Washing Feet

Introduction

Our previous church, we supported a lot of missionaries, so we heard a lot of missionary presentations. Some were impressive. These missionaries looked sharp, they had a crisp, strong philosophy, fruit to back it, and a great presentation.

But if you’ve been in church very long, you’ve probably heard a few missionary presentations that were duds. They are vague, boring, cheesy, or outdated. Well, one Sunday night, a lady missionary got up to give her report, and I immediately assumed this was going to be a dud.

Her dress was rather homey. She had some pictures, but she didn’t have a cool video with touching music. And she was busy, but she wasn’t accomplishing much. She was teaching music lessons in the Japanese church her dad had planted years ago and trying help the current pastor keep it going. It wasn’t impressive, and I wondered why we supported her.

But despite how small and insignificant her ministry seemed, she had intense passion for Christ and the people she served. She was pouring her life into that tiny work. I thought about the fact that few people will ever know who she was or ever about what she invested. She’s going to die relatively poor, having missed out on most of this world’s fun. But Jesus promised that many who are last on earth will be first in heaven. This lady may be last on earth, but she’s going to be in the front of the heavenly line.

Why? It’s because Jesus doesn’t judge the same way we do. He’s not impressed by our gifts, worldly fame, or success. But he loves a humble servant who lives like he did. Jesus powerfully and memorably illustrates this fact in today’s text (read). I plan to spend two weeks on this passage because Jesus makes two important applications from this story. Next week, we’ll focus on the gospel significance in Jesus’ conversation with Peter in vv. 6–11. But today, I want to focus on the practical example Jesus provided you. Jesus’ challenge, and my central point today is, serve one another the way Jesus served you. We have some great servants in this church, but we all have room to grow, and we need lots of maintenance to counteract our pride. So, marvel at Jesus’ example and consider whose dirty feet Christ wants you to wash. Verses 4–5 begin the text with…

I.  Jesus’ Example (vv. 4–5).

The Scene: Remember that this is the Last Supper. It’s the night before Jesus’ death. Outside the Upper Room, Jesus’ enemies are plotting his death. But Jesus left all the chaos outside when he closed the door, and he turned all his focus toward his disciples. Verse 1 says Jesus “loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”

But the disciples brought their own chaos into the Upper Room (Luke 22:14–22). Imagine being at the Last Passover and participating in the very first Lord’s Supper. It doesn’t get more sacred than that. You’d think the disciples would be in a sacred mood. Nope (vv. 23–30)!

If I were Jesus, I probably would have lost it. I just instituted an ordinance, and you’re arguing about who’s the greatest! But Jesus lovingly but firmly replies, “I am among you as the one who serves.”

I assume our story begins at this point because Jesus illustrates service. So, it’s the end of supper. The disciples are at each other’s throats having the same silly argument they’ve had over and over. They need a good object lesson, and Jesus is about to give them one.

He stands up and, surprisingly, he takes off his outer garment. Don’t worry, he would have an inner garment beneath it. Then he wrapped himself in a towel. This wasn’t a hand towel. Instead, it was a long towel that you could wrap around your shoulder and still have enough left to wash and dry feet.

The disciples are very confused because only a servant wore a towel like this, and Jesus should not be acting like a servant. That’s because while we’ve been raised to value humility, Romans despised it. In the Roman world humility was shameful, not honorable. The Jewish rabbis encouraged some level of humility, but there were limits. A proud Jew wouldn’t dare to dress like a slave.

So, while Donald Trump dressing as a McDonalds employee was an effective stunt in our culture, the disciples were surely not impressed. What is Jesus doing? But it gets worse (v. 5). Jesus began to act like a servant by washing their dirty feet.

You probably know that people in Palestine didn’t wear socks and closed shoes like we do. They wore open sandals, and they walked down dusty roads. And in a big city like Jerusalem, there was more than dust in the streets because of the animal traffic and because there were no sewers.

So, a good host would have a servant ready to wash your feet when you entered the home. This would have been the lowest slave in the house. Many Jews believed no Jewish slave should ever be asked to do such a shameful task.

But for whatever reason, that didn’t happen before the Last Supper. I’ve heard people criticize the disciples for not volunteering, but that’s not fair. They did what was culturally appropriate. And it’s also not like they had just sat down to eat, and Jesus said, “We’re not eating until someone volunteers to wash feet.” No, dinner is almost done. Jesus didn’t do this because no one else would; he did it to make an important pastoral point.

So, imagine Jesus kneeling with his bowl of water at the feet of the first disciple. They’re all thinking, “Is he really going to do this.” Sure enough, Jesus started washing feet. They can’t believe it. It’s worth noting that the disciples would not have been sitting on chairs or benches with their feet under the table. Rather, they would recline on thin mats, usually on their left side with their feet facing away from the table. So, Jesus didn’t crawl around under the table. He would have had easy access to their feet.

