Did Jesus wash your feet today? John 13

I won’t bore you with the typical understanding we all have of this passage … I know  that we all know that Jesus said to wash each other’s feet, to serve one another, and so on. And some churches (this may be the custom in your fellowship, but not mine, thank God) even have surprise foot washing ceremonies, where the boots are peeled off and people are embarrassed (like me), because they forgot to change their socks, or may not have any (such as poor missionaries like me). I’d like to share the passage in context, and to discuss the meaning to believers that the example given to us was meant to hold, because we all need this tender time with our Lord and Savior. Jesus said He needs to wash His disciples’ feet, and we need to let him do it – as we abide and remain in Him — on a daily basis.

3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that He had come from God; and that He was returning to God. 4 so He got up from the meal and, and took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. (John 13:3-5 NIV) 

Jesus said He was from the Father, and He would return to the Father – and He then began to wash the disciples’ feet. One who truly looks into the private time of teaching He spent, here covered in these few verses, will see that Jesus actually spent months teaching them. Peter, who learned a lesson in humility here, was told in verses 6-8 of this chapter that he needed to have his feet washed by Jesus, or he had no part of Him. Peter decided he wanted Jesus to wash him completely, when the Master Rabbi spoke to him. It was a sure lesson of the need for our  humility, and for the Lord to intercede in the life of the believer. Why? He told His disciples they were already clean from the word He spoke to them … yet that they would have no part with him, if he did not wash their feet. Why? 

John 13: 10 -11, NIV Jesus answered Those who have had a bath need only to wash his feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you. 11 For He knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean. 

Why would he say this? The obvious reason is because Judas Iscariot, the one who stole from the money bag, was present. That was the one who was foretold to betray Him finally did — yet there is more here to this passage for the believer. The key, I believe, is to know a few facts. John wrote his gospel after the other three gospel records were written. He was well aware that Jesus had gone into heaven already, and that the Holy Spirit (the Comforter) was sent to dwell inside all who would confess Jesus as Lord and believe His atonement was good enough for their sin. A believer (disciple) would know this fact. And afterwards, Jesus said they would understand what he was saying. So what was Jesus saying here? Was it just for us to minister to each other? Or was it that we also needed Jesus to minister unto us?

Hebrews 10: 12-13, NIV says: But when this priest (speaking of Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool, for by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

This atonement he made was once and for all, and yet we also know it says that Jesus sits at the right hand of God (making intercession) on behalf of His children.

Jesus said that unless He would wash them, they could have no part of him. I am of the opinion that the washing was symbolic of the Word of God, and that this word renews us and cleanses us. Each time (speaking for myself, personally) I spend a good session with God in His Word, I come away feeling refreshed, renewed and clean. And I know I am saved, and that Jesus is not going to lose any sheep in his hand (like me) – but my feet certainly get filthy in this journey through the polluted world, day in and day out. Jesus knows I believe in Him, that I know where I came from, who I am and where I am going. I know, too, that His blood washed me clean of my past, present and even future sins, by his atonement. Still, I need to go to him in humility, with myself. I still find myself as Paul did, not always reaching the goal, not hitting the mark, doing things I don’t want to do, and dirtying my feet and troubling my soul along this difficult journey of life. I realize I have not arrived yet. Do you realize it? There are many things which will upset us in this life, and our feet do get dirty as we walk through a polluted world. Our faith increases and our souls are lifted, when we let our Master wash our feet on a daily basis, through His Word.

Certainly, our Lord corrects us He intercedes for us, and His atonement lasts. But we all need to have our feet washed by Him, too. A suggestion I have for you is to spend some time with the Lord in His Word. Let Him wash your feet each day. You will see that it feels pretty good to get the dirt off your feet from your journey through this yuck-filled world. There is no other experience you will have, like spending time learning God’s Word, when you are a born-again, regenerated Christian. And if you know where you have been, where you are, where you are going for eternity, and that you are equipped to serve – and you see a brother or sister who may be fallen – perhaps you may wish to wash their feet, in the same gentle way as Jesus does with you.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peaceloving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17 NIV) 

 In all honesty, it has been a tough day, and I really need to go and let my Lord and Savior Jesus wash my feet. Amen.

In His Service,

Rick

FOREVER WITH THE LORD

Introduction:

• Easter is the time when we remember the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
• We remember His violent suffering.
• We remember His conversation with the thief on the cross.
• We remember the last words He spoke.
• We remember the darkness that covered the earth.
• We remember His sacrificial death and His burial.
• BUT we also remember His resurrection.
• We remind ourselves that He rose again.
• We remind ourselves that He conquered death and hell.
• We remind ourselves that He stands victorious through all eternity.
• We remind ourselves that He is the greatest attested fact of ancient history.
• We remind ourselves that He is the resurrection and the life.
• We remind ourselves of the life He promised us as a result.
• We remind ourselves of our future and the hope we have in Him.
• We remind ourselves that we will meet Him in the air.
• We BELIEVE He died and rose again!
• And so we look forward to the eternal life He has for those who believe.
• And so we will forever be with the Lord!

SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 17 ‘Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.
According to the Lord’s Word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.‘

1. WE HAVE A HOPE.

• There are those who have no hope.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13 ‘You do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.‘
• Hope is far more than a mere positive feeling.
• Mere human hope is based on feelings, wishes, or circumstances.
• It is uncertain and rises and falls for no reason.
• It can disappoint and may never come to pass.
• It leads to anxiety and uncertainty.
• But the hope we have in Christ is completely different.
• It is divine hope that comes from God and it’s foundation is His character and promises.
• It is sure and steady, not shaken by circumstances.
• The hope we have in God is based on His faithfulness, His Word and what He has already promised.
• His hope brings peace, strength and confidence.
• Our hope says: ‘I will trust God – no matter what happens!’
• Because He is faithful, your hope can stand, even when everything else changes or is shaken.

2. THE KEY IS TO BELIEVE – JESUS DIED AND ROSE AGAIN.

• For we believe… 1 Thessalonians 4:14 ‘For we believe…’
• What do we believe?
• 1 Thessalonians 4:14 ‘…we believe that Jesus died and rose again…’
• We believe that Jesus died and rose again!
• The foundation of the Christian faith is the fact that Jesus died and rose again.
• His death was a demonstration of God’s love for us.
• The fact that He rose again confirms His divine nature and guarantees the promise of eternal life.
• Most historians will agree that Jesus existed and that He died by way of crucifixion.
• The resurrection is the great challenge for those who do not believe.
• The result of His resurrection was a time of transformation in His followers. They were changed by this experience. They were transformed from scared disciples hiding in an upper room, and they came out fearless, bold and prepared to die for what they had seen and experienced. People are not normally willing to die for a lie. Over 500 people were witnesses to the fact that He was seen alive and they testify through the millennia to the resurrection and appearance of Jesus after His death and burial.
• This gives us certainty that Jesus was in fact the Son of God.
• The resurrection of Jesus stands as both a historical reality and a profound truth of faith.
• This gives believers confidence in the promise of their own resurrection.
• This belief is the foundation of our faith.
• His death dealt with sin and His resurrection gives us life.
• It gives us the assurance that God keeps His promises and that eternal life is real.

3. WITH GOD IN OUR LIVES – DEATH IS NOT THE END!

• Death is viewed as the end to natural life as we know it.
• If Christ had not risen, our faith would fall apart.
• But because He has risen, we can stand firm, everything is safe and secure in Him.
• Death, over which no one had any control, was finally conquered and we could see that death was not the end but the beginning of a new time and a new life.
• Death became a door to another dimension.
• His resurrection is the key to our own future.
• Because He lives, we too will live.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:14 ‘For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.‘
• His resurrection gives us hope beyond death and the grave.
• Death is not the end but a transition to eternal life with Christ.
• God has the ultimate authority over life and death.
• Those who are ‘IN HIM‘ are united with Jesus and He gives them the gift of eternal life.
• John 3:16 ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.’

4. THE LORD HIMSELF WILL RETURN.

• Not only do we have the promise of eternal life, but we also have the promise of His return.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16 ‘For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven…’
• What do we know about this wonderful promise?
• We know that the angels assured the disciples that Jesus would return in the same way in which He left.
• The Lord Himself will come down from heaven.
• His coming will not be a quiet or a distant affair.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16 ‘The Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God…’
• We know that His coming will be a triumphant occasion.
• There will be a loud shout, the voice of the archangel will be heard and there will be the sound of a trumpet.
• It is a picture of divine intervention.
• It will be unmistakable, and it will be a moment of great significance, it will be powerful and majestic.
• The trumpet of God will signal the resurrection and gathering of believers.
• It will be a turning point and a pivotal moment in history.

5. THE DEAD IN CHRIST WILL RISE.

• Believers are assured of the hope of resurrection.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16 ‘…and the dead in Christ will rise first.’
• This resurrection of those who have died will be the confirmation of the victory over death, as seen in Jesus’ own resurrection.
• Only those who were ‘in Christ’ will experience this.
• That is why it is so important that we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ – that’s what it means to be ‘IN CHRIST’.
• The promise of this ‘moment in time’ provides hope and assurance for those who believe.
• It makes life after death a certainty.
• The dead in Christ will rise first.
• No believer will be forgotten or left behind.
• The grave is not a permanent place – it is temporary ground.
• The great preacher Charles Spurgeon often encouraged people by saying that God knows exactly where His people are, even in death.

6. WE, WHO BELIEVE, WILL MEET THE LORD.

• The Bride of Christ will arise.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ‘After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.’
• This passage of scripture indicates a very specific sequence of events.
• This passage also shows us that when the Lord returns there will be Christians who will be alive to see it in person.
• What a glorious day that will be for them and what an unfortunate day it will be for those who do not believe, those who are not ‘IN CHRIST’.
• There will be a clear division and it will be too late to change things.
• Both the living and the dead believers will be taken up to meet the Lord in the air.
• It will sure be a spectacle.
• This reunion will be a celebration as believers will be reunited, both with each other and with the Lord.
• The bride of Christ will rise and gathering of His people will take place, and together we will meet the Lord.
• It will be an encounter like no other.

