Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet (John 13:1-20)

Daniel L. Arter

The Gospel according to John • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

John 13:1–20

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Bible Study & Prayer every Wednesday at 7pm. We’re currently studying the book of psalms and we’d love to have you join us this Wednesday at 7pm. Please be aware that we also provide a light dinner at 6pm, this week is broccoli-cheddar soup.

On Wednesday, November 24th (next week), we’ll have a Pre-Thanksgiving Love Feast in lieu of our Bible Study & Prayer time. A love feast is a meal followed by the Lord’s Supper, which gives us time for fellowship, for thanksgiving, and for reflection as we take the Lord’s Supper together. The food itself is taken care of, but we could use help with desserts. And of course, expect to partake in the Lord’s Supper after dinner.

As always, let me remind you to continue worshiping the LORD through your giving. To help you give, we have three ways for you to do so: (1) in-person giving can be done at the offering box at the entrance of the building. This is where you can give with cash or check—if you write a check, please write it to “Grace & Peace,” and if you give cash and you’d like a receipt for your gift, please place it in an envelope with your name on it so we can properly attribute it to you. If you’d prefer to give by debit, credit, or ACH transfers, you can do that by either (2) texting the number 84321 with your $[amount] or by (3) visiting www.graceandpeacepa.com and selecting “Giving” in the menu bar. Everything you give goes to the building up of our local church and the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Prayer of Repentance and Adoration

Call to Worship (Psalm 35:19-28)

Our Call to Worship this morning is the last ten verses of Psalm 35. Remember Psalm 35 has been a series of laments by David concerning the unfair and unjust hatred that he’s faced from his enemies. In this last section, David cries out for the LORD to deliver him from the wicked and to render justice against those who have wrongfully accused him. David ends this psalm by praying that those who saw the vindication that he was requesting, to be joyful and praise the LORD for it. Please stand and responsively read Psalm 35:19-28 with me; I’ll read the odd-numbered verses, please join me in reading the even-numbered verses.

Psalm 35:19–28 ESV

19 Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause. 20 For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit. 21 They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!” 22 You have seen, O Lord; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me! 23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord! 24 Vindicate me, O Lord, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me! 25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart’s desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.” 26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me! 27 Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!” 28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.

Congregational Singing

Come Praise and Glorify

God the Uncreated One

Scripture Reading

Our Scripture Reading this morning is Philippians 2:1-13, which is from a letter that Paul wrote to the Christians in Philippians. I’ve asked Stacey to read Scripture this morning, but before she comes up let me give just a little bit of background information. The letter to the Philippians was written by Paul to thank the church for a gift, as well as to tell them the importance of contentedness in any situation (Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter). Paul challenges the Philippian believers to be servants just like Jesus served mankind when he became a man to sacrifice himself for our sins. This passage connects with our sermon this morning because in our text for the day, we see Jesus serving the disciples by washing their feet; and Jesus’ lesson for the disciples and for us is the same, that we ought to serve one another in all situations:

Philippians 2:1–13 ESV

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Sermon

Introduction

This morning’s sermon concerns an event that is probably very familiar to most of us. Quite honestly, it comes at a good time because part of the passage speaks of the Lord’s Supper, which we’ll partake of together after the message; though, the passage itself isn’t really about the Lord’s Supper—it’s about an event that occurs during their supper together. Again, this event is probably familiar to many of you, it’s an event that’s often mentioned particularly when speaking of leadership to the extent that we have whole business leadership strategies that have been derived from the event at hand, we typically refer to it as servant leadership.

We’re in John 13, which starts a series of teachings by Jesus that encapsulates his final week before his crucifixion. This series of teachings starts in chapter 13 and goes to chapter 16, which leads us to Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer and his arrest in chapter 18. This tells us that what Jesus is saying through these next few chapters are specific teachings that he’s directing towards his disciples, in particular, the twelve, which elevates the importance of these teachings.

Keep this in mind as we read John 13:1-20.

John 13:1–20 ESV

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 When he had 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? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 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. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

As we study this passage, we’re going to break it into two parts: (1) Vs. 1-11, is the Act of Washing the Disciples’ Feet—in the first section, we’ll see Jesus actually going and washing the disciples feet and we’ll see Peter objecting to Jesus washing his feet. We’ll explore a bit about why Peter objected to the washing of his feet and Jesus’ response to that rejection. (2) Vs. 12-20, is The Lesson concerning Feet Washing, which will explore Jesus’ own lesson that he teaches as part of the feet washing. This passage will exhort us to serve one another because Jesus was willing to serve mankind.

