Christian Service and Identity
I have been reading in John’s gospel chapter 13 on the lesson Jesus gives, by personal example, of service and humility to His disciples and, by extension, to us. Let us read some of the passage as John relates the incident:
John 13
1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. (KJV)
Travel was a rather dirty experience in Jesus’ day, for travel was mostly by foot on dusty or muddy pathways. It was the custom of those days to wash one’s feet as they entered a home, and for those that entertained travelers and guests in their homes to provide someone, usually a family servant or household member, to wash the feet of those entering their home. Apparently a servant was not provided in the use of this upper room that the disciples procured at Jesus’ instructions. The disciples came to the supper without washing their feet or assisting one another in doing so. Apparently they took their places at the meal in this condition. This task was one they should have taken care of themselves, a task they uncharacteristically overlooked.
At some point during or after the meal or its preparation, Jesus rises and while the disciples are in conversation, and He removes His outer garments, takes a towel that was obviously provided for this purpose and girds it around His body to keep it handy. Taking a basin filled with water the Lord begins to go to each disciple and to wash their feet and dry them with the towel around His waist. This is a beautiful picture of how humility and service to one another operates. Jesus gave no overtures or said a word to anyone, He just rose to meet a need of those that He loved and served them in a quiet humble manner.
There is so much in this passage that one could discuss and maybe I will later, but for now I want us to concentrate on the example our Lord gave to these men, and to us, in His humble service. They had overlooked a common need in their haste to eat the Passover meal, either out of forgetfulness or out of some kind of pride, it is not really important to know the reason in order to see the lesson of our Lord Jesus to the disciples and us. Jesus used the opportunity to teach His chosen disciples a lesson in how they were to see themselves and each other as members of Christ’s body, the Church. Jesus said, “Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” Our Lord performs a simple action, which gives to us a great a lesson. We are to operate on a much different level compared to our natural human inclinations in our relationships with one another; we are to serve one another just as Christ has shown us in His example, no matter how common the need. If we can stoop and wash our brother’s or sister’s feet, or perform some other personal service, then we are showing the love of Christ to one another.
Now it may not be that we need to actually wash one another’s feet, but are we ready to offer a service just as humble; to make an offering to Christ in quietly serving one another, doing as He did, and doing it without overture or comment, and to do it as if we were doing it to Jesus personally. Remember, Jesus also said in Matthew 25:40, “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” And in Matthew 10:42, “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.” Jesus reinforces this in John 13:33-35, “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” No matter the need, a cup of cold water, caring for the sick, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, or sheltering the homeless, no matter who or where they are they are, but especially loving service to our brethren in Christ, is doing Christ’s work now. It should also be the mark of our identity to the rest of the world. We are to love one another as we love our God and Lord.
For the record I realize that many commentators on this Scripture passage point out in their opinions that Jesus was in no way setting up a religious practice to be followed in the same manner as communion or baptism. I happen to belong to a Christian faith that does see a literal purpose in practicing the ordinance of feetwashing as a part of the communion service due to the inclusion of both teachings following together in this chapter. However, my intention here is not to just encourage the concept as a religious practice, but that you should practice the concept in reality in daily living; for this kind of active love is a command of Christ to His followers. Christ did say that as He washed the disciple’s feet so they should wash one another’s feet, so a literal translation indicates a practice among believers should be instituted. The important aspect is that we practice the command in daily life as believers.
There is much more in this passage and in the rest of the chapter, but I thought that it would be a good point to meditate on for now, and it poses a great challenge to each of us in our living for and serving God’s Kingdom here and now. May we so glorify our God and Lord in our service with the example of our love toward one another.
John 13
1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. (KJV)
Travel was a rather dirty experience in Jesus’ day, for travel was mostly by foot on dusty or muddy pathways. It was the custom of those days to wash one’s feet as they entered a home, and for those that entertained travelers and guests in their homes to provide someone, usually a family servant or household member, to wash the feet of those entering their home. Apparently a servant was not provided in the use of this upper room that the disciples procured at Jesus’ instructions. The disciples came to the supper without washing their feet or assisting one another in doing so. Apparently they took their places at the meal in this condition. This task was one they should have taken care of themselves, a task they uncharacteristically overlooked.
At some point during or after the meal or its preparation, Jesus rises and while the disciples are in conversation, and He removes His outer garments, takes a towel that was obviously provided for this purpose and girds it around His body to keep it handy. Taking a basin filled with water the Lord begins to go to each disciple and to wash their feet and dry them with the towel around His waist. This is a beautiful picture of how humility and service to one another operates. Jesus gave no overtures or said a word to anyone, He just rose to meet a need of those that He loved and served them in a quiet humble manner.
There is so much in this passage that one could discuss and maybe I will later, but for now I want us to concentrate on the example our Lord gave to these men, and to us, in His humble service. They had overlooked a common need in their haste to eat the Passover meal, either out of forgetfulness or out of some kind of pride, it is not really important to know the reason in order to see the lesson of our Lord Jesus to the disciples and us. Jesus used the opportunity to teach His chosen disciples a lesson in how they were to see themselves and each other as members of Christ’s body, the Church. Jesus said, “Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” Our Lord performs a simple action, which gives to us a great a lesson. We are to operate on a much different level compared to our natural human inclinations in our relationships with one another; we are to serve one another just as Christ has shown us in His example, no matter how common the need. If we can stoop and wash our brother’s or sister’s feet, or perform some other personal service, then we are showing the love of Christ to one another.
Now it may not be that we need to actually wash one another’s feet, but are we ready to offer a service just as humble; to make an offering to Christ in quietly serving one another, doing as He did, and doing it without overture or comment, and to do it as if we were doing it to Jesus personally. Remember, Jesus also said in Matthew 25:40, “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” And in Matthew 10:42, “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.” Jesus reinforces this in John 13:33-35, “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” No matter the need, a cup of cold water, caring for the sick, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, or sheltering the homeless, no matter who or where they are they are, but especially loving service to our brethren in Christ, is doing Christ’s work now. It should also be the mark of our identity to the rest of the world. We are to love one another as we love our God and Lord.
For the record I realize that many commentators on this Scripture passage point out in their opinions that Jesus was in no way setting up a religious practice to be followed in the same manner as communion or baptism. I happen to belong to a Christian faith that does see a literal purpose in practicing the ordinance of feetwashing as a part of the communion service due to the inclusion of both teachings following together in this chapter. However, my intention here is not to just encourage the concept as a religious practice, but that you should practice the concept in reality in daily living; for this kind of active love is a command of Christ to His followers. Christ did say that as He washed the disciple’s feet so they should wash one another’s feet, so a literal translation indicates a practice among believers should be instituted. The important aspect is that we practice the command in daily life as believers.
There is much more in this passage and in the rest of the chapter, but I thought that it would be a good point to meditate on for now, and it poses a great challenge to each of us in our living for and serving God’s Kingdom here and now. May we so glorify our God and Lord in our service with the example of our love toward one another.
posted by Truthseeker at 1:30 PM
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