Cleansed by the King
John 13:1-11, Remsen Bible Fellowship, 12/08/2019
Introduction:
Last week we asked this question: Will You Receive the King? As we examine Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, his prediction of his own death, his determination to glorify the Father, we are confronted time and again with a choice: will you or will you not receive him as the rightful Lord, not simply of a people, but of your life. Many did, but many did not. They scoffed, they couldn’t understand how this donkey riding rabbi who refused to use his power to defeat the political oppressors could possibly be the great Messiah who they were waiting for. And even if they had their suspicions, they were afraid of the repercussions of what following hm might mean.
All of this illustrates a simple truth: following Jesus is costly. In verses 24-26 last week we saw that it might cost us our very lives, which caused Deitrich Bonhoeffer to observe that, when Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die. But perhaps the greatest death that any of us ever face is the death to our own pride. Death to the belief that somehow we will be okay on our own or that if we do need God we can somehow cooperate with him to get us where we need to be. Maybe I just have to reach up real high and he’ll reach the rest of the way down!
Christianity, the Good News of Jesus, begins with this bad news: you can’t offer God anything, because you have nothing to offer. You aren’t sufficient on your own. You’re dead, lost, blind, helpless, lame, and needy. You don’t just need help. You need saved. I need saved.
It’s with this truth in view that we should turn to John 13:1-11 (read the text).
The first thing we notice is the setting. I mentioned several weeks ago that there is some dispute among Biblical scholars over how to line up the dates in John’s gospel with Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the synoptic gospels. My understanding is that this dinner takes place on Thursday night, that what we have in this chapter and the chapters that follow are a dinner and discussion that take place the night before Jesus is crucified. The setting is intimate, and it is an ideal time and place for Jesus, alone with the twelve, to display and express his love for them.
V1 notes that Jesus knew his hour had come to depart out of this world, which of course Jesus told us previously, probably just a few days previously, in John 12:23. Remember that the term hour in this gospel refers to the whole series of events that lead to the Son of Man being glorified. The Cross, Burial and Resurrection, as well as returning to the Father. All of these things point to the sovereign ministry, power, and authority of Christ. They display his glory.
He does not come to this hour with regrets. He comes having loved his own who were in the world (v1), and not just having loved them, but he loved them to the end. To the end of his earthly ministry to be sure; but in his ascension and in the gift of the Spirit he continues to pour out his love on his people. There is a sense in which God has displayed love to the world. John 3:16. In fact, we will momentarily look at Jesus’ love for Judas himself. But there is a particular sense in which he has tethered his love to those whom the Father has given him out of the world.
The upper room discourse concludes with Jesus’ prayer to the Father recorded in John 17, and in this prayer we read in v9, I am praying for them [the disciples]. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. Jesus has a special love, a peculiar love love, a love to the uttermost for those whom the Father has given him. How does he display this love?
The Action, v2-5
During supper, presumably then, while they are all still eating, Jesus rises from the ground. He strips himself of his main clothing, and goes down to just a towel wrapped around his waist. Is there a particular necessity for Jesus to be dressed like this in order to wash feet? No. He is taking on the appearance of a servant. He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7). Foot-washing was considered so low that some rabbis instructed those under their care who could and couldn’t be asked to perform this lowly task. For example, if you had a Jewish slave, as a Jew you couldn’t ask this person to wash your feet. They might be a slave, but they are still a Jew. And thus they have too much dignity to wash feet.
Set yourself down at the table where these men are gathered. You’re eating this passover meal, crowds have been gathered near Jesus, the leaders have made clear their obvious displeasure borne of jealousy. You’re hanging with the happening guy, the one who is the center of conversation. And you were doing so before everyone knew who he was, you’re not one of these Judean bandwagoners! And from this train of thought arises a natural dispute: which of us is the greatest? Who will get the keys of power? Who is the closest to Christ? Who is the awesomesauce?