Prayer for Illumination

The Act of Washing the Disciples’ Feet (1-11)

John 13 starts by giving us some details concerning the setting of this event. We’re told that this is still “before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father.”

So, we’re still in that week before the crucifixion of Jesus and it’s clear that Jesus knows that his time is up, because the passage itself tells us that Jesus knew that his hour had come.

That emphasizes what Jesus does through the next few chapters because it’s sorta like a situation in which Jesus is expressing his final words over a series of chapters. It’s in these last few chapters before Jesus’ death, that he explains what true leadership looks like, he teaches himself as the only way to Father as the way, truth, and life, and he promises the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Just looking at these different statements in that light, we realize the significance of what Jesus said and did far more than his own disciples did as they listened and experienced these events.

Jesus recognized that his earthly life was ending, which he of course knew because of his divinity, and these are the things that he chose to teach and to do before being taken and arrested.

In the week leading to Jesus’ death, he recognized that his time on earth was ending. The Bible says, “Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to [return] to the Father”

In Vs. 2-5, we’re told that Jesus knew that the devil had already put in the heart of Judas Iscariot the desire to betray him. Again, that would be due to the divinity of Jesus and the fact that God is omniscient (all-knowing). Jesus’ crucifixion, though clearly surprising to the disciples, wasn’t surprising to God whatsoever—God is never surprised.

Occasionally, particularly for new Christians, we can find ourselves surprised or shocked at the events of Jesus’ crucifixion and the way that those events occurred—with a rushed trial, with great torture and agony; in a way that seemed out of Jesus’ control and surprise to himself—but remember, Jesus knew of his crucifixion before anyone else did, it was planned for him to be killed the way that he was killed (we see it here because Jesus clearly knows that his death is coming, but we also see it in the prophetic works of Isaiah, who prophesied the torture and death of Jesus hundreds of years before Jesus).

Jesus knew what he was to experience and he knew the details of that event because Jesus is God and shares in the attributes of God—including his omniscience.

Jesus’ knowledge of Judas’ betrayal of him will come back into focus towards the end of this chapter, but before it does, John continues to tell us what Jesus determined to do during this supper:

John 13:3-5, “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” There are several things to note in these few verses, but I really want us to focus on two:

First, the statement concerning the Father giving Jesus all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going back to God speaks of Jesus’ sovereignty, his divine nature, and his power.

We see Jesus’ power and sovereignty in the first phrase—that God had given all things into Jesus’ hands.

We see his divine nature in the second phrase, that he had come from God and was going back to God.

And reading these statements, it is then shocking that Jesus does what he’s about to do in Vs. 4-5.

That he “rose from 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.

I think even in our modern-day context, we can see how shocking this event would be, but consider this event from the first-century Jewish person’s mindset.

In the first-century feet washing was usually a service performed by servants, not by someone that’s necessarily equal in standing or higher in standing.

Jesus was considered a rabbi by the disciples, which means they didn’t consider themselves equal with him, they considered him of a higher standing then them.

The fact that feet washing was to be performed by servants further exacerbated the issue to the Jewish disciples’ minds.

Not to mention the fact that in the first-century, everyone wore sandals and they walked everywhere, which means that their feet were absolutely disgusting covered in the filth of dirt, mud, and whatever other waste that they’re walking in.

It’s no wonder that they disdained the idea of washing feet.

And considering that Jesus recognized who he was, that his time on earth was almost up, and that he realized that all his power and sovereignty are being returned to him, it should be completely shocking that Jesus does what he’s doing in these verses

The all-powerful, all-knowing, all-sovereign God is doing what man thought only servants should do.

The one who is about to sacrificially atone for all mankind is getting on his knees and doing the work that man thought only the least of the least should do.

Which explains Peter’s objection in Vs. 6, “6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.””

Jesus comes to wash Simon Peter’s feet and Jesus objects. “Lord, do you wash my feet?”

The word Lord shows us that Simon considered Jesus to be above him; and he’s right to view Jesus in that way because Jesus is above him. But Jesus insists that what he’s doing is something that Peter won’t understand immediately, but will understand afterwards.

