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JESUS WASHED HIS DISCIPLES’ FEET
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
John 13:1-20

Ephesians 5:25-27

 

“…If I wash thee not,

thou hast no part with me.”

 

JESUS WASHED HIS DISCIPLES’ FEET
 
The appointed time had arrived that Jesus should lay down His life for the world. He was about to descend to the lowest depths of humiliation; He was about to depart from this world (i.e. His crucifixion), and return to His Father in heaven (His exaltation).
 
Jesus took this opportunity at the Passover to teach His disciples humility by example. In dramatic fashion, He removed His outer wear, and wrapped Himself with a towel. He poured water into a basin, and went about washing His disciples’ feet one by one (including those of Judas). The washing of the feet of guests was the duty of slaves. But Jesus as Master did the work of a slave, stooping down to wash His disciples’ feet. This He did, not only to teach them how they ought to humble themselves in their future apostolic ministry, but also to impress upon them how greatly He had loved them (“He loved them unto the end”).
 
Peter objected to Jesus washing his feet. Jesus told Peter that if he wanted to be a member of His family, he must subject himself to such a cleansing by Him. Peter then told Jesus to give him a full bath instead. Jesus responded by saying that a person who had bathed was clean already, and needed only to wash his feet. Jesus was telling them that they had all received the salvific cleansing of sins past, present and future, through the baptism with the Spirit (Titus 3:5). Nevertheless, so long as they were in this sinful world, they would continually need to cleanse their sinful thoughts, words and deeds by means of the sanctifying power of the Word of God (John 17:17). The Word of God acts like a detergent. As we read, study and meditate upon God’s Word more and more, we would become more and more holy, growing in Christlikeness. Indeed, “Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 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” (Eph 5:25-27). However, they were all clean except Judas the traitor who was never saved in the first place.
 
THOUGHT: A Christlike leader is not a dictator but a servitor.

PRAYER: Father, I do not want to be served, but to serve.

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