August 3, 2024 • 10 mins
Join us for week 18 of the Living Words podcast, hosted by Charles Vance, as we delve into the profound event of Jesus washing His disciples' feet from John 13:1-20. This week's episode, drawn from the "In His Footsteps" devotional, explores themes of servitude, love, and true leadership. Discover how Jesus' humble act of washing feet upends conventional notions of power and authority, setting a powerful example of servant leadership. Reflect on the spiritual cleansing necessary for communion with Christ and the depth of Jesus' forgiveness, even towards His betrayer. Engage with thought-provoking questions and heartfelt prayers, inviting you to embody the humility and sacrificial love of Christ in your own life. Tune in and be inspired to walk closer with Him. Listen now to deepen your understanding and connection with God's Word.
Get a copy of the In His Footsteps devotional here.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning.
This is week 18 in In HisFootsteps, I'm Charles Vance and
this is the Living Wordspodcast, and if you'd like to
have your own copy of the In HisFootsteps devotional, from
which I've been doing these from, I'll put a link to it in the
show notes, although it's notreally necessary if you don't
(00:22):
want to, because I'm going to gothrough this devotional in full
Now.
This week we're going to bedealing with the washing of the
disciples' feet, and it'scovered in John 13, 1 through 20
.
So I'm going to open in prayer.
Father, thank you for thismorning, thank you for the day.
We just praise your name.
(00:44):
We pray that you would open ourhearts, our minds, our ears to
hear your word, to see your word, to see you in your glory, and
that our heart would perceiveand understand the things from
your living word, and that itwould speak to us and speak into
our day and speak into our week, that we could have a closer
(01:05):
relationship with you, that weconnect with you and understand
our position in you.
Alright, now I'm going to readfrom John 13, 1-20.
And I'm using the New KingJames Version today.
Now, before the feast of thePassover, when Jesus knew that
his hour had come that he shoulddepart from this world to the
(01:28):
Father.
Having loved his own who werein the world, he loved them to
the end, and, supper being ended, the devil having already put
it into the heart of Judas,iscariot, simon's son, to betray
him.
Jesus, knowing that the Fatherhad given all things into his
hands and that he had come fromGod and was going to God, rose
(01:49):
from the supper, laid aside hisgarments, took a towel and
girded himself.
After that, he poured waterinto a basin and began to wash
the disciples' feet and to wipethem with the towel with which
he was girded.
And then he came to Simon Peterand Peter said to him Lord, are
you washing my feet?
And Jesus answered and said tohim what I am doing.
(02:13):
You do not understand now, butyou will know after this.
And Peter said to him you shallnever wash my feet.
And Jesus answered him If I donot wash you, you have no part
with me.
And Simon Peter said to himLord, not my feet only, but also
my hands and my head.
And Jesus said to him he who isbathed needs only to wash his
(02:37):
feet, but is completely clean.
And you are clean, but not allof you, for he knew who would
betray him and therefore he saidyou are not all clean.
And so, when he had washedtheir feet, taken his garments
and sat down again, he said tothem Do you know what I have
done to you?
You call me teacher and Lordand you say Well, for so I am.
(02:59):
If I, then your Lord andteacher, have washed your feet,
you also ought to wash oneanother's feet, for I have given
you an example that you shoulddo as I have done to you.
Most assuredly, I say to you,as a servant is not greater than
his master, nor is he who issent greater than he who sent
him.
If you know these things,blessed are you if you do them.
(03:24):
I do not speak concerning allof you, I know whom I have
chosen, but that the scripturemay be fulfilled.
He who eats bread with me haslifted up his heel against me,
and now I tell you, before itcomes, that when it does come to
pass, you may believe that I amhe.
Most assuredly, I say to you hewho receives whomever I send
(03:45):
receives me, and he who receivesme receives him who sent me.
This passage captures theprofound event of Jesus washing
his disciples' feet, a momentrich with theological depth and
practical lessons on servitude,love and the nature of true
(04:05):
leadership.
Set against the backdrop of theLast Supper before his
crucifixion, the narrative notonly foreshadows the ultimate
act of love, his sacrifice onthe cross, but also establishes
a new paradigm of understandingfor authority and service in the
kingdom of God.
The passage opens with Jesusfully aware of his impending
(04:27):
death, betrayal and the divineauthority entrusted to him by
the Father.
It's within this context thathe chooses to perform a task
reserved for servants washingthe feet of his disciples.
