Jesus was a feetwasher

JESUS WAS A FEETWASHER
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
John 13:5 5After that, he poured water into a basin
and began to wash his disciples'feet, drying them with
the towel that was wrapped around him.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Washing the Disciples'Feet
Nehemiah Boynton.
John 13:1-19
Now before the feastof the passover, whenJesus knew that his hour was come
that he should depart out of this world to the Father…
I. IT IS THE QUALITY OF AN UNFETTEREDSPIRIT. The possessionof
an unfettered spirit is the gift of humility, a possessionwhich canbe yours and
mine only as we rid ourselves of those fetters with which societyand business
and fashions of the day would bind us, and go out in the strength of a loyal
affectionto Jesus Christ to walk in the footsteps of the Master, bind up the
broken-hearted, to visit those who are in prison, to washthe disciples'feet,
and thus by our very humility illustrate a strength and powerfor the
manifestation of which the world is longing today, as never before, with a
greatlonging.

II. IN SUCH A CHRISTIAN HUMILITY THERE IS ALWAYS MAJESTIC
POWER. There is a vast difference betweenmuscular strength and moral
strength. Atlas could carry the world upon his shoulders, but it required
Christ to carry the world upon his heart. Go back into that valley of Elah in
Old Testamenttimes and see the difference betweenthe strength of muscle
and the strength of morals. Here comes the Philistine giant out from his camp.
Behind him all are boasting of his power and of his prowess;in just a little
Israelwill be overthrown and the Philistine's godwill be triumphant. And out
from the camp of Israelcomes that boy armed only with his sling and his five
smooth stones. If you will follow the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will find
that ever and always the strength of His life was a strength of moral purpose
put over againstthe other strength that the world had to offer.
III. THE WASTE OF A LIFE WHICH IS UNPOSSESSED OF THIS SPIRIT
OF HUMILITY. This is a corollaryfrom those last words of the text: "If ye
know these things, happy are ye if ye do them;" because there is always great
disasterwhich comes to an immortal soul when knowledge is not the spur
which drives it. There is always something lost in a human life when that life
knows more about Christ than it does for the sake ofChrist. It is not that
there may not be the manifestationof this lovely virtue or of that attractive
trait apart from the spirit of humility; but there is a greatwaste in the life
still, because it retains a possessionwhichhas not been transmuted into
action, because it has not been entirely permeated by the spirit of love. You
find a person, for example, who has been living far awayamong the hills,
perhaps in a beautiful home, with everything that pertains to comfort and to
luxury about him, but never having gone beyond the borders of the little town
in which he has been dwelling. You have had the advantage of a larger
acquaintance and of a largerfellowship, and as you speak with that
circumscribed life you cannot help confessing to yourselfthat, although there
is very much that is beautiful about it and within it, still there is a greatlack
there somewhere;there is a waste because that life has not gone out to see
what there is to be seenin this world of ours. But just so soonas the Lord

opened the eyes of Peter's impulsive soul, just so soonas He permitted him to
look out upon vistas which he had never seenbefore, and upon a Divine
landscape which had never before fallen beneath his ken, at that moment
Petercalled out in a great yearning and in a greatsoul-desire, "Lord, not my
feet only, but also my hands and my head."
(Nehemiah Boynton.)
Washing the Disciples'Feet
BostonHomilies
John 13:1-19
Learn —
1. That they who, like Peter, refuse to believe in or conform to requirements of
the Masterwhich they do not fully understand or sympathize with are in
danger of getting where they have no part with Him.
2. That if we submit to His will we shall in due time understand the
significance ofHis treatment.

3. It is goodto be zealouslydesirous of abundant blessing, a generous supply
of grace. But it is sometimes necessaryalso to "waitpatiently for the Lord," to
learn of Him, perchance slowly, and "one thing at a time."
4. That in the kingdom of Jesus Christ the crown beareris the feet. washer. 5
That our knowledge ofChristian duty becomes a blessing in proportion as it is
transmuted into practice. Sentimental admiration of humility and lowly
helpfulness is one thing, being humble and helpful is another.
6. The passage affords us, as Bruce has well shown, an excellentintimation of
what constitutes the perfection of obedience. "It lies in letting the Lord change
places with us, and, if it seemgoodto Him, humble Himself to be our servant.
Our true humility is not to objectto Christ's humiliation, but, on the contrary,
to recognize its necessityin order to our deliverance from sin. They honour
not God who deny the Incarnation and the redeeming death of the eternal Son
as unworthy of Him. Ratherdo they doubly dishonour the Divine Being; first,
by misconceiving wherein His glory lies, and, next, by ignoring their own need
of redemption. The only genuine piety is that which owns man's moral
defilement and leaves God to remove it in His own way."
(BostonHomilies.)
The Washing of Peter's Feet
Homilist
John 13:1-19

I. THE MIXTURE OF EVIL IN THE EXPERIENCE OF THE GOOD. Peter
on the whole was a goodman, and his language here expresses something that
was really good, just that sense of Christ's greatnessand his own
unworthiness as appears in Luke 5:8. "Thy condescensionoverwhelms me."
But associatedwith this is Peter's want of reflection, of ready acquiescence
and his characteristic impulsiveness. He should have felt such unbounded
confidence in Christ as to submit without resistanceorreluctance. This shows
the necessity—
1. Forself-scrutiny. "Who canunderstand his errors."
2. ForDivine cleansing, "Cleanse thoume from secretfaults."
3. The advantages of death. With the goodall imperfections are left this side
of Jordan. Yonder is unmixed good.
II. THE DANGER OF A RIGHT FEELING LEADING TO EVIL. Peter's
humility was right, but it led him to oppose Christ. A sense ofour own
unworthiness and of God's greatness,right in itself, may lead to wrong results.
1. To the rejectionof Christ's mediation. How can the Makerofthe universe
have sent His Sonto die for this little world of rebellious worms.
2. To the rejectionof God's personal providence. God is too greatand man too
little for such a thing.

3. To the rejectionof Christian consolation.
III. THE RAPIDITY WITH WHICH THE SOUL CAN PASS INTO
OPPOSITESPIRITUALMOODS (vers. 7, 8). This powerindicates —
1. The greatness ofhuman nature. We know of no other creature that can
pass through such changes. All irrational creatures move in a rut, which they
cannot leave. Manhas power to defy time and space, to live in the future, and
to revel in the distant.
2. The necessityfor reflection. Without this men will ever be at the mercy of
external influences. Thoughtless men of impulse are like feathers on the wind
— the sport of circumstances.
IV. THE DEPENDENCE OF PERFECTION IN CHARACTER UPON AN
INCREASE OF DIVINE KNOWLEDGE (vers. 7, 12-14).
(Homilist.)
A Last Act of Love
D. Young
John 13:3-5

Jesus knowing that the Fatherhad given all things into his hands, and that he
was come from God, and went to God;…
It must not be supposed that the act of Jesus here was a purely symbolic act,
an act useless in itself. Probably Jesus and his disciples had been walking
about most of the day, and the washing of the feetwould be very grateful to
tired and sandaledwayfarers. Jesus was rendering a real service, however
slight a one. Before they went out of the room, Jesus had to have much very
earnesttalk with them, and it was just as well for them to be comfortable
while they were listening.
I. AN EXPRESSION OF LOVE. John puts this first in the narrative. Those
whose feetJesus washedwere not comparative strangers. Jesus lovedthem
simply as human beings, knowing sin, suffering, and sorrow. But beyond all
this was the added love coming from many days of close companionship. And
now the very last day had come. To-morrow the Shepherd will be smitten, and
the sheepscattered. Soon, verysoon, according to the flesh, he would ceaseto
know these disciples. They were to stopin the world and do his work. Years of
toil, anxiety, and suffering were yet before them. But Jesus was going to the
Father. A few more hours, and he would stiffer his lastpain, know his last
trial. We can easilyimagine how, in years long after, and in lands far distant,
when some of these apostles hadfinished a weary day of walking for Christ's
sake, andhad got their travel-stainedfeet washed, their thoughts would go
back to that last night, recollecting how the Masterwent from one to another
in the little company, washing their feet, and looking in their faces with his
own unutterable look of affectionand interest.
II. AN EXPRESSION OF STEADFASTNESS IN LOVE. Jesus was just on
the point of stepping from humiliation to glory, just about to castaside the veil
of his flesh, and appear in all his heavenly splendor; but it made not the least

difference in his gentle, unaffected way of treating his disciples. We reckonit
one of the greatestthings to be said in praise of any one who has risen in the
world, that he remains just the same sortof man, not made proud by being
lifted up. The washing was a kind of intimation that Jesus lookedon himself
as being a Minister as much as ever. They were servants to him, but he was
Minister to them; they did his work, and he supplied the needs that made
them fit for the work. He who in the flesh was everat the beck and callof
needy men and women, is at their beck and callstill. His power to help is
greater, but his willingness cannotbe greater.
III. A PRACTICAL ASSERTION FROM JESUS THAT MEN CANNOT DO
WITHOUT HIM. Not only does he minister, but he must minister. Peter
thought Jesus was not doing a fitting act. But it is perilous work criticizing
what Jesus does. How should we find out, all at once, on the first glance, the
full aim of any act of his? Jesus knows whathe can do for us, what he ought to
do for us, and what we, in all humility and obedience, ought to acceptfrom
him. If Jesus comes notto minister, what need is there for him to come at all?
Jesus must cleanse everyhuman being as far as he needs to be cleansed.
IV. THE GREAT EXEMPLARY AIM IN THIS ACT. It is plain that Jesus
recollectedwhatdisputings the disciples had among themselves as to which
should be greatest;and just at this moment, when it is beginning to be settled
conclusivelythat Jesus is far above them, he tries to show by his ownexample
that the spirit of ministry is a part of real greatness.Distinctiondoes not make
happiness. God means all of us to be as happy as we canbe. Jesus came to
minister to us, in order that we might minister to others, and if we are not
ministering lovingly, diligently, joyfully, then that is a proof that the ministry
of Jesus himself has not yet been truly acceptedby us. - Y.
What I Do

