THINK TOGETHER.
Have you ever stepped in something disgusting?
READ TOGETHER.
John 13:1-5. 1Now 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. 2During supper…3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5Then 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.
Washing the feet of guests was something that only a slave would do. Back then feet could get pretty disgusting. People walked everywhere in sandals. Feet would get covered in dirt and mud and other nasty things. When people moved from outside to inside they would need to have their feet washed (much like we wash our hands today). Washing feet was considered to be so disgusting that only the lowest slave would be asked to do it, or people would simply wash their own feet.
You can imagine how shocking it was when Jesus got up, wrapped a towel around his waist, and began to wash the feet of the 12 Disciples. Twelve times Jesus will kneel down. Twelve times Jesus will pour water over feet and wipe them clean. Twelve times he will take on the job of the lowest person in the room.
Of course, Jesus is the greatest person in the room. He is their teacher and master. He has done amazing miracles. He has proven that he is God. So why is he the one washing feet like a slave? Because Jesus knows what we all need to learn – we exist to love and serve others. To put others first and ourselves second.
Jesus demonstrated great humility and great love for his disciples that night. But on the next night, Good Friday, Jesus will demonstrate the greatest humility and the greatest love when he dies for their sin on the cross. The foot washing was a picture of even greater love – the cross! On the cross, Jesus won’t just wash our feet, he will wash our hearts clean from all our sins.
When Jesus was finished washing the feet of the Disciples, he told them to wash one another’s feet.
John 13:14. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
What Jesus meant was that we should all keep serving each other and offering forgiveness to each other. If Jesus can be humble and do the lowest of jobs, then so can we. But how? Read verse three again. Jesus knew that he would be given everything from God the Father. He knew he was from God and going back to God. And knowing these truths allowed him to not have to look out for himself. Guess what? We can know these same things. When we have trusted in Jesus, we know that God gives us everything too. We know that one day we will be with God and have everything we want and need. We don’t have to look out for ourselves. God is looking out for us. Now we can look out for each other like Jesus did.
Because of Jesus we have been washed clean of all our sins.
With Jesus we can serve others.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Take some time and wash each other’s feet. Talk about how we can be humble and loving because we know God gives us everything we need.
PRAY TOGETHER
Father, without you I would still be dirty in my sin, but you have made me clean. Thank you!
TLICfamily 