Relevant Life

Read John 13:1-30

John 13:12-15  After Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothes, he took his place at the table again. Then he asked his disciples, “Do you understand what I’ve done for you?  (13)  You call me teacher and Lord, and you’re right because that’s what I am.  (14)  So if I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you must wash each other’s feet.  (15)  I’ve given you an example that you should follow.

In the book of John, we read the story about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. This gospel is the only one that records this information. What was Jesus trying to teach the disciples by washing their feet? Was there a hidden meaning or did Jesus explain his actions?

The washing of feet in the middle east was a normal practice. Since the majority of the people walked around in their sandals; they needed to have their feet washed. Jesus was preparing his disciples for something new and fantastic. Jesus , himself, had his feet washed in preparation for his coming death and burial. He was the sacrificial lamb being prepared for sacrifice. What about the disciples? What was Jesus preparing them for.

Jesus was performing and teaching three things to the disciples.

1. Jesus was preparing them to be priests for his message of hope to the world. The washing of their feet set them aside for ministry. It was kind of like an ordination ceremony many have in western Christianity. The disciples had graduated from Jesus’ school of hard knocks and he was getting them ready to go into all the world.

2. He was teaching them to be servant leaders to each other. Jesus told them to do this process as an act of remembrance. He want them to stay humble and pass on the gift of servant leadership to future believers.

3. He was teaching them on how to be holy. He needed holy vessels which would minister with fervor to the lost. Can unholy vessels effectively minister to the lost? The answer would be an astounding “ NO”. The Lord needs us to walk in holiness, so the world can be ministered to.