When Luke records this for us in Luke 22:24-30, he cuts straight from their dispute to Jesus’ words. But I sometimes wonder if that is a compression of Jesus reply. Perhaps he uses words, thinks they don’t get it, and grabs a towel. He’ll use an object lesson to drive home what he’s said. Or maybe he doesn’t say anything at first. Maybe he is so upset by what he hears that he just gets up, walks across the room, and lays aside his garments. Then, taking the basin and filling it with water, ties the towel around his waist and goes to work. What would your response be? Most likely a stunned silence. We’re arguing about who the greatest is. The one who has ridden into town as the King of Israel is now acting like our servant. Where can I run to stuff my shame? I’m exposed.
Jesus goes, disciple by disciple, and using the towel and the water, cleanses away the dust, the grime, the animal manure, the filth that would be collected walking down the road in sandals before paved sidewalks. The Lord of glory, he who has enjoyed union with the Father and the Spirit from all eternity, who has been worship by angels from all of eternity, about whom the seraphim fly, crying Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts. The whole earth of his full of his glory (Isaiah 6:3); this one is washing the feet of these arrogant and sinful men.
Jesus will go on to use this as an example for them, we’ll see that next week. But first there are a couple of things Jesus says, and we hear them in response to Peter opening his mouth.
Lesson 1: We Need to Be Washed, v6-8
Peter sees the incongruity of what is taking place, so he asks the question of v6. Doubtless they all see the same flipping of roles, it is they who ought to be doing this for him, not vice versa! But as per normal, when everyone is thinking something, count of Peter to be the one who says it. Jesus explains to him that he doesn’t now understand, but afterward- that as, I think, after the completion of the hour when Christ has been betrayed, crucified, buried, risen, and returned to the Father- the significance of Jesus’ action will land with appropriate weight. But Peter is having none of it. Never, Lord! Last time Peter told Jesus “never”, Jesus said “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23), and the next time he says it, Jesus will gently but pointedly tell him the truth (Luke 22:34). Here, Jesus lays it all on the line: Peter, If I do not wash you, you have no share with me (v8).
What does Jesus mean by there being no share with him apart from Peter being washed? Other translations say, if I do not wash you, you have no part with me. Jesus has taken this humble act of service by him and picked it up as a metaphor. Peter needed to be washed. You and I need to be washed. Isaiah 1:18 tells us that our sins are like scarlet, they are like crimson. They soak us in blood. By rejecting God we have each signed our own eternal death warrant. We are in a desperate state. And as long as we cling to self-sufficiency, we are sunk. Because nothing we can do, no amount of good works, kind thoughts, baptism, communion, coming to church, giving money to the poor, or even oxy-clean can get rid of this stain. We are marked for death.
But God. God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4). Rich in mercy! Of all the things to measure wealth in, God measures wealth in terms of mercy. And this is good news for sinners. Because though a death penalty hangs over our heads, God doesn’t cast all mankind into the lake of fire Instead, he sends forth his Son into the world. Romans 5:6-8, For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare to die--but God shows his love in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Christ came that we might be washed in his blood. That we might be cleansed from the crimson of our sins and be clothed in the white garments of his perfect righteousness. That Isaiah 1:18 might be fulfilled, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. But here’s the deal with this washing: we don’t have to take it. You can refuse it. You can be offended that Jesus would think you need to be washed, I’m just fine the way I am! But you’re not. You need a cleansing that goes all the way down. You need a soul given new life by what Paul calls the washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5).
You need to humble yourself and receive Christ as the King who serves you. The King who washes your feet. Not because you in any way deserve it! He’s the King! But because it is your only hope. It’s my only hope. And it why he came into the world.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us--for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”--so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13-14
Jesus came to ransom, to purchase people. To pay for their sins. To bear the curse that God’s law lays out for their sins. He became a curse for us. In our text from last week, we read in John 12:27, for this purpose I have come to this hour. What purpose? Falling into the ground and dying. Dying on your behalf, and on mine. Dying that he might reap a reward and harvest of many sons and daughters through faith. The harvest of glorifying God by making clean what sin had marred, broken, and made filthy. He did not come because we were lovely. In loving us, though, he does make us lovely. He cleanses us.
