You must Humbly...

Last week we saw that before the Passover Supper, Christ Jesus reversed normal roles. He knew His hour had come and knowing this He showed His love for His disciples. His act of humility in washing the disciple's feet was a surprise to the disciples. We learned that in washing the disciples feet Christ Jesus displayed a love for the disciples and us, a symbol of saving cleansing, and a model of Christian servant-hood.

This week we pick up with Christ Jesus' exchange with Simon Peter. Verses 6-11 shows that Peter still didn't have a clue as to what was going on, but neither did the other disciples. So in verses 12-20 Christ Jesus tries to explain what just happened and why.

Many interpreters consider Christ Jesus' washing His disciples' feet as a representation of His whole undertaking. He knew that He was equal with God, and all things were His; and yet He rose from His table in glory, laid aside His robes of light, girded Himself with our nature, took upon Himself the form of a servant. Christ Jesus came not to be ministered to, but to minister to the lost. He poured out His blood, poured out His soul even to death, and thereby prepared a basin to wash away our sins, “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood” -- Rev 1:5. - Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible

John 13:6-20
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

7 Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

8 "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."

Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

9 "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

10 Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me `Teacher' and `Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

18 "I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: `He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.' 

19 "I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. 20 I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me."  

Among the apostles, the one absolutely stunning success was Judas, and the one thoroughly groveling failure was Peter. Judas was a success in the ways that most impress us: he was successful both financially and politically. He cleverly arranged to control the money of the apostolic band; he skillfully manipulated the political forces of the day to accomplish his goal.

And Peter was a failure in ways that we most dread: he was impotent in a crisis and socially inept. At the arrest of Jesus he collapsed, a hapless, blustering coward; in the most critical situations of his life with Jesus, the confession on the road to Caesarea Philippi and the vision on the Mount of transfiguration, he said the most embarrassingly inappropriate things. He was not the companion we would want with us in time of danger, and he was not the kind of person we would feel comfortable with at a social occasion.

Time, of course, has reversed our judgments on the two men. Judas is now a byword for betrayal, and Peter is one of the most honored names in the church and in the world. Judas is a villain; Peter is a saint.

Little discussions with Christ Jesus and Peter fill the synoptic Gospels, as I said a little while ago John records one of these here.

1. Humbly Submit (vs.6-11)

(vs. 6-7) ~ The disciples responded in stunned silence. No one spoke until Christ Jesus came to Peter. Shocked by the cultural reversal as he literally looked down at his Lord, and basically said, “What's going on here?” Christ Jesus answered, “You have no idea, but some day you will.”  

(vs. 8-9) ~ Peter drew back in embarrassed pride and emphatically refused to let Christ Jesus wash his feet. Again Christ Jesus' act violated the cultural status boundaries so thoroughly that Peter found it unthinkable. Peter being Peter opened his mouth without thinking. He was too humble to have his feet washed, but not too humble to command the Lord not to wash them. Yet, if Peter would not accept the washing, Christ Jesus said “you have no part with Me” (v. 8).

Peter's rejection of this gift was infinitely more significant than refusing to have his dusty feet washed. Peter was spurning Christ Jesus’ personal gift of cleansing through His blood. The washing of Peter’s feet pointed to Christ Jesus’ saving example on the Cross. It was more than an act of humility to be imitated. If Peter did not accept this gift, he could not receive all that Christ Jesus had to give him. The gift of atonement for his sins. You too have a choice this today, you can allow Christ Jesus into your life this and be made clean from all your sins. Or you can reject Christ Jesus and on the day of judgment Christ Jesus will have no part of you.

(vs. 10-11) ~ In response Peter went to the other extreme. How often does a person need to be saved? Once? Every time he or she sins? Just before death to make sure? If this foot-washing meant receiving all the benefits of Christ Jesus’ death, then why not wash the whole body? The more washed, the better right? Wrong. Peter had missed the point of what Christ Jesus had said. The foot-washing was important, because it symbolizes Christ Jesus’ death. More washings do not add to the “once for all” saving work of Christ Jesus on the Cross. Once you are washed clean, you are completely washed clean. Once cleaned (saved) always clean (saved), but you still need to rinse regular – you need to continually confess your sins and have them forgiven. To be regenerated of on going sinful behavior. Have you been to Christ Jesus for the cleaning blood? If not, why not be washed clean of your sins this today? Why not ask Christ Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour now?

