A Study of the Book of John
“That You May Believe”
Sermon # 35
“Basin Theology”
John 13:1-17
The Lord and His disciples are in the Upper Room it is now just hours before his death. It is a crucial time and there is much truth that He wants to pass on to them. This record of the intimate teaching of Jesus to his disciples in the Gospel of John (comprising chapters 13-17) has come to be known as the Upper Room Discourse. In these five chapters we find Jesus teaching His disciples about love for one another, service, the comfort of the Holy Spirit, Heaven, and prayer. In background of this time of intimate teaching the shadow of the cross loams with increasing menace.
First, The Compassion Of the Savior. (vv. 1-3)
“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.(2) And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, (3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God.”
Sometimes when we know that the time we have with a loved one is short we look for every tender consideration that we may show them. Nothing no matter how small is too much too ask! But such is the love of God that when He knew that his own time earth was drawing to a close and very soon He would surrender His life as a payment for the sins of mankind His thoughts where not for Himself but for His Disciples. In the first verse of the John chapter thirteen, it states He loved his own “to the uttermost”. (RSV)
If you knew that you were to die a horrible death tomorrow what would you be focused on? Most of us would be focused on ourselves. But Jesus was not focused on Himself and what He was to face, He is focused on preparing His disciples for what they are to face!
We have not only the Compassion Of the Savior but …
Second, The Cleansing From the Savior.(vv. 4-11)
Verse four says that Jesus, “rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. (5) After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. (6) Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” (7) Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” (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.”
The Disciples are all gathered in the Upper Room with Jesus. The Passover Meal has just started. They are all present. Then something unexpected happened. Jesus suddenly rose from the table and took off his outer robe. Then he took a slave’s towel and wrapped around his waist. Filling a basin with water he knelt and began to wash the disciple’s feet. Slowly, methodically, He worked his way around the table. Silence, total and complete silence filled the room. No one dared to speak.
The process was repeated with each man. He first unlatched the sandal and set them aside. Then he brushed aside any excess dirt from the feet. Then he splashed water on their feet, massaging them with his hands. Finally, he dried their feet one by one with the slave towel wrapped around his waist.
To say that they were shocked would be an understatement. But, It was not the foot washing that bothered them. That was customary in those days. But if, it was customary and they had no servants why hadn’t they washed each others feet? The answer is not hard to find. Luke in his gospel account tells us that as the Last Supper began the disciples were having an argument among themselves as to who was the greatest (Lk. 22:24-27). For them it was demeaning to see their leader, the man they called “the Son of God” washing their feet.
Yet His actions are an almost perfect dramat-ization of Philippians 2:5-9, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,(6) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, (7) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. (8) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (9) Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name”
As Jesus made his way around the table washing the disciple’s feet apparently no one said anything until Jesus reached Peter. The disciples would all have been disturbed and ashamed, so they said nothing! But Peter was not going to stand for this sort of thing. Good old Peter, sometimes it seems that the only time he opened his mouth it was to change feet! But then again I think that Peter only spoke what was on everyone’s mind. The Greek was even more forceful than is stated in English! Peter emphatically states “Lord, You will certainly not wash my feet! and he adds “for ever” (v.8) to show that he is not just referring to the present moment. Commentators are divided some believing that Peter is reacting in deep humility while still others believe he is reacting from some deep seated pride but regardless of his motivation, when you get right down to it, both were wrong. In spite of the fact that Peter was humble enough to see the incongruity of the Lord of Creation washing His feet, yet Peter was still proud enough to try to tell him what to do!
