Jesus made it clear in this passage that the one requirement for people to have a part in Him is that they are washed by Him. Remember, Jesus’ death on the cross was for the purpose of opening a “cleansing fountain” (Zechariah 13:1) that would wash away sin and idolatry from the entire world.
It’s important to know that the requirement for sharing any part with Jesus is not that we be good, not that we keep the Law perfectly nor that we live like just like Jesus did, but rather that we be washed and cleansed from our sin at the cross, through the work of the Holy Spirit. “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
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.
Having completed His demonstration of love, His act of service in washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus put on His clothes and returned to His place at the head of the table. John 13:12 NIV
This entire scene in the upper room was designed by Jesus to be a picture of the gospel. In the beginning, Jesus sat at the head of the table, fellowshipping with His disciples. Then He laid aside His outer garments, put on a towel, and bent down and washed the disciples’ feet. When He finished, He returned to His place at the head of the table.
Question 5. Please state how what Jesus did in John chapter 13 is a picture of the gospel:
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Iris writes, "“Wow! I have read this so many times but this is the first time I see the cross!
Jesus washing his disciples' feet is Jesus humbling himself. He took his fine garments off when he came to this earth to live as a man. He left his crown when he died as if he were a sinner. He left the throne and came here, on earth.
He washed the world of their sins! What a servant!!! He didn't say, "Oh, you walked through the mud. It was all you. Now wash yourselves" He didn't. He took my sinful feet and washed them clean. With his blood he washed me. Wow!
Then, he finished his work. He returned to his place at the head of the table. He sat down at the right hand of God because his work was finished.
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:12”
Matt writes, "Jesus was at the head of the table, at the right hand of God. But then he removed His outer garment, came down to earth and lived with us. He washed us of our sin, becoming a servant and a sacrifice, but rose from death to join us and His Father once more. This is a beautiful picture of the gospel. Jesus shows us the example of how we are to live and love others."
Christopher writes, "In John 13 we see a picture of the gospel because at first, Jesus sat at the head of the table, this was to show that he leads us, taught us, healed us, he set up an example of how to live. At the table, Jesus had fellowship with his disciples. Then he stripped himself from his leadership role and came down as a simple servant to wash the feet of the disciples, although he knew that Judas Iscariot would betray him, He washed his feet regardless of the betrayal. Jesus died for me also regardless of my slavery to habitual sin and the many times I have betrayed him with the way I lived. Jesus washed his betrayer's feet and mine. I didn't notice this either before but the stripping of his clothes was a foreshadowing of Jesus being stripped on the cross and stripping himself of his title of kingship, now that is AMAZING, Now I understand why Setting Captives Free course puts so much emphasis on the Cross of Jesus Christ. When the Lord was finished washing the disciples' feet, He returned to His place at the head of the table. Today Jesus is sitting with the Father on the throne overseeing his creation and when the right time comes, he will get his followers, his children of God as he promised, that means us, We can bank on that promise.Jesus is coming back for us, it will be greater than THANKSGIVING!"
In the beginning, Jesus was fellowshipping with His Father in heaven. At the proper time, He laid aside His glory, wrapped Himself in a human body, came to this earth to wash us from our sins at the cross where He died, and then He rose from the dead and returned to the Father.
So the question comes to us today, as it did to the disciples in John 13, “do you understand what I have done for you?”
Do you understand that the cross and resurrection was Jesus washing all your sins away, and cleansing you from all impurity?
Do you understand that the cross and resurrection was Jesus showing the full extent of His love for you?
Do you understand what He has done for you?
If we really understand what Jesus has done for us, the reasonable response is that we follow Him into a life of service (Romans 12:1), into giving our lives away to minister to others. Jesus served us, so we are to serve others. As Jesus cleansed us from our sins, we are to take gospel cleansing to others and give grace to them.
"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. John 13:13-14 NIV
In those days people traveled barefoot or in sandals on dusty and dirty roads, so their feet got dirty. The lowest household servant would wash the feet of visitors as they came into the house.
Today, we typically wear shoes while walking outside and therefore have no need for our feet to be physically washed by someone else. But there are many other needs that people have, and Jesus was teaching in John 13 that believers should meet the needs of others even if that means getting dirty themselves while they do it.
