Footwashing Service quotes

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FOOTWASHING Service quotes

1) “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

“After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.” John13:1-11.

2) This cleansing of the feet was usually done by hired servants or slaves, and when there were no servants, then one of the younger members of the family would be forced to perform this service for all their family members in order to show proper respect for their elders or other important guests.

When Christ and the disciples came into that upper room with dirty feet, they all noticed the pitcher of water, the wash basin and the towel placed in the room with which to wash their dusty feet, but there were no servants. This meant that one of the disciples would need to perform that humiliating task for all the others.

As Christ was their Master, He naturally went and sat down at the table for supper and then waited for one of His disciples to come and wash His dirty feet. But each of His disciples also went and sat down at the table along with Him.

After supper was over, and still not one of the disciples had humbled themselves to wash one another’s feet, Christ then rose up from the table, pour water into the basin, take the towel and then come over to where each was sitting and began to then wash their feet as their servant! It was at this point that pride and self-exaltation was fully crucified in each of their hearts, and then each disciple was bitterly reproaching himself instead of others for not being the first to perform this service for His Lord and Master without caring if it also meant becoming a servant to his fellow brethren.

3) When Jesus came to Peter, Peter said: No Lord, do not wash me as my servant, because I am your servant. But Jesus said that Peter needed to be washed by Him, or else he was not His disciple? Peter replied, then wash me completely, because I truly desire to be your disciple. Christ then basically said that those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour are washed in His blood and fully cleansed from all their sins, but there still needs to be the daily cleansing from the contamination of selfishness and pride so that self may become fully crucified and pride replaced with humility, and then they may completely represent Christ in character.

4) Why did Christ also wash the feet of Judas, even after He knew that Judas had already agreed to betray Him to the Pharisees? Because Jesus truly loved Judas – even though Judas had agreed to betray him! And since Christ loved him, then He was willing to humiliate Himself to the greatest extent in order to do all that He possibly could to bring Judas to repentance.

5) “So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” John13:12-17.

With this amazing example before us, who should we be willing to show our love to? To every one of our fellow brothers and sisters, no matter what they may have done to us – even to those whom we know are betraying us! This is because by our love being expressed to them may bring them to repentance, and then bind us closer to one another in love and unity. Now if our humiliation is to be done by us for those who have harmed us in the greatest degree – being betrayal, then our humiliation is most definitely to be done by us for those who have wronged us in the least degree!


	"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries home \| Sermon Quotes FOOTWASHING Service quotes 1) “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. “After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.” John13:1-11. 2) This cleansing of the feet was usually done by hired servants or slaves, and when there were no servants, then one of the younger members of the family would be forced to perform this service for all their family members in order to show proper respect for their elders or other important guests. When Christ and the disciples came into that upper room with dirty feet, they all noticed the pitcher of water, the wash basin and the towel placed in the room with which to wash their dusty feet, but there were no servants. This meant that one of the disciples would need to perform that humiliating task for all the others. As Christ was their Master, He naturally went and sat down at the table for supper and then waited for one of His disciples to come and wash His dirty feet. But each of His disciples also went and sat down at the table along with Him. After supper was over, and still not one of the disciples had humbled themselves to wash one another’s feet, Christ then rose up from the table, pour water into the basin, take the towel and then come over to where each was sitting and began to then wash their feet as their servant! It was at this point that pride and self-exaltation was fully crucified in each of their hearts, and then each disciple was bitterly reproaching himself instead of others for not being the first to perform this service for His Lord and Master without caring if it also meant becoming a servant to his fellow brethren. 3) When Jesus came to Peter, Peter said: No Lord, do not wash me as my servant, because I am your servant. But Jesus said that Peter needed to be washed by Him, or else he was not His disciple? Peter replied, then wash me completely, because I truly desire to be your disciple. Christ then basically said that those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour are washed in His blood and fully cleansed from all their sins, but there still needs to be the daily cleansing from the contamination of selfishness and pride so that self may become fully crucified and pride replaced with humility, and then they may completely represent Christ in character. 4) Why did Christ also wash the feet of Judas, even after He knew that Judas had already agreed to betray Him to the Pharisees? Because Jesus truly loved Judas – even though Judas had agreed to betray him! And since Christ loved him, then He was willing to humiliate Himself to the greatest extent in order to do all that He possibly could to bring Judas to repentance. 5) “So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” John13:12-17. With this amazing example before us, who should we be willing to show our love to? To every one of our fellow brothers and sisters, no matter what they may have done to us – even to those whom we know are betraying us! This is because by our love being expressed to them may bring them to repentance, and then bind us closer to one another in love and unity. Now if our humiliation is to be done by us for those who have harmed us in the greatest degree – being betrayal, then our humiliation is most definitely to be done by us for those who have wronged us in the least degree!