This act, loaded with culturaland spiritual significance,
becomes a central teaching forhis followers.
Now, servant leadership is oneof the key, significant things
(04:53):
about this.
So by washing the feet of hisdisciples, he models the essence
of servant leadership.
He inverts conventional notionsof power and authority,
teaching that true greatness inGod's kingdom is measured by
humility and service to others.
There's a new commandment oflove.
The act prefigures the newcommandment he will give later
(05:17):
to love one another as he hasloved them.
The foot washing serves as atangible expression of his love,
illustrating how his followersare to live out this commandment
in their relationships with oneanother.
Then there's purification andsanctification.
The washing of feet, beyond itscultural context as a sign of
(05:37):
hospitality, symbolizesspiritual cleansing and the
sanctification that comes fromJesus.
There's a spiritual cleansingand the sanctification that
comes from Jesus.
Peter's initial refusal and hisresponse highlight the
necessity of accepting his workfor your participation in life
(06:00):
and his mission.
And there's betrayal andforgiveness.
Even as he washes the feet ofhis disciples, he is fully aware
of the impending betrayal byJudas.
The act underscores the depthof his forgiveness and love,
extending even to those whowould betray him.
Then there's the call toimitate Christ.
He explicitly instructs hisdisciples to follow his example
(06:20):
of humility and service, whichestablishes a pattern for
Christian living and thattranscends cultural and temporal
boundaries, calling allbelievers to embody the humility
and sacrificial love of Christ.
Here's some lessons the essenceof servant leadership.
Jesus demonstrates that trueleadership is characterized by
(06:42):
humility and service to others.
Jesus demonstrates that trueleadership is characterized by
humility and service to others.
By washing his disciples' feet,an act typically performed by
servants, he inverts theconventional notions of power
and authority.
The act serves as a model forall who wish to follow him and
teaches that greatness in thekingdom of God is measured by
one's willingness to serve.
The Necessity of SpiritualCleansing for Communion with
(07:03):
Christ.
The dialogue between Jesus andPeter during the foot washing.
The necessity of spiritualcleansing for communion with
Christ.
The dialogue between Jesus andPeter during the foot washing
symbolizes the need forspiritual cleansing to have a
part with Jesus.
This interaction highlights theimportance of allowing him to
cleanse us from our sins andunderscores the broader
spiritual truth that ourfellowship with him and
participation in his kingdomdepends on accepting his work in
(07:26):
our lives.
Beyond the immediate context offoot washing, jesus establishes
a principle for his followersto emulate his humility and
sacrificial love in theirinteractions with others, and
this lesson extends the act ofservice to a broader call to
love one another as he loved us,embodying his selflessness and
(07:47):
care in our relationships andcommunities.
How does the act of jesuswashing the disciples feet
challenge your understanding ofleadership and greatness?
My understanding of leadershipand greatness was, I think,
conventionally is well, I'm theboss, I'm in charge, I tell you
(08:07):
what to do, which is aninversion, because Jesus is
saying no, if you're the leader,you'll serve.
What can I do for you?
Reflect on the significance ofthis washing of the feet of his
disciples, including Judas.
What does that tell you abouthis nature?
I mean, really, you know thisguy's going to stab you in the
(08:32):
back, you know it, and you'regoing to wash his feet.
No, I'm going to smack him inthe face.
That's the self.
And he's saying you have tocast that aside and you have to
take your garment that you'vegirded in and wash the feet of
your betrayer.
(08:54):
Here's some suggested prayers,and this is a prayer for a
servant's heart.
Heavenly Father, in a worldthat often equates greatness
with power and status, teach usthe humility and grace
exemplified by Jesus as hewashed his disciples' feet.
Grant us a servant's hearteager to serve rather than be
(09:16):
served, and to love others withthe selflessness of Christ.
Help us to embody trueleadership grounded in
compassion and service, that wemight reflect your love and
grace to those around us.
Amen.
Prayer for Spiritual Cleansingand Communion.
Lord Jesus, you have shown usthe profound necessity of being
(09:38):
cleansed by you to have a partin your life.
We confess our sins andshortcomings, asking for your
forgiveness and cleansing.
Wash us anew with your gracethat we may walk in fellowship
and communion with you every day.
May our lives be a testament tothe transformative power of
your love and purification.
Amen, holy Spirit, inspire usto love one another as Jesus
(10:04):
loved us sacrificially,unconditionally and generously
In a world marked by divisionand selfishness.
Empower us to be the agents ofyour love, breaking down
barriers and building bridges ofkindness and understanding.