The afterwards, would be when he explains the meaning behind the feet washing in Vs. 12-20, but Peter, still insists that Jesus shouldn’t wash his feet.

“You shall never wash my feet.” Now before you think that Peter is just being obstinate and just rejecting Jesus, remember what we just learned about feet washing in the first century. That feet washing was reserved for the least of the least to wipe clean feet that had been trudging through mud, dirt, and refuse.

Peter wasn’t being obstinate just to be obstinate, he was thinking in terms of Jesus being his teacher; and as his teacher, he shouldn’t be washing Peter’s feet, it should be the opposite. Peter should be washing Jesus’ feet.

However, Jesus makes it clear that he has to wash Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me,” which causes Peter to respond with, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head.”

See, Peter isn’t outrightly rejecting Jesus’ feet washing, he’s rejecting Jesus’ feet washing based on his position in comparison to Jesus’.

Once Peter hears from Jesus that if he doesn’t have his feet washed, Peter has no part with Jesus, he immediately responds with “don’t just wash my feet, wash all of me.”

Peter’s heart is in the right place, he just doesn’t understand what’s happening; and Jesus continues by saying “Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

Now, I’ve heard sermons in which the preacher focused on these verses and talked about how this is a picture of what sanctification is—that being justified by faith is like being bathed and then the gradual process of sanctification is the occasional washing of feet, but even though that analogy makes sense and holds weight, it isn’t what the passage is about.

So, we could say that you’ve been washed as part of your justification and that you’re being cleansed daily as part of your sanctification, but again, that’s not what this passage is about.

Jesus only mentions the bathing and cleansing to point out that one of them wasn’t clean at all. “‘And you are clean, but not every one of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’”

Which again, iterates the fact that Jesus, as God, knew the betrayal that he was facing, he knew that Judas was going to betray him, he knew of his coming death through crucifixion, and he knew all these things because he is the omnipotent, omniscient God.

The point that Jesus is driving at doesn’t concern justification nor sanctification in this passage, rather, what Jesus is driving at is expressly taught in Vs. 12-20. Why does Jesus wash the disciples feet? Why would Jesus do what man commonly thought only slaves would do? Read with me Vs. 12-20.

The Lesson concerning Feet Washing (12-20)

John 13:12–20 ESV

12 When he had 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? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 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. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Jesus washes the disciples feet and after washing their feet, he puts on his outer garments and takes his seat around the table again and he poses this question: “Do you understand what I have done to you?”

Remember, that this whole ordeal is something that a person wouldn’t normally do, only the servants would do this sort of work.

And yet, Jesus points out that “[they] call [him] Teacher and Lord,” which they’re right to because he is; and yet, as their Teacher and Lord, he washed their feet.

Jesus as LORD and God, condescends to the extent that he’s willing to do work that no one thought anyone except servants would do, and Jesus did it intentionally.

The disciples were right to call him Lord and Teacher and Jesus doesn’t reject them calling him Lord and Teacher, but he does make it clear that their ideas of a Lord and Teacher are different than his ideas of being a Lord and Teacher.

Vs. 14 “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” This message that Jesus is teaching them is one of great practicality. And Jesus unpacks that practicality through the remaining few verses:

Just like Jesus washed their feet, they ought to wash one another’s feet. Or put another way, Jesus makes it clear that what they consider beneath them isn’t actually beneath them. If Jesus who is literally God is willing to wash the feet of those whom serve him and were created by him; surely they can do the same for each other.

Or put a different way, how can they consider serving one another beneath them, when Jesus who they consider to be their teacher or their Lord will get down and do the lowest work?

Vs. 15, says that Jesus did this to be an example of how they should act towards one another.

DA Carson, “One of the ways human pride manifests itself in a stratified society is in refusing to take the lower role. But now that Jesus, their Lord and Teacher, has washed his disciples’ feet—an unthinkable act!—there is every reason why they also should wash one another’s feet, and no conceivable reason for refusing to do so.”

Jesus then reiterates this point multiple times by utilizing an aphorism or a pithy saying of general truth that he starts with the phrase “truly, truly.” Vs. 16, “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.”

Just like they were right to call him Teacher and Lord; and just like in their mind the student isn’t greater than the Teacher

A master is greater than his servant; not the other way around. A messenger isn’t greater than the one who sent him because a student is studying under a teacher, a servant serves under a master, a messenger speaks on behalf of whomever sent him—not the other way around.

