This scene in the upper room would have shocked the disciples to their very core. Here Jesus, their Lord, and Master, laid aside His outer garments and wrapped a towel around Himself, and began to wash the disciples’ feet like a common house-servant would do. Please view this 3-minute dramatization of Jesus washing feet. Now, consider the following:
Imagine Jesus the King was acting like a servant! And all because of love!
Imagine Jesus, the God of all the universe, with a towel around His waist. The King of all creation, exalted in the heavens, stooping to clean the dirt off the disciples’ feet. And all because of love!
Imagine God, the Lord of Glory Who made feet now washing the dirt of despair, isolation, and self-focus off of them. And all because of love!
Yes, true love shows itself in serving the one(s) it loves. Humbling ourselves to serve others is one of the highest expressions of love.
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.” John 13:6-7 ESV
Question 3. Jesus declared to Peter that Peter would understand what Jesus had done “afterward.” What event is the “afterward” that would bring understanding to Peter?
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Jesus made His service of foot washing to be a signpost pointing to the cross, the "afterward" which would bring understanding to Peter and eventually the whole world. There, at the cross, Jesus would stoop even further than washing His disciples’ feet with a towel, He would wash the entire world of their sin with His own blood: “Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins with his own blood” (Revelation 1:5 KJV). Oh, friend, do you understand that Jesus’ death on the cross was to wash you and make you clean, just as He washed the disciples’ feet in John 13?
Once Peter understood what Jesus did on the cross, he would remember this event in John chapter 13 as a foreshadow, a story-picture that pointed forward to what Jesus would accomplish at the cross:
"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, "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." (11) For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. John 13:8-11 NIV
Question 4. According to John 13:8, what is the one requirement for anyone to have a part in Christ? That is, to share His eternal life with Him?
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