After all, Jesus took our sin upon Himself in order to cleanse us from all impurity. He got deathly dirty as He "became sin for us" (2 Corinthians 5:21), and as He stooped so low to wash us clean. If we really understand what Jesus has done for us, we will desire to do the same for others, out of the same love Jesus showed to us on the cross. Indeed, we were set free in order to serve, and this service is one of the ways in which we continue to live in gospel freedom ourselves.
But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, (27) and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. (28) For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28 NLT
In God’s kingdom, we are simply to serve others, to lay down our lives for others, to give others the gospel. Why? Because it is what we have seen Jesus do.
Let's make this practical:
You have been learning a lot in recent months about what it means to live at the foot of the cross, and keeping in step with the Holy Spirit. You’ve grown in grace and seen some progress in your heart and in your body, but you aren’t where you want to be. Nevertheless, someone approaches you with the opportunity to help out at church perhaps to make some meals for others in need or contact some people who need encouragement. You tell them you will pray about it.
In the past, you might have gone home and prayed, “God, you don’t want me to help out, do You? If you did then I wouldn’t still be struggling.” You might have said to others, “I just need to focus on myself and my own journey. I am not ready to help others. Maybe next year.”
But now because of your new understanding of the gospel, you are thinking differently. You see how God hasn’t given you His grace so that you can hoard it all for yourself. He has saved you to serve Him and others. No, you aren’t perfect, but you are willing. And what’s more, you understand that helping others is another way to cement the cross-centered truths you’ve been learning in your own heart and life. You are reminded of this passage: "Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached the goal, but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above" (Philippians 3:13-14).
Now when you pray about it, you pray the gospel, “Father, I know that You gave up Your beloved Son Jesus so that I might be saved. Jesus, thank you for giving up your life to pay for my sin. Holy Spirit, thank you for being with me every day, reminding me of the cross, helping and comforting me along my way. I want to serve you and share this good news with others. Will you help me to help others? I know I’ve not attained, but I am pressing forward, and am willing to walk with others and learn with them.”
Question 6. Have you been hesitant to serve others? What held you back? How does the gospel ministry of Jesus in your life (His death on the cross and His resurrection for you) change your thinking? Share your thoughts here:
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William writes, "The only thing that has stopped me in the past from serving others is I don't think I would do a good job. A cross centered focused that I am having now taught me that I can give my all to others and it will be good enough. It will be What Jesus wants me to do.Doing nothing because of fear of not being good enough is not an option. Jesus gave his all his everything his own life so I can live and have a life to the full. This means I can love people more because of the love he has shown me."
We can begin this life of service right at home. If you are a husband, you should love your wife as Christ loved the church and should be “cleansing her by the washing with water through the word” (Ephesians 5:26). If you are a wife, you should serve your husband and children, in love, out of gratitude for what Jesus has done for you (Titus 2:4). If you are single, you are able to serve and minister in the church, in your neighborhood, at your job, even in recreation and times of leisure.
If you are able, I ask you to consider taking the mentorship course in preparation to become a mentor with Setting Captives Free. Every day despairing men and women come to the Setting Captives Free site seeking hope and help in their time of need. Would you be willing to help a few of these people by comforting them with the comfort you have received in Christ?
You need not have everything all figured out or resolved. We have a 10 lesson mentorship course where you can learn to serve others with the gospel.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” (2 Corinthians 4:5-10 ESV)
As we mentor others we aren’t proclaiming ourselves as having any solution, but rather we proclaim Christ and what He has done and is able to do. He is our Treasure and Comfort. He is the One to whom we point and encourage others to anchor their souls. We, ourselves, might be perplexed, persecuted or distressed, we are “jars of clay” (temporary, breakable), but we carry Jesus within us and He is more than enough comfort and strength for all the hurting hearts there are.
As I said, we have prepared a Mentoring Course to teach you how to mentor others here at Setting Captives Free. It is 10 lessons long, and during the course, you will interact with another mentor with the goal of learning how to help others. Even if God calls you to some other ministry in your church, your time of learning how to walk with others out of bondage will be very beneficial to you. Even if you decide not to become a mentor with Setting Captives Free, I pray that you will reach out to those who are local to you with loving arms of gospel comfort and hope whenever God provides you with the opportunity.
Question 7. Will you consider going on to become a mentor with Setting Captives Free? You may also ask any questions you have about mentoring here.
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As we look at the gospel, we see Jesus serving us by giving up His life on the cross, and that is the message that we want to show others by our lives, and teach to others through our words.
In finishing, I invite you to worship our Servant King with me in this song: