Washing Feet
Today we continue our quest for excellence in discipleship, and our key passage is John 13:1-17 and we will get there shortly.
I’d like us to take a quick look at the The Gospel of John:
Although it is one of the 4 gospels, it does not fit into the synoptic Gospels for a few reasons, and we’ll explore that at another time.
Also about 90% of what we see in John’s Gospel, including today’s passage, is exclusive to John’s Gospel, meaning it is not found in the other 3 gospels.
A few other unique qualities of book of John:
These events are not recorded in John:
Jesus’s baptism
The Transfiguration
The Parables
Exorcisms
Almost half of the Gospel deals with the last week of Jesus’ life.
The 7 “I Am” sayings, which we uncovered a few weeks back.
These are a few of the defining characteristics of the book of John.
One other thing I’d like us to look at is Jewish custom concerning washing feet.
Traditionally, the host of the home would have a servant wash the guests feet. Usually, immediately upon arrival.
Mainly done because after travelling dirt road, feet became dirty and smelly. You mom’s whose boys aren’t teenagers yet will gain an appreciation of what I’m talking about!
So, in order for the house not to smell like dirty feet and the meal not be repulsed by that same smell, feet were washed.
Very often, while the guests were enjoying fellowship and a meal, the servants would clean the guests shows that had removed.
Title of today’s message is “Washing Feet”.
I covered that info about Jewish custom because first of all, other cultures sort of fascinate me, but more importantly to help us understand how it fits in, to the significance of today’s passage.
Stand with me as we honor God while reading His word.
John 13:1–6 “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?””
I love John’s writing style.
I see humor in so many of his passages.
I love how his phraseology is also unique.
The syntax and cadence of his speech is different than the other gospels.
Because of that, I can’t anticipate what the next word or grouping of words is going to be.
Allow me to illustrate
John 13:1 “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
-ask others what their bible says-
Comment as needed
NKJV is my go-to, but quite often I read from several other translations when I read John.
So, I love John’s humor, and I like how he phrases differently, mainly because it sort of reshapes my linguistic thought patterns.
When considering verse 1, I’m thinking Jesus is probably looking around the table and seeing proud hearts and dirty feet.
After all, we see in just a few verses prior to this passage that Jesus has told the disciples that He will soon be betrayed and killed.
It just sort of falls on deft ears.
They just kind of go right on to the “next thing”
Here’s the passage:
Luke 22:24“Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.
See the pride and self-centeredness?
John 13:3–4 “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.”
He’s thinking “ok these knuckleheads still don’t get it.”
Washing feet was below them.
So He begins washing their feet.
There’s another story about washing feet found in:
Luke 7:36-50. About Mary washing Jesus’ feet. One verse is so touching and powerful, I’d like to drill down to it:
Luke 7:38 “and (she, Mary)stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.”
Let’s look at verse 6.
John 13:6 “Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?””
Peter was almost indignant:
Lord are YOU washing MY feet?
He did not understand!
Remember what we discussed about Jewish culture and who washed feet? Those servants were the low of the low.
Let’s look at v.7-12
John 13:7–12 “Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.” So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?”
You gotta love Peters’ passion:
He is either all in or all out.
John 13:8 “Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.””
An accurate transliteration from Greek to English is “You shall NEVER, NEVER wash my feet.
He’s all out!
Then Jesus replies “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.”
-Ask others what their bible says in verse 8.-
Then just like that, Peter becomes “all-in”.
John 13:9 “Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!””
John 13:9–10 “Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.””
John 13:11 “For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.””
Let’s look at the chapter prior:
John 12:4–8 “But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.””
This is Johns recording of Mary washing Jesus’ feet and we see the hard heart of Judas.
Tell the story of Bobby.
Youth bible study
I told the teenage kids, that I had a hard heart and needed prayer.
The next weekend, pick up Brigs stuff...
God softened my heart! I didn’t realize until last night, that He especially gave me a softened heart toward drug addicts that day!
I want to roll back to v7.
So much to unpack in this passage, why I’m going back and forth a bit.
John 13:7 “Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.””
-ask others what their bible says-
We see on the day of Pentecost, that Peter FINALLY gets it!
After the Holy Spirit comes upon them, Peter gives this amazing sermon found in Acts 2, beginning in verse 14 and going through verse 36.