By making these statements, Jesus deepens the meaning of him washing his disciples’ feet. If a servant isn’t greater than a master, a student isn’t greater than a teacher, or a messenger isn’t greater than the one whom sent him; how much greater is Jesus compared to man?

And yet, Jesus, who is the greatest was more than willing to serve those whom he could have considered the least by washing their feet.

Colin Kruse, “As his servants and messengers they were not greater than him, their master and the one who sent them, so there was no reason for them to think they were above carrying out menial service for one another, as he did for them.”

Jesus ends this aphorism by stating that if they do these things, they will be blessed—if they served each other in the menial tasks, they would find great happiness, joy, and blessing.

Jesus ends this section of Scripture by making a statement that might seem odd, but considering he just told his disciples that they would be blessed for serving one another, he makes one qualification in Vs. 18-20, “I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.””

It’s clear that Jesus is jumping back to an idea that he presented earlier in the passage in Vs. 10, when he says, “You are clean, but not every one of you.”

And it’s jumping back to vs 2, when John writes that Satan had already put it into Judas Iscariot’s heart to betray Jesus.

Not all of the disciples were clean and not all of them were chosen, which means that not everyone in that room will experience blessing from serving the others. Judas, of course, is the one who won’t experience that blessing.

Judas is the one who has eaten Jesus’ bread and has lifted his heel against him.

Jesus tells them this ahead of time so that when it happens, they will believe that he is truly God.

The last verse of this section is one that’s a bit unusual, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receive me receives the one who sent me.”

I say that it’s a bit unusual because it doesn’t seem to fit as well as the rest of the passage, but remember with me, Jesus, when he ascends into heaven after his death, burial, and resurrection sends someone to the earth.

He speaks of it in John 16:7 when he tells the disciples that it would be better for him to go, because then he can send the helper.

The word translated as helper is the Greek word paraclete and the idea is that this helper is an advocate or a comforter. It’s the idea that whomever this person that Jesus is sending, is the one that will fight for you, give you strength, comfort you, and help you.

That paraclete, we know to be the Holy Spirit from Acts 2.

What Jesus is saying in John 13:20, is that the one who receives the Holy Spirit, receives Jesus. Or in other words, if the person truly believes, the Spirit indwells them, and that’s how they can tell they’ve truly received God.

Now, I do want to go on just a brief rabbit trail concerning feet washing before we jump into our application. Some churches practice feet washing as an ordinance of the church, which means that some churches consider feet washing to be on the same level as the Lord’s Supper and baptism. At Grace & Peace we don’t, and I would like to explain why.

An ordinance is a ritual or practice that we do as a church because it was something that Jesus commanded us to do. It differs from what some churches call sacraments, because a sacrament promises a special amount of grace or salvation from doing those rituals. An ordinance is a symbolic act that we do because Jesus commanded us to do it:

For example, in a few minutes, we’re going to partake in the Lord’s Supper—one of the reasons for us partaking in the Lord’s Supper is simply because Jesus tells us to continuously take the Lord’s Supper. That as often as we take the Lord’s Supper, we proclaim the death of Jesus until he returns. As you continue reading in the New Testament, you see that the believers at the time took this seriously and regularly practiced partaking in the Lord’s Supper.

The second ordinance that we practice at Grace & Peace is the ordinance of believer’s baptism. Jesus himself gets baptized as an example of how believers are to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as a symbolic way of showing their faith, their willingness to follow Jesus, and their desire to be progressively sanctified as a new believer. Jesus tells us to continue baptizing new believers and as you continue reading in the New Testament, you see that the believers at the time took this seriously and regularly practiced baptizing new believers.

We do these symbolic ordinances to show that we believe and to proclaim the death of Jesus Christ until he returns.

Some churches while believing that these are ordinances meant to be symbolic and not sacraments that can provide saving grace, also practice a third ordinance. There are some churches that practice feet washing in addition to baptism and the Lord’s Supper and they do so based on this passage—that when Jesus makes the statement that they ought to do this for each other just like he did it for them, that means that they should continue feet washing.