Jesus is saying, “Peter, I know this action puzzles you; you cannot appreciate what I am doing. Do not worry, even if you do not comprehend at this moment, you will eventually. When the Holy Spirit comes, He will testify of Me, and guide you into the truth. Therefore, even though you may not like My actions, at least, obey My command-ment. Simon Peter, your foot, please!” [Ivor Powell. John’s Wonderful Gospel. (Grand Rapids: Kregel Pub. 1962) p. 276]
I n his typical over-reactive fashion Peter replies in verse nine, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” And in his explanation in verse ten, Jesus gives us a beautiful explanation of the process of salvation. “Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” (11) For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”
In verse ten Jesus explains that salvation is all about cleansing. In fact there is a two-fold aspect to this cleansing, there is first of all
•Cleansing for the Sinner (v. 10)
“He who is bathed” (louo) means complete cleansing – the sinner must be completely cleansed by the blood of Christ in order to be saved. As the Scripture says in Titus 3:5, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” When we first come to Christ we are “bathed” – the Bible calls this “justification by faith” – it is the washing away of all the guilt, and all the defilement and all the sin of our entire lifetime. This is a once-for-all-time cleansing need not ever be repeated.
But there is a second part and that is
•Cleansing for the Saint (nipto)
“He who is bathed (louo) needs only to wash (nipto) his feet” - the translated “wash” means spot washed, or cleansed of the defilement of sin. In verse eight Jesus had warned Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” That does not mean that Peter is going to lose his salvation! In other words, the enjoyment of our relation-ship with Christ is lost when allow sin to remain unforgiven in our lives. In Psalm 51 (vv. 1-4, 12) at perhaps the height of the unhappiest period in King David life (after his sin with Bathsheba) he wrote begging God, “Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. (2) Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. (3) For I acknow-ledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. (4) Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight” — (And then, and I have always found this fascinating) – David did not pray and ask God to restore to him his salvation – What did he pray? Does any one know? Verse twelve reads, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.” When we sin we lose the enjoyment our relationship with him. His attitude toward us does not change, but our attitude toward Him does! In 1 John 1:9 the believer is told, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Not only do we have the Cleansing from the Savior but …
Third, The Challenge of The Savior. (vv. 12-17)
“So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? (13) You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. (14) If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. (15) For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. (16) Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. (17) If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
They were willing to fight for the throne, but no one wanted the towel!
“Verily, Verily” (KJV) is again stated to emphasize the what he is about to say is important so they need to pay attention. Jesus then states the requirements of receiving the blessing pronounced in verse seventeen “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
Jesus did not say we would be happy if we think about these things or happy as we learn about them or happy (as have often thought) have them done to us. It says, Happy are you if you do them!
But the sad fact is that it is a whole lot easier to talk about service, think about service, and fantasize about service; even hear great sermons about service than it is to actually serve others!
Application
Five Classes of Christian Feet
Dirty Feet – Defiled Saints (John 13)
Cold Feet - Fearful Saints (Matt 24:12)
“love of many has waxed cold”
Hot Feet – Unstable Saints (2 Tim 4:3)
“will not endure sound teaching”
Dragging Feet- Sluggish Saints (Lk 9:62)
“looking back”
Tired Feet – Weary Saints (2 Thess. 3:13-15)
“weary in well doing”
“Basin Theology”
John 13:1-17
First, The ___________ of the Savior
(vv. 1-3)
Second, The _________ from the Savior
(vv. 4-11)
In verse ten Jesus explains that salvation is all about cleansing. In fact there is a two-fold aspect to this cleansing, there first of all
•Cleansing for the _______ (v. 10)
(Titus 3:5)
•Cleansing for the _________
(1 John 1:9)
Third, The ____________ of the Savior.
(vv. 12-17)
Happy (blessed) are you if you ___ them.
Application - Five Classes of Christian Feet
Dirty Feet – _________ Saints (John 13)
Cold Feet - __________ Saints (Matt 24:12)
“love of many has waxed cold”
Hot Feet – ____________ Saints (2 Tim 4:3)
“will not endure sound teaching”
Dragging Feet- ____________ Saints (Lk 9:62)
“looking back”
Tired Feet – ___________ Saints (2 Thess. 3:13-15)
“weary in well doing”
