April 23, 2017
John 13:1-11
A very interesting and very important lesson taught here in the Word of God. Pay close attention as we read the scripture, i.e. Verses 8-10 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.
Peter did not understand all of the lessons nor did any of the disciples, Joh 13:7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. It is evident from 1 and 2 Peter that Peter gained understanding and experienced this lesson and it changed his life. From Peter's answer, I believe he understood the lesson of humility and being a servant to others but not the lesson taught in the washings.
There are two washing presented in these verses: 1. "He that is washed..." Occurred when you believed on Christ for eternal life. 2. "...needeth not save to wash his feet..." Represents cleansing from sin after salvation and takes place when you confess your sin to Christ. Have you been washed (Saved)? Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. Are you keeping your feet clean (your daily life)?
Jesus is teaching a very simple lesson and it is a lesson that we need to hear! Jesus is giving an illustration that sin in the life of a Christian will keep you from having a part with Christ. Sin breaks the fellowship - separates you from the power of Christ - render you useless in completing your assignment for Him.
Eternal Salvation is a one-time transaction ["He that is washed"] - Walking with Christ is a daily exercise. [Requires daily washing -pictured by washing the feet]
Jesus said," If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me..." Peter said, Lord wash me all over, I want to have a part with you. He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean,...". Peter had been washed (saved) but he needed daily washing (pictured by washing the feet).
1. "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me..." This is an eternal truth about our life after salvation. Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you have no part with me". This does not refer to being saved. He is telling us (the saved) a truth about life, as one who is saved. "....hast no part with me..." "Part" means to share something with Christ. This is not sharing eternal life with Christ - Eternal Life is the gift of God; it is about taking that life (the gift) and using it for Him, Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
- Having a part (allotment - an allotted portion) with Christ is about: Abiding in Christ, John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
- It is about suffering with Him, 2 Tim. 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
- It is about being a disciple. It is being approved by Christ - hearing "well done thou good and faithful servant".
- It is about not being ashamed at the judgment seat of Christ, 1 Cor. 3:14-15. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Some Christians Live under a False Assumption about their Life
Death does not change your life. Death seals and frames your life. If you die with UN -confessed sin, you have UN - confessed at the judgment seat. Death does not change you from an unfaithful Christian to a faithful Christian; it does not change you from a selfish person to an unselfish person. Death seals your destiny and your standing at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Your vision of life should extend to the Judgment, 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. The story is told of the Indian Chief as he came down to death; when asked if he feared death, he answered: it is not death I fear, it is the judgment. It is the day of accountability - that should impact our life. That is the lesson Christ is teaching to the disciples.
How the LORD views us should be the focus of our life. We like the end of any story to be good, right and for justice to be done. In the holly wood scripts, the end can be written as the writer chooses. We are writing the script of our life, by the choices we make. Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
2. "...he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit.."Teaches us that being born again, being saved, (terms that mean the same) is once for all. Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; It means He will never rise to redo that finished work. And when you understand, that He (Christ) through what He did guarantees you Eternal Life; you can rejoice with joy unspeakable because you are anchored in the truth of the gospel.
John 13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed (saved) needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. The only one not saved in this group is Judas. See verse 11 for he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
The Word of Christ (He is the Word) pronounces us clean. John 13:10 "...ye are clean..." John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
3. "...thou hast no part with me." Christ is communicating to us that having a part with Him is being close to Him. For Him to cleanse you requires you to be close to Him. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 1 John 1:6-7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
You know most people do not want to know about that closeness. It is the same thing Paul is saying in Phil. 3: 7-10 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Paul said , "I count all things but loss" to have a part with Him. In others words he is saying I consider them lost. "Excellency" means super pre-importance. The knowledge of Christ is super pre-important. "I count all things but loss" on account of the surpassing Excellency of knowing Christ. Knowing and understanding Christ is greater than all other or anything.
Then he said for whom I have suffered the loss of all things. He not only considered them lost - he actually lost them. Why? That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; - so he could have a part with Christ.
Have you been washed by Christ? All over, as being forgiven and given a home in heaven, Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. You have the right to believe, to rest your case in Christ, for you were included in all that Christ did on the cross. For believing on Him for eternal life, He guarantees you a home in heaven, Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Are you keeping your feet clean? As in confessing our sins, the daily cleansing needed as we live in this world. 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
<