Do you know his cleansing power? Has he washed your sins away? If not, come to him! There is no part in his life, no part in his salvation apart from humbling yourself and receiving the merciful, the wonderful, the matchless grace of the foot-washing King.
Lesson 2: Once Washed, Our Feet Still Stink, v9-10
Peter, for all his loud-mouthed brashness, deserves credit for his quickness in reversing course when Jesus corrects him. He goes from, in verse 8, saying emphatically you shall never wash my feet, to in verse 9 saying, Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head! Like, if a little washing is good, let’s do this right! Give me an extra part in you, Jesus! Make me fully clean! And this is surely a right response, if an ill-informed one. Again, Jesus is using this foot-washing as a metaphor, it doesn’t carry any special power as a “right” or a “sacrament”, though some Christians have taken it that way. And now that Peter has seen that he must be served by Jesus, washed by Jesus, Jesus is going to shift how he uses the metaphor.
In verse 8 Jesus uses the cleansing language to refer to salvation. Being washed by Jesus is necessary for entry into life with him, having a share with him. But now he is going to use foot-washing as a metaphor for what we might call cleansing with a lower case c. Not cleansing for salvation, not the cleansing of trusting in Christ and being clothed in his righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), but the cleansing of daily confession, repentance, and conformity to his likeness.
V10, Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” Peter, I don’t need to wash your hands and head. You guys (the you is plural in Greek) are clean! What does Jesus mean by saying that they are clean? He means that through trusting him as the Messiah, his blood has already been counted by God as the payment for their sins. This is how all Old Testament saints were saved, they trusted in the promises of God, and God applied the sacrifice of Christ to them, though they did not yet know fully the details of how God would save them. We don’t have time to dive deeper into that, but Romans 3 is the place to look if you’re curious. Jesus can look at the disciples and say, you’re trusting me. You’re clean. You do have a share with me.
But they still need their feet washed. Those suckers still stink. And is this not the experience of every Christian sitting here this morning? Our lives are still full of rottenness, things which disgust us, which make us despise the old man still living within the walls of this earthly house of flesh and bone. If you don’t feel that, you may not be a Christian! 1 John 1:8 says, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. To be a believer in Jesus, to be his follower, to be walking in the light as he is in the light, is to be painfully aware of our continued shortcomings and rebellion. But believer, take hope! Because Christ offers continual cleansing for those who are his. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Believer, you are clean. In the words of Jesus in v10, you have bathed, you’ve been washed by him. Baptized by his Spirit into his death, burial, and resurrection. There is therefore now no condemnation for you, because you are in Jesus (Romans 8:1). But when you struggle with the continued presence of sin in your life, remember that he has broken its power. It no longer owns you. You can come to Jesus, confess that sin, and in love he washes your feet of that filth. He forgives you.
On the cross Jesus took sin’s penalty. As a believer you are delivered from its bondage and power. One day, either in death or his return, we will be freed from sin’s presence.
Lesson 3: Rejecting Jesus’ Service Isn’t Humility, v11
Note in v2-3 that Judas is still present. The devil has entered him and placed it in his heart to betray Jesus. Jesus knows this (John 6:70). And Jesus washed Judas’ feet. The offer of cleansing stood just as open to him as it did to the others. Yet, while he received the physical washing, his heart was already hardened to the point where the devil had free reign to take hold. This wasn’t the Messiah Judas was planning on. Foot-washing, pah. Thus, though Jesus had said you are clean in a plural sense, speaking to the group, it was necessary to make an exception. One of them wasn’t clean. One of them wouldn’t be served by Christ, and thus didn’t get life. He had no part in Christ.
How devastating. He walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, lived with him as the treasurer for the group(!) for three years. And he has no share with Jesus.
Judas’ fundamental problem was that he refused to lay aside what he thought was best and most expedient for Judas. And he didn’t even gain the whole world-just 30 pieces of silver-and he lost his soul. Friends, humble yourself before Jesus. Accept the cleansing he offers. He doesn’t offer it because you are so wonderful and valuable. He offers it because he loves you, and to be cleansed by God is the only hope you have for life. Receive him.