Wash Your Feet

In John13 Jesus is with his disciples, sharing the last meal they’d have together.  As I read this passage, the word “so” at the beginning of verse4 caught my attention.  Jesus knew that his time had come, that God was in control of all things, and that His plan was being fulfilled.  Soon Jesus would be betrayed, arrested, crucified and resurrected.  “So” he interrupted the meal in progress to wash his disciples’ feet.

Why was it so important to do right then and right there?

Imagine what these guys were thinking.  Foot washing was an act reserved for slaves.  It was considered the lowest of tasks to be performed by the lowest of people.  So as mentor, teacher, and Lord, Jesus showed us that no one is above anyone else when it comes to serving.

When Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, he showed the full extent of his 

• Service and Sacrifice (Mark10:45)
• Humility (Philippians2:3-4)
• Love (John13:1, Matthew 22:37-38) 

Jesus also set an amazing example for us to model.  So this lesson was as powerful as it was practical.

But Peter didn’t get it.  He didn’t want his teacher and Lord to stoop so low as to wash his feet.  That’s when Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” (John13:8) 

What did Jesus mean by that?  Is he still talking about service, sacrifice, humility and love? 

Peter didn’t know, or care actually.  True to form, Peter was all in.  Then don’t just wash my feet, wash my hands and head as well.  You’ve got to love Peter’s enthusiasm.

That’s when Jesus responded, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean.  And you are clean, though not every one of you.”  (John13:10-11)  Now Jesus wasn’t using his spiritual gift of wisdom to “out” those who had woke up late and skipped their shower that morning.  He was obviously talking about something different.  The one who was not clean was Judas who would betray him.  The rest of the disciples were already clean, except for their feet that is.

When Jesus finished he asked if they understood what he just did.  Did they?  Do I?  This is more than a lesson in humility and service.  There is a deeper spiritual application as well. 

When we are saved we are cleansed from our sins. 

All of our sins are forgiven – past, present, and future.  When we use the term “born again”, it’s our spirit that gets born again, not our minds or our bodies.  The unrighteous, sinful spirit that we inherited from Adam gets recreated when we accept Christ.  That’s what restores our right-standing or relationship with God.  Water baptism is a symbol of that process.  We get submerged as old creations, and we rise up as new creations washed clean.

Just like after you take a bath or shower, you are clean.

However, walking in this world pollutes us with sin.  Dust and dirt clings to our feet.  As Christians walking in this world we are defiled by things like nasty talk, looking at unholy things, working with ungodly people.  That’s why it’s so important to guard what you see and hear each day.

And it’s not only the world, those external forces around us, that pollute us.  We also pollute ourselves when we make selfish choices, entertain temptations, and sin.

These are the things that cling to us like dirt on our feet.  Even though our bodies are clean as believers in Christ, our feet are always getting dirty as we walk in this world.  That is why we need to constantly wash them.

Spiritually, that cleaning takes place with the washing of God’s Word.  As we read it, study it, hear it, discuss it, and do what it says, we are cleansed from the sinful influences around us.

If we neglect God’s Word, we remain soiled and those sinful influences begin to take their toll in our lives.  We grow less concerned about sin, more tolerant.  We compromise on what we know to be true.  We rationalize overlooking sin.  We justify our own sins.  And sin escalates from there.

This what Jesus meant when he said unless I wash you, you have no part with me.  While saved, and hence clean, we need to stay that way by remaining in Christ and his Word.

He was also challenging us to serve one another.  Practically, but also spiritually.  We can help keep each other clean through continued fellowship over God’s Word, sharpening each other, teaching and learning from each other, holding each other accountable, lovingly exhorting each other from Scripture.

In the words of Christ, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John13:17)

“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” (2Corinthians 2:15)

I don’t know about you, but I prefer a pleasing aroma over stinky, dirty feet any day.