Today’s message summary of March 12, 2017 from Columbus Morgan:
Jesus Christ gave instruction to His disciples as to what was going to take place as He was transitioning to return to the Father:
John 13:1-5
Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. Now by the time of supper, the Devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Him. Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into His hands, that He had come from God, and that He was going back to God. So He got up from supper, laid aside His robe, took a towel, and tied it around Himself. Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him.
The washing of the feet had to be a very awkward experience. The feet were most likely the dirtiest parts of the body because of where people had to go, even when you take into account where sheep would be and places of mud and dirt. The disciples watched in wonder.
John 13:6-8
He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”
Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t understand now, but afterward you will know.”
“You will never wash my feet—ever!” Peter said.
Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.”
Jesus told Peter that what He was doing then would not make sense, but later he would understand. He would experience the ultimate in humiliation, at the hands of the Romans, when He would be crucified.
Psalm 51:1-7
Be gracious to me, God,
according to Your faithful love;
according to Your abundant compassion,
blot out my rebellion.
Wash away my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I am conscious of my rebellion,
and my sin is always before me.
Against You—You alone—I have sinned
and done this evil in Your sight.
So You are right when You pass sentence;
You are blameless when You judge.
Indeed, I was guilty when I was born;
I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
Surely You desire integrity in the inner self,
and You teach me wisdom deep within.
Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
David knew that he needed to be washed by God in order to be clean…not just a physical washing, but a washing of his heart.
Jesus washed the feet of the disciples in order to show them that there was no room for pridefulness in serving Christ.
We are born with a selfish heart and it is rooted within us at birth. We have to put aside our own feelings and desires to be obedient to His will. Jesus Himself said, “not My will, Lord, but Your will be done.”
This washing was a demonstration of how you and I are able to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Unless Jesus Christ washes you from your sin and transgression, you are unable to have a relationship with Him.
John 13:9-11
Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
“One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him. This is why He said, “You are not all clean.”
Once you are saved, you are already deemed clean. We are made clean, but we now need to live as if we are clean.
Galatians 2:19-20
For through the law I have died to the law, so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
What do we need to clean up in our lives?
A lot of us have so much pride in that we do not want to admit to Jesus Christ those areas that need to be cleaned. The reality is that we cannot do it for ourselves. He has to do it.
Some of us have anger, pride and bitterness. What areas of your life need the basin, the pitcher of water, or a general cleansing? Jesus wants to clean and renew you.
John 13:12-16
When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you.
“I assure you: A slave is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him.
Once Jesus cleanses and renews you, it is now time for you to serve Him.
Philippians 2:5-8
Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,
who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be used for His own advantage.
Instead He emptied Himself
by assuming the form of a slave,
taking on the likeness of men.
And when He had come as a man
in His external form,
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.
Not just death, but the ultimate humiliation of death on a cross. Jesus, the creator of the universe, humbled Himself for our sake–because He loves us.
God is the head of the church and is our supreme authority, but He desires for us to live in such a way where we are reaching out to others in service for Him. He wants you to live in His example before others.
Jesus also wants you to live and thrive before others. He desires for you to live life to its fullest.
John 13:17
If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
We are to move into a relationship by allowing Christ to wash us, cleanse us, and to work in those areas over time. Have you allowed yourself to be washed and cleaned up?
Has God placed you into a position of authority where you can reflect God’s love to others? God has laid on my heart to really go hard for Him, and worship Him before others in the public and in the workplace that does something different…more different than ever before. Things may or may not work out as they should, but God will be with you as He works with you.
Philippians 1:6
I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
It’s hard to praise the Lord when things aren’t going well, but He challenges us to do just that. We have to lift up the name of Jesus in bad times just as we do when things are going well.
Akron Alliance Fellowship 