Welcome to day 13 Family! We’ve one day away for making it to our two-week mark. What a glorious thing. Thank you for joining Janice and I on this journey it mean a lot to both of us and will set the tone for everything you do this year. Let’s jump in to our devotional reading today: The 13th Chapter of the Gospel of John is a pivotal point in the ministry of Jesus. John's Gospel makes it clear that something special is about to happen. I think it’s important today for me to share with you that the Gospel of John is divide into two sections. In the first half (chapters 1-11), he summarizes roughly thirty-three and half years of the Savior's life. The last half is devoted almost totally to the last few days. Everything from chapter twelve on points to the cross and the resurrection.
As we read yesterday chapter twelve sets the stage: Jesus replied, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone servers me he must follow me and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name…And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. John 12:23-28;33 (ESV)
Jesus gathers his disciples in an upper room, probably a large banquet hall above the home of a wealthy Jerusalem family. In all likelihood, the room was built to be rented out and used for such occasions. In this room, Jesus would give his disciples his parting words and some of his most important teachings.
I know that you’ve already picked up on it but I’ll share it anyway Chapter 12 and Chapter 13, deal with the same theme. Both of these chapters revolve around feet. Feet! 21 chapters - the Holy Spirit takes two chapters and deals with feet.
Chapter 12 is Mary washing the feet of Jesus and drying His feet with her hair. Chapter 13, we see Jesus girding Himself with a towel, washing the feet of His apostles and drying their feet with that towel. In both of these chapters, the central element, the theme, the setting revolves around the washing of feet. As we look at yet another posture in the Christian lifestyle, we see this posture demonstrated in the posture of Jesus.
This story is one of the most memorable incidents in Bible. It was the night before Jesus’ betrayal and crucifixion. It was an intense time in Jesus’ life. His public ministry had ended. Jesus now turns his full attention to his disciples.
I want you to imagine this situation with me for a moment. In that culture the most demeaning task around was to wash the guest’s feet. This was job done by lowest slaves.
It was necessary because people wore sandals did most of their travel by foot. They walked along trails that we not only dusty but also cluttered with camel and donkey dung.
I’m sure that guests arrived with more than dust on their feet. It was a common courtesy for the host to have his slave wash the guest’s feet as they entered the house.
Jesus had sent Peter & John to prepare for their meal together. The food had been cooked. The table had been set. And I’m sure the disciples thought this matter would be taken care of as well. It wasn’t!
As Jesus and the disciples enter the room they see towel & water basin in the corner. They do not see a slave to wash their feet. Perhaps some of them pause as they enter the room, wondering where the servant was—maybe wondering why Peter and John had not taken care of this important detail.
As they recline at the table, each disciple feels a little uncomfortable. “Somebody ought to at least wash Jesus’ feet” Each one may have begun to JUSTIFY in own mind why it was not his job to do it.
“I did it last time—its Matthew’s turn—he hasn’t done it in long time.”
“Peter and John were supposed to take care of all this-Jesus told them to. One of those guys ought to take care of it.” “I came to enjoy a time with the Lord—and now we’ve got this problem”
John is thinking—“Look I’m over here leaning next to Jesus, I’m in spiritual intimacy. Jesus doesn’t want me to leave and help you.”
Peter is thinking—“Don’t these turkeys know the call of God on my life? If they had, they would be over here right now washing mine and Jesus’ feet.”
We don’t know all the specifics, I’m taking some liberties--but we do know that nobody rose to the occasion.
1. What Jesus Did!
John 13: 3-5 ESV Jesus KNOWING THAT THE FATHER HAD GIVEN ALL THINGS INTO TO HIS HANDS, and that he has come from God and was going back to God, ROSE from the supper. He LAID ASIDE his outer garments and TAKING A TOWEL, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to WASH THE DISCIPLES’ FEET and wipe them with that towel that was wrapped around him.
2. What Jesus Knew!
Verse 1 says When Jesus knew that his hour has dome to depart out of this world to the Father
Verse 3 says Jesus, knowing that the Father has given all things into his hands
Verse 11 says For he knew who was to betray him
He knew he was rapidly approaching the most important moments of life. He knew that the pain and agony of the cross was imminent!
John is wanting us to see something about Jesus. Fully God and fully man, here is Jesus facing something we cannot even imagine. He is not saying to the disciples, “Don’t you care about what I’m facing?” He is not focused on himself. He is concerned that they be prepared for what’s about to happen. Jesus is focused on others!
He knew Who he was. With all that in mind he bowed before these disciples and washed their feet. He was not ignorant of the glory and authority that the Father had given him.
3. What Jesus Taught!
Verses 12-17 When he has washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, 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 also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
“Do you understand what I have done for you?” Has the significance of all this soaked? It goes way beyond just getting your feet washed. It goes way beyond just getting your need met.
Jesus comes into our lives. He loves us. He receives us. He meets our needs.
And sometimes people think that’s all this is about—getting my need met, getting my feet washed.
No, it’s about a personal transformation of character and thinking. It’s about becoming something. It’s about becoming a servant like Jesus. verse 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Freely you have received, freely give.
If my experience in God is only about me, only about me getting my needs met, I’ve missed something along the way. If church is just about me getting what I want, I’ve missed something. The greatest human tragedy is for a person to never receive Christ and his mercy.
The second greatest tragedy is that a person would experience Christ, experience his love, experience his grace—but never translate that into service toward others.
I know you’ve been waiting on my story so here it is… A wealthy American traveler tells the story of how he was a visiting a hospital in South Africa. He entered just as a young missionary nurse was cleaning the sores of a sick, dirty, young woman who was dying of HIV/AIDS, which had been lying in a gutter for days. The wealthy man said to the nurse, “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars.” She answered quietly and firmly, “Neither would I.”
It’s a whole lot easier to talk about service, think about service, fanaticize about great service, and hear sermons about service—than to actually do service for others. But the blessing, the joy, the happiness, is not found in talking about it or hearing about it. It is found in actually doing it.
Is there a need you can meet? Is there someone near you who needs his or her feet washed—some practical service that could make that person’s burden lighter?
It is my prayer as we spend the remaining days of this corporate time of fasting and praying that the Lord opens our eyes to dirty feet and give us a heart to wash them. That’s the church I want to pastor…A church where every member is a minister and every seat is filled with a serving servant.
- In the Upper Room right before the Passover (v.1a)
- The awareness of His enemies (v.2)
- The extreme demonstration of royal service (v.3-5)
- The prerequisite for royal service: Washing and cleansing (v.6-11)
- The meaning of royal service (v.12-14)
- The reasons for royal service (v.15-17)
- The Prediction of the Betrayer (v.18-30)
- The Departure of Jesus From This World (v.31-38)
I literally had to quit today. This chapter is simple jammed packed with so much teaching. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoy writing this. See you tomorrow for day 14!
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