Last week we began looking at John 13, where Jesus washes the disciples feet. There are all these studies they do on relationships. The closer you are to someone the more time and energy you invest in them, and the closer (spatially) you let them get to you. If someone is an acquaintance you hold them at arms lengths about 2-3 feet away. If someone is a friend, you allow 1-2 feet. If they are a really close friend, or an intimate, the gap closes further yet. How close do you need to be to someone to allow them get between your toes, or wash your feet?
It’s right that we consider John 13, the “love” chapter. There are two huge exhibits in John 13. The biggest exhibit by far is the extent of Christ’s love for us. Yes, Jesus washes the disciples feet. But the symbolic act of washing their feet was pointing to an even greater eternal reality.
That reality is that Jesus willingly stood up, in the Father’s presence, and availed himself for service to humankind. Jesus said, “Here I am Father, send me.” Being God, Jesus set aside his garment of glory, he descended from the Father’s right hand, from heaven to earth. Being found in the appearance of man, he humbled himself, taking the nature of a servant. He bound himself over to death, taking not just a basin of water but a basin of his own lifeblood, and willingly pouring out his blood to cleanse those who might repent of their sin and believe on his Words. Having shown the extent of his self-sacrificial love, Jesus would then stand back up in resurrection, ascend back to the Father, and be clothed with the glory he had from all eternity. Jesus would forever establish a place for us in himself to recline at the table, the wedding banquet, and feast of God. Jesus knew where he came from, he knew where he was going. In foot washing, he was reenacting the Gospel in microcosm. Jesus’ question in John 13:12 ought to ring out to us—“Do you know what I have done for you?”
But the other feature of John 13 is in many ways more difficult. Having been loved by God so profoundly. Having been loved by Christ Jesus to the extent that he poured his blood to wash our body of sin away and make us clean. Having descended so profoundly, and sacrificially, and personally, and intimately to serve us… how ought we love one another?
In John 13:13 Jesus says, “You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am.” In other words, your profession of me as Lord and Savior is sound. But what are the implications of my Lordship? What is the content of my character, of my teaching, and my life? Is it not love?
John 13:14 continues, “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. . .” Did anyone ever watch the Wonder Years back in the day? The teacher drones on and on but would pause hoping the class would finish some thought? “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. . .” {class? class?} . . . “you also ought to wash one another’s feet!” What? How? John 13:15, “For I have given you an example, that you also should. . . {class? class? church? church?} . . . “that you also should do just as I have done for you.”
Now toward the end of the chapter John 13:34-35 Jesus reiterates this point. “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you {church?…church?} you are also to love one another! By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you {church, church} love one another.”
Now, if only love were as simple as washing one another’s feet. It’s not the concept of Christ’s love we have difficulty comprehending—it’s the daily application of Christ’s love we have difficulty implementing. In light of Christ’s love, how ought we best love one another? Discipleship isn’t just a matter of professing Jesus as Lord and Teacher—it’s also a matter imitation, following Christ’s example, living out love in personally costly, sacrificial, and redemptive ways. God’s love cost him everything… but if our love never costs us anything can we say we’ve really understood God’s love?
Consider the relational context of John 13. There are two personalities that get thrust into the limelight in John 13. First there is the bumbling Peter. He’s watching Jesus wash the other disciples’ feet, and when Jesus comes to him, he announces, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet? (verse 6) and “You will never wash my feet.” (verse 8). “Peter,” Jesus says, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand” (verse 7). “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”(verse 8b)
I want everyone in this room to hear Jesus’ words to Peter clearly: If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me. If I don’t wash you, your sin remains. If I don’t wash you, the wrath of God remains upon you. If I don’t wash you, your own righteousness will be like filthy rags before my Father. Your petty justifications, your hollow moralizing, will fail you on the day of judgement. If I don’t wash you, you cannot pass from death into life. The twin commands of Scripture are ‘Repent and Believe’, ‘Repent and Be Baptized’. When you are baptized you are accepting that you need to be washed of your sin by God himself.
