Glory to the Lord. We thank God for all His mercies, for all His goodness. May the Lord be glorified, dear sisters and brothers.
I want to continue reading through John chapter 13 about foot washing. When Jesus already knew that His hour was near, when He understood what His end would be, He knew that He had to establish, strengthen, exhort, correct, and give direction to His disciples — those who had left everything to follow Him — because soon His time was near, and they would have to continue His work.
And He does not begin with words, but He shows the disciples a wonderful example, so that by receiving and doing that example, they would live that life with one another and toward one another in that way. It is written that Jesus, already knowing that His hour had come, washed His disciples’ feet, and after washing them, He says certain words.
And if He had simply said those words, and during the foot washing He had not spoken with Peter, then through this foot washing we might think certain things — that Jesus was simply speaking about humility, that we must be humble toward one another, as He was humble.
Peter’s Response and Having a Share
And that is in it, but Peter’s conversation with Jesus shows that there is more here, because Jesus says, “If I do not wash your feet, you have no share with Me.”
I want to read from the Gospel of John, chapter 13, beginning from verse 4.
“He rose from supper and laid aside His garments, and taking a towel, He girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. And when He came to Simon Peter, Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, are You washing my feet?’ Jesus answered and said to 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 only my feet, but also my hands and my head.’ Jesus said to him, ‘He who is washed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you’... For He knew the one who would betray Him; therefore He said, ‘You are not all clean.’ So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them...”
And then He already speaks certain things.
When we look at the conversation between Peter and Jesus, we see that He is not speaking about anything connected to humility. Peter misunderstands Jesus, thinking that Jesus is simply humbling Himself and washing his feet. And for that reason Peter says, “You will never wash my feet. You are Lord, You are King, You are our Teacher, our Instructor.”
But Jesus says to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” If this were a situation connected only to humility, He would have said, “Dear Peter, I am leaving you an example of humility, so that you also do it, so that you also may be humble with one another, toward one another.”
But Jesus says, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with Me.” Here He is speaking about a share. God was setting apart the Levites for a holy work. And if here He had not washed Peter’s feet, they would not have had that share.
And in different places it speaks about that share: of course, the share of the kingdom of heaven, the share of eternal life, the church having communion with one another, having a share in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the works of the Holy Spirit, the fruits of the Holy Spirit, the share of the kingdom of God, and having a share in the bread and wine of communion — that is, in the body and blood of Christ.
The Difference Between Being Bathed and Being Washed
He says, “He who is washed does not need anything except to wash his feet, and you are completely clean, but not all of you are clean,” because He knew His betrayer.
In Armenian translations and in several English translations, they use the same word. “The one who is washed does not need anything except to wash his feet.” Washed, wash — they come from the same word, the same root. In one Armenian translation it says, “The one who is bathed does not need to wash.”
When we think about the life of God that we live as believers, when we repent and believe in Christ, Christ forgives all our sins, cleanses us, sanctifies us. We are baptized in water and come out, and it is as though this physically represents our body entering, being buried, and rising again; that washing is performed on the whole body.
Now, in our church, and in many churches, before water baptism there is that first confession. That first confession is made. And imagine if that first confession happened and they said, “Good, you confessed, you were baptized, you are finished, you do not need to confess anymore, you are already fine, go in peace.”
But we teach that a person must continually live that life of confession, that life of washing.
God cleanses those who bear fruit even more, so that they may bear even more fruit. Many times, when we say, “Lord God, cleanse me, sanctify me,” a person thinks that is either for an unbeliever, or for someone who is in sin, or someone who is in mistakes. No. There may be people here who are bearing much fruit, and it is those very people who need to be cleansed even more, so that they may be even cleaner and bear fruit.
Cleansing and the Communion Table
And for that reason, we enter foot washing, we are cleansed, and we come prepared to partake of the Lord’s blood and body. We eat and drink, and we have life.
And if with that longing, with that heart, with that condition, we enter that holy place, it truly is a holy place. Imagine, in the Word of God, when the apostles see an angel, they fall like dead men. We say, “The Lord is present.” To the human mind, that is a very amazing thing: the Lord is present.
Call to Repentance and Prayer
Good and merciful Father God, for everything and in everything we give thanks and are grateful, we glorify and magnify You. Glory to You, glory to You, glory to You. Glory to You, that You have made us useful vessels. We, Lord God, at one time were useless, at one time were not a people, at one time were not Yours, but You made us Your people. At one time we were without mercy, Lord God, but You showed mercy. We found mercy in You, Lord Jesus Christ.
Glory to You, glory to You, glory to You. And these vessels, Father, that You have given to each one of us — these bodies, our soul, our breath, our mind, our whole being — need Your cleansing. Father, cleanse us even more, so that we may be able to bear fruit. Correct us more, straighten us, discipline us. May the blood of Your Holy Son, Jesus Christ, cleanse us even more from every sin, every evil, every unrighteousness. May the fire of Your Holy Spirit burn every dark corner deep in our hearts.
Father, we need Your cleansing. Father, wash, cleanse, sanctify. May the blood of Your Holy Son, Jesus Christ, become living within us, Lord God. Cleanse and sanctify Your people. Help and have mercy, Father. We need You very much. We ask You, Lord God. Whatever weakness there is, whatever mistakes there are, Lord God, in this people, in Your people, correct us, straighten us, discipline us, instruct us. Lord God, break pride from within us, break arrogance, destroy deceit. Lord God, do not let the work of darkness succeed among Your people. Cleanse us, cleanse us. We need Your cleansing very much.
Help, Lord God, help and have mercy on Your people. We give glory, we give thanks and are grateful, we glorify and magnify Your great and precious name. And we prayed all this in the name of Jesus Christ. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah. Amen.