There was one there who was not changed by the foot-washing. Judas had not opened himself to the ministry of Christ Jesus. He had removed himself from the sphere of Christ Jesus' love by becoming a tool of the devil. That night Peter chose to let Christ Jesus wash him clean. Judas on the other hand did like so many people do today. They just go through the motions, but never truly except the gift of salvation. How about you? Are you just playing church or have you truly let Christ Jesus wash you clean?

2. Humbly Serve (vs. 12-20)

(v. 12-14) ~ Christ Jesus accepted it when His disciples addressed Him with respect as “Teacher and Lord,” for they are under His authority. Disciples normally served their teachers, after the model of Elisha and Elijah and Joshua and Moses. 

When the foot-washing ended Christ Jesus, taught the meaning of what had just happened. The disciple had seen the practical lesson, now they would have this living parable explained. Christ Jesus as so many times in the past, would tell them what had just happened. He would teach them in this case the act of humble service. Christ Jesus had washed the disciples feet as an example and they were “part” of Him, they were under obligation to do to one another what He had done for them. Bickering, jealousies, and competitiveness had frequently crept in among these men. Each man was different; there was something about each one that could “rub” the others the wrong way. But Christ Jesus had chosen them and called them to be a new community. This was impossible unless they first allow Christ Jesus; their Teacher and Lord; to wash their feet!

Mother Teresa showed us, perhaps more than anyone else in the twentieth century, if our Lord and teacher does not hesitate to wash our feet, how can we fail to wash one another's feet.  

(vs. 15-17) ~ When we do what Christ Jesus has shown and taught us, not just approve and admire it, we will be “happy” because we will be nearer Him (v. 17). Throughout the New Testament we learn the importance of example, never more so than when Christ Jesus refered to Himself. But here in these verses there is not some great spiritual reality or doctrinal truth to focus on. Here in plain and simple language is how we as Christians are to treat people. 

As Christian theologian, and philosopher Francis Schaeffer often observed, “Love is the ultimate mark of the Christian. Since Jesus loved His disciples and loves us in the same way, we need to do for others what He has done for us.” 

In verse 16 John uses the Greek word apostellō, the common New Testament word for apostle, here it translated as messenger. If you are to be Christ Jesus' messenger in any capacity, you must behave toward others the way Christ Jesus behaved toward His disciples. 

Did you know that when you act on the principles of conduct that Christ Jesus taught, you will be blessed? Look at verse 17, “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” So are you blessed if you know? No! You are blessed if you do.

Also, did you know the word bless can also be translated as happy? You can be happy as a Christian by acting on the principles of these verses. What are those principles again? Living your life in such a way that you forgive, serve, and love the brothers and sisters in Christ. And when you do for all others what Christ Jesus has done for you. 

Can other Christians see Christ in you? Can those who are not Christians see something different in you? The answer is, they should.

3. Humbly Choose (vs. 18-20)

There was one in Christ Jesus’ band who had cut himself off. He did not hear or intends to obey, he had rejected his calling and turned against his Teacher and Lord, and his friends. 

Christ Jesus quotes a passage from Psalm 41:9, saying this is a fulfillment of a prophecy. "HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.' This is a metaphor derived from the lifting up of a horse’s hoof just before it kicks you.

The treachery of Judas, which lead to Christ Jesus’ death, would shatter this small group. So Christ Jesus warned them that, however overwhelming the darkness of defeat would become, they could still believe, because He will always be the “I AM” (v. 19). There it is again you have a choice, you can choose Christ Jesus or Satan.

Conclusion: As Christ Jesus had been sent to live and die as a slave, so we are sent as His slaves to live out this “foot-washing” style of life. Here is the missionary theme which runs all through John's Gospel. As He has been sent by the Father, so Christ Jesus sends you. That is if you are a follower of Christ Jesus.

If you are not a follower of Christ Jesus then you have no part in His kingdom, but instead you have a place in eternal darkness and torment. I pray that you would choose life and the eternal light of man – Christ Jesus.