J. JacksonWray.
John 13:1-19
That act of Christ's did seemstrange, and Peter's bewilderment is not to be
wondered at. Let us see how the Masterdealt with it.
I. "WHAT I DO." What a wealthof meaning is storedin these three words.
No angel mind can graspthem. He is the greatDoer;always doing. "My
Father worketh," etc. There is nothing anywhere, or at any time, that He does
not perform, permit, or control, in mind or matter, heaven or earth.
II. "THOU KNOWEST NOT." Putthe two pronouns side by side. "I" stands
for the Deity, "thou" for the mortal. Oh, the folly and pride that criticises and
objects to His providential rule! I could not worship a God whose work I
could comprehend. How wickedto rebel because our poor capacitycannot
gauge the Divine intention. If an architectwere to ask you to explain the lines
on which ChichesterCathedralis built as you were flashing by it in the
express to Portsmouth, you would smile at his unreason, but you are moving
across the field of God's matters more rapidly than that. You cannotpour the
oceaninto a pond, crowdthe light of the sun into a lantern, compress the
mind of an archangelinto the brain of a schoolboy. Then, again, your affairs
are mixed up with the rest of His matters, and what He does you know not,
because you are only the smallestcog, and the scope of the machine is beyond
your ken; because you are only one thread in the vast loom at which He is
weaving, and the pattern and purpose cannotbe scannedby mortal eyes.
What, then, is the attitude we ought to take? One of implicit obedience and
unflinching trust. Though we know not what He does we need never be at a

loss to know what He would have us do. But if you set up a will of your own
you must suffer. Loyally enter the train of His providence, make its
movements yours, and you shall be carried safelyto the terminus; but oppose
it, and collisionwill come and eternal wreck — witness the casesofPharaoh,
Israelin the wilderness, Saul, Jerusalem.
III. "THOU SHALT KNOW HEREAFTER.''In Peter's case the revelation
followedclose upon the mystery. It often does. It did to Josephin Egypt,
Esther in Persia, Luther in Wartburg. But whether here or not heavenwill be
the land of revelations. Amongstthe many mansions there will be the
Interpreter's house, where we shall look upon the picture of life as it was, and
read the translations too. "There shall be no night there."
(J. JacksonWray.)
The Teaching ofthe FootWashing
C. H. Spurgeon.
John 13:1-19
I. THE TYPE OF OUR LORD'S CONTINUOUS LOVE TO US.
1. Christ still acts as the hostof His people. How much the life of Christ with
His people lay in intense familiarity with them! He began His ministry at a

feast, and again and again we find Him eating with His disciples;and the last
thing He did was to sit at supper with them. He still saith to His Church, "If
any man open to Me," etc.;and His own figure for the opening of the new
dispensationis "the marriage supper of the Lamb." Now Jesus is the host of
His Church, providing the gospelsupper and entertaining us right royally. He
prepares a table before us in the presence ofour enemies. "He satisfies our
mouth with goodthings," etc. And the Lord is a host who leaves nothing
incomplete, and entertains us, not as paupers but as guests, as friends, as
distinguished persons who shall not sit among mean men, but shall have their
portion among princes.
2. Christ cares for our minor matters with a personalinterest. That He should
ease their wearyhearts, enlighten their clouded brains, I can understand; but
that He should washtheir feet is wonderful. A little soil on their ankles;He
will attend to that, and personally, too. He might have left them to washone
another's feet. Surely He had but to suggestit and they would have cheerfully
waited on eachother. Take your little things to Christ, those trials of which
your heart says, "Theyare too trifling for prayer." Not so;the Lord loves us
to trust Him thoroughly.
3. Christ provides refreshment for His people. What an intense pleasure it is
in extremely hot countries to have the feet washedupon coming in after a
wearywalk. Our Lord washedHis disciples'feet, not only because cleansing
was desirable, but also for their pleasure and solace. He takes greatpleasure
in giving joy to His followers. Whendoth the Lord give us these refreshments?
(1) Often after a journey — after a severe trial.
(2) Sometimes before the trial, for these disciples were now about to enter
upon a very rough road.

(3) When we are in the house of God, when the Word has been preached,
some joyful hymn borne us to heaven; or, bestof all, at the communion table.
(4) In our own quiet chambers, and in the night watches.
4. Christ continues to guard the purity of His Church. From the occasionit is
clearthat He would have us seek the specialpurifying powerof His presence
during religious ordinances. We need our feetwashedbefore we come to His
table — "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread," while
we are at His table, for there is sin in our holiestthings. When we come away
from worship we have need to getalone, and cry, "Cleanse Thoume from
secretfaults." This frequent washing is —
(1) Absolutely necessary. Ye that follow in His footsteps, walk with cleanfeet.
His ministers especiallyneedthis or the people will never cry, "How beautiful
upon the mountains are the feetof him that bringeth goodtidings."(2)
Spiritual: no external form will suffice. Christ washedthe feetof Judas with
water.
(3) Very readily given.
II. THE MODELOF HIS OWN LOVE IN HIS PEOPLE. We learn —
1. That there will always be need of service in the Church, and always needof
service in the particular direction of promoting purity. The apostles were
twelve strong men, yet they could not do without a servant; and therefore
their Lord supplied the vacantplace. And now that the Lord is gone His

Church still needs servants, and will never be so cleanthat it will have no need
of foot washing.
2. That we are not to advocate the abrogationof such service. The Stoic would
say, "What need of washing a man's feet? If he needs it, let him wash them
himself. The first law of nature is self-love. Let him mind his ownbusiness."
That is anti-Christianity: but Christianity says, "I am willing that others
should help me to be holy, and I am also willing to help others to the same
end." Sometimes it is more humbling to have your own feetwashedthan to
washother people's, and hence sometimes our naughty pride says, "Thou
shalt never washmy feet." Yet it must be so, and pride must sit still like a
child and be both washedand wiped.
3. That such service should be done very cheerfully. Nobodyaskedthe Master
to bring the basin: no one would have thought of such a thing: it was His own
heart of love that made Him do it. Let us be also ready to perform any office
for our brethren, howeverlowly. Covethumble work, and when you getit be
content to continue in it.
4. That such service should be done thoroughly. How well our Lord took up
the servant's place. Give your Lord zealous and earnestservice;strip to your
shirt sleeves, ifneed be. Do not attempt to play the fine gentleman; is it not far
nobler to be a real Christian?
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The StrangenessofOur Lord's Procedure

J. L. Nye.
John 13:1-19
To provide a guest with water to washhis feetis a common actof hospitality
among the Hindoos. It is also considereda privilege and duty for disciples to
washthe feetof any celebratedgooroo, orreligious guide. But for a gooroo to
washthe feetof his disciples would be diametrically opposedto a Hindoo's
ideas of propriety. "Suppose," I said to my pundit, the other day, "a
celebratedgooroo were to attempt to washthe feet of his disciples, would they
allow it?" "Never," he replied; "if he were to make the attempt, they would
refuse to allow him; would rush out of his presence;and would think he was
gone mad. Such an idea is entirely opposedto the reverence which a disciple
has for his teacher, and would not be tolerated for a moment. To permit it
would bring reproachupon both teacherand disciple." With these ideas in his
mind it is easyto understand how Peter should be startledand astonished
when Jesus drew near to washhis feet. "Lord, dost Thou washmy feet?"
Such an acthad never been heard of; was contrary to the customs of the
country; contrary to every idea of propriety; and calculatedto bring reproach
upon his teacher.
(J. L. Nye.)
The StrangenessofOur Lord's Procedure
J. L. Nye.

John 13:1-19
To provide a guest with water to washhis feetis a common actof hospitality
among the Hindoos. It is also considereda privilege and duty for disciples to
washthe feetof any celebratedgooroo, orreligious guide. But for a gooroo to
washthe feetof his disciples would be diametrically opposedto a Hindoo's
ideas of propriety. "Suppose," I said to my pundit, the other day, "a
celebratedgooroo were to attempt to washthe feet of his disciples, would they
allow it?" "Never," he replied; "if he were to make the attempt, they would
refuse to allow him; would rush out of his presence;and would think he was
gone mad. Such an idea is entirely opposedto the reverence which a disciple
has for his teacher, and would not be tolerated for a moment. To permit it
would bring reproachupon both teacherand disciple." With these ideas in his
mind it is easyto understand how Peter should be startledand astonished
when Jesus drew near to washhis feet. "Lord, dost Thou washmy feet?"
Such an acthad never been heard of; was contrary to the customs of the
country; contrary to every idea of propriety; and calculatedto bring reproach
upon his teacher.
(J. L. Nye.)
The Perfectionof Christ's Example
A. Maclaren, D. D.
John 13:1-19

The reference ofall the world tells us that Christ's example was perfect. The
admissions of enemies tell us; our own hearts and consciencestellus; but did
you ever think how strange it is that these four little tracts, telling us such
fragmentary stories, and of so brief a period of a life, in which there was a
conspicuous absenceofvery many of the important circumstances ofthat life,
should have been acceptedby all the centuries, and by all sorts and conditions
of men, women, and children, wise and foolish, learnedand ignorant, bond
and free, happy and sad, as an all-sufficient guide for them, and that these
little stories should he felt by us all to contain an adequate guide and rule for
our conduct? It is not enough to say, "Men's circumstances change,but the
essentials oftheir duty are very few, and you can put them into two or three
words and they will be enough." That is quite true, and we thank God for it. It
is a greatthing instead of a whole host of precepts to have got two or three
fruitful principles. We have gotthe Divine example in human form, and the
stimulus of His deeds, when pondered, opens out into majesty and greatness;
and what a blessedthing it is instead of being handed over to a mere law —
Do that and thou shalt live; Be this, and so forth — to be told, "Do as I do";
and still more blessed, "Do as I do, because I love you, and you love Me."
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)
The Imitation of Christ
Biblical Illustrator
John 13:1-19

Man is observedto be a creature naturally given to imitation; examples have a
greatdeal more influence on him than laws and precepts. This being the case,
he is concernedto set before him the bestexamples. And because this is a
thing wherein men generallyfail, here the loving Jesus directs them to the
worthiestobject of their imitation!
I. WHEREIN ARE WE TO IMITATE CHRIST. As there are some duties
that the gospelcommands us, which yet Christ was not capable of, as
repentance, etc., so, likewise,there are some actions of Christ which it would
be folly in us to endeavour to imitate.
1. Negatively. We are not to imitate Christ in —
(1) Those actions which He did by His extraordinary and Divine power. The
poets relate that Salmoneus strove to imitate Jove's thunder, and was slain
with a real thunderbolt. Such may be expectedto be the recompense ofour
presumptuous emulating the miraculous undertakings of Christ. And to these
I may add those actions of His, which were arbitrary and absolute, as He was
Lord of the world.
(2) In His actions as RedeemerHe both did and suffered many things thus,
which were peculiar to Him, and above our imitation; and yet in some sense
we are to make Him our pattern, even as to those. His nativity must be copied
out in our spiritual birth; His cross bearing, crucifixion (Galatians 2:20;
Galatians 6:14), death (Romans 6:8; Colossians 2:20;2 Timothy 2:11),

sacrifice (Romans 12:1)by ours. He was buried, and we must (Romans 6:4)
find a grave for our sins. He was raisedand we must rise (Colossians 3:1;
Romans 6:4). And, as Christ was exalted, so God exalts us in Him (Ephesians
2:6).
(3) In some actions which He did in His peculiar state and condition, e.g., we
are not authorized by His example to choose a life of poverty; for we are not
in the same circumstances with Him.
(4) In those acts He did only to signify and teach some greaterthing, as the
feet washing — e.g., the apostles, it is true, washedone another's feet, in
imitation of their Lord's example, yet this only the customof that country. In
this country it would only be apish imitation, and like those who wore sandals,
preachedon the house tops, and saluted no man by the way, etc.
2. Positively. Imitate Christ in —
(1) His humility and condescension. How this appears in His birth, subjection
to His parents, trade, choice of companions, and objectof ministry! And, as
He was humble Himself, so he reproved pride and haughtiness of spirit in
others (Matthew 18:2-4; Luke 22:24, etc.;Matthew 20:27). And under
Christ's humility I may reckonHis obedience to the government He lived
under (Matthew 17:27). "Renderunto Caesar,"etc. And as Christ's whole life
so His death was an amazing act of condescension(Philippians 2:6-8).
(2) In His self-denial and mortification. These He eminently showedin divers
emergenciesofHis life; in despising the world's —

(a) Honour and applause. He obscured even His Divinity itself for many
years, and sometimes when He wrought miracles He would not lot them take
air (John 8:50).
(b) Riches (Matthew 8:20).
(c) Pleasures.
(d) In His entire resigning Himself to God's will (John 5:30; John 6:38).
(e) In that He was pleasedto bearwith the infirmities and frailties of men
(Romans 15:1-3).
(3) In His extensive love and exactjustice towards men. I join these because be
that acts charitably gives men their due, and he that acts justly proves kind.
None was a greaterobserverof honest dealing than our Lord (Matthew 7:12;
Luke 6:21). And that He was also charitable, everything that He did was a
proof (Acts 10:38). As He lived so He died a most compassionateloverof
souls. Still He propounds Himself as a pattern to us. Being a loving Saviour,
He calls on us to love one another (John 13:35).
(4) In His religious and devout converse with God. In His love for and
attendance at God's house. In His private converse with God (Luke 6:12;
Luke 22:44; Hebrews 5:7). His meditation, etc. In these things let our Lord be
our pattern, leaving behind us the noise and business of the world.

(5) In His patient and undaunted deportment under His extraordinary
sufferings (Hebrews 12:1-3).
(6) In His constant beating down of sin and vice, and His encouraging and
promoting of holiness, by all that He said or did. Was there ever a more
eminent reprover of sin than our Lord?
II. THE REASONS WHY WE ARE TO IMITATE CHRIST.
1. BecauseHis example is the exactestthat we can follow.
(1) Some examples of virtue are counterfeit. The Papists impiously take St.
Francois to be the exactimage of Christ. And you may read in their legends of
other persons who were canonized for the prodigious holiness of their lives.
But Christ's example is no fiction.
(2) The examples of those saints that are true and real are very imperfect, and
often mixed with sinful miscarriages, and therefore not the fittest to be
followedby us. Christ alone is an unblemished pattern (2 Peter2:22).
(3) The examples of the best of men are only so far imitable by us, as they are
conformable to the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
2. It was the design of God in sending His Soninto the world, that He should
be an example to us.

3. This is the greatcharacterof Christianity, and the main thing whereby we
are able to demonstrate ourselves to be true Christians (1 John 2:6).
4. Christ's own command.
5. This is it which brings repute to Christianity, and renders it honourable
and praiseworthy.
6. This is that which yields us solid comfort, and gives us certain hopes of
eternal happiness.
III. THE APPLICATION.
1. Ask yourselves seriouslywhether you have set Christ's example before you,
and have endeavouredto imitate it.
2. Lament both in ourselves and others our neglectof taking Christ for our
example.
3. Let this grief and shame lead us to our duty.
(1) Make use of Christ's example to repel the temptation that you are under.
As when you are tempted to pride, think how humble a Saviour you had.
When you are tempted to deal unjustly, considerhow upright He was. When
you find yourselves allured by pleasure allay your extravagantdesires by
calling to mind what a severe observerof temperance the Holy Jesus was.

(2) Set this before you when you are to enterprise any virtuous action.
4. Often peruse the holy life and dough of Jesus.
5. Be convinced of the matchless excellencyand beauty of Christ.
(John Edwards, D. D.)
The ConnectionBetweena Sinner Having a Part with Christ and Being
Washedby Him
T. Boston, D. D.
John 13:1-19
I. A SINNER HAVING PART WITH CHRIST. This includes —
1. His being of Christ's mystical body through union with Him (1 Corinthians
12:12, 13 in contrast with 1 John 5:19; see 2 Corinthians 6:17).
2. His having communion with Christ in His saving benefits (1 John 1:3).

II. A SINNER BEING WASHED BY CHRIST.
1. There is a filthiness in sin whereby the soul is polluted and defiled before
the Lord (Ezekiel36:25;Jeremiah44:4; Isaiah4:4). This consists in its
contrariety to the holiness of God (Exodus 15:11). Hence —
(1) It makes the sinner loathsome before God (Zechariah 11:8; Habbakuk
1:13; Psalm 5:4).
(2) It fills the soul with shame before God (Ezekiel16:60, 61;Genesis 3:10).
2. Christ has them all to washwho getpart in Him (Revelation1:5; 1 John
1:7).
(1) There are two things in Christ's blood which make it cleansing.
(a) An infinite value and dignity (Acts 20:28).
(b) An infinite energy and efficacy(Hebrews 10:20).
(2) In all washing there are two things to be distinguished.

(a) The loosing of the filth of sin sticking to the soul — as pitch sticks to men's
fingers (1 Corinthians 15:56). This is done in our justification.
(b) Its removal from the soul — as watertakes filth right away. This is done in
sanctification(Hebrews 9:14; Revelation7:14).
(3) This cleansing lies in three things.
(a) The putting awayof former loathsomeness, so thatGod can look on the
soul with complacency(Revelation1:5, 6).
(b) The making of the soulfair and cleanbefore God (Song of Solomon4:7).
(c) The removal of legalshame.
(4) Faith is the instrumental course ofthis cleansing (Acts 15:9; Romans 3:25).
III. THE INSEPARABLENESS OF THE TWO.
1. In respectof their subject. He that has the one has the other.
2. In respectof time. They are simultaneous.
(T. Boston, D. D.)

Reminiscencesofthe FootWashing
C. Stanford, D. D.
John 13:1-19
In the Epistles of Peter, written many years after this, we find subtle traces of
the impressionit left upon his mind. There still seemedto rise before him the
form of the King taking off His upper garment, tying a towelround His waist,
and then, with marvellous self-abasement, washing the disciples' feet. Hence
the intensely picturesque expressionof His charge — "Yea, all of you gird
yourselves with humility, to serve one another, for Godresisteth the proud,
but giveth grace to the humble." Literally, "Tie on humility like a dress
fastenedwith strings." It is plain that he understood the required imitation of
what Christ did when washing the feet of His company, to consistnot in
copying the outward act, at the same time wearing an outward garment like
that which He wore at the time, but in copying the spirit of the actand
wearing humility itself.
(C. Stanford, D. D.)
Christ Washing the Feetof His Disciples
D. Thomas, D. D.
John 13:1-19

Christ appears here as a dramaticalteacher. Every act is significant. The old
prophets taught in this way. Jeremiah's potters vessel;Ezekiel's scales, knife,
and razor, are amongstthe numerous examples. Christ taught here —
I. THAT TRUE GREATNESSCONSISTSIN MINISTERING TO THE
GOOD OF INFERIORS. We learnfrom Luke 22:24, that there was a dispute
as to who should be greatest, and that Evangelistrecords whatour Lord said.
John records what Christ did. This idea of greatness —
1. Condemns the generalconduct of mankind. The world regards men great
who receive most service, and mix leastwith inferiors.
2. Agrees with the moral reasonof mankind. The greatnessofChrist, who
made Himself of no reputation, and the greatness of Paul, is that which
commends itself to the unsophisticatedreasonof the world. He who humbles
himself to do goodgets exalted in the estimationof universal conscience.
Disinterestednessis the soul of true greatness.
II. THAT SPIRITUAL CLEANSING IS THE GREAT WANT OF THE
RACE (ver. 8).
1. That this is so appears from two facts.

(1) Divine fellowship is essentialto human happiness. In God's presence is
fulness of joy, and nowhere else.
(2) Spiritual purity is essentialto Divine fellowship. "Without holiness no man
shall see the Lord." Hence God's command, "Washyou and make you clean;"
and man's prayer, "Purge me with hyssop," etc.
2. This cleansing is preeminently the work of Christ. "If I washthee not," etc.
His blood cleansethfrom all sin. "Unto Him that loved us," etc.
3. It extends to the whole life of man (ver. 10). Though regenerated, a man is
not perfect. Every day brings its defilements and requires its
purifications.Conclusion:At the table were three types of character.
1. The perfectly clean— Christ.
2. The partially clean— the disciples.
3. The entirely unclean — Judas.
(D. Thomas, D. D.
COMMENTARIES

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(5) After that he poureth waterinto a bason.—Better, . . . into the bason. It
was the bason in the room, commonly used, and now ready for suck purposes.
The waterwas at hand. All suggestedthen that one of the disciples might have
performed this act which the Lord now performs. That it was commonly
regardedas an actof reverence from an inferior to a superior is made clearby
the Rabbinicalpassagesquotedhere by Schottgenand Lightfoot. (Comp. Note
on Luke 7:44.)
And beganto washthe disciples’ feet.—The exactnessofthe narrative notes
that the act was only begun, and was interrupted by the objection of Peter.
This word “began” is frequent in the earlier Gospels, but it is only in this
touch of accuracythat St. John uses it.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
13:1-17 Our Lord Jesus has a people in the world that are his own; he has
purchased them, and paid dear for them, and he has set them apart for
himself; they devote themselves to him as a peculiar people. Those whom
Christ loves, he loves to the end. Nothing can separate a true believerfrom the
love of Christ. We know not when our hour will come, therefore what we have
to do in constantpreparation for it, ought never to be undone. What way of
access the devil has to men's hearts we cannot tell. But some sins are so
exceedinglysinful, and there is so little temptation to them from the world and
the flesh, that it is plain they are directly from Satan. Jesus washedhis
disciples'feet, that he might teach us to think nothing below us, wherein we
may promote God's glory, and the goodof our brethren. We must address
ourselves to duty, and must lay aside every thing that would hinder us in what
we have to do. Christ washedhis disciples'feet, that he might signify to them
the value of spiritual washing, and the cleansing of the soul from the
pollutions of sin. Our Lord Jesus does many things of which evenhis own
disciples do not for the present know the meaning, but they shall know
afterward. We see in the end what was the kindness from events which
seemedmost cross. And it is not humility, but unbelief, to put away the offers

of the gospel, as if too rich to be made to us, or too goodnews to be true. All
those, and those only, who are spiritually washedby Christ, have a part in
Christ. All whom Christ owns and saves, he justifies and sanctifies. Peter
more than submits; he begs to be washedby Christ. How earnesthe is for the
purifying grace of the Lord Jesus, andthe full effect of it, even upon his hands
and head! Those who truly desire to be sanctified, desire to be sanctified
throughout, to have the whole man, with all its parts and powers, made pure.
The true believer is thus washedwhen he receives Christfor his salvation. See
then what ought to be the daily care of those who through grace are in a
justified state, and that is, to washtheir feet;to cleanse themselvesfrom daily
guilt, and to watchagainsteverything defiling. This should make us the more
cautious. From yesterday's pardon, we should be strengthenedagainstthis
day's temptation. And when hypocrites are discovered, it should be no
surprise or cause of stumbling to us. Observe the lessonChrist here taught.
Duties are mutual; we must both accepthelp from our brethren, and afford
help to our brethren. When we see our Masterserving, we cannot but see how
ill it becomes us to domineer. And the same love which led Christ to ransom
and reconcile his disciples when enemies, still influences him.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Beganto wash... - It was uniformly the office of a servant to washthe feetof
guests, 1 Samuel 25:41. It became a matter of necessitywhere they traveled
without shoes, and where they reclined on couches atmeals. It should be
remembered here that the disciples were not sitting at the table, as we do, but
were lying with their feet extended from the table, so that Jesus couldeasily
have access to them. See the notes at Matthew 23:6.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
5. beganto wash—proceededto wash. Beyond all doubt the feet of Judas were
washed, as of all the rest.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Poureth waterinto a bason; begins first to washhis disciples feet, then to wipe
them with the linen cloth he had taken. All this was done in the form of a

servant; so they used to do, as to guests that came to dine or sup with their
lords or masters.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
After that be poureth water into a bason,.... This also was a servile work, and
what properly belonged to servants to do; see John2:5. The bason to washthe
feet in, calledby the Jews was fixed by their doctors to hold, "from two logs to
nine kabs" (t); not "from two logs to ten", as Dr. Lightfoot has rendered the
passagereferredto. A "kab" held about a quart of our measure, and a "log"
was the fourth part of a "kab".
And beganto washthe disciples feet. This customof washing the feet was not
used by the Jews attheir passover, nor at their private entertainments, or
common meals, but at the receptionof strangers or travellers, which were just
come off of a journey, whereby they had contracteddirt and filth, and was a
servile work, never performed by superiors to their inferiors, but by inferiors
to superiors; as by the wife to the husband, by the sonto the father, and by the
servant to his master;and was an instance of greathumility in any others, as
in Abigail, who saidto David, "letthine handmaid be a servantto washthe
feet of the servants of my Lord", 1 Samuel25:41, upon which place some
JewishRabbins (u) have this note:
"this she said, , "by way of humility", to show, that it would have been
sufficient to her, if she became a wife to one of the servants of David, and
washedhis feet, as was the custom of a wife to her husband.''
But what a surprising instance of humility and condescensionis this, that
Christ, the Lord and master, should washthe feet of his disciples, when it was
their proper work and business to have washedhis? Though Dr. Lightfoot
says, he does not remember that this was expectedfrom the disciple toward
his master, unless included in that rule, "that the disciple is to honour his
master, more than his father"; whereas it was a fixed point (w) with the Jews,
"that all works whicha servant does to his master, a disciple does to his
master, except unloosing his shoe.''

Since therefore it was the work of a servant to washhis master's feet, a
disciple was obligedto do this to his master likewise:
and to wipe them with the towelwherewith he was girded; as he beganhe
went through with his work;and having washedtheir feet, he wipes them
clean;which may designthe purity of the lives and conversations ofthe saints
in general, and of the ministers of the Gospelin particular, whose feetare
beautiful when shod with the preparation of the Gospelof peace, and their
conversations are as become the Gospelthey preach; both which they have
from Christ.
(t) Misn. Yadaim, c. 4. sect. 1. Vid. Misn. Celim, c. 20. sect. 2.((u) R. Levi ben
Gersom& R. Samuel Laniado in 1 Samuel 25.41. Vid. T. Bab. Cetubot, fol. 96.
1. & Maimon. Hilch. Ishot, c. 21. sect. 7. (w) T. Bab. Cetubot, fol. 96. 1.
Geneva Study Bible
After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to washthe disciples'
feet, and to wipe them with the towelwherewith he was girded.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
John 13:5 εἶτα … νιπτῆρα. Eachstep in the whole astounding scene is
imprinted on the mind of John. “NextHe pours waterinto the basin,” the
basin which the landlord had furnished as part of the necessary
arrangements, [νιπτῆρα is only found here; but ποδανιπτήρis not so rare; see
Plut., Phocion, 20, where ποδονιπτῆρες filled with wine were provided for the
guests.]—καὶ ἤρξατο νίπτειν… “nihil ministerii omittit” (Grotius). [Plutarch
says of Favonius that he did for Pompey ὅσα δεσπότας δοῦλοι μεχρὶ νίψεως
ποδῶν.] He “began” to washthe feet of the disciples;“began,” perhaps
because, as Meyersuggests,the washing was interrupted, but this is not
certain.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
5. into a bason] Better, into the bason, which stoodthere for such purposes,
the large copperbason commonly found in oriental houses.

beganto wash]Beganis not a mere amplification as in the other Gospels
(Matthew 11:7; Matthew 26:22;Matthew 26:37;Matthew 26:74; Mark 4:1;
Mark 6:2; Mark 6:7; Mark 6:34; Mark 6:55; Luke 7:15; Luke 7:24; Luke
7:38; Luke 7:49; &c. &c.), and in the Acts (Acts 1:1, Acts 2:4; Acts 2:18; Acts
2:26, &c.). The word occurs nowhere else in S. John, and here is no mere
periphrasis for ‘washed.’He beganto wash, but was interrupted by the
incident with S. Peter. With whom He beganis not mentioned: from very
early times some have conjecturedJudas.
Contrastthe mad insolence ofCaligula—quosdamsummis honoribus functos
… ad pedes stare succinctos linteo passus est. Suet. Calig. xxvi. Linteum in a
Greek form is the very word here used for towel.
Bengel's Gnomen
John 13:5. Εἶτα, [after that] next) There is no doubt but that the disciples
must have been in a great state of expectancyas to what He was preparing to
do.—τόν)[the basin, not a]. There was generallywithin reach, in the room
where the supper was, a foot-basin, of metal or of wood, as our wash-hand
basin in the present day. This is the force of the article.—ἤρξατο, He began) A
new and marvellous “beginning.” The word is rare in John.—νίπτειν, to wash)
Greatcondescension, and yet becoming. The angeldid not do so to Peter, Acts
12:8.
Vincent's Word Studies
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRIAN BELL

John 13:1-17 7-26-09 “Love in Action”
I. INTRO:A. During the American Revolution a man in civilian clothes rode
past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. Their leaderwas
shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them. Askedwhy by the
rider, he retorted with greatdignity, “Sir, I am a corporal!” The stranger
apologized, dismounted, and proceededto help the exhausted soldiers. The job
done, he turned to the corporal and said, “Mr. Corporal, next time you have a
job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-inchief, and I
will come and help you again.” It was none other than George Washington.1
1. That’s an impressive example on a servant leader...buthow about the God
of the universe washing your feet? B. Ch’s.1-12 Jesusis the Light; Ch’s.13-21
Jesus is Love.
II. LOVE IN ACTION!A. LOVE TO THE END!(1-5) B. Jesus knew that His
hour had come - The 11th hour. 1. This hour didn’t creepup on Him & take
Him unaware. 2. Yet, He also wasn’t staring at His watch, watching His life
tick away. 3. He knew He only had 15 hours to live. Yet, He is not anxious; nor
nervously looking for a back door. He knows death is His destiny. a) He
knows that not only is His death the Father’s will but even His betrayal is too2
C. Loved them to the end - to the uttermost, eternally. 1. Or, He loved them to
the end of His life & to the end of love.
D. (2) Supper - Here we have a “5 chapter supper”! (ch.13:1-18:1)1. His last
meal, lastnight, & last opportunity to teachHis disciples! 2. Jesus’last words
speak of all the resourcesthat will be at the disciples disposal, afterHis
departure. 3. Location? a room in Jerusalem. Occasion? the night before
Passover. a)Passover - The day to remember back when an innocent, blemish
free lambs blood was spilt, to spare a household from deaths visit to their
home.
1
1 10,000Illustrations;Today in the Word, March6,1991 2 Chuck Swindoll;
John; pg.72.
E. (2,3)Judas self-serving;Jesus self-giving.

F. (3) He has all things in His hands or under His power, & does what with it?
Washes feet. 1. Wow, what humility! a) Did you Hear about the pastorwho
was voted The MostHumble Pastorin America? The congregationgave him a
medal that read, “To the most humble pastor in America” - Then they had to
take it awayfrom him that next Sunday…because he wore it!!! 2. Humility =
To stoop low (Gk). Carries the idea of serving another person. 3. Q: What did
the angels in heaven think now? “Ok, that’s too far Lord!” G. How clear - He
had come from God & was going to God.
H. (4) And now the demonstration of the verse, “I did not come to be served,
but to serve.”3 I. Here he deals with 4 principles regarding humility: 1.
Humility is unannounced - Jesus didn’t say, “Ok, men, I’m now going to
demonstrate humility!” a) Greatness does notconsistof exhalation but self-
sacrifice. b) As nature teaches us, the branch most full of fruit...bends the
lowest!:) (1) The question is: How low can you grow? 2. Humility is willing to
receive, w/o embarrassment - Tucking his feetunder himself, Peterpulls
away. a) Jesus stoops, Peterresists...a resistancethat leads to a rebuke. 3.
Humility is not a sign of weakness -Here Jesus “boldly rebukes” in the midst
of this humble task. 4. Humility does not play favorites - Humility is neither
selective nor exclusive. a) Jesus washeseachfoot...evenJudas’. b) If Jesus
were only human, He probably would have been tempted to use boiling water
to washPeter’s feet, & ice cold waterto wash Judas’. c) But He didn’t come to
scoldor to shun; He came to serve gently & humbly.
J. Jesus was able to perform this actof utter humility because of His keen
understanding of who He was, where He came from, & where He was going.
1. This is keyto humility in all persons - a healthy & balanced understanding
of who they are.
2
3 Mt.20:28
K. COMPLETELYCLEAN! (6-11)L. (9) Peter’s pendulum swing. (I can
relate) 1. This causes Jesusto put His finger on the pulse of a critical
theologicalmatter. M. (10) Explain public baths - 1. Example: Early Haiti
showers. Once showered, walk to room in flip flops, feet getdirty. 2. Q: How

clean? Completely! - Wow!That’s clean. 3. Q: When would they be clean?
They are! a) No need for “double dippin” (Needto be savedagain? No, 1 bath
is a enough!) b) We notice this doesn’t deny, but explains, a Christian will still
sin, even after being saved (bathed) his feet (Christian walk)will still get dirty.
N. Bathed (λούω [loo·o]) = washing the whole body; washed(νίπτω [nip·to]) =
sponge off feet 1. God bathes us at conversion, cleansing ourscarletsins white
as snow. 2. But, walking through life’s dirty streets, we pick up some of the
world’s grunge & grime. a) What we need in that case is not another
bath...just cleansing. b) 1 Jn.1:9 If we confess oursins, He is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1) [Context?
a believer already bathed]
O. Q: What did Jesus feelas He was washing Judas’feet? Did He pinch him?
or do ½ a job? Or, did He feelsorrow knowing his feetwould never ever come
clean!P. Q: What did Judas feel? It’s moments before Satan would possess
Him(27) & the last thing for Judas to remember is The One he was about to
betray...washedhis feet!!!
Q. Application: So I’d like you to recline at this table this morning. Jesus is
getting to your feet next. He stooping to washyour needs. And not your clean
& polite needs, but your dirty needs; your dirty feet of pride, your dirty feetof
insensitivity, your dirty feet of selfishness. 1. He wants to washour dirty feet
& teachus how to live as cleansedpeople.
R. BLESSED ARE YOU IF YOU DO! (12-17)S. (12)Jesus finishes & reclines
at the table again. It’s quiet. To drive this messageinto their hearts He asks a
penetrating question. Do you know what I have done to you? 1. 2 lessons
emerge:[1] Humility includes serving one another not just the Lord. [2]
Happiness results from demonstrating humility, not just learning about it.
3
T. [1] Humility includes serving one another not just the Lord! (14-16)U. (14)
Washone another’s feet - The synoptic gospels tellus that on their way to the
feast, the disciples had yielded to contention & pride. [They needed to be put
away!] 1. The were arguing on the way over here regarding, who was the

greatest!a) They were ready to fight for a throne but not for a towel!2. So at
least2 reasons why Jesus choosesthis activity on His last night w/His
disciples:Proud Hearts & Dirty feet. V. The command to do for one another
what Christ had done for them was not confined to washing feet. 1. Some
churches have a “FootWashing Service”. Butwe don’t do that in our Western
culture. 2. If we’re not simply humbling ourselves & serving someone, then
we’ve missed the whole point. 3. Note: Do washsomeone’s feet. It’s very
specialboth to do & to have it done to you. W. [2] Happiness results from
demonstrating humility, not just learning about it! (17) X. (17) Blessedare
you if you do them - Our faith is to be intensely practical!1. Not just a great
theology, but a practical outliving of it. 2. How you treat people; How you
spend money; How you spend your time. That’s predicated on how you view
God. 3. Love is best proved by service. Y. Blessedare you if you do them -
Simple obedience. As a soldier obeys his commanding officer, even when the
order conflicts with his comfort, convenience, orsafety. 1. The motto of the
Prince of Wales is “I Serve”!- And there is nothing nobler or more royal than
service. 2. Christianity is more than creed, & includes deeds. Z. Servanthood
is Love at Work, Love in Action! 1. Q: How canyou model Humility to those
around you? a) What’s the one job no one likes to do in your office? Or job
site? Or in your home? b) Do it & reap the Blessings ofservanthood!AA.Q:
Have you humbled yourself to receive His humble care? Orhave you tucked
your feet underneath you, as Peter did, too proud to let Jesus deal with your
needs His way? BB.Forsome of us, letting Jesus do that is not a struggle,
we’re comfortable with our relationship staying betweenHim & ourselves.
The hard part comes whenwe’re challengedto serve one another. But that’s
what Jesus tells us His way is all about!!! 1. Q: How is your attitude toward
humbly serving others? CC.Jesus has passedus His towel. Who will He bring
in your life this week to serve
ALAN CARR

John 13:1-20 JESUS:THE HUMBLE SERVANT
Intro: The last night of Jesus'earthly ministry was very eventful. He prayed
His greatHigh Priestly prayer, taught His Disciples many valuable truths,
observedthe Passovermealwith His Disciples and was betrayed into the
hands of His enemies. Through all of this, Jesus knows that in the morning,
He will go to Calvary and die on a cross for the sin of humanity. His is a bitter
cup! However, before He begins the events of the evening, before they come to
the table to eattheir last meal together, Jesus takes some time to teachthese
men a lessonin servanthoodthat still speaks to us today. In these verses, Jesus
reveals His heart and His mission. He proves to these men that He did not
come to be served, but to serve, Mark 10:45. In showing Himself to be a
servant of men, Jesus leftus a vivid portrait of the kind of heart we are to
have for others. In these verses, among other things, we will find out that
God's will for our lives is that we learn to give ourselves in service to others.
As we look into these verses today, I challenge you to let the Lord speak to
your heart. It may be that you will be able to see yourself as you really are
today and if you do, then you cancome to the Lord and let Him fix whatever
may be wrong in your life. Let's take the next few minutes and considerJesus:
The Humble Servant.
I. V. 1-5; 18-20 THE WORKOF THE HUMBLE SERVANT
A. V. 1 The Love Of The Humble Servant - This verse tells us that Jesus
knows He is nearing the end of His earthly ministry. He knows that He is
about to go to the cross and suffer for sin. He knows the end is near. Yet,
through it all, His heart is still overcome with love for His Disciples. The Bible
says, that He loved them "unto the end." That is, Jesus lovedthem perfectly,
unconditionally and eternally. His love never wavered, evenin the hour of His
own crisis.
(Ill. What a great encouragementthis is for you and me! You see, Jesus loves
us with the same kind of love with which He loved His Disciples. Jeremiah
tells us that it is an everlasting love, Jer. 31:3. Paul tells us that nothing will
ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus -

Rom, 8:38-39. Regardlessofwhat transpires in your life and mine, we are
loved perfectly, unconditionally and eternally with the awesome, agapelove of
Almighty God!)
B. V. 3 The Life Of The Humble Servant - This verse speaks ofthe life of
Jesus. WhenHe came into this world, He came as One sent from God to live a
sinless life and become sin for fallen men, 2 Cor. 5:21. He has accomplished
everything but the cross and He knows that after the cross, He will return to
His Fatherand once againshare in the glory of Heaven.
(Ill. Jesus had one purpose when He came to this world and that purpose was
to die for sin - Luke 19:10;John 18:37. Note: He accomplishedHis purpose on
behalf of every man! He did this because ofHis greatlove for you. In fact, the
cross is the absolute, indisputable proof of His love - Rom. 5:6-8! You may
discount everything else Godhas ever done for you and write it off as luck or
whatever, but you will never be able to shrug off the death of Jesus onthe
cross for your sins! The cross stands as a monument to the awesome love of
God for you and me.)
C. V. 2, 4-5 The Labor Of The Humble Servant - In these verses, we see the
Masterdoing the work of a slave. In those days, it was customaryfor a slave
to washthe feet of visitors. To not provide this kindness would be considered
uncivilized and inhospitable. Apparently, there were no servants available to
do this job for Jesus and His Disciples, so Jesus Himselfgets up from the
table, removes His outer garment, pours Himself a basin of waterand begins
to washthe feet of the Disciples. I can imagine the amazement that must have
filled their minds and faces as their Lord washedtheir dirty feet one by one.
Yet, as incredible as this scene is, Jesus was doing something here that was
unknown to all but one of the Disciples. He was washing the feet of the very
man who would, later that same evening, betray Him to His enemies.
(Ill. Jesus knew the heart of Judas!He knew that this man had never been
saved- John 6:64; 70. Just because Satan"put" the thought into Judas' heart
to betray the Lord does not indicate that Judas was somehow savedand then
lost his salvation. For Jesus Himself had already indicated that Judas was not
one of His true followers!)

(Ill. Instead of focusing on some minor doctrinal issue, we should instead see
the greattruth contained here. That truth is this, even though Jesus knew the
heart of Judas, even though He knew his motives, even though He knew His
plans, still He loved Him and offered Him severalopportunities to repent
before it was too late. Even at this point, it was not too late for Judas to have
been saved. Notice verses 18 and 20-27. In these verses, Jesus repeatedly
shows Judas that He knows what he is up to. Jesus is giving Judas an
opportunity to turn his life over to Christ. Jesus evenservedJudas as a slave
would his master. His love never failed!)
(Ill. What a lessonfor every personin this room today, but especiallythose
who are outside Jesus Christ. Pleaseunderstand that His love for you will
never end! You may rejectevery attempt of Jesus to call you unto Himself,
but restassuredthat no matter how many times you rebuff His efforts, you
will never be able to turn off His love for you and for your soul. In fact, He
has alreadyhumbled Himself on your behalf, when He went to the cross and
died for you!)
I. The Work Of The Humble Servant
II. V. 6-11 THE WORD OF THE HUMBLE SERVANT
A. V. 6-9 A Word ForSimon
1. V. 6-7 Simon Peter's Shock - When Jesus makes His way around to Simon
Peter, Peteris incredulous! He simply cannot believe that the Lord would
want to serve Him.
(Ill. I stand amazed when I consider all that the Lord has done, is doing and
will do in my life. That He would love me so is beyond my comprehension.
After all, there is no merit in any one of us to commend us to God. If we got
what we deserved, we would all be in Hell today, but thank God He doesn't
give us that which we deserve, He gives that which we do not! Salvationand
all the benefits of it are the products of God's grace. We enjoy what we do, not
because we deserve it, but because Godgives it even though we don't, Eph.
2:8-9. Notice that nobody is too bad for grace - Rom. 5:20.)

2. V. 8 Simon Peter's Stubbornness - When Peterhears that Jesus is really
planning to do this, he responds with a triple negative. He tells the Lord, in
effect, "you will never, no, never washmy feet!" This is the equivalent of
irreverence. After all, the first condition of discipleship is obedience. Peteris
simply refusing to submit to the Lord and he does so through a display of false
humility. However, Jesus reminds him of a greattruth. Unless a man is willing
to submit to the commandments of the Lord, he can have no fellowship with
the Lord - John 14:15;21. Obedience is the proof of love.
(Ill. We may tend to feel ashamedwhen the Lord blesses us, because we know
we do not deserve His goodness andgrace. Yet, at the same time, we should
gratefully acceptHis gifts and praise Him for them. True fellowship with
Jesus is found only in humble submission to His plan. Even when that plan
seems to containthe opposite of humility.)
3. V. 9 Simon Peter's Submission - When Peterhears this gentle rebuke, he
throws himself before the Lord and says, "If washing my feet will bring me
closerto you, then don't stop there, but wash all of me!"
(Ill. This is the attitude of surrender that God can bless!He wants us in a
place where we are looking to His and His will before anything other
consideration. Think about it for a moment. What is it that motivates you?
Peterwas motivated by the thought of being closerto the Lord. Does that
move you? If you are right with God it will! If it doesn't then that is an
indication that there is definite room for improvement in your walk with the
Lord.)
B. V. 10-11 A Word For All Saints - Jesus is telling Peterthat when a man has
washedhis entire person, louw, and he gets his feet soiledby walking through
the streets, allhe needs at that point is to wash, niptw, just the feet.)The
image here is crystal clearfor the believer. When we receivedJesus as our
personalSavior, He forever washedus from our sins - Rev. 1:5; 1 Pet. 1:18-19.
We have been eternally cleansedfrom head to toe already through His
cleansing blood. However, as we walk through life, we tend to fall into sin and
we need cleansing. Notfor the entire person, since that was accomplished
when we were savedand cannever be repeated. But, just for that particular

stain we gatheredwhen we sinned in our daily walk. This is where 1 John 1:7 -
2:2 comes into play (1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christhis Son
cleansethus from all sin. (1:8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1:9) If we confess oursins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(1:10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is
not in us. (2:1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.
And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christthe
righteous: (2:2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only,
but also for the sins of the whole world.
(Ill. Jesus is teaching us that we do not need to getre-savedevery time we sin,
but we do need to come to Him for forgiveness andrestorationof fellowship.
You see, if you allow yourself to go on in sin, you will keepwidening the
breach betweenyou and the Lord. The secretto true spiritual joy is the
practice of instant confessionof sins and failures before the throne of grace.
You see, Jesus is still washing feet this afternoon!)
(Ill. We need a heart like David's - Psalm32:5 "I acknowledgedmy sin unto
thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions
unto the LORD;and thou forgavestthe iniquity of my sin. Selah.")
(Ill. Please note that while Jesus saidthat the Disciples were clean, He also
knew the condition of Judas! It is impossible to hide your condition from the
all seeing eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows what we are and He knows
when we are just religious. He knows when we are hypocritical, and He knows
when we are insincere about of faith. He knows whether you are savedor not.
You might fool the restof us, but you will never pull the woolover Jesus'
eyes!)
I. The Work Of The Humble Servant
II. The Word Of The Humble Servant
III. V. 12-17 THE WISDOM OF THE HUMBLE SERVANT

A. V. 12-15 JesusGave An Example - Jesus setthe standard by which
everyone of His servant is to live their lives. In this actionof Jesus, we cansee
Him showing His followers that we are all expectedto serve one another.
(Ill. His Disciples had been guilty of arguing about who would be first in the
Kingdom of Heaven- Luke 22:24 They were all concernedover
Who would be the greatestin Heaven, but Jesus reminded them that true
greatness is a great paradox. Men never earn the respectof others by forced
obedience, but they earn the respectof others by first being a servant - Mark
10:42-44 42 "But Jesus calledthem to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that
they which are accountedto rule overthe Gentiles exercise lordship over
them; and their greatones exercise authority upon them." 43 "But so shall it
not be among you: but whosoeverwill be greatamong you, shall be your
minister:" 44 "And whosoeverofyou will be the chiefest, shallbe servant of
all.")
Jesus says that the path to greatnessis trough humility. This is one of the
greatparadoxes of the faith! There are severalothers. The way to life is
through death. The way to getis to give. The way to greatness is by becoming
a servant to others. Let's face it, there are not many genuine servant ministers
around these days. Everyone, it seems, is looking to get all they can. However,
this attitude is diametrically opposedto that of our Lord. He was willing to
make Himself the servant of all, and as a result, God has exalted Him and
given Him a name that is above every name, Phil. 2:5-11!
B. V. 16 Jesus Gave An Exhortation - The lessonhere is simple. If Jesus was
willing to be a servant, then all of His followers ought to be willing to serve as
well.
(Ill. Notice that Jesus justdidn't serve the ones He preferred. It might have
been easyto washJohn's feet. After all, John was the "BelovedDisciple." Yet,
John and his brother James were always trying to get just a little bit aheadof
the others. What about Simon Peter? He was the one who would deny Him
three times before dawn. What about Thomas? He was the one who would
doubt the word of the others and refuse to believe in the resurrectionof Jesus.
What about Judas? He was the one who for 30 pieces ofsilver would sellHis

Lord to the enemies. Jesus didn't allow any of the considerations to cloud His
love or His service!He treated them all equally and, in doing so, taught us a
tough lesson.)(Ill. We all have people that we seemto connectwith and we
have no trouble serving these folks. However, the true servant soonlearns that
he must serve all and serve them equally. The true servant is not allowedto
pick favorites, but must have the heart of Christ and be willing to serve his
enemies just as readily as he serves his friends!)
Matt 5:43-48
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and
hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good
to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Fatherwhich is in heaven: for he
maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the
just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not eventhe
publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not
even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
(Can we honestly saythis morning that we serve all men alike? Notif we hold
grudges. Notif we remember slights. Notif we think ourselves above others.)
C. V. 17 Jesus Gave An Expectation - Jesus says that if we know these things,
we will be "happy" if we do them! Happy means "Blessed." Whenwe take the
example of Jesus and out it into action, we can be assuredof the Lord's
blessing on our lives. In fact, there will come a time when there will be no
greaterjoy than that of being able to serve another in the name of the Lord!

(Ill. By the same token, not to serve when we know we should serves the
opposite purpose. Forif you know to do good, then you are sinning when you
do not - James 4:17!)
(Ill. Why do we seemto find it so difficult to serve another human? Why does
it seemto strain us so? Jesus neverhad a problem with serving. It came as
natural to Him as breathing does to you and me. God help us to develop a
servant's heart. That is, we need to getto the place where we are more
concernedwith the welfare of our neighbor than we are of our own - Phil. 2:4.
We need to reachthe place where we are more concernedwith promoting our
brother than we are ourselves. I don't know about you, but I have a lot of
work to do in this area!)
Conc:Jesus left us a wonderful example to follow. His was a life lived in the
service of others. If you were to sum up your life this morning, could you
honestly say that others come before you in your thinking and your serving?
Can you honestly saythat you are following the Lord's example to the best of
your ability? Or, maybe like the Disciples, you would have to confess that you
are often guilty of promoting yourself over others. Whatever the need this
morning dear brothers and sisters, there is hope and help in the Lord Jesus
Christ.
It may be that some here are just like Judas. You are in the church this
morning surrounded by the all the trappings of Christianity, yet like Judas
you have never truly been savedby the faith in the Lord Jesus. You have a
name that you are one of His, but you know deep down in your heart that you
do not really know Him. There is hope for you too! Like Judas, Jesus loves
you and will save you if you will come to Him right now. Will you respond as
the Lord leads you this morning?
STEVEN COLE
Wasting Your Life on Jesus (John 12:1-11)

August 17, 2014
This story of Mary anointing our Lord shortly before His death has had a
profound influence on my walk with the Lord for over 45 years now because
of a sermon I read and have re-read many times by the late Chinese preacher,
Watchman Nee. It’s the last chapter of his book, The Normal Christian Life
[Christian Literature Crusade], titled, “The Goalof the Gospel.” It’s also in a
pamphlet titled, “Why This Waste” (youcan find it online).
Nee points out that in the parallel accounts in Matthew (26:6-13)and Mark
(14:3-9; Luke 7:37-39 is a different incident), all the disciples joined Judas in
scolding Mary for wasting this expensive perfume on Jesus when it could have
been sold and the money given to the poor. But Jesus defends Mary by
replying (Matt. 26:13), “Truly I sayto you, whereverthis gospelis preached
in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spokenof in
memory of her.” Nee says (p. 186)that Jesus “intends that the preaching of
the Gospelshould issue in something along the very lines of the action of Mary
here, namely, that people should come to Him and waste themselves on Him.”
Or, to state it another way (p. 187), the gospelis “to bring eachone of us to a
true estimate of His worth.” If Jesus is the pearl of greatprice and the
treasure hidden in the field, then it’s not a waste to selleverything you have to
buy that pearl or buy that field. Jesus is worthy for you to devote all you are
and all you have to Him.
So this is a story about how not to waste your life. It’s also a story about
motivation: why do you do what you do for the Lord? Do you serve Him for
the satisfactionyou get when you see results? It is satisfying to see Him use

you, but that’s the wrong motivation. Do you serve Him because it helps
others? Again, it’s gratifying to see others helped, but that’s the wrong
motivation for serving Him. The true motive for serving Christ is because He
is worthy of everything you cando for Him and because you love Him and
want to please Him because He gave Himself for you on the cross. We learn
this from Mary’s actof devotion.
But John contrasts Mary’s actof devotion with Judas’self-centeredfocus and
with the evil plans of the chief priests, who now not only want to kill Jesus, but
also Lazarus, whose resurrectionwas resulting in many believing in Jesus. So
the story’s lessonis:
A life spent in selfless devotionto Jesus is not wasted, but a life spent on self is
totally wasted.
This story illustrates Jesus’words in Mark 8:35-36:
“Forwhoeverwishes to save his life will lose it, but whoeverloses his life for
My sake andthe gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the
whole world, and forfeit his soul?”
Jesus repeats this idea (John 12:25), “He who loves his life loses it, and he who
hates his life in this world will keepit to life eternal.” Mary denied herselfand
“hated her life” for Jesus’sakeby her extravagantact of devotion to Him, and
she gainedthat which would not be takenfrom her (Luke 10:42). Judas
greedily wished that he could have pocketedsome of Mary’s gift. In a few
days, he would sell Jesus for a paltry sum. But he forfeited his soul.
1. You will not waste your life if you spend it in selfless devotionto Jesus.
To put it another way, to “waste”your life on Jesus is to save your life.
Mary’s actreflects four components of selfless devotion:
A. Selfless devotionis costly.
Mary’s anointing Jesus with this perfume was costlyin at leastthree ways:
1) Selfless devotioncosts you financially: “Do I treasure Jesus more than my
stuff?”

