A good ole' foot warshen.

John 13:1-15

-I think it’s great that John points out Jesus wasn’t just a public figure, He had friends, there were people who were closer to Him than others. This reemphasizes to me that it really isn’t just about a religious movement or acceptance of propositions, it’s about relationship. Jesus modeled this. And leading up to His death He wants to spend time with those closest to Him. He is comforted by being around close friends.

-V 1. John’s words are very personal. He was one of the 12 there that night. You can almost hear him being lost in memory as he writes this. He points out the amazing fact that Jesus, knowing he was hours away from suffering beyond imagination, still focused on loving His disciples. He didn’t become self focused even when death was around the corner.

-This passage is obviously focused on Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. Why would He do this? I see 3 reasons.

1. Because He loved His disciples. Real and genuine love is this odd thing that causes you to do un-enjoyable things for the people you love. When Merry is sick I try to take care of as much as possible, even making her nasty shakes, because I love her. While I don’t want her to be sick I get a weird sense of pleasure out of taking care of her. Jesus sees the filth on their feet and knows they need to be washed before this meal. So He does it.

2. To symbolize the spiritual washing He is going to provide. Peter doesn’t see the significance of it and protests (vs 6-10). Peter sees this act as beneath Jesus because he is aware of how nasty his feet are, but Peter doesn’t understand how repulsive his sin is to God. Jesus picks this as an analogy for daily forgiveness because of how disgusting it is and how gross our sin is before God. For Jesus to take our sin upon Himself is more severe than washing a foot.
In vs 10 Jesus makes a distinction between salvation and daily cleansing. Jesus is using this occasion to teach some really big theology. So big that, as he tells Peter, “you don’t understand yet what I’m doing.” The disciples had accepted Jesus as the Messiah, they had put their faith in Him as God’s Son. So Jesus tells them, “You don’t need a whole bath, just your feet.”
What Jesus is teaching is this: When you put your faith in Jesus you are cleansed from everything, you are made completely new and you are a new creation. The one who puts faith in Jesus is bathed. This bathing is total and has lasting results. You don’t have to “get saved” every time you find you’ve stumbled or messed up. You are bathed, your name is still in the book. But, you did get a little poo on your feet from walking in this world. So you don’t need Jesus to save you again, you just need Him to wash your feet.
People tend to go off in the extremes in this. Some teach that if you are saved then you should be completely sanctified and if you sin you instantly lose your salvation. Others teach that sin is a non-issue and we don’t need to concern ourselves with praying for forgiveness in the little stuff. As usually the truth is in the middle somewhere.

3. To give an example of greatness. Several times throughout the gospels Jesus overhears the disciples arguing about which of them is the greatest and he always tells them the greatest among you must be a servant. He always tells them the way to true greatness is not to strive for greatness but to strive for humility and servant-hood. And here he shows them what that looks like.
Imagine being there. Put yourself in their shoes. Here is Jesus, He has turned water into wine, multiplied bread and fish, healed thousands of people, cast out demons, walked on water, and brought dead people back to life. He’s captivated the masses with this new message about forgiveness and love. Over the last 3 years you have become convinced that this is the Son of God. And now He takes off his shirt, squats down, and starts washing the goat crap off of your feet with his bear hands.
This is the most amazing picture of humility and putting others before yourself they have ever seen and other the cross it is the most dynamic one in all the Bible. God is washing their feet. Jesus says explicitly that this is an example, which means we are expected to follow the example. This is one of the things that really marks the life of a true disciple. Do you serve others? Are you willing to serve others to the point that it really puts you out or makes you uncomfortable?
Here’s the last thought: Judas was in the group that night. What does that mean as an example of how we should treat those who would mistreat us?