That said, he washed one disciple’s feet, and then he moved to the next and the next. The disciples were not impressed. This isn’t virtuous; it’s shameful. When Jesus gets to Peter, he says what everyone is thinking, “Lord, do You wash my feet.” Jesus is Lord. This was below him, or so Peter thought.

So, he firmly answers in v. 8, “Never shall You wash my feet!” We have a hard time comprehending this because we don’t live in a shame culture. We think it’s funny when Trump gets in a garbage truck, but Peter was horrified that Jesus did this. The master whom he loved must not humiliate himself by washing his feet.

If only Peter knew how Jesus will humiliate himself the next day. Jesus won’t dress like a servant; he’s going to be stripped naked. And he won’t merely take the role of a servant; he’s going to embrace the role of a criminal, a criminal deserving of the worst humiliation imaginable in Roman society.

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, andbeing made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:5–8).

We Americans dwell a lot on the physical torture Jesus endured, but in a shame culture, Jesus’ descent into humiliation is startling. Why did he allow it? It was because your sin is more shameful than you can possibly imagine. It deserves eternal separation from God and torment in hell.

But Jesus took our humiliation when he went to the cross. He appeared as the shameful criminals we are. And because he bore our shame, we can be rescued from our shame through faith in Christ. By faith, you can become a son or daughter of the King. You can become an heir of all his blessings.

I hope you have received his gift. If not, make that choice today. Stop trying to impress God and impress men. Instead, humble yourself as the shameful sinner you are. Repent of your sin and believe on Christ. He will forgive all your sin. He will receive you as his child. Please receive Christ today so that you can stand before him without shame covered by the blood of Jesus.

Returning to our text, Jesus set a mighty example for his disciples. He stifled their argument over who was the greatest by stooping down as a common slave to wash their feet. The next day he will stoop even further by enduring death on a criminal’s cross.

Praise God that our Savior became our servant. Take a moment to stand in awe of his great love. When you hated him, he loved you and became your servant, to the point of death on the cross. He loved you to the end.

So, worship him. Love him. Trust him. You never need to question his heart toward you or the goodness of his will. Then obey him. Jesus is a good master. So, Jesus gave a powerful object lesson. He set a great example. Then he usds this example to give a very important practical exhortation.

II.  Jesus’ Exhortation (vv. 12–17)

The Argument: I plan to cover Jesus’ conversation with Peter in vv. 6–11 next week. It’s fascinating, it’s very significant for understanding and explaining the gospel, and it gets to a vital aspect of godly maintenance. But today, we’re jumping ahead to v. 12.

Jesus washed every disciple’s feet. Remember that Judas is still in the room, and the devil had already taken control of his heart. Jesus knew that. He knew how Judas would betray him. But in a final act of love, Jesus washed his feet. He also washed the other disciples’ feet even though they would flee that night.

Then he took off the towel, he put on his outer garment, he sat down, and he once again assumed the role of Rabbi (vv. 12–17).

Jesus makes a simple argument from the greater to the lesser. First, the disciples called Jesus “Teacher and Lord.” Teacher is the equivalent of Rabbi. So, it’s a title of tremendous honor.

The same goes for Lord/Master. Philippians 2:11 says the climax of Jesus’ ministry will be when all peoples confess “that Jesus Christ is Lord.” The disciples didn’t get all that, but they respected Jesus as their Lord.

And Jesus did not shy away from that honor. He answers, “You are right, for so I am.” I must park here for a moment because my central point is, serve one another the way Jesus served you. This passage is about humility. But Jesus is not saying that a humility and honor are incompatible.

You must learn to humble yourself, and you must refuse to chase vain, human greatness. But Jesus didn’t live like a bum or act dishonorably. Similarly, if you are going to be an effective servant leader, you must conduct yourself with honor. You must be a leader that your family, your coworkers, and the people of this church respect enough to follow.

So, don’t use this passage as an excuse to be a slob, to be lazy, or to never speak or lead with conviction. Men, this church and your family especially need you to be sharp, to look sharp, to be confident, and to take initiative. Jesus is Lord. He did a lot more than wash feet.

But he did wash feet, and he even went the cross. And his argument is simple (vv. 14–15). We all get caught up in our own greatness. You begin to think certain tasks are below you. “I’m not a servant; I’m a master. I’m smart. I’m accomplished. I have important things to do.” Or for elderly people, “I’ve put in my time.”

But Jesus says, “Get over yourself. Stop taking yourself so seriously.” If Jesus could get down on the ground and wash feet, then what makes you think you get a pass (v. 16)? Don’t get too big for your britches. You are not the master. Jesus is. You are the servant. Don’t fight it; embrace it.

