Scripture Reading - John 13:1-20

Christ’s Triumphal Entry, Prophecy Fulfillment, and the Upper Room

Today we will be reading John 13 1 to 20 where Jesus watches the feet of his disciples. You can find this on page 900 in the pew Bibles. Before this passage Christ returns to Jerusalem in the triumphal entry fulfilling Messianic prophecy we see from Zechariah 9 9.

We see an instance of Christ hiding himself from his entourage in order to pray to the Lord and proclaim gospel truths about himself. John introduces us to Christ's proclamations with more prophecy fulfillment from Isaiah.

Grand events and prophecy fulfillments are our leading introduction to the upper room discourse and to this passage today. John paints a strong picture of Christ's love for his elect following up with the depraved and sad picture of Judas the man whose heart was Satan's to strangle and manipulate.

Christ knowing Judas's heart gets into a posture of service before his disciples and prepares to wash their feet. The connection of Judas's betrayal to Christ's explicit service of his disciples is yet another prophecy fulfillment recorded by John where Psalm 41 9 claims that a close friend of the Lord will let this heal against the Lord.

He's not only here to fulfill his word and admonish Judas but to also teach his disciples and by extension his church how to rightly order their thoughts on service and on submission. Christ teaches his disciples of the servant is not greater than his master nor a messenger greater than the one who sent him in John 1316.

Christ talks about our personal role in representing him well with our actions and reminds us of our standing before him so that we may be blessed through our service to him. The obedience and action of the servant reveals the direction of the servants submission and Christ teaches this in particular to his disciples so that they may understand Judas's betrayal that is to come.

Service, Submission, and Obedience to Christ

How the service and submission of Christ is to be applied practically is described for us in passages like Ephesians 6. When we obey these commands we maintain a chain of obedience and service to our Redeemer Christ reflecting his perfect submission to God the Father.

For whoever receives the one I send receives me and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Part of Christ's perfect obedience to God the Father must then be to draw his sheep and we see this in verse 3 the confidence that Christ has that his Father has given him authority over all things so that he may act.

So in verse 17 we see that as part of this Christ knows those he has chosen. So if Christ is given authority over all things we believe Christ is perfectly obedient to the Father and we know that he knows his sheep then we must be assured of our security before the Lord.

Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

Let us read. Now before the feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father having loved his own who were in the world he loved them to the end. During supper when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simon's son to betray him 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, how 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 is bathed does not need to wash except for his feet but is completely clean.

And you are clean but not every one of you. For he knew who was to betray him. That was why he said not all of you are clean. When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, do you understand what I have done to you?

You call me teacher and Lord and you're right for so I am. If I then 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 as I say to you.

To do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

I am not speaking of all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but the scripture will be fulfilled. He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me. I am telling you this now before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

Truly, truly I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Amen.