The reason for us not continuing in feet washing is because of the wording of this passage. Whereas churches that practice feet washing claim that Jesus is commanding them to continuously wash people’s feet, what the passage is saying actually isn’t that they’re to continue washing each other’s feet, but they are to continue humbly serving one another, even if it means that they wash each other’s feet.

Jesus isn’t telling them to keep washing each other’s feet, he’s telling them that they ought to be willing to serve one another even if it means doing something that the world thinks is beneath them.

So, at Grace & Peace, we understand this passage to mean that we ought to serve one another, and that’s seen in one of our core values as a church. That we seek to encourage growth and to nurture obedient service.

Whereas some churches see this as an ordinance to repeat, we see this as Jesus’ example to us of how we should be willing to serve each other even if it seems as if doing something is beneath us. Jesus didn’t do this for the disciples to start an ordinance like he did with communion or baptism, he did it purely as an example of what it’s like to actually lead and serve other people, which leads us straight into our application. How do we apply John 13:1-20 to our lives today? Now, it’s a little difficult for us to look at the passage in two parts for the application, but I think it’s worth us doing so this morning:

Application

The Act of Washing the Disciples’ Feet (1-11)—we’re told that this event is before the Feast of the Passover, we know from other Gospel accounts that this is one of the records of the last supper, but it’s clear that John isn’t focusing on the last supper itself, but instead he’s focused on a particular event during the last supper, and that would be Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. And as Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, he comes to Peter, who objects and makes the claim that Jesus can’t wash his feet (referring to the lowly position that feet washing holds) and Jesus tells him that he must wash Peter’s feet or Peter will have no share with him. Jesus then says that “the one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” I have one application point for this:

I mentioned that often this passage is utilized to talk about how justification resembles the bathing of the whole body and how sanctification resembles the occasional washing necessary. I explained that the one issue when a sermon focuses just on that, is that it actually misses the point of the entire passage, but I do want to say that it does have some validity.

It’s a helpful image for us to understand what it means when Jesus saves us and what it means when the Spirit sanctifies us.

As a believer, you’ve been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, which in light of what Jesus tells Peter, shows us that you no longer need to be completely bathed again. Or put another way, Jesus died once for your salvation if you truly believe

But because we live in a sin-cursed world and because we all still struggle with sin, there will be times when the Holy Spirit works in your life to wash your feet.

The meaning behind this is two-fold:

As a believer, if you sin, don’t think that you sinning causes you to need to be saved again—Jesus has already saved you if you have repented from your life of sin and believed in him; and Jesus has already bathed you and removed your sin with his blood. You don’t need to be saved again. You can rejoice in that, because this means that if you truly have repented and believed, you don’t need to worry about losing your salvation because of unintentional sin in your life

However, that doesn’t mean that you can continue to sin just for fun. You’ve been bathed in the blood of Jesus and your sins have been removed, but when you do sin, you still need to repent and continue seeking Jesus. You still need your spiritual feet cleaned of the muck, dirt, and mud of sin from time to time because you won’t experience complete absence of sin until you’re in the next side of eternity.

Jesus has already cleansed you, but until you enter into eternity, the Spirit will still be washing you clean.

Our application then is this: if you’ve been cleansed by Jesus, praise him for cleansing you; but be aware that the Spirit is still working on washing you clean.

The eternal consequence of sin has been taken care of by Jesus on the cross

But the temporal struggle with sin continues and as you continue to seek Jesus, the Spirit will work within you to remove those sins and make your more like Jesus Christ.

Give thanks for your salvation; and pray for the Spirit to continue working within you to convict you of sin, help you to repent, and pull you closer to Jesus Christ.

The Lesson concerning Feet Washing (12-20)—the second portion of the passage involves the lesson that Jesus has concerning the washing of the disciples’ feet. This lesson is actually quite a simple lesson, in a world in which we’re told to keep seeking position, Jesus says to be willing to serve anyone even if it means doing something considered to be of low repute. Jesus is our master and our teacher and yet, he’s willing to do something for the disciples that was considered something that only servants would do. Thus our application for this last section is simple:

Be willing to serve others even if it seems beneath you. Now, you might ask, what exactly does it mean to serve other people? Does it mean that I need to wait tables or provide drinks for everyone? Maybe, but not always. Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 teach us that all believers have been given spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of building up God’s church.

So, what does it mean for a believer to serve someone else? It means that they ought to utilize their spiritual gifts to help build up someone else.