“We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, evenuntil now” (1 Cor 4:10–13).

There’s a bit of sarcasm baked into the first few statements, but ultimately, Paul embraced the shame of loving people. That’s important because ministry hurts. Loving people and enduring their faults is often humiliating. They don’t thank you for speaking truth into their lives and serving you. Instead, they focus all their bitterness and anger on you. They treat you like scum.

It hurts. But when you feel like scum, remember that Jesus died as a wretch so that you could be saved. And a slave is not greater than his master. Embrace the role of a servant. Then follow Jesus’ example.

Jesus said, “I gave you an example.” That means he expects you to imitate what he did by washing the disciples’ feet. Some people take that literally and believe he is establishing a third ordinance. What do you think? Should we start literally washing each other’s feet? Don’t worry. The apostles clearly did not understand Jesus to mean he was instituting an ordinance.

Rather, he was establishing a broader pattern. He’s commanding you, serve one another the way Jesus served you. But how specifically should you imitate Jesus’ example? Here are 4 ways you can imitate Jesus.

Take the job no one wants. This happens all the time in a good marriage. You know what your spouse hates doing, and you do it instead. A man takes care of the dead rat in the back yard. The wife scrubs the dirty pot. Neither loves the job, but they love the person, so they do the job.

Teens, this is a great one for you to think about. What’s the job that no one in your family wants to do. If you want to make your parents’ jaws hit the floor, do it without being asked. Maybe you and your spouse are locked in a turf war. You’re keeping score of who does what, and you are determined to get the low score. Stop it because you’ll never win that game. Instead of moaning about what he or she is not doing, be the adult. Do the hard things. Serve passionately. Wash his feet if you have to.

Maybe you’ve noticed something our church is neglecting. Maybe it’s the trash on the back lot or the weeds in the rocks. Maybe it’s a hard ministry that no one wants, but it needs to be done. You think you’re above it. But you are not. Find the job no one wants and do it.

Take the job no one notices. We love to do a job that comes with a big reward. Maybe it’s fun. Maybe you get paid. Maybe it brings honor. We’re really good about veering toward these kinds of tasks.

This week, I want you to find a way to serve your family where they may not even realize you did it. If they notice, that’s okay. But a great medicine for your soul would be to intentionally try not to be noticed. You’re directly assaulting the pride and selfishness of your heart. And you’re acting like Jesus. There was no glory in washing the disciples’ feet, only shame.

Love the person no one loves. “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of ourGod and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:27). Why is serving widows and orphans emblematic of true religion? It’s because it the ancient world, they had nothing with which to repay. It was a pure act of love.

There’s lots of people in this church that are easy to love. They’re fun. You get a little status by being their friend. Maybe you’re lonely or hurting, and this person will bring a helpful companionship.

But other people can’t offer anything you want, and it’s obvious that other people feel the same way. Stretch yourself. Find someone who is outside your comfort zone. Find someone with whom you have nothing in common. Find someone who is lonely. Find someone that you can’t imagine has anything to offer you. Then shower them with love. Have a conversation. Start asking questions. Notice where they have needs and meet them.

Love the person you don’t want to love. I want you to imagine Jesus washing Judas’s feet. He’s made plans with the Sanhedrin. Satan has overcome his heart. He’s going to walk out in a few minutes and tell the Sanhedrin where to find Jesus, all for a little payday. Yet he’s sitting there pretending to love Jesus and pretending to be appalled that someone would betray Jesus.

Jesus knows all that as he stoops down to wash his feet. He acted out his exhortation from Matthew 5:43–44, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Maybe someone in this church has hurt you deeply. Maybe it’s a parent, your spouse, a sibling, your boss, or a neighbor. The hurt may be fresh, or it may be covered by thick callouses. But the hurt is there. You keep your distance. You tell yourself, “I’m not bitter,” but saying it stirs a little fire down deep. You’re bitter. That bitterness is sin, and it pollutes your heart more than you know.

Wash that person’s feet. Say the kind word that is hard to even get out. Ask a sympathetic question. Write a kind note. Have that family over for dinner without any intention of squeezing out an apology but only with the goal of loving on them well. Fix his car. Bake her some bread.

Everything inside you may fight that step, but you’ll be amazed at the good it does. It will heal your bitterness, and you might just regain an old friend.

But even if it goes poorly, you will reflect Jesus. And even if that person throws it back in your face and couldn’t care less, Jesus sees, and Jesus promises to bless (v. 17).

Jesus said in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt 5:7, 9). God’s grace and God’s smile shines on the humble servant who loves the difficult person.

Conclusion

Jesus’ challenge is very simple. Serve one another the way Jesus served you. Don’t just nod your head and walk out. Take a moment and set a specific goal. Make a specific commitment to the Lord. Serve one another the way Jesus served you.