"The Servant King"

“The Servant King”

 

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist.  After that He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.  He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”  Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”          John 13:3-7

 

In the Middle Eastern part of the world, foot-washing was a custom that people used for their guests.  Many walked LONG distances on foot, and their paths were DIRTY and DUSTY.  So the SERVANTS of the house, would come and wash the DIRTY, DUSTY, HOT feet of their guests, this was an act of courtesy.  This act of FOOT-WASHING that Jesus did for His disciples, however, was a lesson in HUMILITY, something they NEEDED to apply in their own life.  They had just been discussing who would be greater in the Kingdom.

 

Jesus KNEW where He came from and where He was going back to.  He left the GLORIES of Heaven and laid aside His DIETY, and picked up the role of being a SERVANT.  Then the KING of kings, HUMBLED Himself, and ALL through His ministry, He carried out the role of SERVANTHOOD.  This was a lesson, He wanted His disciples to learn, before He was to carry out the WILL of His Heavenly Father.  His death was imminent, and the act of foot-washing was a HUMBLING of one’s character, which the disciples NEEDED, and Jesus wanted them to LEARN this lesson, before His departure from earth.

 

It must have been a very QUIET, JAW-DROPPING moment, as the disciples watched their LORD take the towel and wrap  it around His waist, then pick-up the basin of water and proceed to WASH the feet of each disciple.  If their LORD washed their feet, then they should wash each other’s feet.  However, Peter’s mouth got in the way of his LEARNING this important lesson.  He was shocked that His LORD wanted to WASH HIS FEET, and so he said to Jesus:  “Lord, are you going to wash MY FEET?”  And Jesus replied, “You do NOT realize NOW what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 

 

Peter, again let his MOUTH get in his way; “No,” said Peter, “You shall never wash my feet.”  Jesus answered, “Unless I wash your feet, you have NO PART with Me.”  This was a picture of the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus.  Basically, it is this way, “If you reject the CLEANSING POWER of the blood of Jesus, you are NOT a PART of Him.  Have you SURRENDERED yourself to the CLEANSING POWER of the BLOOD of Jesus?  Are YOU a PART of Him?

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are NOT a PART of the Body of Christ.  But you are dabbling in the MUDDY water of SATAN, and will spend your ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  In order to be CLEANSED by the BLOOD of Christ Jesus, you must be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS, your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be TOTALLY CLEANSED by His BLOOD, and put into action your SERVANT HEART.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!