Scripture
Our verse for today comes from John 13:8, ” Peter said to Him, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’ “
Background
Dinner in the upper room wasn’t supposed to go this way. Jesus had sent Peter and John to town to secure the accommodations and to make ready the setting. They would see a man carrying a pitcher of water and say that the Teacher had need of a room where He could share the meal with His disciples. The master of the house would then show them the furnished upper room, and the two were to prepare it. Later, after all had occurred just as Jesus said, the thirteen were gathered for the Passover. Peter and John had provided the sacrificed lamb, the bread and wine, a basin and a pitcher of water. All was as it should be. But when the Messiah sat for the meal, His feet were still dirty and the basin was still empty. The thought to clean His feet, or even to clean their own feet, had not crossed their minds, not even Peter and John’s. They had set up the room and made sure water was plentiful, but their thoughts were apparently somewhere else. But Jesus was not surprised or offended.
He simply did as He always does and took the failings of man and redeemed it for His greater purpose. And in his shame and embarrassment, perhaps with eyes cutting over to John as if to ask, ” How could we have forgotten about the basin and the water? ” , Peter goes all Peter and declares that Jesus will not ever wash his feet. Never.
Application
But that opened up a lesson in salvation and repentance that we all need to hear. Jesus said if He did not wash us, we have no part in Him. Our salvation depends on being washed clean by His blood. Also, Jesus said the evidence of that regeneration is the routine washing of our feet, meaning the repentance and confession of our sin to our Savior. If we do not bring our sin and guilt to him, if we are content to leave the basin and the water over on the table, then it would seem there is a greater washing that still needs to take place, for a washed heart wants to reflect a washing Savior.
Charge
As we seek Him today, ask God for a burning desire to repent of your sin, and let Him wash you white as snow.
Author – Rich Holt | BCWorldview.org
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