Strengthen us to embody Jesus'commandment to love that through
our actions the world may see areflection of your love and be
(10:25):
drawn to you.
Amen.
Thank you for joining me thisweek.
I hope it's been a blessing.
If you found something in hereyou can take forward into this
day and into this week and drawcloser to Yeshua.
Jesus Christ.
Amen, and I'll see you nexttime.
Good morning.
This is week 18 in In HisFootsteps, I'm Charles Vance and
this is the Living Wordspodcast, and if you'd like to
have your own copy of the In HisFootsteps devotional, from
which I've been doing these from, I'll put a link to it in the
show notes, although it's notreally necessary if you don't
(00:22):
want to, because I'm going to gothrough this devotional in full
Now.
This week we're going to bedealing with the washing of the
disciples' feet, and it'scovered in John 13, 1 through 20
.
So I'm going to open in prayer.
Father, thank you for thismorning, thank you for the day.
We just praise your name.
(00:44):
We pray that you would open ourhearts, our minds, our ears to
hear your word, to see your word, to see you in your glory, and
that our heart would perceiveand understand the things from
your living word, and that itwould speak to us and speak into
our day and speak into our week, that we could have a closer
(01:05):
relationship with you, that weconnect with you and understand
our position in you.
Alright, now I'm going to readfrom John 13, 1-20.
And I'm using the New KingJames Version today.
Now, before the feast of thePassover, when Jesus knew that
his hour had come that he shoulddepart from this world to the
(01:28):
Father.
Having loved his own who werein the world, he loved them to
the end, and, supper being ended, the devil having already put
it into the heart of Judas,iscariot, simon's son, to betray
him.
Jesus, knowing that the Fatherhad given all things into his
hands and that he had come fromGod and was going to God, rose
(01:49):
from the supper, laid aside hisgarments, took a towel and
girded himself.
After that, he poured waterinto a basin and began to wash
the disciples' feet and to wipethem with the towel with which
he was girded.
And then he came to Simon Peterand Peter said to him Lord, are
you washing my feet?
And Jesus answered and said tohim what I am doing.
(02:13):
You do not understand now, butyou will know after this.
And Peter said to him you shallnever wash my feet.
And Jesus answered him If I donot wash you, you have no part
with me.
And Simon Peter said to himLord, not my feet only, but also
my hands and my head.
And Jesus said to him he who isbathed needs only to wash his
(02:37):
feet, but is completely clean.
And you are clean, but not allof you, for he knew who would
betray him and therefore he saidyou are not all clean.
And so, when he had washedtheir feet, taken his garments
and sat down again, he said tothem Do you know what I have
done to you?
You call me teacher and Lordand you say Well, for so I am.
(02:59):
If I, then your Lord andteacher, have washed your feet,
you also ought to wash oneanother's feet, for I have given
you an example that you shoulddo as I have done to you.
Most assuredly, I say to you,as a servant is not greater than
his master, nor is he who issent greater than he who sent
him.
If you know these things,blessed are you if you do them.
(03:24):
I do not speak concerning allof you, I know whom I have
chosen, but that the scripturemay be fulfilled.
He who eats bread with me haslifted up his heel against me,
and now I tell you, before itcomes, that when it does come to
pass, you may believe that I amhe.
Most assuredly, I say to you hewho receives whomever I send
(03:45):
receives me, and he who receivesme receives him who sent me.
This passage captures theprofound event of Jesus washing
his disciples' feet, a momentrich with theological depth and
practical lessons on servitude,love and the nature of true
(04:05):
leadership.
Set against the backdrop of theLast Supper before his
crucifixion, the narrative notonly foreshadows the ultimate
act of love, his sacrifice onthe cross, but also establishes
a new paradigm of understandingfor authority and service in the
kingdom of God.
The passage opens with Jesusfully aware of his impending
(04:27):
death, betrayal and the divineauthority entrusted to him by
the Father.
It's within this context thathe chooses to perform a task
reserved for servants washingthe feet of his disciples.
This act, loaded with culturaland spiritual significance,
becomes a central teaching forhis followers.
Now, servant leadership is oneof the key, significant things
(04:53):
about this.
So by washing the feet of hisdisciples, he models the essence
of servant leadership.
He inverts conventional notionsof power and authority,
teaching that true greatness inGod's kingdom is measured by
humility and service to others.
There's a new commandment oflove.
The act prefigures the newcommandment he will give later
(05:17):
to love one another as he hasloved them.
