Title: Wash Each Other's Feet
wash each other's feet
John 13:12-17
We were hopeless of eternal destruction because of our sins. But the Lord made atonement for us by suffering and dying on the cross for us. By this grace of the Lord, we were saved and became the people of the kingdom of heaven.
The night before his crucifixion, the Lord instituted the Lord's Supper at the Passover meal with his disciples. And by doing this sacrament, we are told to commemorate that the Lord died to save us until the day the Lord comes.
Washing the Disciples' Feet
John tells the details of what happened at the Last Supper the night before Jesus died on the cross. That night, after washing the disciples' feet, the Lord exhorted them to love one another (13:1-35) and prophesied of Peter's denial (13:36-38). He also spoke about the work of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus will send after His ascension (14:1-16:33). And he offered the intercession of the famous high priest (chapter 17).
On that last night, the Lord shared the Last Supper with the disciples, and in that place the Lord washed the disciples' feet. “At supper, Jesus, knowing that the Father had put everything in his hands, and that he had come from God and would return to God, got up from the supper, took off his outer garment, took a towel, put it around his waist, and put it in a basin. He poured water and washed the disciples' feet, and began to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around them” (John 13:4-5) Why did the Lord wash the disciples' feet?
When the Palestinians entered a house, they always washed their feet. Because they walked barefoot and sandals on dusty roads. The guest washed the feet of the owner or the servant, otherwise at least provided water to wash the feet.
The disciples were going with the Lord to the house where the Passover supper was being prepared. But on the road, the disciples quarreled over who is higher. The disciples were arguing over who would occupy which position when Jesus would soon become king. Now, the next day, the Lord will suffer and be crucified for them, and the disciples were arguing with each other over who is so high.
As they struggled, they finally arrived at the house where the Passover supper was prepared. Someone had to wash their feet when they entered the room where the dinner was prepared. There was water, a basin, and towels for feet. But none of the disciples wanted to wash their feet. Because washing your feet was a paper job. So the disciples sat down at the table without washing their feet. At that very moment, the Lord got up and washed the disciples' feet.
How shameful and apologetic must the disciples have been? So when it was his turn, Peter insisted that the Lord could never wash his feet. “When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you washing my feet?” Jesus said to him, “You do not know what I am doing now, but you will know after this. Otherwise, you have nothing to do with me” (verses 6-8).
It is right that you also wash each other's feet.
After washing the disciples' feet, the Lord told them to wash each other's feet. “After he washed their feet, he put on his clothes, and sat down again, and said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? It is right that you also wash one another's feet” (verses 12-14).
To wash one's feet means to humble and serve as a servant. The Lord showed the example of serving Himself by washing the disciples' feet. He also told his disciples to wash each other's feet. He was admonishing the disciples who were arguing with each other about who was superior to each other and to serve as servants.
As we partake of the flesh and blood of the Lord today, we must keep these words in mind. The Lord said that He came into this world to serve. “For the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
As He said, He gave His body to us as a ransom. The Lord, who is God, came to a lowly and lowly place, lived the life of a servant, and saved us by being nailed to the cross. We now want to partake of the body of the Lord that was torn for us and the blood of the Lord that was shed for us. At this time of participating in the body and blood of the Lord, I hope that these words of the Lord will resonate and be engraved in our hearts. “As Lord and Teacher, I have washed your feet, so you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (verse 14).
Next week we will elect officers for the body of the Lord, the Church. Let's all do this while remembering these words. Following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we must raise up the people the Lord wants. I hope that the elected will humble themselves like the Lord and become servants to serve the church and the saints. And I hope that all the saints will love, respect, support, and serve the leaders chosen by their own hands, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I hope that all of us will follow the example the Lord has set and humble ourselves as servants and serve humbly to become a church that pleases the Lord.
When we humble ourselves like the Lord and serve as servants, we will know the Lord's heart. We will live a life that the Lord is pleased with, and we will experience that the Lord is with us. Until the day we enter our heavenly hometown, I hope that you will become servants and humbly serve the saints who walk with the Lord and live a blessed and glorious life.