Let's look at the four points for today, in light of the gospel:
In the beginning, Jesus was fellowshipping with His Father in heaven.
At the proper time, He laid aside His glory, and wrapped Himself in a human body (incarnation).
He came to this earth to wash us from our sins at the cross where He died (crucifixion).
Then He rose from the dead and returned to the Father (resurrection and ascension).
Now, Jesus asks you what He asked 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 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 help others. As Jesus cleansed us from our sins, we are to take gospel cleansing to others and give grace to them.
John 13:13-14 NIV "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.
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 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 understand what Jesus has done for us, we should have a desire to do the same for others, out of the same love Jesus showed to us at the cross.
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 can serve and minister in the church, in your neighborhood, at your job, even in recreation and times of leisure.
There are many ways that you can serve, fulfilling the very reason why Jesus saved you and set you free, washing you in His blood.
Here is how Jesus closed this passage:
John 13:13-17 NIV "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) Very truly I tell you, 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.
Question 5. What does Jesus say His followers should be doing with their lives as a result of being washed from their sin at the cross?
Believers who have received from Jesus are to give to others. If we understand what Jesus did for us in washing us from our sins, then we are to give ourselves to serve others.
We are to look for those who are dirty in their sins and bring them to the “fountain of cleansing” at the cross and walk with them out of their sinful bondage.