Jesus turned the world upside down, really right side up in so many ways. He is God, was God as he walked the face of the earth. He showed us so many aspects of the father’s heart that I hope you are seeing as we are walking through the book of John. As God he came to love and to teach us the Father’s heart and part of that was truly being a leader to change the world you have to learn to serve. That is where we start today!
John 13:1
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.
This first verse has placed challenges to scholars reconciling the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) with John’s Gospel. There seems to be a difference in timing between the two sets as the Synoptics seem to point to Jesus eating the Passover meal This schedule would allow for Jesus to spend three days and three nights in the tomb as was prophesied and for him to be crucified on the day when the regular Passover lambs would have been killed.
The phrase “He loved them to the very end” actually means He showed them the full extent of his love.
His purpose in coming was to reveal to the world the Father’s great love through his life, death, and resurrection. Once he accomplished the first part, he was ready for the cross.
I know that’s a lot for just the first verse…..this is a great chapter
John 13:2
It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
Think about this…
How close was Judas to Jesus as one of the intimate 12
How deceptive was he that he was not readily recognized as the betrayer (we will see that in a few verses)
He was among those who performed miracles and also participated in miracles Jesus performed
Even to the end; Jesus loved him and gave him a chance to repent (which we will see in a moment)
John 13:3,4
Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist,
It is from a position of security and confidence that Jesus began the foot washing. Foot washing is not a sacrament, as communion. Instead, something that is done as an act of service and humility but more of that in a moment
John 13:5,6
and poured water into a basin. Then He began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel He had around him. 6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
People wore sandals and walked through dirty roads covered with dust, mud, and animal excrement. In a home, children would wash the feet of their parents, a mother, the feet of her children. During festive events, servants would be called upon to wash guests’ feet. Jewish servants were not permitted to wash feet, as this was considered too lowly of a task for Jews. For Jesus, a respected Rabbi, their leader, their friend, and their Messiah, to wash their feet was very much a breach of protocol.
We have difficulty in our culture simply being kind to one another
We are told not to return evil for evil but to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21)
We struggle to do simple things like waiting for someone who is older or struggling to get through a door or even holding a door open for someone.
Not talking over people but allowing them to complete a thought
Not giving people the benefit of the doubt but immediately rushing to judgment
Allowing frustration to run our actions rather than patience
John 13: 7-9
Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”
8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
Jesus is giving his disciples a physical example of a spiritual principle. What Jesus would do on the cross would cleanse them once and for all (Hebrews 10 emphasizes this). His washing of their feet was a sign of this completed cleansing. Jesus’ words are making that clear: you can not be his disciples without accepting what he did on the cross to obliterate our sin.
Peter being Peter, did not fully understand what Jesus meant. He thought he could get more of Jesus with more water. Later in Acts 2 we see that he got it, I would encourage you to do a study on Acts 2
John 13:10,11
Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
Anyone who bathed only needs to wash his feet what is that about?
We are cleansed from all unrighteousness once and for all because of Christ death on the cross. We are cleansed for heaven’s sake because of the cross. There is a daily need for washing because we offend each other and the Lord on a daily basis we need the daily cleansing to keep healthy relationships and to not allow stuff to build up between us and the Lord.
BTW Jesus knew Judas was going to betray Him and was unclean allowing the devil to influence him
1 John 1: 8-10
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
This is a daily thing….some call this verse the Christian’s bar of soap. Confessing our offenses/sins daily and daily the Father cleanses us from all sin/wickedness keeping our relationship healthy and strong.
If we don’t daily; die to our flesh, deal with our offenses, let go of the garbage of our lives from one day to the next, it won’t be long until we are spiritually so toxic that we are hard to be around, lose our hope, peace, joy, and love,
This is why Jesus said one who is bathed need only to wash his feet…let it go daily so you can maintain your joy and you will mature
Let me say something about that….how do we grow?
We make mistakes..
Even if we are intentionally learning something new, we will make mistakes
Our maturity in Christ is not dependent upon being perfect but it is dependent upon our growing daily to become more like Christ
How do we do that?
We are in God’s word Ephesians 5:26 (NKJV)
that He might sanctify and cleanse her (The Body of Christ) with the washing of water by the word,
We follow the early church’s example….Acts 2:42 (AMP)
They were continually and faithfully devoting themselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to eating meals together and to prayers.
Growing from corporate teaching, and follow-up study
Growing from being with other believers
Visiting each other’s homes and sharing hospitality and generosity
Constantly in prayer
Getting back to John 13: 12-17
After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
Jesus gave them the example of being a servant, and He said if you are going to follow me, be my disciple, then you must do the same. The things I mentioned earlier are both ways of learning to serve the Lord and a few minor examples of learning to serve others.
If we begin serving each other in the church, people (the world) can see by our example the love we have for the Lord and one another
How do we serve each other
– Look for ways to encourage people rather than tearing them down
– Look for the good and expose it, talk about it, and be thankful for it.
– Be thankful for the gifts and skills in others and let them know it
– Submit to one another, listen to wisdom, correction, and guidance from others
– We grow through mistakes and correction….allow yourself and others to make mistakes and be open to being corrected
– Share what you are learning from the Lord, with others
Jesus said, these are things we ought to do if we are truly His disciples. Many are stuck repeating the same cycle in their lives because they are too busy fighting with their own pride and insecurities. When we learn to serve, we learn to change the world. We can’t truly lead in our families, work place, communities, or church without learning to serve
Matthew 20:25-28
But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”