The foot washing serves as atangible expression of his love,
illustrating how his followersare to live out this commandment
in their relationships with oneanother.
Then there's purification andsanctification.
The washing of feet, beyond itscultural context as a sign of
(05:37):
hospitality, symbolizesspiritual cleansing and the
sanctification that comes fromJesus.
There's a spiritual cleansingand the sanctification that
comes from Jesus.
Peter's initial refusal and hisresponse highlight the
necessity of accepting his workfor your participation in life
(06:00):
and his mission.
And there's betrayal andforgiveness.
Even as he washes the feet ofhis disciples, he is fully aware
of the impending betrayal byJudas.
The act underscores the depthof his forgiveness and love,
extending even to those whowould betray him.
Then there's the call toimitate Christ.
He explicitly instructs hisdisciples to follow his example
(06:20):
of humility and service, whichestablishes a pattern for
Christian living and thattranscends cultural and temporal
boundaries, calling allbelievers to embody the humility
and sacrificial love of Christ.
Here's some lessons the essenceof servant leadership.
Jesus demonstrates that trueleadership is characterized by
(06:42):
humility and service to others.
Jesus demonstrates that trueleadership is characterized by
humility and service to others.
By washing his disciples' feet,an act typically performed by
servants, he inverts theconventional notions of power
and authority.
The act serves as a model forall who wish to follow him and
teaches that greatness in thekingdom of God is measured by
one's willingness to serve.
The Necessity of SpiritualCleansing for Communion with
(07:03):
Christ.
The dialogue between Jesus andPeter during the foot washing.
The necessity of spiritualcleansing for communion with
Christ.
The dialogue between Jesus andPeter during the foot washing
symbolizes the need forspiritual cleansing to have a
part with Jesus.
This interaction highlights theimportance of allowing him to
cleanse us from our sins andunderscores the broader
spiritual truth that ourfellowship with him and
participation in his kingdomdepends on accepting his work in
(07:26):
our lives.
Beyond the immediate context offoot washing, jesus establishes
a principle for his followersto emulate his humility and
sacrificial love in theirinteractions with others, and
this lesson extends the act ofservice to a broader call to
love one another as he loved us,embodying his selflessness and
(07:47):
care in our relationships andcommunities.
How does the act of jesuswashing the disciples feet
challenge your understanding ofleadership and greatness?
My understanding of leadershipand greatness was, I think,
conventionally is well, I'm theboss, I'm in charge, I tell you
(08:07):
what to do, which is aninversion, because Jesus is
saying no, if you're the leader,you'll serve.
What can I do for you?
Reflect on the significance ofthis washing of the feet of his
disciples, including Judas.
What does that tell you abouthis nature?
I mean, really, you know thisguy's going to stab you in the
(08:32):
back, you know it, and you'regoing to wash his feet.
No, I'm going to smack him inthe face.
That's the self.
And he's saying you have tocast that aside and you have to
take your garment that you'vegirded in and wash the feet of
your betrayer.
(08:54):
Here's some suggested prayers,and this is a prayer for a
servant's heart.
Heavenly Father, in a worldthat often equates greatness
with power and status, teach usthe humility and grace
exemplified by Jesus as hewashed his disciples' feet.
Grant us a servant's hearteager to serve rather than be
(09:16):
served, and to love others withthe selflessness of Christ.
Help us to embody trueleadership grounded in
compassion and service, that wemight reflect your love and
grace to those around us.
Amen.
Prayer for Spiritual Cleansingand Communion.
Lord Jesus, you have shown usthe profound necessity of being
(09:38):
cleansed by you to have a partin your life.
We confess our sins andshortcomings, asking for your
forgiveness and cleansing.
Wash us anew with your gracethat we may walk in fellowship
and communion with you every day.
May our lives be a testament tothe transformative power of
your love and purification.
Amen, holy Spirit, inspire usto love one another as Jesus
(10:04):
loved us sacrificially,unconditionally and generously
In a world marked by divisionand selfishness.
Empower us to be the agents ofyour love, breaking down
barriers and building bridges ofkindness and understanding.
Strengthen us to embody Jesus'commandment to love that through
our actions the world may see areflection of your love and be
(10:25):
drawn to you.
Amen.
Thank you for joining me thisweek.
I hope it's been a blessing.
If you found something in hereyou can take forward into this
day and into this week and drawcloser to Yeshua.
Jesus Christ.
Amen, and I'll see you nexttime.
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