7. FOREVER WITH THE LORD.

• 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ‘And so we will be with the Lord forever.‘
• And here we see the promise of eternal life with the Lord.
• What a blessing to be ‘FOREVER WITH THE LORD!’
• This event or moment in time will move into the realm of eternity.
• Christians, the children of God, will never be separated from their Lord again.
• Our dwelling place will be with God and God’s dwelling pace will be with us.
• Psalm 23:6 ‘…and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.’
• If you have never given your life to God, then this could be a special moment for you.
• IF you want to make a decision right now, take a moment and earnestly pray this prayer:
• Dear Lord Jesus,
  I know I have sinned in my thoughts, words and actions.
  There are so many good things I have not done.
  There are so many sinful things I have done.
  I am sorry for my sins and turn from everything I know to be wrong.  
  I know You gave Your life upon the cross for me.
  Gratefully, I give my life back to You. 
  Now I ask You to come into my life.
  Come in as my Saviour to cleanse me,
  Come in as my Lord to control me,
  Come in as my Friend to be with me,
  And by Your grace, I will serve You all the remaining years of my life in complete obedience. In Jesus Name, Amen.

LUKE 24:1–8, ESV:“On the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.’ And they remembered his words.”

By X. WANG: “When I first heard the concept of resurrection, I found it hard to accept. I could believe that Jesus was a great and good man, that Jesus had great power—even the power to calm the storm—and that Jesus’ teaching was truth. Yet the claim that “Jesus rose from the dead” was truly difficult to believe. I did not want to see Jesus suffer; every time I thought of Jesus dying on the cross, my heart ached. And of course, I myself did not want to die either. Deep down, I longed for a world where resurrection exists, but it seemed like nothing more than a beautiful fantasy. In the realm of imagination, I was willing to accept the possibility of resurrection—it brought comfort. But in the cruelty of reality, resurrection simply did not work. It was not just me. Faced with Jesus’ resurrection, even those who had followed Him were equally bewildered. Among those who deeply loved Jesus and grieved His death, not a single one expected resurrection to become reality. They would rather weep in the sorrow of Jesus’ death than believe He had truly risen. The women came to the tomb and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus—the tomb was empty. While they were puzzling over this, the angel reminded them: Jesus has risen! The angel called them to remember the words Jesus had spoken many times, foretelling how He would die and rise again. God’s word is the most reliable explanation and the most certain evidence for the event of Jesus’ resurrection—for God’s word will surely be fulfilled. When the women remembered Jesus’ words, the ‘dawn’ in their lives truly arrived. Resurrection is not a concept the church created out of wishful thinking for its own comfort. On the contrary, it is precisely because of the fact of Jesus’ resurrection that the church came into being. In the world we live in, what you and I can see is heaven and earth, life and death. Yet when you fix your eyes on the risen Jesus, He has brought resurrection life—eternal life—from heaven down to earth. May God open our eyes to see clearly what is truly real. Death is not the end. We really do have resurrection.”

R E F L E C T I O NThe fact that Jesus rose from the dead reveals that those who have died will truly rise again. How does this fact affect your brief life in the present?P R AY E RFather, we thank You. For Your Son Jesus Christ died for us and conquered death on our behalf. The Lord Jesus has risen! There really is resurrection in this world. May Your word continually renew us, so that we may rejoice because of the fact of Your resurrection. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray, Amen!

Is the Lord Weeping Over You?

“These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him and that they had done these things to Him…John 12:16.”

Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday is the week before Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. It marks the beginning of Holy Week and concludes with Easter Sunday. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is referred to as the Triumphal Entry for He is worshipped by a multitude of followers who had come to Jerusalem for Passover. As Jesus approached the city, they shouted, “Hosanna!” Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” But a closer look at the Gospel accounts reveals Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was more painful and tearful than triumphant.

Dr. Luke records: “And when He (Jesus) approached, He saw the city and wept over it.” (Luke 19:41) Jesus wept over Jerusalem because those He so desired to know Him personally and intimately did not recognize the time of their visitation (Luke 19:44). The Apostle John tells us Jesus was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. (John 1:10-11) How sad for the chosen nation of God to miss such a wonderful opportunity to know intimately their Savior, Lord, and King.

On Good Friday and Easter Sunday, many messages will be preached as to why Jesus went to the cross, died for our sins, and rose again on the third day. Messages delivered by anointed servants will be right on target for all with open hearts willing to hear. But will they hear? Jesus still stands at the door of the hearts and knocks. Have you answered?

Jesus went to the cross so we might get to know personally the God of the universe. The Glorified Jesus, the Son of God, the King of Kings is now seated at the right hand of The Father welcoming all to come and know Him through His Spirit. Don’t miss this opportunity.

Do you know the Risen Lord or is He just an acquaintance in your life? Is He bringing to your remembrance wonderful truths beyond the grasp of the natural mind? Or have you lost the joy of discovery in your relationship with the Lord?

Is The Lord is weeping over you on this Palm Sunday? This week, join in the Apostle Paul’s prayer to the churches at Ephesus and ask: “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” (Ephesians 1:17)

There is no secret about what God can do. What He has done for many others, He will do for you.