Pure nard was a spice that came from the Himalaya Mountains in the far
north of India. It had to be imported to Israel at greatcost. We don’t know
where Mary gotthis 12-ounce jar of perfume. Perhaps it was a family
heirloom. Judas estimates that it could have been sold for 300 denarii, which
was equivalent to about 300 days’ pay for a working man (Matt. 20:2).
Figuring $10 an hour, 300 eight-hour days adds up to $24,000!Any wayyou
figure it, Mary’s actionwas extravagantly costly!Judas and the disciples, who
according to the other Gospels joined him in scolding Mary, were only being
sensible:She could have sold this jar of perfume, given 90 percent of the
money to help a lot of poor people, and still had a sizeable amount to give to
the Lord. But were they really sensible?
The Lord rebukes them (John 12:8), “Foryou always have the poor with you,
but you do not always have Me.” He was not saying that we should not help
the poor, but He was saying, “I am more worthy of your unselfish devotion
than all the world’s poor put together!” He was accepting the worship that
Mary gave Him because she rightly saw that He is worthy of all that we can
give Him and even more. As Isaac Watts put it (“When I Survey the
Wondrous Cross”):
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small:
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
The point is, devotion to Christ will costyou financially. If He bought you
with His blood, you don’t ownanything. It’s all His and He can direct you to
give some or all of it for His kingdom purposes. Probably, most of us would
have sold the perfume, given ten percent to the Lord, and pocketedthe rest to
spend on getting a later model mule! But Mary gave it all because she knew
that Jesus is worth it.
Many years ago, a pastorwent down from the pulpit one Sunday and watched
what eachperson put in or didn’t put in the offering plate as it was passed.
Some of his people were angry, others were embarrassed, but all were

surprised. Then he went back to the pulpit and preachedon the Lord standing
near the treasury in the temple and watching what eachperson put in,
including the widow and her two mites. He reminded them that the Lord
watches the collectioneverySunday to see what His people give.
So let me ask:Is your devotion to the Lord costing you financially? If others
lookedat how you spend your money, would they conclude that you must love
Jesus a lot?
2) Selfless devotioncosts you socially:“Do I treasure Jesus more than my
pride?”
Matthew and Mark say that Mary anointed Jesus’head, but John says that
she anointed His feet. There is no contradictionif she anointed both. Matthew
and Mark mention Jesus’head because anointing the head signified kingship.
John mentioned her anointing Jesus’ feetbecause it was the lowly task of a
servant to washa guest’s feet. In the next chapter John tells how Jesus washed
the disciples’feet as an act of greathumility that we should follow.
But Mary didn’t use a towel. Rather, she wiped the Lord’s feet with her hair.
RespectableJewishwomennever let down their hair in public. In fact, it was
considereda mark of a woman of loose morals (Leon Morris, The Gospel
According to John [Eerdmans], p. 577). But Mary was so caught up with her
devotion to Christ that she didn’t stop to considerwhat others might think
about her. Like David dancing before the Lord wearing only an ephod (2 Sam.
6:14-23), Mary castpublic opinion to the wind, let her hair down, and wiped
Jesus’feet. David’s fervent devotion embarrassedhis wife, but the Lord stood
with David. Mary’s actionmade the apostles uncomfortable, but Jesus sided
with Mary.
So ask yourself, “Do I treasure Jesus more than my pride?” Or, am I more
concernedabout what others think about me? People may think you’re a
zealotor a religious fanatic. But what matters is what Jesus thinks about your
selfless devotionto Him.
3) Selfless devotioncosts you some criticism: “Do I treasure Jesus more than
my reputation?”

Judas led the attack, but the other disciples echoedhis criticism. Matthew
26:8 reports, “But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said,
‘Why this waste?’” Theywere only being pragmatic and sensible. The money
could have benefitted many poor families. But instead, it was all wastedon
Jesus. Or, was it wasted?
Count on it: If you give yourself without reserve to Jesus, youwill be criticized
and the loudest criticism will come from some church members who will say
that they’re only using common sense in how the Lord’s resources are spent.
When Jim Elliot set his sights on going to the unreached tribes of Ecuador, his
Christian parents askedhim to considerwhether his gifts could be better used
among young people in the United States. He replied with a scathing
denunciation of the lukewarm American church (Shadow of the Almighty
[Zondervan], p. 132). He went to South America, where he and four others
were murdered trying to tell a lost, savage tribe about the love of Jesus. They
“wasted” theirlives for Jesus!
When John Patonlet it be knownthat he planned to move with his new bride
to take the gospelto the cannibals in the South Sea Islands, an old man in his
church would say, “You’ll be eatenby cannibals!” Finally, Patongrew
exasperatedand replied (modified from John G. PatonAutobiography
[Banner of Truth], ed. by his brother James Paton, p. 56), “My dear sir,
you’re getting up in years and soonwill be laid in the grave and eatenby
worms. If I can but live and die honoring the Lord Jesus, it doesn’tmatter to
me whether I’m eatenby cannibals or by worms, and on resurrection day, my
body will arise as fair as yours!” Selfless devotionto Christ involves personal
cost.
B. Selfless devotionstems from personallove and gratitude.
Although the text doesn’tstate it directly, Mary’s actionobviously stemmed
from her love for Jesus and her gratitude for His raising her brother from the
dead. Jesus lovedMartha, Mary, and Lazarus (John 11:5) and they loved
Jesus.
Love for Christ should be the motive in all that we do for Him. Judas
postured himself as being concernedfor the poor, but even if he had given

some of the money to the poor, he would not have been motivated by love for
Christ. People cangive greatsums of money to the Lord’s work, but their real
motive may be that they want others to know how generous they are. Some
Christian organizations caterto this by naming a building after a generous
donor, or telling potential donors that they will have a plaque put on the wall
letting everyone know that they donated this room.
But the Lord looks on the hidden motives of our hearts, not on our outward
actions. As Watchman Nee points out (ibid., pp. 189, 190), the first question
we must ask in all we do is, “Has the Lord been satisfied?” Did I do what I did
because I love Him and I wanted to please Him?
We’ve seenthat selfless devotionis costly; it stems from love and gratitude
toward Jesus.
C. Selfless devotionflows from knowing Jesus personally.
John 12:7 is difficult to interpret: “Therefore Jesussaid, ‘Let her alone, so
that she may keepit for the day of My burial.’” Mary had just poured out the
precious perfume, so she couldn’t keepit to anoint Jesus afterHe died. And,
how much did she understand about Jesus’impending death when none of the
disciples saw it coming? The meaning may be that Mary had not sold this
perfume, as Judas and the disciples had proposed, so that she could keepit for
this anointing of Jesus’body in anticipation of His death. Perhaps from her
time of sitting at Jesus’feet, Mary had some sense that Jesus was aboutto die.
Or, in the providence of God, she may have anointed Him unwittingly.
But in either case, Maryknew more about the infinite worth of Jesus than
even the apostles did at this point. Her personal knowledge ofJesus, gainedby
sitting at His feet, led her to this actof selfless devotion.
If you want to follow Mary’s example of devotion to Jesus, you have to follow
her example of sitting at Jesus’feet, listening to His word (Luke 10:39). Every
time we encounter Mary in the Gospels, she is at Jesus’feet—first, learning
from Him; then, pouring out her sorrow to Him; and now, expressing her love
and devotion to Him. You won’t love the Lord as you should unless you’ve

spent much time at His feet. You do that by spending consistenttime in the
Word and in prayer.
D. Selfless devotionresults in action.
Mary didn’t just think about this radicaldisplay of love, but then allow
reasonto prevail and not do it. Rather, she did it! Goodintentions are nice,
but it takes goodactions to produce results. This story highlights three results
that flow from selfless devotion:one from Mary, one from Martha, and one
from Lazarus:
1) Action results in the fragrance of Christ surrounding your life.
John 12:3 says, “And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”
If you had walkedin the door or stoodoutside nearan open window, you
would have smelled the wonderful fragrance ofthat expensive perfume. It was
in Mary’s hair, so that everywhere she went, the fragrance went with her.
Can people smell the fragrance of Christ on you? You ask, “Whatdoes it
smell like?” It smells like the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23):Love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, andself-control.
Does your home smell like that? Do others sense from the fragrance of your
life that you spend much time at Jesus’feet, worshiping Him in selfless
devotion? Do your relationships at church smell like the fragrance ofChrist?
I am often saddenedwhen I hear about strained or broken relationships
betweenbelievers. People who come into this church should smell the sweet
fragrance of our Savior on us.
2) Action results in service for Christ.
Here we’re looking at the simple statement in John 12:2, “and Martha was
serving.” In Luke 10:38-42, Martha was serving, but she was hassledby trying
to do it all herself and she complained to Jesus because hersisterwouldn’t
help. Also, as G. Campbell Morganobserves (The GospelAccording to John
[Revell], p. 207), in Luke she was fixing dinner for four people and was
hassledby her work, but here she is fixing dinner for at least17 people and
there is no word about her being hassled. Martha had learned from the

previous incident to serve out of selfless devotionto Christ. If you love Him,
you serve others for His sake without complaining.
3) Action results in witness for Christ.
Here, we’re looking at Lazarus. The text tells us three things about him: First,
Jesus had raisedhim from the dead (John 12:1). Second, he was reclining at
the table in fellowship with the Lord who had raisedhim from the dead (John
12:2). Third, his resurrectedlife resulted in many coming to see him and
believing in Jesus as a result (John 12:9-11). Some scholars saythat these were
just curiosity seekers andnot genuine converts. But John doesn’tsay that. He
just says (John 12:11), “on accountof him many of the Jews were going away
and were believing in Jesus.”
In this, Lazarus is an example for our witness:First, Christ has to give you
new life before you canbe a witness for Him. Granted, our transformation is
probably not as dramatic as a physical resurrectionfrom the dead! But people
should see a definite change in your life after you’re born again. Second, you
must spend time in fellowshipwith Jesus, learning from Him. Then, because
our Saviorcame to seek andto save the lost, as you grow to be like Him, pray
that God will use you to seek and save the lost. Wouldn’t it be great if we all
could put our names in verse 11 and say, “On accountof [Steve] many were
going awayand believing in Jesus”?
But this story isn’t only about how to “waste”your life by giving it in selfless
devotion to Christ. The other side is here, too:
2. You will totally waste your life if you spend it on yourself.
Judas and the Jewishleaders who sought to kill both Jesus and Lazarus were
acting out of selfish interests. Judas thought that more money would bring
him more happiness. The Jewishleaders wantedto hang onto their power.
But both parties wastedtheir lives because they spent them on themselves.
John tells us about Judas’greedin verse 6: He really wasn’tconcernedabout
the poor, but he was a thief. He had the money box and used to help himself to
the funds. If Mary had given her perfume to sell and give to the poor, some of
that money would have ended up in Judas’ pocket!Perhaps Judas had joined

the apostolic band because he thought that if Jesus became the King of Israel,
he would enjoy a nice position in Jesus’kingdom.
But now the future lookeddim. Jesus kepttalking about His death, not His
reign. This incident pushed Judas over the top. When Jesus came to Mary’s
defense with more talk about His death, Judas decided to go to the authorities
and betray Jesus. (BothMatthew and Mark place this event out of
chronologicalsequenceto connectit with Judas’ betrayal.)So for a measly
thirty pieces of silver, Judas sold his soul. And, the chief priests irrationally
wanted to kill both the author of life and the man who was raisedfrom the
dead because they both threatened their hold on power. Judas and the Jewish
leaders wastedtheir lives because they spent them on themselves. As Jesus
states (John 12:25), “He who loves his life loses it ….”
Conclusion
Mary’s actionreveals the proper basis for evaluating your actions:Did you do
what you did because you love and treasure Jesus? She didn’t do this out of
duty or pragmatism, but out of sheerdevotion for Christ. Mary did what she
did because she had a perception of Christ that even the apostles atthis point
lacked. She knew that He was worthy of extravagantlove. She gainedthis
knowledge ofChrist by sitting at His feet. When Jesus is your treasure, you
will spend your life in selfless devotion to Him.
At a pastors’conference, BillMills told about a time when he was speaking to
a group of Wycliffe missionaries in South America. On the lastevening as he
ate dinner with the director and his wife, she told him how years before they
had been assignedto translate the Bible into one of the Indian tribal
languages. This is a lengthy and tedious process.Before computers, it often
took as long as twenty years.
During the process, the translators were teaching the Scriptures and seeing a
new church emerging among the tribe. But as they came toward the end of the
translation project, the tribal people were becoming more and more involved
in selling their crops for the drug trade and less and less interestedin the
Scriptures. When they finally finished the translation of the New Testament
and scheduleda dedication service, not even one personcame!