More than likely, this won’t mean go and wash your neighbors’ feet; and in many ways, it might not even seem beneath you to serve your neighbor.

In your daily life, this might mean helping someone change the oil in their car; this might mean buying groceries for your elderly neighbor who can’t go to the grocery store; or this might mean inviting someone into your home to provide for them a meal that they otherwise wouldn’t receive.

In our local church setting, what it means to serve one another could mean:

Serving as a small group teacher or leader

Serving in children’s ministries

Helping with administration

Keeping the building clean

Helping with outreach

Helping to give out the communion elements

Singing in the worship team

Helping with audio and visual ministries

Providing snacks or food during meals

Considering that the model of Jesus in John 13 focuses on Jesus handling something that most people wouldn’t do and then we see Jesus eventually being crucified for the sins of mankind, we can see that what Jesus has in mind is more self-sacrificial and self-giving.

Or in other words, what Jesus has in mind may be far more costly than simply washing someone’s feet and condescending socially to help someone.

It may mean giving up something that you consider near and dear to your heart to help someone, it might be giving up of your financial means to help someone; regardless, the idea is the same, if Jesus who is truly God incarnate, is willing to wash the dirty feet of his disciples, you ought to be willing to serve those around you. Jesus emphasizes this point by stating that if you genuinely serve one another, there is a blessing for you.

And let me emphasize, that in this matter, it isn’t enough to just know that you should serve other people, you must actually serve other people.

Colin Kruse, “In the matter of rendering service to others, as in all matters related to Christian living, it is one thing to know what we should do; it is another thing to do it. The blessing comes, not with the knowing, but with the doing.”

As Philippians 2:3-7 teaches, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

Serve others by considering others more significant than yourselves in humility.

Put simply, what John 13:1-20 teaches us is that Jesus utilized feet washing to teach us two things: (1) that even after salvation, the Holy Spirit is still working on cleaning you so expect to struggle with sin, but be confident in your salvation; and (2) that if Jesus, who is literally God, is willing to serve others, then we should have no qualm with serving others as well.

Praise Jesus for your salvation, pray that the Spirit continues to clean your spiritual feet, and serve others even if it may seem beneath you to do so.

Pastoral Prayer

Congregational Singing

Wonderful, Merciful Savior

The Lord’s Supper

As we prepare to partake in the LORD’s Supper together, let me start with a few housekeeping issues before we pass out the elements.

At Grace & Peace, we practice an open communion. This means that regardless of if you are a member of our local church, just as long as you have repented from your sins and believed in Jesus Christ, you are more than welcome to partake in the LORD’s Supper with us.

The LORD’s Supper is a somber time of reflection meant for us to give thanks for what Jesus has done for us on the cross as our substitutionary atonement and it’s also a time for us to consider our current spiritual lives.

Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 warns the Corinthian people that to eat the bread or drink the cup in an unworthy manner will bring guilt upon the person concerning the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Which simply means, that to drink or eat the cup or bread while an unbeliever or while in unrepentant sin makes you directly responsible for the death of Jesus Christ.

So, if you’re an unbeliever, please let the plates pass in front of you and if you are in unrepentant sin, please let the plates pass in front of you—no one is watching to see if you partake, this is purely between you and God.

The alternative being, that if you’re an unbeliever or if you’re in sin, please consider repenting; and if you choose to repent and believe in Jesus, please feel free to partake in the Lord’s Supper with us.

This is the first time that we’re going to partake in the Lord’s Supper without the use of individually sealed communion cups, so please be careful that as you pass the plates, to be gentle as to not spill the cups;

And please be aware that as we pass the plates, that when you take a cup, there are two cups stacked on top of each other. You will need both cups. The top cup holds the juice and the bottom cup holds the bread. So as you take the elements, you’ll take them both at the same time.

And then let me ask you to just hold onto those elements until everyone receives them, so that we can take them both together.

I’m going to ask our deacon, Deane to come forward to help me pass out the elements, again, please hold onto both elements and wait for us to take it together.

After you receive the elements, we’ll take about a minute for us to quietly reflect and pray before Deane gives thanks for the bread and the cup.

After he prays, we’ll take the elements together. Elements passed; minute passed; Deane will you lead us in prayer?

On the night that our Lord Jesus was betrayed, he “took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.’”

Congregational Singing

All I Have is Christ