In 1 Peter 3, Peter later speaks, about his understanding of baptism. Jesus said you don’t realize it now, but later you will understand. Well, later in life, aren’t you curious how Peter came to see his own baptism and need for washing? In 1 Peter 3:18-20a he recalls, 18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 in which he also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison 20 who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared.” There was a lot of unrepentant, stubborn, godless people in the days of Moses! They mocked the preaching of Moses, any notion of righteousness, or judgement, or accountability before God.
But there was one family that understood God was about to cleanse the world of sin, and that only God could save them from judgement and death. 1 Peter 3:20, “In it {the ark} a few—that is, eight people {Noah’s family}—were saved through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you—{NO} (not as the removal of dirt from the body {foot washing}, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.
Notice how 1 Peter 3 hugs, parallels John 13! Peter recalls (he now knows and understands) where Jesus came from… He came from the Father to suffer for sins, righteous for unrighteous, to bring us to God. Peter recalls where Jesus was going (He now knows and understands)… he was raised, ”has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God—with angels, authorities, and powers in subject to him.” And Peter is now applying these truths to his own life… just like Jesus in John 13. In light of our sin, and the coming judgement, we ought repent, submit, let Jesus wash, and make holy, whatever part of us he deems fit, however he chooses!
It’s so ridiculous people ask, “Do I need to literally be baptized in water to have a part in Jesus?” We should be more like Peter. Once Peter understood that it wasn’t his dirty toes Jesus was worried about—but his sin corrupted soul—Peter said, “Jesus wash all of me! Jesus have your way with all of me!” This is the spirit of baptism, and of foot washing. That we accept not just “mentally or theologically or spiritually” some truth but that we tangibly demonstrate in real world space and time, a willingness {indeed humility} to let Jesus wash away our body of sin! What if Peter would have said, “Sorry Jesus, I get that you love me, but I still don’t think I need to have my feet washed.” Peter wasn’t that stupid, and I don’t think we should be either. Repent and Be Baptized.
Ironically, there was someone in this passage who evidently didn’t have any qualms about Jesus washing his feet. His name was. . . Judas. John 13:2 says, “Now when it was time for super, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him.” In John 13:10 Jesus ominously tells Peter, “You are clean, but not all of you.” John editorializes for us a bit in in John 13:11, “For Jesus knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
John 13:14-15… if I’ve washed your feet, you ought to as well. I’ve set an example that you should follow. John 13:16, a servant is not greater than his master, a messenger greater than the one who sent him. John 13:17, “If you know these things you are blessed if you do them.” We don’t just love God in our head or mind. We love God in heart and intent. We pledge to live with clear conscience before God. But we also love God with our bodies not just being baptized, but being taught to “obey and do” everything Christ commanded. This is discipleship. You are blessed in the doing, not just the believing.
BUT John 13:18. There is a poser among us. “The one who eats my bread has raised his heel against me.” This is a Genesis reference. That God would send forth an offspring of eve. Satan would strike his heel, but the child would crush Satan. John 13:19-20, “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe that I am he. Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives him who sent me.” John 13:21, “When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in his spirit and testified, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
Peter is like, “who is it Jesus, who is it?” John 13:26-27, “Jesus replied, he’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.” After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him.” John 13:27 Jesus also tells Judas, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”
Jesus was showing the full extent of his love not just to Peter, but Judas. Peter was repentant, responsive, teachable, moldable, humble. But Judas was resistant, filled with Satan. It’s a profound mystery—but the same love that “redeems” Peter and the others, “releases” Judas. How could a loving God ever release a person to Satan? Release a person to their evil scheme? Judas stands as a kind of warning to us. He went through the sacramental motions of Baptism, Lord’s Table (Communion), foot washing. But his heart, was far from God. Do not suppose you can go through the motions of religion and be saved. You’re blessed by what you do. If Jesus is truly Lord and Teacher you will learn the lessons of Peter. But if all your religious motions are a sham, you may share fate of a Judas.