Week 3

Thanks Erin, Julie and Tammy for really helping me experience these scriptures and think about humility. 

I love how perfectly this act of feet washing symbolizes the acts that Jesus will do in a few days with His death and resurrection.  As Jesus lays down his robe and puts on the towel we see images of the divine Christ laying down his position.  We then see him take the towel and remove the dirt from the disciples’ feet just as he removes the filth/sin from man with His death on the cross.  Then after the act we see Him put the robe back on as He resumes His position – just as Christ does when he rises from the dead and ascends from heaven to sit at the right hand of God. 

It’s amazing how many times I read this story and missed the part about the body already being clean and the feet needing washed.  I remember being in a Sunday school a few years ago taught by my dad – he explained the meaning behind this and ever since then I have loved this scripture.  Our “bodies” are clean when we are saved – that never changes.  But, as we walk through the world we pick up dirt on our feet.  This dirt is sin.  We cannot bring that sin into our relationship with God.  As it says in verse 6 – unless we wash we can have no part with Him.  We need to present our feet, our sin to Jesus and let Him wash us – we need to confess and ask for forgiveness.  He then will forgive us. 

This week we will do John chapter 14.  I would like us to take a deeper look at the first 7 verses and then a more overall look at the rest of the chapter.  Remember that Jesus has been telling His disciples that He is leaving.  Think of how the disciples might feel?  Then start with verse 1 of chapter 14.  Do not disconnect verse 1 from the rest of that paragraph – connect verses 1-7 into one lesson.  What is Jesus telling His disciples, what is He asking of them, what is He not asking of them?   How can that relate to us? 

The rest of the chapter has several reoccurring themes and a few profound statements.  We will come back to the verses on the Holy Spirit in a few weeks so don’t focus on those as much.  Think upon one or all of the following….

·         “Believe me when I say…OR at least believe on the evidence of the miracles. 

·         Jesus says multiple times that faith and love for Him lead to obedience

·         “Ask anything IN MY NAME, and I will do it.”

·         “Because I live, you also will live.”

·         “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.”