I read John 13 last night and I just loved a few particular verses, so I have to share them.
4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
7 Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
8 "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, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his 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.
12 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.
13 "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.
ok, so as you can see, that's more than a few verses. nevertheless, how about I give you my take on them? here goes nothing-The act portrayed by Jesus is absolutely extraordinary. This was not just a simple act of humbleness that Jesus had (that we should also have). It was also a way to show us plainly that we have to be cleansed by Jesus, and only Jesus. Peter told Jesus not to wash his feet because he thought himself to lowly for the Lord, (he was right) but, Jesus said that unless he was cleansed by him, he had no hope for eternity with him. Unless you let Jesus wash you, you have absolutely no hope for a future, no plans, and no perfect eternity.
Aside from being a "picture" of how Jesus can wash us and make us clean, inside and out, it
was also an act of humility. He even washed Judus' feet, and he was later to sell him to the Romans! These men, Jesus' disciples, were tax collectors, zealots, and plain-Ole' fisherman. I like to think of them as a now-a-days group of politicians, terrorists, and lumberjacks. Jesus knew he was better than them. It's not like he was oblivious to their sins. Actually that's why he came to the earth (
John 3:17). The point is he left his palace, traded in his crown, to come here and eat with the likes of these fellas and carry a cross all the way to his grave.
34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."The character Jesus displayed in this scene, John 13:4-15, is magnificent. He showed respect for people who deserved none. We should be the same way, because we are no better than anyone on this earth. We are just like these tax collectors, zealots, and fisherman (or politicians, terrorists, and lumberjacks, if you'd like to think of it that way). Without Christ's righteousness covering us, we would look just like Judus.
And did you maybe notice anything special about verse 10??
I only need to wash my feet?? Why?? (remember, we're not thinkin in literal terms right now) Well, because it's your feet that allow you to walk the path you're on. Remember the path at META?? Remember the commitment you made to walk the path of righteousness on the last night?? If you're having trouble keeping it, guess what! You're human! But, that doesn't exempt you from trying. You have to constantly be renewing your mind in order to keep your path straight.
Well, hopefully this meant as much to you as it did to me! Have a great Saturday everyone!
-Shelby