This missionary wife was angry and bitter. She had given twenty years of her
life so that these people could have the Scriptures, but they didn’t evenwant
it! Then with regard to Bill’s ministry of the Word that week, she said(in,
Finishing Well in Life and Ministry [Leadership Resources International], p.
190.):
It is as though God has been washing His Word over my soul and healing me,
and He has opened my eyes to see this all from His perspective. I am just
beginning to realize now that we did it for Him! That is the only thing that
makes any sense in all of this. We did it for God!
Mills concludes, “Thatis the only thing that makes any sense in ministry. We
do it for Him.” The world may scornus and reject our message.Other
believers may criticize us and not appreciate whatwe’re doing. But we aren’t
wasting our lives if we spend them in selfless devotionfor Jesus.
Application Questions
Where does common sense (orwisdom) fit in with extravagantdevotion to
Christ? Shouldn’t goodstewards be sensible?
What does treasuring Jesus more than our stuff look like in practicalterms?
Is it wrong to have a savings account? To save for retirement? To take good
care of possessions?
Why is your motive for serving Christ primary? How can you keepthe right
motive in focus?
How practically canyou keepalive and deepen your love and devotion for
Jesus?
Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2014,All Rights Reserved.
CRISWELL
WASHING FEET

Dr. W.A. Criswell
John 13:1-17
2-7-71 7:30 p.m.
In the announcement of the messagethatI would speak from God’s Holy
Word at this hour, I calledit Washing Feet, and I knew that even in
announcing it that most of us would immediately think what could that do or
have a place in an ordinance so sacred, washing feet. You would only see it in
a harmony of the Gospels, where someone willtake all four of the Gospels and
follow the life of our Lord as it chronologicallyoccurred. Forno one Gospel
will recordeverything that we have in the message, in the Bible, but the
Gospels are written for a purpose. Matthew has a purpose. Luke, John, so
the Gospelwriters took out of the life of our Lord those things that
contributed to that holy purpose.
For example, John writes in order that we might believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God [John 20:31]. He took, therefore, sevenof the glorious
miracles of our Lord in order to present His deity. Therefore, no one Gospel
will delineate all that we have here in the Bible of our Lord. But when you
harmonize them, when you take eachone of the Gospels and follow the life of
our Lord, as what eachone will contribute, then you see this messageofwhich
John writes in the thirteenth chapter of his Gospel;washing the disciples’feet.
Evidently the contention among them arose as they were to be seatedat the
table, naturally, the Lord in the center. But who would sit on His right hand
and who would be seatedon His left hand? And Luke writes that there was a
quarrel among them. There was a contention, an altercation, who should be
greatestin the kingdom [Luke 22:24-30]. It was then following that harmony
of our Lord, it was then that John picks up the story in the thirteenth chapter
of his Gospel. At the Last Supper, seatedin quarrelsome contention, thinking
of themselves and of their ambitions, full of all kinds of vainglory, seatedat

that Last Supper quarreling, envious, contentious, full of self, who’s going to
be greatest?
"I am," said Simon Peter. "Am I not the chief apostle?"
"I am," would say John. "Am I not the beloved?"
"I am," would say Bartholomew or Matthew. They were contending. They
were quarreling. It was then that the Lord arose andlaid aside His garments
[John 13:4]. There is nothing that presents a man in greaterhumility than
nakedness. We may propose to be something dressedup, but naked somehow
we’re all pretty much alike, naked. Our Lord was crucified naked. The
artists are kind. They always coverHim. But what clothes He had, the
Roman soldiers gambled for them at the foot of His cross, andHe died naked
in shame [Luke 23:34; John 19:23-24].
He laid aside His garments and girded Himself with a towel, put a towel
around Him, poured waterin the basin and began washing the disciples’ feet
[John 13:4-5]. When He came to Simon Peter, impetuous, tempestuous,
volatile, Simon said, "Lord, are You going to washmy feet?" Thatwas the
menial assignmentof a servant in a Jewishhome, and there was no servant
there that night. So the Lord takes the place of the servant and washes feet.
"Lord, You going to washmy feet?" [John 13:6].
Jesus said, "Simon, you do not understand now. Somedayyou will know."
Simon Petersaid, "Lord, You are never going to washmy feet, never. I will
not allow You to washmy feet. No."
And the Lord said, "Simon, if I washthee not, thou hast no part with Me"
[John 13:7-8].
And the same impetuous disciple replies, "Lord, if it is that to share in the life
with You, do not washmy feet only, but my head, my hands and my head.
Washme all over" [John 13:9].
So after He had washedtheir feet, He put back on His clothes, He took His
garments and sat down and said, "Know you what I have done for you? You
call Me Lord and Master:I am. If I, your Lord and Master, have washed

your feet; ye, ye ought also to washone another’s feet. I have given you an
example, that ye should do as I have done to you. The servant is not greater
than his lord; neither he that is sentgreaterthan he that sent him. If ye know
these things, happy are you if you do them" [John 13:12-16];washing feet.
As a boy, and in my beginning ministry, I grew up with Primitive Baptist
people. They have an ordinance, washing feet. I was askedthis week,
"Pastor, whydon’t we have that in our church?"
I said, "Becausethe apostles were appointed of the Holy Spirit to interpret the
words of our Lord, and we have no recordin the Bible that the apostles ever
washedfeet. So we know it is not an ordinance in the church. We know that
our Lord was speaking ofthe humility, and preferential deference, and
personallove, and unselfish care by which all of us should regard one
another."
But I wish I knew something to do in our church that would be the equivalent
of washing feet. I have seenthose godly old Primitive Baptistpeople kneelin
the front of a brother, look up into his face and say, "BrotherNelson, may I
washyour feet?" And the saintedman of God with tears, say, "Yes, my
brother." And there with the watermingle their falling tears;washing feet.
In God’s kingdom there are no big and no little, no greatand no small, no
loved and no unloved. We’re all precious alike in the sight of our Lord, and
we are brethren and wholly loved, sweetprecious deference, preferring one
another. This ought to leaven, ought to be the cement that binds togetherthe
temple of the Lord.
And it was then after that lessonthat He broke bread and sharedthe cup and
instituted this holy ordinance. It begins in a bowing, in a humility, in a love
for Godand our brethren. "For I have receivedof the Lord that which also I
delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night, that night of the
Passover, the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: And when He
had given thanks, He break it" [1 Corinthians 11:23-24]. Why would the
Lord have to have a body? Becausea spirit could not make atonement for our
sins.

In the [tenth] chapter of the Book of Hebrews, the inspired apostle writes, that
the Lord in heaven said, "A body has Thou prepared for Me:I come,
therefore, O God, to do Thy will" [Hebrews 10:5, 7]. The Lord was incarnate
in a body that He might make atonement for our sins [Hebrews 10:6, 8-14].
He was clothed in human flesh that He might in that sacrifice offerunto God
payment for the debt and the judgment upon us. And it is symbolized, His
body, it is symbolized in this bread that we break [1 Corinthians 11:23-24;
Matthew 26:26].
And our Lord, in this holy moment, bowed before Thee, the best we know
how, Lord, we offer to Thee our songs ofgratitude, our words of praise and
thanksgiving, and our prayers, dear Lord, laid before Thy throne of grace.
And our Master, if they are not said right, and if they are not framed right,
may the Holy Spirit Himself reframe and resay our words of gratitude for
Jesus, that they might be acceptable in Thy sight, O blessedand precious
Lord. We do thank Thee for coming down from heaven, for taking upon
Thyself a body of flesh and blood and offering Thyself an atonement for our
sins. And as we break bread together and share it, Lord, it shall be a signof
our undying eternalthanksgiving to Thee. In Thy precious name, amen.
This is My body, which is broken for you; Take, eatin remembrance of Me.
And after the same manner also He took the cup, when He Himself had
supped, saying, This cup is the new testamentin My blood: this do ye, as oft
as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.
[1 Corinthians 11:24-25]
More than any other symbol is this cup the centerof time and eternity; the
blood of our Lord that encrimsoned the ground, poured out in expiation, in
washing awaythe sins of the world. When the Lord in the garden of Eden
took an innocent animal, and slew it, and its blood was poured out on the
ground, it was a type of this cup [Genesis 3:21]. When righteous Abel
brought the first sacrifice, a lamb, a firstling of the flock, poured out its blood,

offered it unto God, it was a symbol of this cup [Genesis 4:4]. When the death
angelpassedover that awesome night of judgment in Egypt and the blood of
the lamb was sprinkled on the lintel and on the doorpost, it was a sign and a
type of this cup [Exodus 12:13, 23].
The sacrifice in the morning and the sacrifice in the evening, every day, by
which the tabernacle and the temple were dedicatedunto God, the whole
sacrificialsystemwas a type of this cup. And as those in the ancient day look
forward to the atonementof our Lord, so since that day all of the saints have
lookedback to that holy hour. "As oft as ye do it, ye do it in remembrance of
Me" [1 Corinthians 11:25]: eating bread, drinking the cup, remembering,
thanking God, praising Jesus for the atonement that makes us clean, and
white, and pure.
And our Lord, with hearts filled with gratitude, we share this fruit of the vine,
crushed, red, crimson, a picture of the pouring out of the life of our Lord for
us. O Jesus, how could we ever frame the words to pronounce it, the depths of
our gratitude for Thy grace and love. SweetJesus, precious Savior, may there
be less and less and less of us, and more and more and more of Thee until we
could grow to that holy commitment where there would be nothing of us and
all of Thee. We give Thee, Master, everything we have, sanctified and
hallowed, that dedication, our minds and their thoughts, our hearts and their
love, our work and its fruit, our daily lives, our walk, everything, Lord, we
give in love and gratitude to Thee, in Thy precious name.
"This cup is the new covenantin My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in
remembrance of Me" [1 Corinthians 11:25].
No church has a sweeterhabit than we have, exceptthose who do the same
thing. After the Lord’s Supper, we join hands and sing, "BlestBe the Tie
That Binds."
CRISWELL

Jesus was a feetwasher

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