I’d like us to consider two verses towards the end of his sermon.
Acts 2:32–33 “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.”
The promised Holy Spirit that Peter was talking about, was promised way back in OT, found in Joel 2:28–29 ““And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”
We see the Holy Spirit’s arrival in Acts 1:4–5 “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.””
Jesus is telling them in John 13:7 it’s all gonna make sense in a little while.
Now, let’s look at v12-17
John 13:12–17 “So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
I really just want to look at v15 and 17 of this passage, a little closer.
v15- Jesus is leading by example and explaining that this is what servant-hood is about, it is about being humble. They need to get over themselves and live out their calling!
v17 is so powerful.
John 13:17 “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
In other words, if you live out your calling, you will be blessed.
I don’t know about you, but that sounds like something I want to be a part of!
Listen to these verses:
Matthew 7:24 ““Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:”
He goes on to tell the parable of solid foundations.
Luke 11:28 But He said “On the contrary (happy, favored by God) are those who hear the word of God and continually observe it.
One final verse on being blessed:
James 1:25 “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
As we look at this passage today, it represents at least 7 things that Jesus showed us:
Love
John 13:1 “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
He knew everything that they did and everything that was about to happen to him, and He loves us anyway.
Relationship and salvation
John 13:8 “Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.””
He has to clean us with His redemptive blood in order for us to have a true relationship and everlasting life with Him.
Humility, a softening of our hearts, serving one another
John 13:14 “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
Again, we got to get over yourselves and become a servant!
Forgiveness
When Jesus was washing the feet of men He knew would soon:
Let Him down:
Matthew 26:36–40 “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?”
Matthew 26:41–45 “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
He know He would soon be:
Betrayed
Matthew 26:46–50 “Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.” And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.”
He also knew he would be:
Denied
Matthew 26:69–75 “Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.”
Have you ever been let down, betrayed, or denied?
How did you respond?
Did you run with the offense or did you wash feet?
Jesus was forgiving them as He was washing their feet!!!
Tell story of Lisa washing my feet.
Church, before we can serve and wash feet we must:
Know who we are in Christ.
If you have doubts, please see me, I’d love to give you the reassurance of who you are in Christ.
Jesus knew who he was:
John 13:3 “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,”
We also must know why:
Interesting secular book titled “Start with why”
Understand what moves you
Understand cultural influence
Understand “buy-ins”
How to convince or persuade people to act or respond in a desired way.
As Christians we must know “why disciple?”
Jesus knew why: Because He loves us!
John 13:1 “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
We also must know:
What is means to wash feet.
Of course, I’m speaking metaphorically here.
Jesus knew:
John 13:8 “No” Peter protested, you will never ever wash my feet. Jesus replied, “unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.
Washing feet is about bringing people to Jesus.
It is our calling!
We can sit here and wallow in our problems or we can go find someone who has worse problems and tell them the good news about Jesus.
Call Johan and Joshua forward
Sometimes we just need a push!
Man and wife awakened at 3 am by the knocking on their door.
Raining hard outside, but the husband answered the door.
The man knocking was obviously very intoxicated and told the homeowner “I need a push”.
The homeowner denied to offer assistance and slammed to door in the man’s face.
He went back to bed and his wife asked “who was that”?
He said “just someone who needed a push”
She asked “why didn’t you help him? Remember when it was raining and our car went off the road and some men came and gave us a push?
Go help him!
So the husband walked outside into the rain and the man wasn’t to be seen.
He called out to the man
“where are you?’
He heard this reply
“over here, on the swing!”
Sometimes we just need a push to jump-start our servant-hood into God’s Kingdom and washing feet!
Church as we close today, I’m going to ask you to close your eyes as I read this verse, while you consider today’s word on washing feet. Please keep your eyes closed until I close us in prayer.
John 13:5 “After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”
When Jesus is washing your feet is He:
Softening your heart
Bringing you to a place of forgiveness
Healing a wound of betrayal
Bringing revival to your life
Keeping you on a path to discipleship
Maybe it is something else
John 13:5 “After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”
God I pray you never tire of washing our feet!
You are such a mighty God, full of mercy, grace, and love.
May your example forever remind us who you are and who we are in you.
May we step into our calling so we can glorify you and bring others to your kingdom.
In Jesus’ name. Amen
