“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”” (John 13:3–10, ESV)

Our pastor gave a sermon on confession yesterday. He referred briefly to the above passage during the lesson. It caught my attention, so I thought I would share what I learned.

Jesus had been with the disciples for three years. All but one had acknowledged his Deity. They had come to know Him as Jesus, the Son of God. They were his family, his children. They belonged to the Kingdom. They were saved.

Jesus sets things up one night to wash their feet. He becomes the servant, doing menial labor, a low task that should have been done by someone else. Jesus used this as an opportunity to teach the disciples. This was not just a physical need being met. Jesus is illustrating a spiritual principle.

Jesus is the Servant. He came to cleanse people from their sin. Baptism is the outward expression of the inward change that takes place at salvation. Our old self is buried and our new is raised in the likeness of Jesus. As my pastor always says, “Buried in the likeness of His death, raised in the likeness of His resurrection”. We have been washed clean. Amen!

Although we have been washed, we also know that we still get dirty. Our feet collect up dust from walking through this world. It needs to be washed off. We don’t need a whole bath again. We are clean. This is what Jesus explained to Peter. So how do we get rid of this dust?

Here is the lesson. We need confession. We need to expose our dirty feet. We need to bow before our Savior and allow Him to wash off the dust we collect on a daily basis. We need to sit quietly before Him as He cleanses, touches us and soothes us. We wait patiently while He gently washes away the grime and then sends us out again.

Jesus told the disciples that they need to do this for others. I think we do too! We need to help others learn about washing off the filth and grime that collects from walking down the path of life. We need to direct people to Jesus for foot washing. We need to encourage confession. We do this best by example.

It must have been awkward for the first disciple in that room to sit still while the King of Kings washed his feet. I bet it was easier for each one after as he learned by example that it was a loving act by God who came to be a Servant.

I pray today with King David, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” (Psalm 51:2, ESV) It isn’t easy to humble myself and allow my filth and grime to be seen. But it is good! It is healthy! And it is Right! “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, ESV)

As I reveal my dirty parts today Lord, wash me. Refresh me. Clean me up in preparation for the next part of the journey. And thank you for being the Humble Servant who washes away all our sin and guilt.