has chosen to bear that cost and declare us free of it.

     These are not my words, but the words of God and we must do them. They are His command and as usual, they are the best way. We must obey them not only because they are His command, but because by doing so, we find freedom. The bondage of unforgiveness is heavy and multiplies evil. Although costly, forgiveness frees.

C.                 Love One Another

     We wash each others feet as Jesus washes ours when we bear with each other, when we forgive offences and when we love each other. This is the first word and is over all the rest. John 15:12, 17 gives us the command of Jesus: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you....This is my command: Love each other.” We know that to love in this way is to do what Jesus did for us. We know that such loving is looking out for the other persons needs.

     What a joy it is for me when I see such love being expressed by you. I have seen it many times. I have seen you praying for each other, helping when there is a physical need. Giving generously to send young people to serve and learn. Giving to meet the needs of suffering people in the world. Listening when someone has a burden. Truly caring for one another. Providing a safe and trusting church environment. I have seen you love each other and I and my family have been the recipients of your love, for which we are very thankful.

     We know that this is the command of Jesus. We have heard this theme preached many times and my encouragement to you today is to tell you that you are doing it and to encourage you to keep on doing it and looking for more ways in which to show love.

Conclusion

     As I am preaching my last number of sermons here, I am trying to point to things that matter. I think that this is a theme that matters for several reasons.

     First of all, we have experienced much love here and I want to thank you for it. It is a strength of this church that the love God intends for us to have is present here. As you continue to reach out into this community, the love in the church is one of the most important things which allow for churches to grow. You have it. Keep it up.

     Even though this is true, it is not perfect. Two areas need continuous attention. There are issues from the past that lie buried in unforgiveness. If they are not dealt with and forgiven, they could surface to hinder the great things that God is doing and wants to do in this community through this church. Therefore the need to forgive.

     As the church reaches out, things are going to change. Young people will take leadership and will do things differently. Most of us are pretty similar, but if we expect God to work through us, people will attend who are different than most of. For these and other such situations, it is necessary to remember to bear with each other.

     God is at work in this church and community. I believe that in the future, many people will come to know Him and be discipled in Him through you. So my encouragement to you is to do as Jesus did and wash each other’s feet.